Feria de Sao Joaquim and more ......

Today we had proper plans to explore!!
I was up short after 6 am and had a coffee at the pool side.
Please do not imagine a normal hotel pool! This is actually more a circular fountain situated in the middle of the cloister, fitting the old building perfectly!
When Neil woke up we went for a swim before breakfast.
After breakfast we called an Uber to bring us to the Feira de Sao Joaquim, a Salvadorian local market. Not really a touristy place.
This was some experience!!!
A huge market with all sorts pf stuff, partly under a roof, partly outside, just a long side of a harbour.
Fruit, veg, meat, dried prawns, religious items mainly for the local afro-brasilian practise, including small statues of their saints, mass items, herbs, shells as well as white doves and cockerels!
The aisles were narrow and we needed to watch not being run over by carts and wheel barrows …. Running back and forth with their loads.
We spent a few hours here being with certainly the only tourists!
Shame we cannot blend in here :)
After we were saturated by everything, we sat down for a beer with harbour view then called an Uber to bring us to the famous Bonfim Church.
Here a lot was going on including building works in preparation to the upcoming festival that we are unfortunately missing!
We bought our fitinhas and tied them inside the church then set off to find the Syndicate de Cereja, that Aldemir had recommended.
We arrived there quarter to 4 pm exhausted and tired, just to be told they were closed still.
As we must have looked disapponted and knackered, they took pity for us and declared the bar and restaurant open!
We gladly sat down and ordered a beer.
A bit later a selection of bolinhos, which were delicious.
The owner looked after us and even gave us a sample of some clam broth that he was serving to another customer.
Later he invited me to try the mussels from his own meal, preparing it with all care for me to eat.
First he picked a nice muscle from the pot, then he added some piment, a splash of lime and some olive oil.
It was delicious!!!
Once I sat down at our table again, he appeared with another “lambreta", which was even bigger! It was so nice!
Before 6 pm we left in order to visit the famous Ice cream parlour at Ribeira: Sorveteria de Ribeira. Again a recommendation from Aldemir and big time approved from the Syndicate owner, who warmly said good bye to us.
At Ribeira, we went for a we walk along the shore to the beach, just to realise that this was not a beach we ever would like to visit. However the ice cream was nice. Huge bolas and thousands of tastes!
We sat outside, sweaty, sticky and tired and decided to get an Uber home for a jump in the pool and a shower.
Having done that we did not feel for any more adventures!
We walked up and down the road, but could not face the busy Pelourinho - instead we ended up at a hole in the wall and had the cheapest picanha ever with the most delicious aipim and a warm bean side mixed with tomatoes, onions and parsley.
I usually do not eat beans, but those were incredibly tasty that we finished them all.

The dinner was a matter of half an hour and we crawled back to the hotel, sat by the pool for a bit before falling into bed.

Tomorrow is our last day :(

Blipping my "lucky shot" from the market.
More in the extras:
* stalls
* inside the market
* herbs
* Bonfim Basilica
* Ice Cream