Salvador

Luis Eduardo Magalhaes International Airport in Salvador is reputed to be the sixth busiest passenger airport in Brazil. On arrival at the airport passport control was chaotic to say the least. I queued for about an hour and a half before I got through - just what you need after a long flight. Whether this had anything to do with the Air Traffic Controller's strike from the previous week, I don't know. It might just have been a one-off, but if the Brazilian government want to encourage foreign tourists they will have to take a close look at the efficiency of their airport arrival procedures. I stayed at the Sofitel near Itapua (£65 for a double room with breakfast for two) simply because it was the closest 4 star hotel to the airport. It was about a fifteen minute ride from the airport by taxi. The hotel was up to the usual Sofitel standard with lovely peaceful gardens overlooking a small lagoon. I breakfasted outside with the wildlife for company - very relaxing. The hotel serves as a convenient base for the airport but it is quite a distance from the heart of the city. I only had a couple of days in Salvador so I made use of the cheap and plentiful taxis and didn't bother renting a car. I managed to do a couple of very comprehensive private tours in order to get a feel for the city and its environs. I prebooked the tours with Tours Bahia. Each full day tour cost about £120 for two of us for a full day with lunch, English speaking guide and driver. Real estate prices in Salvador weren't bargain basement, probably because the city is already established as a tourist destination. I quickly realised that, although there is a lot of property 'se vende' (for sale) it would be difficult for a foreigner to manage a single property remotely. My Brazilian tour guides pointed out the fact that empty properties tend to attract squatters and sometimes vandals.