We were all up at six o’clock in readiness for an early start to get fresh fruit and vegetables from the local market but the morning rain had other ideas. Eventually we made it ashore soon after 08:00 and were delighted with the town. So relaxed and very friendly with a lovely colourful market where boys with wheelbarrows and men with donkey carts took the place of taxis for those heavily laden. A rope seller with a big smile gave me a length of twine that I had shown interest in and wouldn’t take any money for it.

 

After all all our exertions on a warm and humid morning we took a break in an ice cream emporium which did a first rate lime juice as well as ice creams. My morning espresso cost 30 cents – quite a difference from Salvador (and B.A. for that matter).

 

The main farmers’ market takes place on a Saturday morning. We knew this but despite our best efforts we couldn’t get away from the marina in Salvador in time. The produce at the daily market was like the curate’s egg – good in parts. The oranges looked old (we call them ‘greens’ because they are more green than orange) but we found a man with a barrowful of them outside the market. He cut one into segments for us to try – it was sweet and juicy so we bought a couple of kilos from him as well as some new potatoes. We’ve now decided to do the bulk of our fresh produce shopping back in Itaparica.

 

We took our gatherings back to the boat and then relaxed on board until the early afternoon when we went ashore for lunch and a walk around the parts of the town we’d missed in the morning. Liz and I shared a last moqueca de camarao whilst M & M had bolinhos de queijo and salad. Delicious and very filling. No supper needed tonight!

 

The plan now is to return to Itaparica on the morning tide. We’ll top up with fresh water at the spring fountain, do our shopping and hopefully sort out our credit and debit card problems in the afternoon. Then a final dinner ashore, probably at Amigos. We should then be ready for an early start on Friday – first to Bahia Marina to get fuel and then out to sea to start our voyage proper. The last weather chart I saw (yesterday’s) looked good with favourable winds. Fingers crossed!

 

P, L and  M & M.