More hands groping me, and not in a good way...

Bom Dia Everyone.  ("D"s at the beginning of a word are pronounced like soft "G"s so it sounds like Gia)

 

Pronunciation is the biggest difference that I have noticed between Portuguese and Spanish.  Obviously, there are other differences most of which I am probably not even aware.  But they do share a shit load of the same vocabulary, and from what I can tell, very similar grammar.  Portuguese, however, seems to have very multiple sound variations for many of the consonants depending on where they are in the word.  Their vowels are also much more nasal than the other Romance languages- French included.

 

Anyways, I think I am going to write a bunch of short little posts so I can attach appropriate pictures when applicable and so I can keep track of the different topics I want to mention.

 

As the subject heading for this epistle indicates, I had more people putting their hands in my pockets here in Salvador.  The guide books mention that if you are going to get robbed or pick pocketed in Brazil, then Salvador is probably the place.  That is a powerful statement considering there are many places in Brazil, like Rio, where muggings and robberies are pretty damn commonplace for the tourists.

 

Ozell and I stayed inside the hostel the first night we were here because we arrived so late and were tired.  The second evening we went out because there were some public street parties/concerts going on, and you need to participate in the nightlife of a city like Salvador.  We were in the Centro Historico district which is the heart of the old town, touristy, and reasonably safe- to a point.  We were walking around some of the streets adjacent to our hostel.

The streets were crowded in places but not impassable.  We could always move freely.  I was being very cognizant of the little money I had on me.  I had most of it in my shoe, but I had a little in one of my short pockets because if I did want a beer, then I did not want to have to go to my shoe for money.  That would have just shown whoever had taken an interest in me as a potential "mark" where I was keeping my money and probably give them the idea that I had a decent amount on me.  Anyways, as we were walking up a hilly cobble street, I felt one hand attempt to go into my right pocket.  I caught him right as he was entering because I had shortened the natural swing of my right arm to keep it relatively close to this pocket without completely giving away that I was guarding it.  He brushed off the physical contact as an innocent bump.  I immediately told Ozell that I had my first pickpocket attempt of the night.  We could not have been more than 150 yards from our hostel.

 

Then, within another minute or so, I had a much more brazen attempt made at my left pocket.  I didn't have anything in this pocket.  (I only had the equivalent of $4 in my right pocket).  As Ozell and I were walking at a normal gate, this guy just put his hand in my pocket as if I had given him permission to do so.  We were not standing still in a crowded area.  There would have been little chance that I would have not noticed the potential lift.  I would have thought that it was the clumsiest pick pocket attempt ever except for the way he reacted when I turned to him with his hand in the cookie jar.  He just looked at me, smiled, removed his hand, and patted me on the back with a hearty laugh.  The nonverbal conversation was perfectly clear... "Hahahaha.  You caught me.  Awww, shucks!  I'm sorry about that."  And that is what it is like here.  I believe they all think that grabbing at pockets is perfectly okay because if you get caught, you just laugh it off.  What is anybody going to do?  Nothing.  And if you don't get caught, then you make a good score.  Since nothing is going to be done if you get caught in the act, then it just encourages brazen and what would be highly impractical pick pocket attempts under normal circumstances.

 

Needless to say, this put me in a frustrated mood again, and I told Ozell I wanted to get off of these streets and go up to the public square for the rest of the evening. 

 

Ozell has a distinct advantage in Brazil and Salvador especially.  Maybe for the first time in his life his skin color is a huge benefit.  He easily passes for a local until he talks.  He has not had any pick pocket attempts made on him.  I stand out as a tall white guy with blue eyes.  My blue eyes are the biggest give away of all.  Lighter skin is still relatively common here, but blue eyes are practically unheard of.   We both wear somewhat typical tourist clothes, but at the same time, I don't think we look near as touristy as other people.  We also only wear crappy clothes.  If Ozell didn't wear his Michigan baseball cap, I think most locals would not guess that he was foreign.

 

It is unfortunate.  You can't let these instances ruin your time traveling, but they sure do detract from it.  It is almost impossible not to extrapolate negative feelings towards the entire community based on the actions of some individuals when these instances are so prevalent.  But at the same time, we both feel justified putting blame on the entire community because everywhere you go they have a very complacent attitude about it.  Ozell lost a new friend over it.  The entire city of Buenos Aires appears to ignore the behavior as long as it is mainly directed towards foreigners.  The hostel owner here in Salvador chimed in, "That's just people being friendly here." when he heard me casually mention the pick pocket attempts to another traveler.  And the guidebooks for Brazil have anecdotally stated that if someone in a Brazilian family was mugged or pick pocketed the night before, the event typically isn't even worth mentioning at the breakfast table in the morning.  Everyone has more important things to discuss.

 

Well, that has definitely been one of the largest cultural differences I have encountered on this trip. Unfortunately, it has been a disappointing one.

 

On to the next topic...

 

Sean