Pelourinho Picspam

Pelourinho is ridiculously picturesque. Its pastel colors and colonial buildings serve as a backdrop for various parties, including the World Cup. However, people in the historical center seemed more preoccupied with preparations for the festival of St. John than the football on tv. While I missed the festivities by a couple of days, I did get to enjoy the decorations! Naturally, in such a gorgeous place, I took loads of pictures. Here's a sampling...

The city is divided into two parts - the Cidade Alta and Cidade Baixa. The Elevator Lacerda (the first in Brazil, installed in 1873, obviously updated several times since) connects the two parts of town. For 30 centavos (about 15 cents) you can ride down and back up again. The market that's supposed to be the draw in the lower town was closed when I arrived, and the area had a bit of a zombie-apocalypse-in-paradise feel to it, so I snapped a few pictures before returning to the top.