Salsa Bar Closed?

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JMBroad

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How can you close a nice little place like Salsa Bar yet continue to allow Azucar and Coco Loco to remain open?

For those that haven't been, Salsa Street in Ponta Negra is a street full of bars and clubs where (mostly tourists) go. On that street there are two open air brothels which are very open about being packed with people "on the job".

On the other hand there are some very nice bars which both Brazilian and International tourists alike enjoy visiting. Salsa Bar is one of the latter. Not to say there aren't any "working" people in the bar but the ones there are a lot more discreet and the general atmosphere is a lot more socially acceptable.

Salsa Bar is just on the right as you enter Salsa Street, was normally full of people and had a short Capoeira show (Capoeira = Brazilian martial arts dance) at midnight which people really enjoyed. They also had salsa lessons throughout the night, with two young men and two young ladies inviting people from the crowd to join in. They had preserved a lot of trees within the bar and generally speaking it's a nice place to have a caipi and watch/participate in some salsa.

They closed it down last Friday because of "noise complaints from the neighbours" - yet Azucar and Coco Loco and all the others remain open?

Anyone on the ground have more info about this? I'm curious as to the real reason/outcome
 
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Golfingworld

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Are those "Brothels" Coca Loco or Azucar in Natal like the 20 or so ones between Torremolinos ond Estepona or the three or so Bars in Puerto Banus, or the girls that stand at the bottom of the lift in The Andalusia Plaza? Since when did The Costa del Sol have the moral high ground? Driven on any major "Caraterra Nacional" in Spain recently and seen the signs "Club" in neon lights......? So, before you tarnish Ponta Negra Mr Broad I suggest you look out of your office window at the neon lights!

As for Salsa no idea and it if it permanent it is a shame, was a good place, but it is a sign of the times maybe that the booming economy in NE Brazil is not all it is cracked up to be!
 
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michaelbush

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I guess I am the man to find out! I cannot believe it was the noise, although the music is more open than other bars. Maybe they did not pay the rent,taxes, or protection etc! The bar next door where they had samba, pagode, and brazilian reggae, was demolished and is now a car park. Maybe someone has bought Salsa to enlarge it with next door. There are a number of these places that have undergone or are undergoing reform. They are all in a residential area, so will have to control the noise to stay within the law. I expect to be visiting Brasil Tropical, with my partner, where it is all Brasilian, and not a working girl to be seen! I will make some enquires and report back, and John, next time you are here, I will let you know of some more Brasilian haunts.
 
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michaelbush

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Those of you worried that the Salsa Bar is closed will no doubt be pleased to know that they expect to re-open in a couple of weeks having done some work to contain noise levels. Apparently they were closed due to a complaint from one resident to the rear.
 
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Golfingworld

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This is going to be interesting for the whole area as this entertainment district has eveloved in a residential area. In fact there are three blocks of flats going in very close to Salsa Street. I think I need to join the residents committee!
 
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JMBroad

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I expect the noise could have been an issue as the central part is open air so the sound levels can literally "go through the roof". Hope it does open up again.

Regarding local haunts I have a very old friend living in Natal and she told me some of the places to go in Petropolis but last time I didn't have time to visit them - was working with the team so evening social activities were as a team too.

Taverna on Salsa Street is a lot more Brazilian and pretty good fun though.
 
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JMBroad

New Member
Oh and they never re-opened. Was a great shame, went down "Salsa Street" while in Natal and while the dodgy Coco-Loco and Azucar are still open, Salsa Bar is now an abandoned plot of land, even the building seems to have been torn down.

However they opened a new bar next to Sgt Pepper, the Fuso Horário, whose lack of Brazilian character is very reminiscent of the typical cookie cutter bar anywhere in the world. The numerous waitresses (all young ladies) were quite content to blush and smile when I tried to catch their attention to order a drink but as for service, "not on the menu".
 
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Golfingworld

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Oh well Mr Broad, you'll just have to make do with that excellent service provided by The Navy Bar or Havana Bar in Puerto Banus in Marbella. But of course, would you ever admit to "optional extras" beng on the menu in such a sophisticated part of residential Europe, when every Mayor in the last 10 years has been jailed, where drug dealers are gunned dwn in The Point and Eastern European Mafia carry out open turf wars, whilst their poorer Eastern European brothers perpetuate petty crime. Not to mention the Africans selling counterfeit watches and DVD's on the Paseo next to the beaches that haven't been cleaned for months.

Considering all this, why are Coca Loco and Azucar so "dodgy" as you put it?

People who live in glass houses springs to mind!
 
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JMBroad

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One doesn't exclude the other. I don't visit those as I don't visit the ones in Salsa Street.
 
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Raimundo

Guest
Mr. Braod -

You sir should understand by now in Brazil, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. You chose to live in Natal, that said, you made your bed, now sleep in it.
 
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JMBroad

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Mr. Braod -

You sir should understand by now in Brazil, ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. You chose to live in Natal, that said, you made your bed, now sleep in it.
It was a rhetorical question Ray, meant to stimulate a debate, not looking for an answer, but thanks. And I don't live in Natal, I live in Marbella Spain, which the some people tend to automatically read "Puerto Banús" - hence GW's quip about the ladies bars.
 
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jamphi24

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Has Salsa reopened yet? When I was over there in June I didn't notice it open?
I hope that the other bars on that stretch don't close, it is about the only place in Ponta Negra with any night life!
ANyone remember the bar on the beach that spilt onto it at night? That was great. What happened to that? Talking 5 years ago or so now though.
 
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JMBroad

New Member
Salsa is gone - won't be coming back unless they build it again - even the building has dissapeared. The owner of Taverna (The one that looks like a castle across the road from Salsa) is also now trying to sell so that he can move - he mentioned that there are three or four "special clubs" on that road now and he doesn't feel like it's the place to be. That would only leave Sgt Pepper as the non-dodgy bar on Ex-Salsa Street

I've got to agree with him - the nightlife in Petrópolis was much more enjoyable and a lot more Brazilian - I was pretty much the only gringo around so I had to pretend to be a paulista to fit in hehe (only paulistas would be as pale as me)
 
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jamphi24

New Member
Thats a shame. They need to sort out the hookers in Ponta Negra or the place is going to go down hill. One or two bars is ok but to have a whole street except one bar is not good. Especially since the next nearest nightlife is a fair old trek away. If the nightlife goes it is going to devalue the place.
The Taverna is connected to the Youth Hostel Castel is it not? Is the whole thing for sale? Out of interest what is he selling it for?

Petropolis is close to the centre is it not? There is a Sgt Peppers there too isn't there?

Just out of interest what are the best places to go in Natal? Chaplins/Nyx is good but only open fri/sat? What else is there apart from the odd small bar and Sgt Peppers?
 
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robh

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There are loads of bars in Petropolis, I went to Boemia last Friday night which was fun but I was the only gringo in there so I got a lot of attention, although bypassing the queue out front completely probably guarantees you will get attention as well.
 
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JMBroad

New Member
Hehe Boemia is nice, that's where I was too (and was also the only Gringo) - I was there a couple of weeks ago the night after it opened and it was packed - is it still doing well?
 
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Golfingworld

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None of these discussions tell me there is a property or tourist boom in Natal.
 
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robh

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None of these discussions tell me there is a property or tourist boom in Natal.
I was in Natal last week and was thinking about listing a nice tower a developer we deal with had recently launched. He sold all but 8 apartments in 6 weeks. The tower is in PN.

How is your apartment going GW, shouldn't it be finished by now?
 
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robh

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Hehe Boemia is nice, that's where I was too (and was also the only Gringo) - I was there a couple of weeks ago the night after it opened and it was packed - is it still doing well?
There were pretty big queues to get in.
 
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JMBroad

New Member
None of these discussions tell me there is a property or tourist boom in Natal.
You seem to have read between the lines but ended up reading a totally different book - we were discussing the nightlife in Natal and where the locals consider the best bars are.
 
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