Not Bonito: Lindo.

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On a lucky buy (flash sale) from the local TAM airlines, I was able to get tickets to the city of Campo Grande for about 20% of the regular prices (which still came to about 300 bucks, but...). My good friends Marcelo and Genesis (no that is not his real name), jumped on the opportunity along with me.

Already on the flight, the party began. We had like 5 inflight beer each, and it was like the good old days. Just being silly teenagers again. We arrived in Campo Grande, and took out our rental car. We were spending the night there, and driving the 200kms to Bonito in the early morning. Did some grocery shopping to save restaurant money, and off we went. 200kms of the straightest road I have ever seen. The pastures here are huge! There is so much cattle in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul that I don't think the cattle owners sell them by the head. I think they sell it by the hour. They open the gate and say: "alright, partner... I'm not even bothering on counting. You can have all the cows that pass through here before 3pm for $$$$". One eucalyptus farm was 17kms long. A big boiada (herd of cattle) ran over our car and cost us about 50 bucks in repairs.

We arrived in Bonito (which is portuguese for beautiful) and had many activities planned out. There is no way to not be in tours here. All the activities, by law, have to be oriented by certified guides. In the next few days we visited:

- Rio do Prata: floating in the crystal clear waters of Bonito, fishes everywhere.
- Rio do Peixe: hiking, waterfalls, an underwater secret cave, a 15 foot jump into the "Rainbow Hole", ziplines and macaws.
- Rio Sucuri: Another floatation excursion.
- The Macaw Hole: 40 macaw couples (I did not know they mated for life) live inside this hole which is about 200 yards across and about 90 yards deep.
- Blue Lagoon Cave: the post-card of the city, no explaining how blue the water is at the lake in the bottom of the cave.

The nightlife in Bonito was really slow for our taste, so most nights we just stayed at the pousada (small family owned motel), played poker and drank absynth.

And then, all that was left was the journey back. Genesis lucked out and jumped on the opportunity to make 200 dollars on a overbooking episode. Me and Marcelo both had to work early the next morning, and could not accept the offer. Left Genesis back to pound beer and food at the hotel they provided. The flight was late to get back, and we got home about 3 am, with work at the neurology clinic waiting for me at 7 sharp.

Well worth it!

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Photos

Party Plane
Beer

Boiada
Damn cows!

Rio do Peixe
Waterfalls

Rio do Peixe - Macaw
It's not every day one gets to do this.

The Macaw Hole
Incredible

The Blue Lagoon Cave
The water really is that blue.

Floating in Rio Sucuri
That's how clear the water is in Bonito.

The adventurers
Me, Marcelo and Genesis in really weird outfits.