Bonito is a small own catering for family holidays and crystal clear water activities. It's hot throughout the night and can't think I saw anyone in more than baggies and a t-shirt. There's only one main street lined with pop up evening street eats and drinks (similar to a caravan stand with plastic tables and chairs on the pavement), bars, restaurants, ice cream shops and tourist wares.
Trip advisor ranks Bonito Pastel as the top place to eat. It's a small more fast food type place selling pastel varieties. Pastels are rectangular deep fried pastry 5 cm by 10 cm with a filling inside. These are popular snacks all around Brazil. Mands had the local fish and I had the top rated caiman with gurava sauce. Can't say I tasted much caiman, but it was good.
We were lured into a ice cream shop on the way back, but the exotic fruit specialities did not compare with a regular chock mint.
Further problems at the hostel as the email booking for Rio De Prata snorkelling wasn't confirmed and has limited numbers per day. Anyway, sorted out with a bit of name dropping.
We had to take a private taxi an hour to get to Rio De Prata for the for the snorkelling, but a bit of money later and we where there. It started with a huge buffet lunch (probably to justify the price) and then we were kitted out in wetsuits, booties and we hired an underwater camera as that is where the action would be.
While insects attacked me and the sun burnt my wetsuit onto me, others in the group slowly entered the one at a time walkway like it was their first time in water. Finally in and while others were given how to snorkel lessons Mands and I were given the all clear competence approval to get started.
I could feel small fish biting on my legs. Mosquitos had left their mark with some nasty looking bites (I don't react we'll to midges or Mosquitos). The fish were eating the dead skin around the bites. Just like a fish pedicure I've seen advertised in the UK. Apparently these fish were of the same family.
When they said crystal clear, they weren't kidding. And fish, fish all around. Couldn't tell you what types with our Portuguese only guide, but many - see our photos and more impressive videos.
Our guide then pulled our heads from the depth to show us a caiman open jawed, 2 meters away. It wasn't too bothered with us, and I didn't really want to bother it, so we headed down river.
I've not snorkelled in a river before, but no swimming is needed, just float and throw out a fin to go left and right.
The rapid section was fun. The guide motioned that it would be a good place to take a video clip. I swam in front and Mands had the camera. Round the corner, I was sucked with the faster flowing water and bobbed around with the water deciding where it would throw me. Mands now with one hand soon gave up on the video recording and changed to survival mode!
Our snorkel was about 2 hours long and well worth it.
We collected our photo and video copies and waited for our now elusive taxi to pick us up. The video girl kept us entertained by showing us the 4/5 meter anaconda recorded where we'd been swimming in September 5 months earlier!
We decided to give one of the caravan street food. I ordered the biggest everything on it burger and Bhrama beer - it was great! Next to us was a regular bottle store selling the usual beers and spirits, what wasn't usual is they also had chairs and tables out on the pavement and you could then sit and enjoy on the cheap. London could do with some of these with a pint having hit £4 at our local.
We bumped into the Scottish/ English couple at our hostel who we'd crossed the border with. They then told us about the tour they were oversold by Mr nice - it was still good but the ranch name was different and that pool they had looked forward to didn't exist. There is no such thing as a free lunch, particularly if it's at a border.
Cheers Bonito and the Pantanal, beaches here we come.
No comments:
Post a Comment