Floating around in Bonito

We spent a very pleasant few days in Bonito, (translated, means “beautiful”) in Brazil last month, after the Pantanal trip. Following a short flight from Cuiaba to Campo Grande and a four hour van journey, we arrived late in the evening to this town which has established itself pretty much along a very long single road. We were staying a good kilometre past the town so had a good chance to get a look as we drove through, although the boys at this point were decidedly sparko. Bonito is famous for being a centre for all sorts of interesting outdoor activities like swimming, caving, kayaking on some of the clearest river water in the world.

The Pousada Chao de Pedra gave us a simple, clean room altogether, with the obligatory bunks that the boys are loving. Thankfully at this stage there is never any argument, Louis always gets the top, as we’d be more worried about Frankie being able to prevent himself tumbling out. There was a spacious open area where you ate and met other people.  We also managed to catch up on a couple of Skype calls with the family and remember Frankie telling people this is a good place for "relaxisation"!

It was also a good place for our first proper foray into introducing the boys to a little holiday school for part of the mornings while we were there.  Strangely, at a time when we are gradually losing track of time and day, since we have left our watches at home, the thing that struck us was how the boys have gone the other way and suddenly became acutely aware of what day it is.  At home, we could have just had a great weekend together and been back at school for a day, and on Monday night ask “What day is it tomorrow, boys? The response would be entirely random - “Is it Sunday?” they might suggest, and you think “How can you possibly think it’s Sunday, you’ve just been back to school for the first time in three days.....”.  Out here however, the boys will be very quick to point out “its Saturday today so no holiday school!”

We did a few trips to the local swimming baths, “Balneares Municipales” which out here constitute a very pleasant swim in the crystal clear waters of the local river, with fish for company. The local children were very friendly and the boys hooked up with a couple of kids sitting near us who were very generous with fish food.  They kept throwing it in the water just where we were swimming so you felt this flurry of large fish all around you in the water which was fine providing they stick to the fish food.   

At another similar place, there was a little waterfall that you could swim up to, and, with a bit of effort and underwater rock-clambering, actually get behind and look out from!  And I couldn't let the boys down when they chanted for me to go on the zip line, that started up quite high and ended in the water.  No problem, except that its fairly important not to get distracted, since if you don't jump off in the water, you would go crashing into the rocks at the other end!  Health and Safety very much at the other extreme over here to what we are used to at home. 

One of the highlights of Bonito was a trip to Rio Sucuri, where you can swim - or rather float - in the river downstream, with your snorkel and mask, and watch the fish as you go. Its a good row upstream in a little canoe altogether to get to the point of being able to do this. Rowing upstream meant that you couldn’t go at too leisurely a pace or you’d never get there! (Could have done with Croftie in the canoe to get us there with a bit less effort on our part!) 

It was great snorkelling experience for the boys, which they will be doing a lot more of while we are away. It was lovely for us too, just holding hands with one of the boys each and seeing and sort of hearing their excitement as they saw different fish on the way down. They decided to design a little leaflet on the trip that day, which we have copied below this entry. 

We visited an interesting bar called Taboa while we were there and the boys were amazed that you were allowed to write on the walls without anybody getting upset.  We made a few entries ourselves, (including my contribution of “Romanus aeunt domus” which the boys were somewhat puzzled about.)

Frankie has just surfaced as I write this and I just asked Frankie what he remembers about that bar. “Mummy was very jealous for our food.  She had fish with lots of bones. Louis and I had chips, a cube of rice, and a little omelette with bacon, it was very nice.”  Louis has just woken up and not to be outdone in the memory department, chipped in that in fact Daddy had Lasagne. 

Here are the leaflets that the boys created to record their visit. 

First Louis.......

....and then Frankie