Cuiabá feels very different to all the other World Cup stadium cities that I’ve visited so far. Maybe it’s because I’m bike-less, maybe cos it’s relatively small in population and lack of highrise buildings, but mainly I think it’s because of the “rich mix of European, African and native American influences” as Wikipedia puts it, although in my experience from last night it was more specifically the variety of people from different nearby South American countries that I noticed. This place is less obviously Brazil and more the centre of South America, well in fact it is exactly that and there’s a monument here to mark the location:
I walked from Leo’s house into the city’s historic centre and checked into the Pousada Ecoverde, since it’s recommended in the Lonely Planet guidebook (check me out, like a proper backpacker). It’s a cool place with several cats (and a dog and chickens) plus interesting decorations everywhere, the best of which is a replica World Cup trophy!
I took a stroll through the main squares and visited a museum before sunset.
Seems I missed the party
Big church
Museum – mostly contained paintings of Cuiaba history
Tapioca = a local favourite, they’d run out of chocolate so I had mine filled with jam and cheese!
Sunset in the city
Today (Sat) I’ll get a bus to Chapada dos Guimaraes to explore the beautiful landscape there tomorrow, then Mon-Weds I’m off on a tour of the northern Pantanal (comes from the Portuguese pântano, meaning swamp or marshland) where I’ll be on safari Brazil style trying to spot all sorts of amazing wildlife.
See you on the other side, unless I get eaten by an anaconda.
