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TOURISM
& TRAVEL
The WEST
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The
states of the west extend on an immense plate, the states
of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso C Sul and Rondônia always
represents the myth of the ultimate Border, where the immense
richnesses of the virgin territories await the forts and the
courageous ones.
Reality is quite different, many which is those give up their
illusions and turn over towards the shantytowns overcome by
the Malaria and the difficulties.
The area was always inhabited, the forest was populated often
hostile Indian tribes. Today, the tribes of Mato Grosso and
Rondônia gather the greatest part of the surviving Indians
in Brazil.
Cuiabá,
founded in 1719 by a group of bandeirantes of São
Paulo was the first Portuguese colony of the areas of the
west, making of Cuiabá the 3 3rd large city of Brazil.
One century ago, Cuiabá became famous by selling
feathers of birds exotic to the large Parisian dressmakers.
Today it counts 285.000 inhabitants.
After choking the heat of the plains, you will find freshness
in Chapada back Guimarães, a rock eminence located
at an about sixty kilometers of Cuiabá. With 800m
of altitude, it overhangs Pantanal and the valley of the
Paraguay river. This splendid natural site shelters rock
formations, caves and many cascades.
Just like the state of Rondônia of which it is the
capital, Pôrto Velho grew too quickly. In the Fifties,
the population of Rondônia was of 37.000 inhabitants,
for the majority of the survivors of the great time of rubber.
In 1987, the state counted nearly a million residents, attracted
by the programs of colonization which allocated fertile
plots of land for the culture of the coffee and the cocoa.
In the south-east of Mato Grosso, Pantanal consists of 230.000
ground km² punts (what represents half of France approximately),
flooded every year by two to three meters of water earthy
the periods of believed of the river Rio Paraguay and its
affluents. With the autumn, when water leaves the plain,
nature explodes by taking again its rights.
Only Africa knows a density of tropical life similar. These
immense marshy grounds form one of the vastest natural reserves
of animals of the world. The storks, the brushes, the ibis,
the pink flamingos, the ostriches and the jabirus with red
collar mix freely with the alligators, the buffaloes, the
zebras, the monkeys, and the snakes.
The north of Pantanal is accessible in the car or the plane
starting from Cuiabá. There, the visitors will have
to contact a travel agency which will provide them a guide,
means of transport and a lodging.
Santo Antônio de Leverger marks the end of the marshes,
this quiet small city is the starting point for a complete
circuit of one or two weeks in boat. Not far Baia Chacororé
is, where an immense and not very deep lake shelters a population
of alligators, waders and large mammals.
If you are not pressed, take the train with São Paulo
for Bauru, catch the correspondence for Corumbá,
where you will arrive 27 hours later approximately, after
having crossed a great part of Pantanal.
Large Campo, the capital of Mato Grosso C Sul was founded
in 1889 and always kept its primitive aspect.
Corumbá, on the Bolivian border was founded in 1778,
this small town of 100.000 inhabitants is today the true
capital of Pantanal and is especially known large international
drug traffickers.
Circuits and excursions on the surrounding rivers are organized
at the beginning of the port.
Ilha C Bananal, the largest river island of the world (nearly
20.000 km²) located on Araguaia, 2.600 km length. It
is on this superb island that took refuge a hundred Indians
Carajás and Javaés.
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