Cuiabá, Capital of Mato Grosso

I have enjoyed everyone I've met here in my three days in Cuiabá. The city, however, does not like ME! Two days it was over 96 degrees—no surprise, as it’s famous for being scorching—and I have to say that it is just not walkable. Why? I guess that in the last twenty years, as it’s been fast-developing, the automobile has just taken over, and no one walks unless they have to.

On the evening of the second day, a series of thunderstorms dumped rain on the southern part of the state, and a cold front passed through. So the third day I went to take advantage of the coolness to visit the Parque Mae Bonifacia, a large swath of green in the city. Despite the fact that the “trails” were mostly asphalt, and the main allée was an actual road, the growth was pleasantly thick. Freshened by the rain, everything smelled like freshly-cut herbs, and the bird life was active.

On the way back, I not only found a market to buy vegetables—o joy o rapture—but also a perfect café in which to study for a few hours. Back at Hotel Getúllio, the young women who ran the hotel convenience store/cafe let me have the run of the kitchen to prepare some carrots and have a good chat as well.

The morning of my departure, my friend Jota met me at the door of the hotel, and took me on a mini city tour. How right I was about the importance of having a car! In Jota’s truck, Cuiabá became inviting. We went to a lovely walkway along the Cuiabá River, and then to a very large market, filled with Sunday shoppers. I thank Jota for his time, his generosity, and his ability to slide my attitude over to positive. Cuiabá and I are now connected.

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