147 kilometers of elevated dirt road with 126 bridges over swampy wetlands. And lots of wildlife to be encountered along the way.
So I followed my knife-wielding guide one non-rainy afternoon to check it out. (Can a knife in a sling be considered a fashion accessory in Brazil?)
Pantanal Panda.
Capybaras, the world's largest rodent, can be seen crossing the Transpantaneira en famille.
They are quite adorable, kind of like a giant guinea pig! Cuteness!
I would not describe all animals of the Pantanal as cute. Especially the ones that got their eye on you. Like this jacaré, a cousin to the alligator.
Creepy, yes. Cute, no.
Even though there are said to be three jacarés per human in this region, the colorful tuiuiu remains the symbol of the Pantanal. Pure beauty & elegance.
From my saddle, nary a jacaré was missed...
nor were these purple flowers...
nor these snail eggs...
nor this fox...
nor this rainbow.
The Pantanal provided a pleasant change of pace from my experience cycling elsewhere in Brazil.
And yes, that is a plastic poncho tied around my waist.
