Sep 29, 2018 - Suriname

We finally acquired expensive tourist cards - but easier & cheaper than visas! - and traveled overland to Suriname for a few days. Started with 4 hour minibus ride in Guyana, then across a river by ferry, then another 4 hours by taxi in Suriname. Similar everything to Guyana but in Dutch. Ramshackle colonial structures in the capitol city of Paramaribo, ramshackle small homes in the countryside. But not as much trash which I appreciated. Almost all residences even had garbage cans out for collection which is very rare back in Guyana. We...

Jul 26, 2018 - Zoo, Shopping, and Dolphins

A free day! We stayed in bed quite late – until 8:00! We had nothing planned but figured we’d let the day work itself out, so we headed down to breakfast. There was a tour agent at the breakfast area and we chatted with him about what was available and signed up for a sunset dolphin spotting tour for 4:00. Then we sat down to a nice breakfast and a Kisskidy flew down and tried to take Kitty’s omelet! Over breakfast we planned the rest of the day. We decided, as we didn’t see many animals in the wild due to the rainy season that we’d go to...

Jul 25, 2018 - Ariane VA244 and back to Paramariebo

Up really early after a pretty late night but get bags together and head down to meet the van. Off to the IBIS viewing area to watch the launch of the Ariane flight VA244 launching four European navigation satellites – the Galilea system (like GPS). We get to the check in area and it is packed with people and about ten buses. We stood in line and finally got our passes and a little booklet about the launch, then stood in another line to get on a bus. The bus got to the road to the viewing site and waited as no one was at the gate! They...

Jul 22, 2018 - Joden savanne

I set the alarm for PM instead of AM but Kitty got us up on time. Down to a nice breakfast then pack for the day and meet our guide at 8:30. Day started off poorly as one of us had to stop at the ATM and I forgot my camera, so back to the hotel. Then to Independence square to watch the bird call contest, but it had been cancelled because it looked like rain. In Suriname the most popular pastime for men is bird keeping. They keep small song birds (some costing as much as $1000 or more) and have competitions as to whose bird chirps the most...

Jul 21, 2018 - Up the Commenwijne River

Up around 7:30 after a good sleep and go down to the hotel breakfast – quite a nice selection and cooked eggs to order. Met Irwin the guide at 9:00 and drove out to the north dock. The tide was quite low and the mud flats were covered with small crabs – hundreds of the things. Then we boarded the water taxi “Marie” and headed across the river to Fort New Amsterdam – a fortress in use from the 1600s through the second world war! There were a number of old cannons and mortars near the entrance. As we got near the entrance there was a large...

Jul 20, 2018 - Paramaribo

Up at 6:00 and finish packing and a call from Althea saying they were ready. Apparently, we were to meet at 6:45 and not 7:00. Anyway, off to the airport and checked our bags and weighed in. They then checked our passports for the visa and the yellow fever card. We walked over to a local shop and had some breakfast – tea and a doughnut as we had bought breakfast treats the night before. Then back to the airport, through security (with another look at our passports) then into the departure lounge for about a minute before we boarded the tiny...

Jan 19, 2018 - Paramaribo

Another morning here in Paramaribo was able to get online so got a bit of stuff done on the computer, The internet here has been very intermittent. Out early before it gets hot and this morning it was a bit cooler and lower humidity so was a nice walk to the center of the old town. Stop for some breakfast things sure move sloe here took 30 minutes to get a cup of coffee and a toasted ham and cheese sandwich and there were only 4 people there. LOL. Then was off to head to the old fort Zeelandia overlooking the Suriname River the fort was...

Jan 18, 2018 - Paramaribo

Off this morning about the area and to a atm to some local money, and then back to hotel for some breakfast. Paramaribo is the capital of Suriname setting on the banks of the Suriname river about 15 Km from the Atlantic ocean, and is known for its wooden Dutch Colonial building, founded in the early 16th century, today it is a city of about 250 thousand people with a very mixed of people from all nations. After breakfast it was out to walk around the old Colonial part of the city with many of the old building ready to collapse but still...

Sep 25, 2010 - Friend Jaswan to Amazon & His ' jungle' place

Today we go on a quick day trip into jungle with friend, Jaswan. Was supposed to be yesterday but business kept him too busy...we insisted that he not disrupt his schedule just for us but he really wants to get us out somewhere so we shall see. We leave for Fr Guiana tomorrow on bus at 8 am. Our experience in Suriname puts many things into perspective and illustrates the difficulties faced in S. America. Case in point - Jaswan would be considered a success anywhere in business world having developed businesses, built a home, and has many...

Sep 22, 2010 - Paramaribo, Suriname

Up at 4:45 am for 'bus' (van) which picked us up at 5:30 at which time we were only ones in it. Spent next hour filling and left at 6:30 w/ 9 of us. Altho a Dutch colony, English is spoken by just about everyone here in Suriname and TakiTaki is really the most widespread. Dutch is taught in school but many forget most of it it not in business. We are getting spoiled speaking English, it will be a shock to return to foreign languages! Justone who was in minivan to ferry, is Indian decent 3rd gen., father is our age...3 sisters and a brother...

Dec 30, 2007 - Botopasi - Brownsberg

hier zijn we terug na een weekje in het binnenland vertoeft te hebben. Eerst zijn we naar Botopasi vertrokken. Vier uur met een gammel busje over een weg vol putten en bulten. Daarna nog een kleine drie uur met een korjaal op de Suriname rivier. Onderweg moesten we verschillende sula's (=watervalletjes) overwinnen. Bij 1 ervan verloren we zelfs onze bootsman. Gelukkig was hij snel weer opgevist. Het hotelletje was aan de overkant van het dorp. Het was er vrij basic (vb : enkel elektriciteit van 18 uur tot we gingen slapen,...). We...

Dec 23, 2007 - paramaribo en nieuw nickerie

We zijn ondertussen al enkele dagen verder en jullie hebben het nieuws kunnen verwerken. Wij hebben hier al een fietstocht in Paramaribo zelf gedaan. 't Was tussen de regenvlagen door mar zagen wel een samenvloeiing van heel wat culturen: zowel marrons (=oorspronkelijke bevolking van Suriname) , de zwarten (afstammelingen van slaven), hindoes, moslims, nederlanders,... je kunt het niet peinzen of het loopt hier rond. Het was wel serieus wennen want men rijdt hier links. Wel ongelukken gezien maar gelukkig geen zelf gehad. We bezochten oa...