Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Suriname

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/south-america/suriname/

August 6th A direct flight from Georgetown to Paramaribo would get us across the border in an hour’s time. So to maximize our time there we’re leaving at 9am no snoozing ladies and gents on this adventure.
We’re ditching our stuff at the hotel and we’re off.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294082-d1218711-Reviews-Courtyard_Para...
And we’re off for a day of walking, so dress comfortably.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294082-d2233127-Reviews-Saint_Pet...
This is a real breathtaking place, this Roman Catholic (Cathedral until 2014) now Basilique of Paramaribo, known as the 'biggest and tallest wooden structure of South America. Look for the dress code and the openings hours.
A tour guide will meet us here
https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductDetail?product=20632P1&d=447474...
Paramaribo, the capital of Suriname, featuring numerous wooden buildings of unique architecture and a variety of hospitable ethnic groups, living together in harmony. First the guide will take you on a bus ride along the most prominent historic locations in the city center and then he will take you to visit other hot spots in different suburbs.
What to Expect
Our guide will pick you up by bus and our tour will past the most important monumental buildings and streets of the city.
You will see the Presidential Palace, the Museum Fort Zeelandia and the Corner House.
We’ll have time to watch the dolphins play on this lovely river cruise before have a late night dinner.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294082-d4740690-Reviews-Commewijn...
We were on Suriname river for a while and then moved toward the Commewijne River where we saw quite a lot of dolphins
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g294082-d2213863-Reviews-Garden_of...
Its Asian cuisine with lots of vegetarian options for those who prefer veggies.
Sweet dreams, we’re off to our next country in the morning. Everything I read about reaching French Guiana from Suriname involves a lot hassle from taxi rides with passes to the border, then a boat ride to Cayenne and more passes required. This tour guide isn’t going to fuss with all this, so we’re moving on to Brazil. Sorry, only 12 countries.

Book: Wild Coast: Travels on South America's Untamed EDge by John Gimlette (Can be bought on Amazon or Google in eBook or paper)

https://goo.gl/images/oEFrM3 Quote unknown author


In a recent gathering of the congregation of the Saint Peter and Paul congregation everyone was wearing white. Since white cotton is the coolest garb for this climate there is nothing special about it except, the streaming sunlight inside the building across the people reminded me of a heavenly scene.

For our bus tour of the city one of the requirements was the dress code. It is the same dress code used in Rome. I'm still amazed by the amount of wooden buildings. I have this idea that wood is difficult to maintain in tropical climates but maybe I'm wrong? I will have to take some time to research this subject. Why does my brain decide I need this knowledge?

Besides the places our bus tour is taking us there are 4 or 5 nature reserves in Suriname. A large part of Suriname is within these sections of Amazon forest. I enjoyed the river tour the most today. This is not my first trip on an Amazon river. It is a joy to take pictures of real monkeys hanging over the water on limbs and scrambling back quickly as our boat passes. The tropical birds are also a wonder. The countries seem to be getting smaller along the coast as we go. I saw sand pipers which spend some of their summers on the Peninsula in Erie, Pennsylvania. I wonder if they fly all the way from Suriname to visit Erie?

The guides and other people we meet are friendly and cordial. They like to talk to impart knowledge of tier country and also gain knowledge of ours. On a personal level they seem a happy busy people.