We find two on the beach who are busy camouflaging. Very special to be able to experience this.
The breakfast at Galibi is purely Dutch; bread with peanut butter, jam or cheese!
On day five we go on an independent monument hunt in Paramaribo. You'll know your way pretty quickly. The capital is not that big.
The next days we go to Nieuw Nickerie and Bigi Pan (= big lake). Nieuw Nickerie is the second city of Suriname, but there is not much to do here. However, visiting the market is worth it. But then to Bigi Pan. What an incredibly beautiful and vast lake, 135.000 hectares in size. Spend the night at Stepanies Lodge. In the middle of the lake. Dead silence!
Wow! What an experience.
During the day we go by boat to see how many fish are in the fishing nets. Of course also bird watching. The (bright) Scarlet Ibis is especially impressive. And in the evening, when it is dark, spotting caiman. What an experience. The two guides decide to step into the water at some point. It is very dark and the only things you hear are the frogs. A little later we hear a struggle and the guides return to the boat with a caiman under their arm. Very special. We take a look and the caiman is of course released again.
Then back to Hosta apartments to spend two days in Paramaribo. Because in the interior the food mainly consists of chicken with rice or rice with chicken, we like to eat at 'De Waag' or 'Zuz en Zo'. The menu is a little more varied here!
Then the two of us will go to the Frederiksdorp plantation by (very sturdy) bicycle. It is a beautiful trip, during which the bike has to go on the boat several times to cross the river.
We spend the night in a renovated plantation house. Fun and experience a true Torren Terror in the evening! We'll talk about it!
We sailed across the Warappa Creek and saw remains of plantations. The role of the Dutch during the slave period can be called very questionable.
Then cycle back to Paramaribo and immediately attend the large, annual 'Festival of the Indigenous People' in the Palmentuin. Stalls with food, drinks and lots of music make it very atmospheric.
After this day Paramaribo to Brownsberg and Ston Island. Beautiful surroundings, saw many howler monkeys, but for us this part of the trip was sufficient. Perhaps because the previous experiences were fantastic.
However, the last three days on Isadou are the pinnacle. The Amazon! What nature, what rapids, what friendly people. Also seen a lot of birds here and again caimans! And for fishing enthusiasts... here it is. A wooden stick with a string and a stinger. Lots of bites, including piranhas. Oh yes, wherever you are; The guides are nice and professional. Cheers! You can speak Dutch everywhere in Suriname... And you feel safe everywhere.
Another night in our room 16 in Hosta apartments on Keizerstraat.
Then the plane will take us safely back to the Netherlands.
We enjoyed ourselves with a capital G.
The images remain in our memories and we have the video footage at hand!