Colourful Suriname Free Def

Esther Lijkwan
Suriname, South America
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Esther Lijkwan
Preface
The very first time I departed from drizzly Holland to sunny Suriname, I immediately decided to stay. I emigrated to Suriname in 2002, never having set foot on this countrys fruitful soil before. After being introduced to the giant broccoli from the air when approaching the airport my first impressions were the warm blanket of the tropics (you could even see the air vibrating) and the genuine beauty of the forest. All this greenery simply overwhelmed me. I kept staring at it in sheer amazement. Within ten minutes it was pitch dark, without any notice because Switi Sranan (Sweet Suriname) does not come close to having anything remotely resembling a twilight! Despite having to protect myself from mosquitoes, I immediately fell in love with this country. Thank you for your interest in Suriname and enjoy the book!
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Index
Preface ______________________________________________________________ 3 Index ________________________________________________________________ 4 Introduction __________________________________________________________ 8 Chapter 1 History __________________________________________________ 10
1.1 The original inhabitants of Suriname __________________________________ 10 1.2 Colonial times_______________________________________________________ 11 1.3 The plantations _____________________________________________________ 14 1.4 Short Story_________________________________________________________ 18
The Faith of a Dog _____________________________________________________________ 18
1.5 Paramaribo in flames ________________________________________________ 23 1.6 A time of gold and other minerals ____________________________________ 24 1.7 Independence _______________________________________________________ 25 1.8 War of the Interior __________________________________________________ 26 1.9 Flood _______________________________________________________________ 27 1.10 The Present _______________________________________________________ 28
Map of Suriname_____________________________________________________ 29 Chapter 2 The Country: Switi Sranan __________________________________ 34 Chapter 3 The people and their culture _________________________________ 38
3.1 The Natives _________________________________________________________ 38 3.1.1 Native dishes ______________________________________________________ 39 3.1.2 Traditional dress and culture of the natives __________________________ 40
Culture ______________________________________________________________________ 40
3.2 The Creoles_________________________________________________________ 41

Bush Creoles and City Creoles ___________________________________________________ 41
3.2.1 Creole Dishes _____________________________________________________ 41 3.2.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Creoles __________________________ 42
The Koto___________________________________________________________________ 42 The Anisa ____________________________________________________________________ 43 The Pani _____________________________________________________________________ 43 Culture ______________________________________________________________________ 44
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Religion ______________________________________________________________________ 45
3.3 The Jews ____________________________________________________________ 45 3.3.1 Jewish dishes ______________________________________________________ 46 3.4 The Europeans / Farmers ____________________________________________ 46 3.5 The Lebanese _______________________________________________________ 47 3.6 The Chinese ________________________________________________________ 47 3.6.1 Chinese dishes _____________________________________________________ 47 3.7 The Hindustani ______________________________________________________ 49 3.7.1 Hindustani dishes __________________________________________________ 49 3.7.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Hindustani _______________________ 50 3.8 The Javanese ________________________________________________________ 50 3.8.1 Javanese dishes ____________________________________________________ 50 3.8.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Javanese _________________________ 51
Chapter 4 Fauna and Flora ____________________________________________ 53

Fauna _______________________________________________________________________ 53
4.1 Mammals ___________________________________________________________ 53 4.2 Reptiles_____________________________________________________________ 58 4.3 Amfibians ___________________________________________________________ 62 4.4 Birds _______________________________________________________________ 63 4.5 Insects ______________________________________________________________ 67 4.6 Fish ________________________________________________________________ 70
Flora ________________________________________________________________________ 72
4.7 Trees _______________________________________________________________ 72 4.8 Flowers _____________________________________________________________ 73
Chapter 5 The cities ________________________________________________ 75

5.1 Paramaribo _________________________________________________________ 75 5.1.2 Inner city and Waterfront (Waterkant) ______________________________ 76 5.1.3 Fort Zeelandia _____________________________________________________ 77 5.1.4 The Presidential Palace and the Palm Tree Garden (Palmentuin) ______ 77 5.1.5 The Tower of the Ministry of Finance ________________________________ 78 5.1.6 The St.Peter and Pauls Cathedral___________________________________ 79 5.1.7 Central Market ____________________________________________________ 80 5.1.8 Wijdenbosch Bridge _______________________________________________ 80 5.1.9 The Goslar ________________________________________________________ 81 5.1.10 Paramaribo Zoo __________________________________________________ 81
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5.1.11 Modern buildings _________________________________________________ 81 5.1.12 Shops and Shopping Malls _________________________________________ 81 5.1.13 Entertainment district; Restaurants and Bars _______________________ 82 5.2 Nickerie ____________________________________________________________ 84 5.2.1 Bigi Pan ___________________________________________________________ 84 5.2.2 The road from Paramaribo to Nickerie ______________________________ 84 5.3 Albina ______________________________________________________________ 85
Chapter 6 The most beautiful spots of colourful Suriname _________________ 86 6.1 Close to Paramaribo _______________________________________________ 87
6.1.1 White Beach ______________________________________________________ 87 6.1.2 Surinamese Museum _______________________________________________ 87 6.1.3 Domburg _________________________________________________________ 87 6.1.4 Commewijne Tour _________________________________________________ 87 6.1.5 Marinalex Resort __________________________________________________ 88 6.1.6 Cola Kreek ________________________________________________________ 88 6.1.7 The Butterfly Nursery ______________________________________________ 89 6.1.8 Pottery ___________________________________________________________ 89
6.2 From the city to the Brokopondo reservoir ____________________________ 89

6.2.1 Overbridge ________________________________________________________ 90 6.2.2 Jodensavanne ______________________________________________________ 90 6.2.3 Babunhol__________________________________________________________ 91 6.2.4 Brownsberg _______________________________________________________ 91 6.2.5 Berg en Dal _______________________________________________________ 92
6.3 The Brokopondo reservoir or Professor Van Blommestein Lake __________ 93

Tonka Island __________________________________________________________________ 93 Paradise Island ________________________________________________________________ 94
6.4 From the south of the reservoir and deeper into the interior (extended trips) ____________________________________________________________________ 94
6.4.1 Anaula resort______________________________________________________ 94 6.4.2 Hotel Botopassie __________________________________________________ 95 6.4.3 Dan Paati _________________________________________________________ 95 6.4.4 Pikinslee __________________________________________________________ 95
6.5 Deep interior (extended trips) ______________________________________ 96

6.5.1 Raleigh Falls _______________________________________________________ 96 6.5.2 Apetina ___________________________________________________________ 96
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6.5.3 The Kasikasima Mountains _________________________________________ 97 6.5.4 Tafelberg (Table Mountain) _________________________________________ 98 6.5.5 Awarradam _______________________________________________________ 98
6.6 Western Suriname _________________________________________________ 98

6.6.1 Arapahu Island ____________________________________________________ 98 6.6.2 Kabalebo __________________________________________________________ 99 6.6.3 Blanche-Marie Falls ________________________________________________ 99
6.7 Eastern Suriname ________________________________________________ 100

6.7.1 Galibi ____________________________________________________________ 100
6.8 Boat trips _______________________________________________________ 101

6.8.1 Rivercruises ______________________________________________________ 101 6.8.2 Manoetje Tours ___________________________________________________ 101 6.8.3 Sweet Merodia ___________________________________________________ 102
6.9 Other tours and other places ______________________________________ 102 Chapter 7 Extra information ________________________________________ 103
7.1 Travel account/Internship and opinions about Suriname _______________ 103
My Suriname Internship ________________________________________________________ 103 Suriname ____________________________________________________________________ 104 Assignment Suriname __________________________________________________________ 105
7.2 The National Anthem ______________________________________________ 107

Translation __________________________________________________________________ 107
7.3 Surinamese celebrities ______________________________________________ 107 7.4 Holidays in Suriname _______________________________________________ 108 7.5 Interesting websites ________________________________________________ 108 7.6 Medical Services: ___________________________________________________ 109
7.6.1 Hospitals: _______________________________________________________________ 109 7.6.2 Physician: _______________________________________________________________ 109 7.6.3 Dentist: ________________________________________________________________ 109 7.6.4. Bureau voor openbare gezondheidszorg ( Public Health Care Office): _______________ 109 7.6.5. Helicopter services: ______________________________________________________ 109
7.7 Tour operators _____________________________________________________ 110 7.8 Airlines ____________________________________________________________ 111

Inland flights _________________________________________________________________ 112
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7.9 Transportation _____________________________________________________ 112

7.9.1 Bus / local busses _________________________________________________________ 112 7.9.2 Taxis __________________________________________________________________ 112 7.9.3 Car rentals ______________________________________________________________ 113 7.9.4 Bycicle Rentals ___________________________________________________________ 113
7.10 Cambios _________________________________________________________ 114 7.11 Casinos __________________________________________________________ 114 7.12 Accommodations in Paramaribo and Nickerie _______________________ 114
7.12.1 Houses for rent _________________________________________________________ 114 7.12.2 Guesthouses and apartements _____________________________________________ 115 7.12.3 Hotels ________________________________________________________________ 116
7.13 Swimming pools and leisure clubs ___________________________________ 118 7.14 Restaurants and bars ______________________________________________ 118 7.15 Important phone numbers _________________________________________ 120 Sranan tongo woordenlijst (Surinamese Word List)_______________________ 121
Checklist ___________________________________________________________ 123 Sources ____________________________________________________________ 124

Information sources: __________________________________________________________ 124 Pictures: ____________________________________________________________________ 124 Drawings: ___________________________________________________________________ 124 Books: ______________________________________________________________________ 124
A word of thanks ____________________________________________________ 125 List for Prepared Traveling To Suriname ________________________________ 126 List For Prepared Travel to Suriname with Kids __________________________ 129
Esther Lijkwan
Introduction
This book is meant for people, who are interested in the Republic of Suriname; interested in the countrys history, its various cultures living in harmony with each other and its flora and fauna. Furthermore this book serves as a useful guide for people who are planning to visit this country. It is a complete and recent publication that can be an enrichment and pleasurable addition to a trip here. The book can help to quickly and efficiently outline a dream trip through a country waiting to be explored. Most people that visit Suriname are: Surinamese people living in The Netherlands, interns from The Netherlands and Belgium and people from the USA and the Caribbean. There is a considerable growth in tourism, the population is becoming more and more aware of the opportunities this offers and a harbour fit for cruise ships is being built. Twice such a cruise ship has even docked in the old harbour. With this book I try to positively contribute to the establishment of a flourishing tourist branch in this beautiful country.
Esther Lijkwan
Chapter 1 History
1.1 The original inhabitants of Suriname
When Christopher Columbus discovered South America in 1498, the original inhabitants of this continent and therefore also of Suriname, were the hunting Native Indians of various tribes. There were the Arowaks, Waraus and Caribs which could (and still can) be found in the coastal areas and the savannah belt of Suriname. Other tribes were the Trio- and Wayana Native Indians living in the southern parts of Suriname, in Brazil, French Guyana and Guyana. In the Sipaliwini savannah region there have been archaeological discoveries such as skulls and weapons of these tribes.
Marius, Basija (the Chief assistant ) of the Wayana Indians of Apetina.
Indian mother with child
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1.2 Colonial times

The British were the first settlers that arrived here in 1540 to set up plantations. They started plantations for sugar cane, coffee, wood, cocoa, cotton, rice, tobacco, indigo and rubber. Throughout the years approximately 700 plantations were set up spread across the northern regions of the country. Despite these settlers arriving with their own Negro slaves, they still tried to subject the Native Indians to slavery. All attempts to turn the Native Indians into so-called Red Slaves failed. In this period Jewish settlers also arrived in Suriname coming out of Brazil. Chased out of Spain as a result of the Inquisition, the Jews first left for the Dutch part of Brazil. When the Portuguese captured this part of Brazil the Jews were chased out yet again. The first Jewish settlement and plantations called Jodensavanne (Jewish Savannah) was founded by the Jews on the banks of the Suriname River, close to the capital city at the time, Toorarica. The Jews called it Our new Jerusalem on the river. It is possible to visit Jodensavanne, where the remains of the first Jewish synagogue in the western hemisphere can be seen. The synagogue, which came into use in 1685, and which also served as a court of law, still draws visitors from all over the world. At Jodensavanne there is a therapeutic spring with water that contains a lot of humus. It is said that drinking water from the spring causes rejuvenation. There also is a Jewish cemetery with marble gravestones which is quite remarkable because marble was very expensive at the time and it had to come all the way from Europe. In 1667 the Republic of the United Netherlands went to war against England. The Zeelanders of the Republic were aware of large numbers of products being exported from out of Suriname, bringing in a lot of money so they jumped at the chance to capture the country. Zeelands Abraham Crijnssen was the one to do so by cunningly sailing up the Suriname River under the English flag. He captured Fort Willoughby, as the stronghold was named at the time. After the war, the Breda Treaty was signed and it was so decided that Suriname would remain property of Zeeland. Fort Willoughby which had been built by the English was renamed Fort Zeelandia. 11
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There often were heavy skirmishes between the Native Indians and the settlers but at one point the latter decided to make peace with the Indians, after which the Indians again took hold of the Savannah belt. In 1683 Cornelis van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck from the city of Amsterdam settled in Suriname. Van Sommelsdijck, the city of Amsterdam and the West Indian Company were all shareholders in the Patented Association of Suriname and this way they had become the owners of the country. As he wanted to keep a close personal eye on his property, Van Sommelsdijck settled in Suriname as Governor of Paramaribo. There came an explosive growth in the number of plantations and slaves were shipped in, in large numbers from Ghana and Sierra Leone in Western Africa. They were brought to shore at the sight where today we find the Waag building. Here they were weighed on a large scale which can still be viewed in the building, currently occupied by an Italian restaurant. The Waag building also served as bank. The slaves lived in constant and underwent continual abuse because they were considered to be no more then commodities. Some resisted these conditions and fled into the impassable forest from where they often carried out attacks on the plantations. Many of these runaway slaves, Maroons, as they are called, have descendants still living in the jungle. They are also called bush-negroes. Two of the most prominent leaders of the runaway slaves were Boni and Barron who fought many battles in the Marowijne region. In 1808 slavery was abolished in other parts of the world, but slaves continued to be smuggled into Suriname until 1863. Obviously, slaves became increasingly more expensive. Suriname was one of the last countries to implement emancipation, the abolishment of slavery. The Surinamese call it Keti Koti, which is celebrated on the 1st of July. Keti Koti (which literally means cut chains) symbolises the release from the shackles and cuffs. In 1684, Van Sommelsdijck made an attempt at peace with the runaway slaves to prevent worse infringements. The plantation owners did not agree with this attempt and preferred the opposite; a hard-line approach towards what they considered to be nuisances. The battle cost a lot of money.
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With the peace treaty the Maroons were awarded the territory behind the rivers and the settlers got the coastal areas. In reality the battle lasted for many more years. In 1688 Van Sommelsdijck was murdered by his own soldiers who justified their mutiny by arguing that the governor treated them just as bad as slaves. As products from the plantations sold extremely well in Europe, people in The Netherlands assumed that there was much money to be made in the colony. The rich lent money to everyone and anyone in Suriname, which resulted in an explosive rise of prices there. Slaves, land and houses all became more expensive. This would not have mattered if the prices of the products would also have gone up, but unfortunately, this was not the case. Many landowners fell deeply in debt and because of high interest rates on top of that, they were unable to meet their commitments to pay their loans. As of that moment a new situation occurred where creditors became plantation owners, yet at the same time continued to live in The Netherlands.They appointed managers to carry out the work without having any control over what was happening here. This led to theft and a slow decline of the many plantations. The managers and directors who were send from the Netherlands, were people with low standards. These were people who fled Europe, just came out of prison, and so on. In 1689 the French admiral Cassard sailed into Suriname. He attempted to seize Fort Zeelandia. When this failed, he avenged himself by setting fires across the river, ruining many plantations, among which Jodensavanne. In order to prevent this in the future, Fort New Amsterdam was built at the confluence of the Suriname and Commewijne Rivers. Fort New Amsterdam is positioned at right angles to the sea, which ensured a clear view of all the vessels sailing into the country. Canons were ready to welcome such vessels. Today the fort serves as an open air museum. The time of plantations was coming to an end, there were soaring debts, slaves were freed and many people moved towards the new capital Paramaribo, which for the better part was built up by Van Sommelsdijck. Eventhough the state control law obliged the freed slaves to remain working on the plantations for 10 more years; there was still a search on for new immigrants. They came from Macau in China, from East India, India and Java in Indonesia. They were 13
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contract labourers, who could either return to their home countries after their contract expired or they could choose to stay. Most of these immigrants stayed. The Javanese did not have this choice, they all had to stay. All immigrant groups kept to their own ways of traditional dress and culture, which resulted in great variety. Mosques and temples were built. In the 19th century, British Indian contract workers out of India, the coolies (which literally means porters) were placed in the district of Nickerie. The Javanese went to the district of Commewijne, the European farmers went to Saramacca (with the capital city of Groningen) and the Chinese went to the Marowijne regions. Many immigrants later continued as independent farmers.
1.3 The plantations

There were various plantations bringing forth different products: sugar, coffee, cocoa, cotton, rice, wood, rubber (or so-called balata) and tobacco. Saramacca had the most sugar and coffee plantations. The cotton plantations were mostly situated in the districts Nickerie and Coronie. Sugar plantations brought in most money, sugar being very expensive at the time. The sugar plantations worked with mills; some were set in motion by horses or mules, others were pushed by water or steam. The sugar canes juices were squeezed out and collected in a reservoir. From there the juices were transported to the kettles where there was a fire burning continuously. The canes that were squeezed out were used to stoke up fire. After this process a boiling substance was poured out of the kettles into barrels. This thick syrup-like mass was called molasses. It was used also to produce rum. From the foam coming off the boiling sugar a beverage called dram was made which contained alcohol as a result of fermentation and which was well-loved by slaves, Indians and sailors. The barrels were stored in a warehouse and later transported to the Republic of The Netherlands. The coffee plantations were less profitable because only after three years could the first input be taken out again and it took seven years for these plantations to turn in a profit. However, after these seven years, coffee plantations would remain active for many years to come.
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The coffee beans were stripped of their pods and soaked in water overnight. The following day they were left to dry in the sun. Then the beans were stored and churned from time to time. The special floors on which the beans were put to dry can still be seen at some plantations. The cotton plant consists of a flower with a green fruit. When the fruit ripens the seeds pop open and the cotton around the seeds becomes visible. The flocks of cotton fall off the ripened seeds, onto the ground or can be taken of.
Cocoa is the fruit from the cocoa tree. Each fruit has approximately 30 heart-shaped pips, the size of olives. They are oily and bitter of taste. After the outer layer was stripped off, the pips were put to dry for a couple of days, after which they were packed and shipped. The pips are called cocoa beans and they are roasted and burned and thus turned into chocolate. Rice is still the main crop cultivated in Nickerie. Driving through this district, passing Wageningen, many rice fields can be seen. Two of the largest rice companies are Manglie and Paloma. They also export rice abroad. Most of the plantations had the same structure. With a large number of barracks for the slaves, one large mansion for the owner and a smaller house for the overseer. The mansions were built on wooden poles and the higher the poles, the higher the social standing of those living in it. There also were special houses for physicians. Some plantations were named after places in Europe, like Alkmaar and Berlijn. In lesser times the names of plantations would also adapt to this and names like Zorg en Hoop (Worry and Hope), Nijd en Spijt (Spite and Regret), and Zorgvliet (Stream of Worries) appeared.
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Historical plantation house
There were a lot of plantations with French names stemming from the French Huguenots, many of which had also fled from Europe to Suriname. Among them were Ma Retraite, Tout Lui Faut and Tourtonne. The French built their plantations on the outskirts of Paramaribo. Beautiful plantations worth a visit are BergenDal and Frederiksdorp; the latter can only be reached by boat. BergenDal (Hill and Valley) is currently undergoing renovation to bring it back into its original state, along with the setting up of a museum and frogs and butterflies nurseries. One can also active the canopy sport and hiking or kayaking here, which is really adventuress. When you wish to spend the night, the luxerious lodges and the swimming pool with restaurant assure a prefect stay. There is an amazing boat trip to Frederiksdorp on a boat named Sweet Merodia under the guidance of Mrs.Cynthia Mc Leod, Surinamese author of several historical novels. For those interested in Surinames history it would be worthwhile to read her novels about the plantations or the revolution. However, not all have been translated into English. Cynthia Mc Leod has also written a book about the Marienburg plantation. Marienburg is an interesting place to visit because this plantation also had a factory. In its prime, no less than 23.000 people lived and worked there, making it the second largest living centre in Suriname at that time. It was said that the director of the plantation was the second most important man in the country, right behind the governor.
Some even argued that he was even more important than the governor because he brought the country a lot of money!
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The plantation is said to be haunted because there is a mass grave there. It is a grave of workers who were executed after lynching the director during an uprising. Successors of this director all lost their lives in a violent way. One fell to his death from the top of the factory building, on top of the machinery below, another died when hit by a train. The Marienburg Rum is named after this plantation. There are a lot more plantations to visit, too many to discuss here, but the local tour operators have all the information about these plantations.
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1.4 Short Story

In 2006 I wrote a short story for the international festival of literature Werelden in Ontmoeting (Meeting Worlds). It is a fictional story about a Chinese girl that was send to Suriname to work on a plantation. It is based on true facts on which I had done a lot of research. The story won second prize at the festival and since it is set in the time of plantations and immigration, I thought it would be appropriate to incorporate it into this book.
The Faith of a Dog

The swirling seawater slowly coloured brown as muddy streams hit the wooden ships hull, leaving white foamy tips behind. Staring at it, I sensed that the new land was near. I smelled the mossy odour of old leaves as it invaded my taste buds. Tightly holding onto my fathers silver coin in my hands, I was surprised by the dusk setting in because it did not seem all that late. After so many miles on the Marie Thrse, the sense of time had also gone lost on me. I looked at the sky and the first stars seemed to extend me their dazzling smiles. The moon stood amongst them as a shepherd guarding the flock and I was convinced that I would be able to touch him if I would just stand on the tips of my flattened lotus feet. The wind seemed to have changed into a sultry warm caress as if tender hands were stroking the tiresome journey off my body. Someone called and I turned to look at him. Wild-eyed, his skin blistered by the sun, he pointed in the distance. There! Land! Look.... land!, he forced out from his dry throat. His dull, sorrowful eyes seemed to glimmer with hope. Drawn by the promise I eagerly turned towards the direction he pointed at and I could make out giant shadows and clusters of trees, one towering higher over the other as we sailed up the rivers estuary. In the darkness, the roots of the Mangrove trees seemed like enormous spider legs. Hundreds of sounds filled the air. Bizarre sounds, I had never heard before. A new beginning. My old life dispelled. Alone. Starting all over, with nobody.
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I looked at the others; strangers of whom I had gotten to know and experience their deepest emotions. Everybody cramped together with barely enough room to breathe. Than-Chi, the dead baby wrapped in cloth in her arms, her tears were a ceaseless flow like a perpetual waterfall. She had never stopped crying. The rags on her body smeared with blood from the gruesome delivery, the crazed horror was etched in her eyes. Her husband had attempted to take the child from her arms but she had cursed him and since then she had been mumbling: My Xi-An, my beloved daughter, tenderly rocking the child in her weakened lap. In the rear of the long, stretched out deck the corpses were rotting away, smelling of tainted flesh, the flies inseparable from them. I wondered who would bury them; would they be laid to rest in the new soil or would they receive a watery grave like so many did before them? Some had lost their sanity or had fallen ill with the most horrible diseases through lack of sleep, good nutrition and hygiene. Our clothes were the same as what we came aboard with and we smelled like rats in a pile. Still I had, had no choice. Id been forced. Sold and disappeared, never to see Macau ever again. My family had left me. Finally the tears flowed down my smudged face. I wanted to scream, pull the hairs from my head, throw myself overboard, but it was too late. I was given a second chance. All the endless hours rolling on the waves of the desolate, ruthless sea, I had managed to stay alive. I wanted to live. My last memories invaded my mind. I saw my mother, sitting in the small, stuffy room with stone walls, my little brother in her arms, barely a week old. My kid sister on the plaited mat, the worn abacus in her counting fingers, tight braids hanging around her yellowish face. They didnt even cry when I left. There is not enough food for all of us, my father sternly declared while he brought me to the Hong Kong harbour. The Taiping revolution has angered the Gods and brought disaster. But the boy will bring us good fortune. You are the eldest.You have been chosen to walk this path. Be proud, girl! The Dog has chosen you.
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I cried and I begged him to let me stay and that I would be a Pig or a Tiger, but he would not listen. At a small table on the noisy quayside a man as white as a sheet sat and introduced himself to my father as an officer of the Dutch Immigration Company. After signing a contract with the stroke of a fine brush he slipped my father a velvet poach. My father then kissed me on my forehead pushed a silver dollar into my palm and left, turning around only once as he stroked his hands across his eyes. Father, father, I cried out, my voice breaking, while being ushered up the gangplank with my fellow travellers. Father, I called out one last time at the top of my lungs. He didnt hear me anymore. My eyes followed him until he disappeared as a tiny dot on the cold horizon of packed vessels and drunken, boisterous sailors. Why did I have to be born in the Year of the Dog? The Dog was brave, a messenger used to put the angered Gods in a favourable mood. But, why me? The river banks seemed to close us in and some people had gotten up to study the new land. I listened to their excited whispering. It almost looks like Macau, one young man with a long braid on the back of his head said to his wife. Ah but it doesnt smell like China at all, she replied. I peered at the primeval forest on the banks and bitterly determined that it should never be like my country. I roughly wiped my wet face and sagged down on the deck which was sticky with vomit, right next to a woman who was talking to herself. An unbearable weariness came over me and I closed my eyes. I was startled by a firm shove in my left side. A tall Chinese pulled me up by my arms. Walk! Were disembarking, or would you prefer to stay here? he loudly snapped in my ear. I sleepily tried to move my tied up feet. That would be the first thing I would free myself from, once Id gotten ashore. The crowd off passengers around me held me up and slowly pushed me off the gangplank. Right at the end I lost my balance and fell forward on the hard ground. My hands lay in the tall, sturdy grass. It smelled of overripe fruit. In the light of the moon, I could make out an extremely large ant clambering across my hands. For just a moment I allowed myself to look at it until it bit me and painfully brought me back to reality.
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Father, mother, where am I?, I said in fear. The long line of people moved through the unknown territory. We stayed close together, as if something might jump at us at any moment. Trees with thick roots and stumps were all along the side of the sandy road. Fluorescent, poisonous frogs and pimply toads jumped out ahead of us in the pitch dark, alternately producing chirping and belching sounds. The foreman kept urging us on. I pulled the rags from my sore feet and briefly massaged the numb, crushed toes. Long distances really were a problem, but I was yet again, left with no choice. It was either plodding along or dying amidst the wild animals of the frightening forest. We walked until only the stars and the moon were visible. I listened to the soft shuffling of hundreds of feet. I felt limbs rustling past my cramped body and I could smell the different body odours. Come on, we have very little time the foreman yelled again. He even seemed a bit desperate. A rustling sound came from between the cropped up branches. We were followed closely by animals, but from high up in the protective trees. A little under a mile to go, was murmured from out of the crowd. I didnt know who could verify that but I wanted to believe it. It seemed as if we had covered hundreds of miles. The hike had silenced my fellow-sufferers and there was no enthusiasm among them when we arrived at the house that would become my new home. It was a wooden house built on pillars. On the front of the house it read: House of the Chinese. I dragged myself towards the bed appointed tome and meditated before dropping onto it. I wrapped my worn out feet in the ragged blanket to relieve the pain. I could hear muffled voices in the many rooms of the house but paid no attention to them. I just wanted to sleep. I was lost in a new world, the night timidly entered the house and I fell into a deep, restless sleep. I dreamt of Macau and its streets, of my uncle who secretly taught my little niece about school. I saw my little brother when he just started to walk and my sister when she was old enough to be married. Everybody was there, except for me; I was invisible. I cried when waking up to the singing of the countless birds. I listened to the beautiful sounds and thought of the Chinese nightingale in her cage that used to wake me up. The bright sunlight poured in through the open window.
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We took turns bathing outside with cold rainwater which was collected in a barrel. The last one in line hardly had any water left. I had no clothes and got a couple of rags to wear. We ate rice with sea salted fish. Again we left in a long line and this time I walked extremely slow. Giant blue butterflies fluttered over our curious heads. I now saw the many houses along the road. Various wooden houses with different people, people who appeared to be black, others that were brown. They stared at us and we stared at them. I heard them speaking but didnt understand them. The sounds they produced were unfamiliar to me. Where was I? And with whom? Tears were welling up but got stuck behind my eyelids. I screamed: Father! and my fellow countrymen, both the old and the new, looked at me with disapproval. Then I saw the gate the ornamental signs on it, which I suspected to be letters. Sugar plantation La Resolutie, the foreman said, Everybody registers! Name, age and length of contract. After this the work schedule and everyones separate tasks will be explained. I followed the line of people and answered the questions asked by the Chinese man behind the table. Li- Chi, 18 years old. Length of contract? the man asked gruffly. I dont know. He checked the characters on the list in front of him and found my name. Where are you from? Macau, sir. Wh where am I, sir? Near Frederiksdorp station in the Dutch colony Suriname. You will work at the cooking station, since you cannot walk a whole lot, he said, disapprovingly looking at my feet. Who is your companion? Nobody, I replied, saddened by the thought that my new life would be one of hardship. Only the Gods knew how much I missed my family. They were alive but I would never see them again. Sources used: www.nationaalarchief.nl: Names of characters ( Than-Chi, Li-Chi) Ships name ( Marie Therese) Name of plantation ( La Resolutie) Locations: Hong Kong, Frederiksdorp, Macau Dutch Immigration Company. Chinese astrology: The Years of the Dog; Erna Droesbeke, Christina publishing About the zodiac sign The Dog. 22
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1.5 Paramaribo in flames

In colonial times Paramaribo had only wooden houses. The roofs were made of pina leafs and walaba singels, both products from trees. Paramaribo was called the Wooden City. This was a disaster waiting to happen of course! In 1821 almost the entire city burned to the ground. The fire started in a small kitchen in the backyard of one of the houses at the Waterfront (Waterkant). A domestic slave woman was baking cakes and the kitchen caught fire. Soon the fire spread to the houses and the adjacent buildings. The Big Fire as it was called lasted for almost 24 hours. This was catastrophic because there was no adequate fire extinguishing system. It took a couple of years before the city was rebuilt. Important public buildings that were lost were the Parliament building, the Waag building, the theatre, the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant church, the last one had just been renovated. In 1832 there was another fire, set by runaway slaves. These slaves were caught and sentenced to death. After the second big fire it was decided to build houses from slates. All the buildings that were rebuilt can be distinguished easily around the city because they look alike. The buildings have the same basic patterns,a simple symmetric front, a rectangular floor plan, a high roof and all are painted in the same colours.
Lim a po straat, inner city
The house itself is white, the shutters and doors are green and the painted bricks are red. The beautiful inner city of Paramaribo is since 2002 on the UNESCO world heritage list.
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1.6 A time of gold and other minerals

In 1874 gold was discovered in the Marowijne district. No less than 38 kilograms was found in 1876. The country became an eldorado for gold diggers. Besides gold, bauxite was also found. The Gold Express railway was built to transport the gold and connect the interior with the capital. The land that had been inhabited by the Maroons, for many years and which they considered their own, was, in a sense, being taken away from them again. Prospecting on the Brownsberg Mountain resulted in the discovery of gold there as well. Until this day you can still see the traces of gold digging that took place in that area. From 1900 on, the Republic of The Netherlands aimed at many expeditions and mineral research throughout the country. As these expeditions were successful the Netherlands were prepared to develop funds to open up the interior more. Houses and schools were built. In 1963 one decided to build a factory at Paranam in order to melt down the bauxite which was found in the territory. A flood-control dam was erected in the Suriname River, creating a reservoir and generating enough energy to operate the factory. This reservoir, a huge lake, was called Lake Van Blommenstein, after the professor who came up with the plan. The popular name for the lake is Lake Brokopondo and its creation led to the flooding of 1560 square kilometers of Maroon territory. Within a year the whole area had disappeared below the surface, and now the lake has a depth of 40 meters. Animals that were removed to prevent them from drowning were brought to Brownsberg. The territorys inhabitants were lodged in transmigration villages. One such villages is Brownsweg at the Brownsberg. People from 9 different villages have been brought together here. Flooding the area was a radical change in the lives of these people, which was also a violation of their regular way of life.
Brokopondolake
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Other transmigration villages that can be visited are Awarradam, Isadou, Gunsi and Jaw Jaw, to name a few. Here you will get to know the Maroon culture. Besides gold and bauxite also Kaolin clay and Ceramic clay were found. To protect the bauxite-economy the USA sent troops to Suriname during World War II. As the largest bauxite producer in the world at the time, Suriname was of great value to America. The troops often hung out at the Waterkant and in the Dixiebar, named after the music played there all the time. The bar is located on the premises of the Cornerhouse. It is no longer accessible to the public.
1.7 Independence
The year 1975 was a turbulent one. On 25 November 1975 Suriname was declared independent from The Netherlands. Dutch Prime-Minister Joop den Uyl signed the declaration, an act he would later regret. He had hoped that independence would benefit Suriname rather than the opposite. This part of history has been the subject of a stage play called The Tears of Den Uyl. The people had the choice between remaining Dutch subjects or becoming Surinamese. Many emigrated to The Netherlands, to settle in Amsterdam in the notorious Bijlmer neighbourhood. The first president of Suriname was J.H.E. Ferrier. Every year on 25 November the country celebrates its independence or Srefidensi. All around Independence Square there is a market where you can buy all sorts of souvenirs, food and drink and lots more. Theres music being played all over the city and in the morning there is a military parade.
Independence day
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1.8 War of the Interior

In 1980, on 25 February to be exact, the countrys political climate changed drastically by way of a military coup by sergeants of the army, led by Desi Bouterse and Roy Horb. Bouterse wanted to set up a communist regime in Suriname and had the support of countries like Grenada and Cuba. Many of the poor were happy with the subsidised packaged foods Bouterse provided. He also provided cheap housing for the lower income classes. Later, several attempts to take over the country would follow, all of which failed. A curfew was instated at the time. In the night of 7 December 1982, sixteen potential opponents of the regime were arrested, fifteen of which were executed on 8 December 1982. Among them were journalists, lawyers and soldiers. The War of the Interior started because rebels - primarily Maroons - led by Bouterses former bodyguard Ronnie Brunswijk, took up arms against the army chief. They called themselves Jungle Commandos. The war was fought out in the interior for the most part. The Maroon village of Moiwana was destroyed and the people brutally murdered, children and pregnant women among them. The riverside resort Albina was also destroyed. There came a shortage of many products, soap being one of the things that was hard to come by. People ate whatever they could plant themselves. During the interior war there was a lot of decline. At the moment there is a trial going on against former army chief Desi Bouterse for his involvement in the 8 December Murders.
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1.9 Flood
In May 2006 a large part of the interior was flooded due to an unusually high amount of rainfall over a short period, during the rain season. There always are many showers during the rain season, but this time there was a lot of rain for days on end. The rivers burst their banks and many Maroon and Native Indian villages became victim to the water. Many houses were flooded and children were unable to attend school. Fortunately there were no casualties, but the damage ran in the millions of Euros. Many people had to be evacuated. This state of emergency highlighted the relationship between Suriname and The Netherlands yet again. The former motherland set up various rescue operations, money was donated, there was a fundraising telethon and helicopters flew up and down to the afflicted regions with food and emergency aid. Now almost everything is back to normal, most of the farming land that was destroyed can be used again and finally, after many years, there has been some attention and support to improve conditions in the interior. So there was a good side to this story! There were new houses and schools built.
Some of the villages that became victim to the flood were: Palumeu, Awarradam, Gunsi and Pikinslee.
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1.10 The Present

Until a short while ago, Suriname had a huge drug trafficking problem. Together with Curaao, Suriname was the most prominent transit port of drugs coming from Columbia and going to Europe and America. Air strips in the interior were used regularly for droppings. In Paramaribo, quite a few enormous mansions have been built from the profits of drug trafficking. For the past couple of years Dutch immigration and customs have instated a 100% security check for all flights from Suriname, with destination The Netherlands, which proves that the problem is not one to be taken lightly. The measures have had their effect because the amount of drug-transports via the Dutch Schiphol Airport has been reduced significantly. A couple of years ago Suriname became a member of the Caricom, the Caribean Community. This is a trade organisation that tries to improve trade and economic relations between the members of the community. Within Caricom there is free trade of products and services. Comparing Suriname to a couple of years ago one will notice that the country has indeed improved. Roads have been asphalted, new international telecommunication companies have been introduced, leading to honest competition and also more and more higher educated Surinamese people who have been living abroad, return to this country. Slowly, but surely the country is moving forward. The country is doing this with almost no support from outside, since there is not a lot of aid from The Netherlands coming this way anymore. The tourist branch is expanding, beautiful and better equipped resorts are being built and the quality is improving. Unfortunately there still is a lot of poverty going around among large parts of the population and Suriname will remain a Third World country still.
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Map of Suriname
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Chapter 2 The Country: Switi Sranan

The democratic republic of Suriname lies on the South American continent bordered by French-Guyana in the east, Guyana in the west and Brazil in the south. In the north the country is bordered by the Atlantic. The country counts 10 districts. From east to west they are: Marowijne, Commewijne, Paramaribo, Wanica, Para, Brokopondo, Saramacca, Coronie, Nickerie. The interior falls under the Sipaliwini district. The current president is Ronald Venetiaan. Paramaribo is the capital city of Suriname and most of the countrys inhabitants live there; approximately 200.000 people. The population density here is much higher than anywhere else in the country. But still, Paramaribo is just a big village. The meaning of the name Paramaribo is not very clear, there are several theories to this, one version being that it means city of flowers, but in any case, its a Native Indian name. The second largest city is (New) Nickerie. Both cities lie on the northern coast, Paramaribo in the center and Nickerie to the outer west. From Nickerie there is a ferry which will take you to Guyana. Valid visa are required for this! Albina, a smaller town, is situated in the north-eastern corner. Before the interior war this was a beautiful riverside resort. From Albina you can cross the river by ferry or in a small boat to St. Laurent, French Guyana. The rest of the country has numerous small communities and towns, large and smaller villages like Groningen, Wageningen, Friendship and Moengo. The country has a tropical climate under the influence of the rain forest which gives it a year-round average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius (82,4 Fahrenheit) Evenings and nights are not much cooler but certainly not unpleasant. The seasons are not like in Europe or other parts of the world, instead there are a short and a long rain season and also a short and a long dry season. The short rain season is from December to January, the long rain season from May to Mid-August.
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The short dry season is from February until April, the long dry season from MidAugust to November. The long dry season is the hottest time of the year. Nowadays the seasons do not elapse as exact as they used to. Sibi Busis occur regularly during the rain season: typical tropical rainstorms that come and go in an instant and almost comparable with a warm shower. Suriname is composed of highlands, savannah and a coastal area. The highlands which actually consist of medium high mountains are characterised by steep, bare tops rising above the forest, like the Voltzberg. Besides this there are marshes, mangrove forests, muddy coastal areas and of course, the tropical rain forest. Large territories here are protected. In fact the rain forest forms the lungs of the earth.
Medium high mountains with bare tops
There are several rivers that run across the country. The largest ones are the Corantijn, Coppename, Suriname and Marowijne. Important but smaller branches of these four largest rivers are in respective order the Nickerie, Saramacca, Commewijne and Cottica rivers. The Cottica is a tributary of the Commewijne River. All rivers have their sources in the southern parts of Suriname. There are many waterfalls and Sulas. Sulas are strong rapid streams in which it is great to take swim. Suriname does not have real beaches like other countries in the caribean, although there are two beaches where turtles lay their eggs, which can be visited. Other solutions for this have been found as well; there are river resorts where beautiful white sand has been raised to create beaches which are just as appealing as the real thing! The water from the rivers is quite dark, coming from the Amazon region, but it is also quite clean.
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The water in the interior can be drunk although for tourists this may not be advisable because of the high level of minerals in the water. If you are not used to that, your stomach might not agree with it. In the interior the best thing to do is to drink cooked rain water, if regular water is not available. Suriname is a great country for adventurers, nature- and animal lovers. There is a wide variety of wildlife, with many rare species among them. It is a real challenge for those who have made bird watching or fishing their favourite pastime. With a total population of 480.000 and measuring no less than 163.270 square kilometres this country counts about 3 inhabitants per square kilometre. As mentioned earlier, most people live in the cities and towns in the northern part of the country, mainly in Paramaribo. In January 2004 the monetary unit was changed from the Surinamese Guilder into the Surinamese Dollar. The main languages spoken are Dutch and Sranan Tongo (a Surinamese dialect). Sranan Tongo has traces of English, Portugese and Dutch, which has to do with the turbulent history of the country. Besides these languages the different communities all have their own languages. English is a much used language as well. Suriname is a religious country with a great variety of faiths: Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish and primitive. The different religions live in harmony with each other. In this, Suriname serves as an example to the rest of the world. In the inner city of Paramaribo one can see a synagogue and a mosque right next to each other, even sharing a parking lot! Over 200.000 Surinamese people live in The Netherlands, which explains the close ties between the two countries. Virtually every Surinamese citizen has at least one family member on Holland. Nowadays many higher educated Surinamese return to the home country bringing with them a large doses of know-how. This country has an enormous supply of minerals and natural resources. It is therefore not surprising that it is the 17th richest country in the world for this statistic. Unfortunately the natural resources are primarily exploited by foreign companies, so the country does not benefit from this enough. The reason for this is the lack of know-how. 36
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Some of the minerals found here are gold, bauxite, crude oil, platinum, diamonds, kaolin and ceramic clay. Bauxite is exploited by Suralco and Billiton, crude oil by the state oil company Staatsolie. The Surinamese economy primarily rests on the exploitation of these minerals. Other income for the country comes from agriculture, stock breeding, trade (primarily imports), fishery and tourism. The Surinamese flag has great symbolism. There is the star with the 5 points indicating the 5 main ethnic groups: Hindustani, Creole, Javanese, European and Native Indian. The stars yellow colour stands for the unity between the groups.
Surinamese flag
Besides the star the flag has 5 horizontal lines in the colours green (for freedom, hope and fertility), red (for love, innovation and progress) and white (for peace and justice). The time differential with Suriname is UTC 3 hours.
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Chapter 3 The people and their culture 3.1 The Natives

The Natives, or Indians, still live in seclusion and provide for their food by hunting, fishing and agriculture. Nowadays they hunt primarily with modern weapons (rifles and guns). A visit to a Native Indian village may give the opportunity to go on a nightly hunting trip with them. In a number of Indian villages (like Kwamelasemoetoe and Apetina) unique wall and rock paintings were found, some of them from ancient times. Every Indian village has a village leader or Captain who has many Basijas working for him. Basijas speak on the Captains behalf, to avoid misunderstandings.
Inscriptions in rock
The Captain is also called Granman. He takes all decisions for the village and is also responsible for the villagers well-being. The Granman is chosen by the villagers after having proven himself to being a good leader for several years. The various Indian tribes all have their own customs and their own dances, which are nice to watch. The Carib Indians have a dance which is accompanied by many drums called the Samboera. The Arowak, Trio and Wayana Indians use flutes (made of bamboo) and maracas. The Wayanas have a dance in which they dig a ditch, cover it with wood and then stomp on it, providing a nice hollow sound. Anyone interested in the Indian tribes should read the book Tussen Apoera en Oreala (Between Apoera and Oreala) of Surinamese author Clark Accord. It is a lovestory against the backdrop of the native cultures and the countries Suriname and Guyana. (I am not sure, if the book is translated already)
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3.1.1 Native dishes

The Indians traditionally plant a lot of cassava, both bitter as well as sweet ones. From the bitter cassava they make their bread, which is hard and is near what is regularly considered bread. The cassava is grated and sifted in a so-called matapi,(a sifter) making it granular and causing the poison of the bitter cassave to run out with the juices. The cassava is then baked on a large hot plate. The gum-like substance in the cassave binds the bread, which is baked on both sides, after which it is dried in the sun. There is a good chance you will be able to witness this process when visiting an Indian village. Most of the time, the casasave bread is laid down to dry on the roofs of the huts. Kasiri, the traditional Indian beverage, is also made of the bitter cassava. The juices are grated out of the cassava. Then the juices are heated to get rid of the poison and sugar is added. After fermentation the juices will contain alcohol. In the past this beverage was made by first chewing on the cassava and spitting it into a bowl and letting it stay for a while. Kasiri is a strong alcoholic beverage which can get you really drunk. Sweet cassava is used in soup. Besides cassave bread and kasiri another typical Indian recipe is Peprewatra (pepper water) soup. Its name says it all; this dish contains a lot of peppers. The Indians like to cook with smoked peppers because they have no refrigerators and this way they can preserve their peppers better. In fact, they smoke almost all their food for this very same reason.
Cassava
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3.1.2 Traditional dress and culture of the natives

The traditional native dress is brightly coloured and contains many tufts, beads and feathers. They tie rattlers around their legs for the dance, their bodies and faces are painted frequently. Art craft is one of the means of income for the natives. They make hammocks, and cheerful clothes of cotton, wicker baskets and fans. They also make colourful jewellery from beads and seeds and their own pottery out of clay.
Culture
Most natives have turned Catholic nowadays, a religion which has some common ground with primitive religions. Primitive religion is a lifestyle aimed at respect for the creator, the creator of the rivers, the trees and mankind. The Pyayman has the role of intermediate in the contact with the spirits. A typical Indian ritual is the initiation. When a young Indian grows into adulthood he must withstand a test. A mat filled with bees is placed on his chest and he must withstand this without showing, he feels any pain. The ant test is a similar sort of test. The young Indian will sit on a nest of ants without showing signs of pain. These types of tests are held during important moments in the life of an Indian. The houses or huts of the natives used to be closed completely, top to bottom. The dome-shaped huts are made of various types of palm tree leafs and carry the name Toekoeispan. Nowadays, a lot of the huts are partly open as well.
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A Toekoeispan (historical picture)
Inside of a Toekoeispan
3.2 The Creoles

Bush Creoles and City Creoles
The Creoles are descendants of slaves transported to Suriname, primarily from West African countries like Ghana and Sierra Leone. The group of Creoles is divided into City Creoles and Bush Creoles (or Maroons). City Creoles are descendants from slaves who remained in the city after they were released and started agricultural farming themselves. Maroons are descendants from runaway slaves that had fled into the forest. There are several tribes among these Maroons, namely the Aucans or Ndjukas, the Saramaccans and the Paramaccans. Up to this day there still are many Maroon villages in the jungle that can be visited, for instance Awaradam, Jaw Jaw ,Gunsi and Pikinslee.
3.2.1 Creole Dishes

The Maroons primarily plant cassava, just like the natives. With this they make their bread and dollop. They use the dollop together with dried grated cassava to make porridge. The dollop can also be found in supermarkets across the capital. The Maroons are also hunters and fishermen, in short, they live of the forest. Nowadays they do buy groceries in town, which they later trade among each other.
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Typical dishes from City Creoles are rice dishes and various soup dishes. Examples of these are rice with stringed vegetables called kousenband and salted fish, moksi alesi (mixed rice) kidney beans with rice and salted meat, her heri (bananas with cassava, sweet potatoes, and similar rootlike fruits and salted fish. Some real Creole soups are Griet Bana, Cassava, Masoesa, Ochre and Chinese Tajersoup. A beverage the Creoles love is called Podosiri, made from the seeds of certain palm trees. These seeds are mashed to a pulp in water, turning it into sort of a fruit juice that holds a lot of iron, supposedly very healthy for women who are pregnant or have just given birth. A strange phenomenon is eating pimba which is calcium from the calabash. It seems Creole women get a real craving (lostu) for this during pregnancy. Pimba, however contains a lot of lead which is quite bad for unborn children!
3.2.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Creoles

The Koto
The so-called Koto was a creation of slave masters wives who were jealous of the female slaves walking around half-naked all day. The wives were worried about their husbands taking advantage of the well shaped, athletic female slaves. In truth, this happened frequently. The Surinamese marriage, which allowed men to take a second wife without being legally bound to her, also contributed to this behaviour. The brutal slave owners wife Susanne de Plessis cut off a breast from a female slave that was her husbands favourite, once. She did so out of pure frustration and jealousy. This same woman also drowned a baby, with her own hands. The baby who kept crying, and couldnt be sussed by the mother, annoyed Susanne de Plessis so much, that she took action and stopped the crying by drowing the poor child. She was an awful lady.
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So the female slaves had to wear special clothing and the Koto was born. Kotos were large wide dresses which concealed all shapes and forms.
Kotomissis with anisa
The Anisa
The Anisa is headwear worn by female slaves. It served as a means of communication understood by only the slaves. They tied the knots of their Anisas in such a way that their fellow slaves could understand the messages like See you at the corner or Lets go dancing, while keeping the information secret from the plantation owners.
The Pani
This is the clothing of Maroon women, a nicely coloured cloth, sometimes decorated with embroideries, which is tied around the body. Women can easily move around in this and do their chores. It is no hindrance to them and its not warm. The Pani is sold on the Brownsberg Mountain and in other Maroon villages.
Panis and a cultural dance of the Maroons
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Culture
Part of the Creole culture is their special way of burying their dead. The deceased is first laid out, after which the next of kin throw themselves on top of the body, screaming in agony. They ask the deceased all sorts of questions to which they get no reply, of course. Only then are they convinced that the spirit of the deceased has passed on. The body is bathed and dressed up nicely. The so-called Dragamans then carry the coffin with the body through the streets, dancing as they move towards the final resting place. This is the last dance. Another aspect of Maroon culture is the fact that a man is allowed more than one wife, which probably is a remainder of colonial times, when the Surinamese marriage was in place. Out of this a new phenomenon developed: The Mistress.
In The Netherlands people often think a Surinamese Creole often commits adultery, which probably is a result of this cultural habit. It often so happens that a Maroon male is many years older than his wife. It is not strange for 13 year old Maroon girls to become pregnant. Other cultural phenomena are the wasi (washing), the winti pre (spiritual dance) and the kroetoe (gathering). A ritual wasi is held to get rid of evil spirits or bad fortune, which are called Ogri eye (evil eye). There are various sorts of wasis, against different evil troubles. A winti pre party is held at a persons home. Special winti pre music is played, sending some attendants into a trance. Sometimes they portray animals. As a tourist it is not easy to get into such a party, unless you are invited. Ask your tour operator, who knows! A kroetoe, is a gathering, held by the Granman (chief) to take decisions regarding the village. Real Creole music styles are the unique Kawina and Kaseko. Kawina music is characterised by a lot of drum sounds. 44
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The Maroon community also does a lot of arts and crafts, especially wood carving. They make nice little benches out of wood or rowing paddles, many of which are true works of art!
Art Craft
Religion
Many Maroons have turned Catholic but they still profess their primitive religion. To fend off spirits their houses have low entrance doors and they have a strip of palm tree leafs in front of the village entrance or at the river in order to keep out evil spirits. They are convinced that spirits cannot stoop so this way they will not be able to enter. The Maroon culture contains countless old African customs.
A typical Maroon village
3.3 The Jews

The Jews, along with the English were the first real immigrants coming to Suriname. Fleeing the Spanish Inquisition, they first went to Brazil and later found their way here. They built settlements and plantations. It is because of the Jews that there is a synagogue in Suriname.
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In the colonial times they led lives of riches and luxuries. Some of the real Jewish family names that are still present in Surinamese society today are De La Parra, Samson and Emanuels. There is only a small group of Jews left in Suriname.
3.3.1 Jewish dishes

A typical Jewish dish is Pom an oven dish for which baked chicken and spices are added to a grated root like fruit. Many people think it is a Creole dish, but its not, although the Creoles gratefully adopted Pom into their kitchen. The Jews like to eat their own special bread called Matze.
3.4 The Europeans / Farmers

The Boeroes are descendants of the Dutch colonists. The first farmers came from the Dutch Province of Friesland. They came to set up farms, but they met with a lot of hardship at first. About half of them died within 6 months after getting here as a result of a variety of diseases. The remaining group moved to the town of Groningen in the Saramacca district and started farms there. Their primary produce was milk, vegetables and bananas. They also held hurds of kettle. These farmers decendants are still into agriculture. Do not be surpised when you come across white citizens who speak fluent Sranan Tongo, they are real Surinamese and not Dutch! Typical names of these Boeroe families are Van Dijk and Tammenga. In Groningen there is a monument to comemmorate the first Boeroes that died in large numbers, soon after their arrival here.
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3.5 The Lebanese

On their way to Antigua and coming from Lebanon, these people were shipwrecked in front of the Surinamese coast and the ship was pulled into the harbour of Suriname. So the Lebanese came here by accident. They settled down here and many started their own little shops, mostly in the textile industry. Their businesses flourished and soon they sent for their families to join them out of Lebanon. The results of this shipwreck are nowadays visible in the form of large stores like Lucky Store and Beirut Bazar. At the Mens Cook Out, in hotel Torarica, you can always come across some nice Lebanese snacks, which are very much worthwhile.
3.6 The Chinese

The first Chinese came from East India, which belonged to The Netherlands, and from Macau. They were put to work on the plantations under contracts that lasted for several years. Many started their own grocery store after their contracts expired. Nowadays you will find them on the corners of many streets, the so-called Chinese stores. Many of these Chinese had little or no chances in their home-country. This is still noticeable among Chinese that come to Suriname today. Now many families are coming over. In the past only men came, ultimately marrying local women. This has led to a large group of mixed Chinese Surinamese people. The Chinese that come to Suriname today dont speak a word of Dutch and learn Sranan Tongo with difficulty. This often leads to poor conversations.
3.6.1 Chinese dishes

Chow Mein or Chop Suey, virtually all Chinese dishes can be found in Suriname and they taste a lot better than in The Netherlands. This is a result of these Chinese coming here directly from China, bringing along their culinary skills. There are many Chinese snackbars and restaurants here, serving great food. One of those restaurants which is very popular is Chi Min. Another one is Palm Palace. Its also possible to pick up Chinese food at the smaller restaurants- around-the-corner, of which there are many all over Paramaribo.
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My Chinese teacher Danning Chen with his beautiful pictures
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3.7 The Hindustani

The Hindustani were British subjects brought to Suriname after England and The Netherlands had agreed that the latter was allowed to offer them a contract. The first Hindustani arrived here on the ship La La Rookh in 1873. They were treated horribly and carried all sorts of deadly diseases. The English were furious over this and their anger resulted in the setting up of medical care in Suriname. England would otherwise not allow any subjects from India to be brought to Suriname anymore. Despite this, the treatment of these people was horrendous. As punishment they sometimes were locked up with a stick between their legs for 24 hours on end, left at the mercy of mosquitoes and other vermin. The Hindustani worked the plantations and at the end of the colonial period they all received 100 Dutch Florins and a piece of land to cultivate. Two thirds of the Hindustani that came to Suriname stayed here. Some went into trade. At present the Hindustani excell in the trade business, next to the Chinese and Lebanese.
3.7.1 Hindustani dishes

Hindustani generally like spicy food with a lot of curry, often vegetarian. They use curry in the famous Roti, a pancake with vegetables, meat, potatoes and sometimes a boiled egg. You can get Roti at Chris Rotishop or Roopram. Also well-known is the Massala Chicken of which a meat-version was introduced in Suriname. They have several snacks like Bara, made of yellow peas and spices, baked in oil. Samoza and Gougeri are other great tasting snacks. When theres a party Hindustani will also prepare Plauri which is a sweet-tasting delicacy. A typical Surinamese sandwich filling is the hindustanic: curried boiled egg. Sandwiches are available all over the city in sandwich bars. If you are asked if you want pepper or other spices on your sandwich you might wish to refrain from those if your stomach is not used to it!
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3.7.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Hindustani

The Hindustani women often wear Sari and they have henna paintings on their hands. When Hindu women get married they wear a bright red dot over their head, in the hairline. The wedding ceremony lasts for 3 days. On the first day they bake corn, on the second day the woman is picked up by her future husband for the wedding ceremony and on the third day the couple goes home together, which often is the males parental home. At the parties people always dance gracefully, mostly to music played on a tabla which is a flat drumlike instrument producing a kind of jingling sound. Many Hindustani are of the Hindu faith. During these ceremonies, no alcohol is served or only for the men.
Statue of Hindustani immigration
3.8 The Javanese

In 1890 the Javanese were the last contract workers to come to Suriname, out of the province of Java in Indonesia. Actually they did not have a contract because they were not in a position to return to their former homeland. That is why all the Javanese that came here stayed permanently. They were brought here from the then Dutch colony of Indonesia and were put to work on plantations in Commewijne. Most of them worked at the Marinburg plantation. Nowadays many Javanese still live in Commewijne and also in Saramacca. A lot of them make a living doing agriculture.
3.8.1 Javanese dishes

Javanese love Bami (fried noodles), Nasi Goreng (fried rice), Pitjil (vegetarian vegetable mix with a special hot sauce made from peanuts and peppers), Baka Bana (fried bananas) and a milky coconut drink called Dawet which is coloured pink or green.
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The famous Javanese soup Saoto can be found in the Javanese quarters of northern Paramaribo called Blauwgrond. Other favourite dishes are Sat (grilled meat on a stick), Telo (fried cassava), Goedangan and Nasi Koening. They serve snacks like Cassava and Banana crisps, Shrimp crackers and Pejeh (baked slices of dough with peanuts on them.) If you are staying in the southern, parts of the city you might visit Sarinah or Jawa, two restaurants close to each other that serve all these dishes. There are many other variations which you can look up yourself.
3.8.2 Traditional dress and culture of the Javanese

Javanese women wear a Sarong when there are festivities going on. They carry their babies close in a cloth called Slendang. Men wear batik shirts and a petji which is a sort of hat. Batik shirts are beautiful to see and have countless different designs. One of the cultural feasts of the Javanese is Bodo, known as Id ul fitre among Hindustani Muslims. During Bodo, the feast after the Ramadan (time of fasting), there are a lot of festivities and lots of eating. People visit each other to enjoy special rice tables that are served this day.
Javanese dancing
Djuran kepang is the Javanese counterpart of the Creole winti pr and is composed of the horse dance, the monkey dance and the tiger dance, all carried out to the sounds of the gamelan which are typical Indonesian gong instruments. During these dances participants will go into trance.
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All Javanese boys are circumcised according to cultural custom. After prayer, the circumcision is carried out after which there is a big feast. Most Javanese are Muslims.
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Chapter 4 Fauna and Flora

Guyana and Suriname are the only two countries in South America that are still involved in international animal trade. As there is a huge market for this type of business, the WWF has control over the animal trade to prevent over- exploitation and to protect rare animal species. The WWF mission is to protect the characteristically natural communities and preserve the important ecological processes and services from the Guyanas in order to protect the biological diversity in the region and keep the social- economic benefits in place. There are many different animal species in Suriname and it is highly probable there are species unknown to mankind as of yet. There is a wide variety of tropical animals, rare ones among them. To name all of them here would be an endless task and would turn this book into an encyclopaedia. Therefore I have made a choice of some interesting animals that I think are appealing to ones imagination. A distinction was made between mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects and fish. For every animal there is a short description, along with both the English and the Surinamese name as far as possible.
Fauna
4.1 Mammals
The first mammals we come across are monkeys. Suriname has many different kinds of monkeys. The best known are the Surinamese Tamarin, the Capuchin, the Squirrel monkey, the Red Howler monkeys and the Black Spider monkey. The Surinamese Tamarin, or Saguwenke is one of the smallest monkeys in Suriname. Its head, face and body are black; except for the yellow or yellow- brown back and the gold coloured hand and feet. The Saguwenke has a long black tail. The animal will grow to no more than 20 to 28 centimeters. Groups of Saguwenkes live in trees, mostly in Savanna forests and alongside rivers.
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They are mostly active in the daytime. The Capuchin, or Keskesi as it is known in Suriname, has a wide head with a dark brown cap that runs via its temples, past the front of the ears, a dark line with hairs standing straight up, resembling a cap. Its hand and feet are darker than the rest of its body and it can roll up its tail. The Keskesi will grow to a length ranging from 35 to 49 centimeters. This group animal lives in tree tops and is mostly active during the day.
The Keskesi
The Squirrel monkey, or Monki-Monki is a small, slim, short-haired animal with a round head. Its mouth is black and the white hairs around the mouth, covering the eyes, chin and throat resemble a mask. The Monki-Monki has a tail but it is not able to use it for grasping things. The species ranges from 25 to 32 centimeters in size and it is a group animal, living in trees close to water. Sometimes Monki-Monkis can be spotted on the outskirts of the city.
The Monki-Monki
The Red Howler monkey or Babun lives alongside rivers. It is a small, yet robust animal, very timid and easily recognisable by its impressive howling which makes it seem 10 times its actual size. Living in packs, it is often the leading male who will start and end a howling concert, free of charge. Its body is a reddish brown to golden orange with a black face. This howler monkey is a vegetarian, contrary to many other South American monkey species. If you take a river tour and you wake up early you are sure to hear these packs. The Babun is a bearded animal that will grow to up to 50 centimeters in height.
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The Black Spider monkey or Kwatta monkey. This monkey is a popular pet. It has a long tail with which it can grasp things. This black monkey has a pink mask in the face, has long limbs, relatively large hands and feet and is quite agile.
The Kwatta monkey
The dolphin or Profosu is a mammal that inhabits the Suriname rivers. It moves around the mouths of the rivers in both freshwater as well as saltwater. This dolphin, or Profosu as it is known in Suriname, is a small type with a short mouth and a little lump on its forehead. Its colours are mostly grey, brown or blueish on the back and light grey or white on the belly. The Profosu can grow to between 1,3 and 1,9 meters in length. They are mostly active during the daytime and theres a big chance you will be able to spot some of them during a day trip on the Sweet Merodia, a boat which will take you on a plantation tour to Frederiksdorp under the guidance of Cynthia Mc Leod. You could also book a sunset dolphin tour with Liesbeth Gummels and you will be sure to spot them.
The Giant Armadillo or Granmankapasi as it is known in Suriname has really thick and sturdy armour that covers its back. The sides of the armour are light yellow and its belly is bare. The Granmankapasi has a small head and small eyes but it has really large feet. Its massive paws are the largest of all animals. It will reach a length of between 75 and 100 centimeters with a 50 centimeter tail.
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Living underground, the Giant Armadillo is active primarily during the day. The Bush Hound, or Busi Dagu in Surinamese is a stocky dog with very short legs, a short tail and small round ears. It is light to reddish brown which gradually turns black towards its behind, with soft and long fur. The Bush Hound can grow to between 60 and 75 centimeters. Although living in packs and active during the day, the dog is rarely ever spotted. It lives in the forests around savannas and close to water.
The Busi Dagu
There are several felines in Suriname, some of which can be quite dangerous. Among them are the Jaguarundi, the Ocelot and the Jaguar. All of these differ in built, colour and size. I will only describe the Jaguar (Penitigri) which is a big, stocky, spotted cat with short, thick legs and large feet. The Jaguar has a big head and strong jaws. It has yellow fur with black round spots and a long tail. It can grow to 1,85 meters in length and lives on the ground, although it is an excellent climber and swimmer. The forest areas, near water are its habitat, but sometimes it will turn up in cultivated areas, like once when one was caught at Apetina where the cat made life miserable for the Native Indians there. This, the largest predator of the Americas, walks alone and is active both during the day as well as at night. Surinamese Hare, or Hei in Surinamese. This hare is heavyset and resembles a small pig. Its back is a reddish brown with white spots. The short tail is hidden beneath its hair. The Hei lives on the ground alongside rivers and small streams. Mostly active at night, the monogamous Hei either walks alone or in the company of its mate. The animal is a regular prey for hunters.
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The Giant Ant-Eater(Tamanwa) is the largest anteater in the world, with a long body,a long snout and a shaggy, plume-shaped tail. This toothless species is grey to black in colour and has a white-trimmed black band running from its cheeks to its back. The front paws are white, with sharp claws. The Tamanwa will grow to between 1 and 2 meters in length. Living on the ground in savanna areas and open forests, this species is active days and nights. The Giant Otter or Bigi Watra Dagu (giant waterdog) is the largest fresh waterotter there is. It has silky brown skin and its throat and upperlip are white. It has a round head with whiskers and small ears and a thick tail with a flat pointed tip. This otter with its short, thick legs and large feet grows to 1 or 1,5 meters in length. It lives in family groups in rivers in the lowlands and lakes in forest areas, preferably in dark water and is active during the day. I have been fortunate enough to view these beautiful animals on the Corantijn River near Kabalebo. The Sea Cow or Seku has a colossal, round and grey body with a small square head and a protruding upperlip. It has paddle-like flippers, each with three big nails and it has a broad, flat tail. Usually the Seku grows to between 2,5 and 4,5 meters in length. It lives alone and swims in quiet streams and rivers just below the waters surface in both fresh and saltwater. This animal is active days and nights and there is a reasonable chance to view one coming up for air.
The Seku
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The Sloth, known as the Loiri owes its name to its slowness. It has thick, rough, long-haired, grey fur. Other characteristics are the rather small head in comparison to the rest of its body and the very sharp nails, which it uses to cling to trees, its main habitat. The Loiri grows up to 60 centimeters.
4.2 Reptiles
As far as reptiles is concerned, there are several sorts of lizards in Suriname, among which are the Iguana, the Bush Anole, the regular Garden Lizard, the Rainbow Whiptail, the Argentine Teju, the South American Chameleon or Plica Plica, the Mophead Iguana and the Asian Domestic Gekko (Kamrawenke.) The Caimans are a more dangerous sort of reptiles in Suriname, one of which is the Spectacled Caiman. Then we have a wide range of turtles like the Gibba turtle, the Amazon Toadheaded turtle, the TwistNecked turtle, the Green Sea turtle, Hawksbill turtle, Olive Ridley turtle, Pond turtle, Mud turtle, Yellow Tortoise, Red Foot Tortoise and the age old Leatherback turtle. The final reptile species we will mention here is the snake. There are the Boa Constrictor (or Common Red-Tailed Boa), the Emerald Tree Boa, the Amazon Tree Boa, the Brazilian Rainbow Boa, the mind-boggling Anaconda, the Forest Pitviper, the very toxic Common Lancehead Viper and the dreaded Bushmaster which is the largest Pitviper in the world. There are some 76 other species of snake in Suriname.
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The Iguana (or Legwana in Surinamese) is the largest type of Iguana in the northern parts of the continent. This big green lizard has a large bag under its throat and a crest on its back. Its body can grow to 1,8 meters in length. The Iguana lives in all sorts of trees, mostly around water and this animal is active during the day. Theres a pretty good chance you will come across one in Paramaribo. The regular Garden Lizard (Lagadisa) is often seen in the yard or in the street. It has grass-coloured skin with dark brown bands along its flanks. This loner with the pointed snout grows to no more than 17 centimeters and lives on the ground.
The Rainbow Whiptail, or Wai Anu in Surinamese has brown to grey skin on top with 9 or 10 black and cream-coloured stripes. It will grow to up to 9 centimeters. This animal can be seen; living alone, outside in the street or in the garden and it is active during the day. The Spectacled Caiman or Wetberekaiman as we say here, has a bony ridge between the eyes and a yellowish green coloured back. The belly is somewhat white. It has strong jaws with very sharp teeth. This Caiman can be spotted sunbathing on the river banks and sometimes in trenches in cultivated areas. Active mostly at night, their eyes will be reflected brightly when shined upon with flashlights. Running into a Caiman is not unusual.
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The Green Sea turtle or Krapei as the locals call it, is a very large turtle that will nestle itself on the beaches of Galibi, provided the time is right. It has a smooth shield, a relatively small head which is topped off at the front. Adult animals vary in colour from brown to green to almost black. They are yellowish underneath and grow to between 85 and 140 centimeters in length. The Green Sea turtle roams virtually all the tropical seas in the world.
The Leatherback is called Aitkanti in Surinamese and it is the largest endangered sea turtle in the world and can grow to the size of a bug (the car, not the insect). It has leatherlike skin, hence the name, without scales or a shield and 5 ridges running along its back. The skin is black and marked with white spots. The tail is relatively long and some animals can grow to up to 2 meters in length. The Aitkanti lives in tropical and subtropical seas and lays its eggs on beaches like Galibi. In the period from February to August you can see these large turtles nestle on the Galibi beach. The Leatherback stems back from the time of the Dinosaurs. The Boa Constrictor or Common Tree Boa is known in Suriname as the Daguwesneki. This contrictor has a beautiful skin pattern with regular white, brown and black geometrical drawings over a pink to light brown base. These drawings change to different shades of white, black and red towards the tail. Its average length is 2 to 2,5 meters but there are some that can grow to up to 4,5 meters. This Boa lives on the ground and in trees, sometimes in cultivated areas close to forests and is mostly active at night. The Daguwesneki
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The Anaconda (watra-aboma) is a watersnake with a predominantly light-green to brown skin with brown and black spots spread symmetrically across the body. On its belly it has blackrimmed yellow spots. The Anaconda can grow to between 4 and 6 meters in size but I have had the opportunity to see one of 9 meters long at Redi Doti, a Native Indian village near Blakawatra. A boat transporting logs had caught the animal in its nets. Every now and then the Anaconda will appear in trenches around the city but usually it lives in rivers, canals, small streams and swamps. It is mostly active at night.
Anaconda
The Common Lancehead (Labaria) is a Pitviper with a lance-shaped head and skin that varies from olive-green, brown, grey and yellow to rusty colours with right- or multi-angled spots. Its length is about 0,7 to 1,2 meters but there have been cases known where species of 2 meters have been spotted. It lives on the ground in the forest, near water, usually in savannas, swamps and agricultural territories. This night crawler is extremely dangerous because it is very poisonous. One bite can be fatal. The Bushmaster, known locally as the Makasneki is the longest viper and also the largest toxic snake of South America. It has a wide, rounded off head, beige to orangebrown skin with brown and black, diamond-shaped spots across the spine. The belly is yellowish and it has a thorny tip at the end of the tail. The average size is 1,2 to 2,5 meters but there is a case of one that was 3,6 meters in length. The Bushmaster lives on the ground in the forest, is active mostly at night and it also is a highly toxic animal with a potentially fatal bite.
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4.3 Amfibians
Among the amfibians in Suriname we have frogs and toads. Some frogs are poisonous and they have beautiful colours. Many of them produce high-pitched, whistling sounds rather than croaking. You can hear this quite clearly at night and if you dont know better, you will think its the sound of birds singing at night. If you go to the interior you are bound to run into such frogs. Examples of frogs are the Blue Poison Dart Frog, the Blue/Yellow Poison Dart Frog, the Striped Poison Dart Frog, various Tree Frogs and Amazon Milk Frogs. The Toad (Todo) is a large species with poisonous glands behind the eyes, a head with ridges and a stocky, fat body, short legs and wart-like skin. This brown coloured animal can grow to anything between 4 and 25 centimeters and it lives in the forest, in savannas and in backyards. The toad moves around in groups and is active at night. They are very bold going as far as eating the dog food out of the troughs in my backyard. The Blue Poison Dart Frog has azure blue legs, is heavenly blue coloured on the sides, the head and the back, which are also spotted black. It has wide fingertips and a clear hunchback when sitting down. The animal can grow to between 3,8 and 4,4 centimeters,lives on the ground, but can climb trees to up to 5 meters in height and it is active during the day. The living quarters of this poisonous frog are the rocky streams of the Sipaliwini territory. One of these animals was photographed by tourists in Apetina. The Blue/Yellow Poison Dart Frog (Okopipi) is one of the largest and most colourful poisonous frogs in the world. It has smooth skin and the patterns and colours of the skin have a lot of variety. Generally yellowish white to yellow on a black base on the back, the Okopipi has azure blue to dark blue legs with black spots. It can grow to between 3 and 4,5 centimeters in length, lives on the ground but can also climb trees of up to 5 meters high. Active during the day this creatures living areas are moist forests near flowing water.
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4.4 Birds
There are some 700 different birds in Suriname, many of them interesting to birdwatchers. Here are some of them: The Harpy Eagle which is one of the largest and fiercest eagles in the world, The Jabiru which is one of the largest storks in the world, the Screaming Piha with its very distinctive call, the very rare White Woodpecker, the Red Cotinga, the Orange Cock-of-the-Rock, the Blue and Red Macaw, the Yellow-Green Grosbeak, the Blue-Black Grosbeak, the Thick-billed Seed-Finch, the Chestnut-bellied Seedeater, the Peregrine Falcon, the Vulture, the Yellow-headed Blackbird, the Giant Cowbird, the Ruff, the Hoatzin, the Orange-winged Amazon, the Mealy Parrot, the Red and Green Macaw, the Red and Yellow Macaw, the Peachfronted Parakeet, the Hawk-headed Parrot, the Green-romped Parrotlet, the Purple Gallinule, the Black-necked Aracari, the Green Aracari, the Red-billed Toucan, the Channel-billed Toucan, the Snipe, the Purple Honeycreeper, the Silver-beaked Tanager, the White-lined Tanager, the Burnished Buff Tanager, the Paradise Tanager, the Swallow Tanager, the Blue-Grey Tanager, the Scarlet Ibis, the Black-tailed Trogon,the Hummingbird, various species of Owls, the Kingfisher and the Kiskadee. Unfortunately I have had to leave out many. Birds that really frequent Paramaribos skyline are the Hummingbirds, some Thick -billed Seed-eaters, the vulture, the Greenromped Parrotlet, several types of canaries, the White-lined Tanager, the Blue-Grey Tanager and the larger Kiskadee. The Harpy Eagle or Loiri Aka as its known in Suriname is one of the largest eagles in the world. It has a huge crest on its head, its feathers are grey and black and the chest and belly are white. The wings are short and round, the legs are thick and strong and the beak is impressively large and greyblack. The Harpy Eagle grows to between 86 and 93 centimeters in size, the males growing larger in size than the females. This bird lives alone in the interior forests. The Jabiru (Blasman) is a very large stork with white feathers, a bald, black head with a red spot at the bottom of the neck and a large black beak, tilting upwards. Its legs are long and black and the animal will grow to up to 1,3 meters in height. The Jabiru usually lives alone in swamp areas and wet savanna land.
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You can see this bird at the Paramaribo Zoo as well. The Screaming Piha, or Busi Skowtu in Surinamese is grey on top and its long tail and wings are brownish grey. The beak is black and brown and the bird grows to about 23 centimeters. It lives in solitude in savanna forests and rain forests. Its call is like an alarm which is why it carries the name Busi Skowtu which literally means Forest Police. This bird will alarm other animals in the forest when there is a threat and in the forest you can often hear its distinctive call. Ask your tourguide to indicate it to you. The Orange Cock-of-the-Rock lives in groups in the rain forests in the interior close to rock formations and large rocks. These birds will grow to about 33 centimeters. The male is completely orange except for the wings which are brownish black with light orange. It has a large crest running from the beak to the neck with a slim dark red edge at the top. The male also has a short tail and the beak is coloured darkorange with a yellow dot. The Female has dark olive-brown feathers with even browner wings and tail. She has a small crest and a black and yellow beak. The Thick-billed Seed-Finch is named Twa-Twa in Surinamese and it has become a rare species over the years. The male is black and white with a thick shiny blue-grey to blue-white beak. Females are brown on top and brownish yellow below. They have a thick brownish beak. The Twa-Twa lives in open swamp areas in solitude or in pairs. Their average size is 14 centimeters. The Onti Aka, as the Pelegrine Falcon is known in Suriname, is a bird with pointed wings of a dark blue-grey colour. The head and neck are black and a spot resembling a mustache runs from the eye to the cheek. The skin around the eye and beak is bright yellow, the throat and upper chest are white, the tail has dark strands and a white tip and the beak is a blueish grey. The Onti Aka will grow up to between 38 and 51 centimeters. Living alone at the mouths of the rivers and mudbanks along the coastline, this bird comes flying in from the north.
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The Hoatzin resembles a pheasant, has a long crest of orange-brown feathers on its head and blue coloured skin around the eyes. Its back is dark brown and the neck has yellow stripes, while the throat and chest are yellowish. The rest of the belly is red, the tail is long, with round feathers coloured black with yellow. The beak is black. Averaging 60 centimeters in height this bird lives on the lower river banks, in brushes and low trees. The Hoatzin does not appear in the middle and eastern parts of Suriname. The baby Hoatzin doesnt fly at all and uses its claws to hold on to the trees. Adult animals do not fly very well, they move around rather clumsily and they spread a musty odour. The Blue and Gold Macaw(Tjamba-raaf) has sky-blue feathers and a yellow belly. A green spot on its forehead, black neck and beak and black and white lines around the eyes are some of its other characteristics. This Macaw will grow to up to 84 centimeters in length. The bird lives in palm trees and other trees in coastal areas, the interior and also in savanna areas and swamps. They live in pairs. The Red and Yellow Macaw (Bok-raaf) is almost completely red with yellow-green and yellow-blue dots on the wings, a cream coloured beak with black at the base and grey at the bottom, white skin around the eyes. This Macaw will grow to 84 centimeters in size. They live in pairs or multiple pairs in the interior forests, close to water. The Green-romped Parrotlet or Okroprakiki is the smallest parrot of the species. It has green wings, light-green at the bottom and its beak is white. It lives in all sorts of different environments, from the vast forests of the deeper interior to the city. You can run into flocks of this bird anywhere. For a creature no larger than 13 centimeters it also produces a lot of noise.
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The Purple Gallinule has remarkable red eyes. The Blawkepanki, as the locals call this bird, has a purple-blue head, neck and chest fading to black towards the belly. It has a small shield, light-blue, right over the red with yellow beak and yellow-green legs. The bird grows to 30 centimeters in size and inhabits swamps and rice paddies, usually in pairs, sometimes in groups. The Red-billed Toucan is better known here as the Bigi. It is almost completely black but has a yellow spot at the top of the rump, a red one at the bottom of it.The neck and cheeks are white, with a red trim at the bottom. The skin around the eyes is blue. Its beak measures no less than 16,5 centimeters in length and is darkbrown and red. The top has a yellow stripe and the bottom has a blue patch. In between there are black stripes. The animal can grow to up to 53 centimeters. It lives in groups in the interior and throughout the savanna belt in open spaces close to rivers. Its call has a raw sound to it. The Blue-Grey Tanager (Blawki) is predominantly blue-grey of colour, the tail and lower back being more blue than grey. At the end of the wings there is a black band, the beak is black and the lowerbeak is light-grey. The Blawki can reach a size of 16,5 centimeters,lives in savanna areas, open spaces in the forest or at the forests edges, mostly in pairs, sometimes alone or in groups. It is quite common to spot these birds in backyards. The Scarlet Ibis is called Kori Kori in Surinamese. Its characteristics are the bright red wings, black at the tips. The face and beak are pink. This bird wades through mudbanks in the mangrove forest areas along the coastline. The average height is 58 centimeters.
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The Scarlet Ibis lives in large groups of up to 30 birds. Bigi Pan is an excellent place to go looking for these exceptional animals. The Big Kiskadee or Grikibi has a white band running across its black head, with a tiny yellow crest on top. The back is brown, the belly is yellow, the neck is white and the beak and legs are black. The bird grows to about 21,6 centimeters. Its habitat consists of open areas, forest edges, and backyards and gardens. They usually go around in pairs and they are very aggressive towards other birds. If you listen closely you will hear the animal constantly calling its own species name Grikibiiiii ...Grikibiiiii.
4.5 Insects
Suriname is full of insects, something you will have to be able to deal with, when visiting here. The city is not too bad but in the interior you will run into a wide variety of them. Mosquitoes, bees, wasps, ants (very tiny ones but also pretty large ones), dragonflies, butterflies, fireflies, grashoppers, beetles, mampieras (very tiny mosquitoes) and the ever so filthy cockroach are creatures you will come across in the city. As far as the cockroach is concerned, you will not find them in clean and tidy houses, hotels or restaurants. The Walking Stick, the Giant Stag Beetle, Scorpions, Bush Spiders and the larger species of Grashoppers are found in the forests.
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There is such diversity among the insects that I will not name them all here. Two important species to mention are the dengue and malaria mosquitoes because of the diseases they spread. The Dengue Mosquito, or Dengue Maskita as we say here does appear in the cities but not in such a way that you run the risk of catching the Dengue-fever. The animal looks like a regular mosquito only slightly larger and with black and white stripes on its legs. They are found around still waters, where they lay their eggs. Even if you do get stung by such a Dengue mosquito, you will not automatically catch the disease. If this mosquito is infected with the virus, only then will you catch the disease. Symptoms of the disease are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, nosebleeds, fever and body-aches. If you think you have these symptoms you must immediately contact a physician or a hospital for immediate aid. In most cases Dengue is cured completely. The Malaria Mosquito, or Malaria Maskita as we say here, is a bit more dangerous, but does not appear in the city. You must really go very deep into the interior before you run into the Malaria Maskita. Your touroperators know all the areas that are at risk and they will certainly not send you there without the necessary preparations. You can take medication to prevent the disease and you can get this medication along with all the necessary information at the Public Health Care Office (B.O.G. - Bureau voor Openbare Gezondheidszorg). The cost of this medication is very low, probably much lower than when bought in your own country so you might consider this option. If you do not plan to go to the deeper interior you will not need the medication at all. So dont waste unnecessary time, money or worries on it. The Malaria Mosquito has long hind legs so it appears to be tilting forward. Symptoms of the disease are headaches, body-aches, high fevers at intervals, feeling cold at one moment, and hot the next.
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If you do get stung you should take immediate action. The incubation period is between 2 and 6 weeks and the sooner you treat the disease, the better and faster your recovery will be. Should you notice the symptoms when you have already returned to your own country, always point out to the physician that you have been to the tropics. The same goes for when you notice strange wounds or lumps or anything of that nature. Suriname probably is a totally different country than the one you are from so you have to be aware of this. I do not want to scare you because from all the tourists coming here every year I have never heard any of them catching any serious disease. In nearly every store in Paramaribo you can buy products that will protect you from mosquito bites and they probably are a lot more effective and a lot cheaper than what you buy in your own country. The Surinamese Wasp (Marbonsoe) is larger than the common wasps in Europe and they can deliver a nasty sting. They are red-coloured, with a long slim lower body and long legs. Other nasty stingers are the Hornet and the so-called Broko Ston. The latter looks like a small triangular black fly. When it stings it leaves a big lump and a lot of aching behind. There are some large types of dragonflies, some with long tails some short and in all sorts of colour combinations. We also have a wide variety of butterflies among which is the beautiful bright- coloured Blue Morpho, which you will find at Brownsberg a lot.
These are not seen often and according to Surinamese superstition you will receive a message when you spot this butterfly. There is a butterfly nursery at Lelydorp. Ask your touroperator for possibilities to visit.
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4.6 Fish
Suriname is a paradise for sportsfishermen. Besides an enormous amount of different species of fish, the places fishing can take you are also breathtaking. Come to the Van Blommestein Lake and sail to one of the islands and let your guide take you to the places where there are enormous schools of fish. Catch the Tukunari, Piranha or Koebi. Deeper into the interior there are the Giant Trahira (Anyumara), the Red-tail Catfish, Tarpon and others. The Kabalebo Resort is a must for all sportsfishermen! There is a Catch and Release policy there so all the fish caught there must be thrown back. The swamp areas offer the Brown Hoplo (a type of Catfish, locally known as Kwie Kwie), Wolf Fish or Patakka, Cichlid Fish or Krobia and Pencil Fish (Matoeli). You will often run into people who have thrown out a line from a stick made out of bamboo. Deep-sea fishing is also possible in Suriname. At sea you will find Acoupa Weakfish (Bang Bang) and a type of Bass called Kandratiki. Where can you get the best fishing accessories? Actually Tomahawk and the Tackle Box are the two shops that have everything you may need. Tomahawk is located in the Hermitage Mall in the southern part of Suriname, at the Ma Retraite Mall in the north and at the Wagenwegstraat in the center of the city. The Tackle Box is located at the Zwartehovenbrugstraat. The Peacock Bass, or Tukunari is a beautifully coloured predator fish with yellow and black circles on a green base. It can grow to considerable size and is a very popular catch. It also tastes great. The Tukunari roams the fresh water rivers and the Brokopondo reservoir and will grow to a length of 50 centimeters.
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The Piranha - Pireng as we call it - is found in the rivers and streams and the Brokopondo reservoir. The skin is a pearl coloured blueish grey and this fish has round red eyes. They are very aggressive when attacked or when they smell blood. They feed on other fish and they are known to try and catch fish that have already been hooked by fishermen. The Piranha has sharp teeth and very strong large jaws. This fish can be eaten although I find it rather dry, but it tastes fine in fish soup. The predator can grow to be 30 centimeters long.
The Giant Trahira, better known as the Anyumara to the locals, is a huge predator fish living in rivers of the deeper interior. This brown-coloured giant has a long stretched body and large rows of very sharp teeth.
Anyumara
The Anyumara is a real treat. When you catch one you will not pull it in easily because this fish always fights a huge battle and you will have to be patient. Thrashing about wildly this fierce predator will often disappear back into the deep, the moment you think you can haul him in. It is a very strong fish and therefore a great one to catch The Brown Hoplo (Kwie Kwie) is a swamp fish caught mostly in coastal areas. In Nickerie you will often see people selling the Kwie Kwie by the side of the road. They will show you with their hands what length the fish are. This hardshelled Catfish is very popular and can be prepared in many different ways; in masala, or with tomato or coconut milk.
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The Red-tail Catfish is a catfish with a wide head a large wide mouth and a distinctive set of whiskers. The fish can grow to a sizeable 1,3 meters and is a popular catch as well. It is found mostly in the Amazon regions and it owes its name to the reddish orange colour of the tail. The rest of the body is dark grey with lighter grey spots and a white band across its entire length. Wouldnt you like to catch one?
Flora
4.7 Trees
Suriname has a tropical climate so fruit trees grow everywhere. There are many roadside stands where you can buy fresh fruit,like mango (manja), oranges, bananas, a fruit called zuurzak literally meaning sour bag, papayas, grape fruits, pomegranates, tamarind seeds, coconuts and tropical cherries, all of which taste great. Watermelons can be bought everywhere at roadside. You even find almonds and trees that produce cashew nuts. The tamarind seeds are used to make tamarind lemonade. Most of these fruits trees will grow in any yard in the city.
The Cashew
The Noni
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Soursop
Besides fruit trees, Suriname also has a wide variety of palm trees. Some have names like Kings palm, Fan palm, Miami palm, Red palm and a lot more. In the rain forest trees will grow very high. The largest tree in the forest is known as the Kankantri (Wild Kapok Tree); it will grow to up to 60 meters in height and it is a holy entity to the Maroons. The trees in the rain forest provide oxygen for the world. Suriname has a Mangrove forest at the coast. The roots of these significant looking trees are above ground.
The Kankantri: Giant of the forest
4.8 Flowers
Paramaribo is sometimes called the Flower City, which is not so strange if you consider all the colourful flowers growing in the wild, in brushes and trees. There are Orchids, Jungle Flame, beautiful Lillies (in the Nickerie waterway), Rosemallows, a flower called Bokkepoot (literally Goats Foot) and one called Pokai Tongo (Parrots Tongue) all of which will make your day a lot brighter.
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The Heliconia (Palulu) is a flower you will certainly find at Brownsberg Mountain. If you want to buy flowers you can do so in the inner city right across from het Vat, where there is a small flowermarket, or at the airport when you depart. The flowers will keep for quite a while. It is rather typical that there are not that many flowers in the interior.
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Chapter 5 The cities 5.1 Paramaribo
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5.1.2 Inner city and Waterfront (Waterkant)

Paramaribo became the capital of Suriname when Cornelis van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck became governor. He built many plantations around the city and had many acres impoldered. The first buildings in the city were already there before Van Sommelsdijck arrived: Fort Willoughby, now Fort Zeelandia, and the Lord House now the Presidential Palace. Even today the inner city is full of wooden houses. After the big fires of 1821 and 1832 when most of the Waterfront buildings burnt down, parts of the city were rebuilt by an architect who had studied in southern USA. This is the reason why so many houses then looked alike and there was an obvious Louisiana style to them. The houses at the Waterfront were owned by the most influential white people among which was the very cruel slave owner Susanne de Plessis. She first lived in the first mansion on the corner also known as Cornerhouse. When she got divorced she moved to the house next to where is now the Tower of the Ministery of Finance. Next to the Cornerhouse is the hotel La petite maison. At the Waterfront there are several small snack bars like the very popular Uncle Ray where you can enjoy some food while relaxing by the side of the Suriname River. Further down from the small snackbars there is the Waag building, that serves Italian food and then theres Broki, where you can lie in a hammock, while sipping a drink. The Central Market is a couple of hundred meters further up the road but before you reach that you will run into the busses. If you wish to take a ride on a bus you can get on one here. These busses have fixed routes and they generally stop anywhere along them. Some interesting buildings worth viewing are the Tower of the Ministry of Finance, the St. Peter and Pauls Cathedral, the Synagogue and Mosque next to each other that have shared parking, the Presidential Palace with the Palm Tree Garden (Palmentuin) behind it and the recently finished modern buildings of the Foreign Ministry and the High Court.
Mosque and Synagogue side-by-side
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Paramaribos inner city, which is on UNESCOs World Heritage list, is regularly painted and renovated.
5.1.3 Fort Zeelandia

Fort Willoughby was renamed Fort Zeelandia, by the Zeelander Abraham Crijnssen because it was his frigate the Zeelandia that had sailed down the Suriname River and captured the fort from the British. The fort served as a defensive stronghold for the whole country which later proved to be in insufficient. The attacks by the French admiral Cassard who created havoc at Jodensavanne, led to the building of Fort New Amsterdam. Positioned at the confluence of the Suriname and Commewijne rivers, the Atlantic was clearly visible from the new fort. From then on Fort Zeelandia only served as defense for Paramaribo. During the (Civil) War of the Interior it was in Fort Zeelandia that the 8 December Murders took place. Influential men from society were dragged from their homes and brought to the fort where they were executed. Today, the fort is a historical museum about Suriname, where exhibitions are held regularly.
5.1.4 The Presidential Palace and the Palm Tree Garden (Palmentuin)
The Palm Tree Garden actually is the Presidents garden because it belongs to the palace. It is open to the public and it is nice to take a stroll through it. For reasons of safety, it is not recommended to do so at night.
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Our president does not reside at the palace; he lives in a residential area among regular citizens of Paramaribo. The palace was formerly known as the Lord House as Lord Willoughby was the one who had had it built and who also had lived in it. When Van Sommelsdijck landed with the so-called Patented States, he took hold of this beautiful mansion and he had the Patented States emblem applied to the front of the house. In the emblem the coat of arms of Amsterdam can be seen, as this city was a shareholder of the Patented States. The palace, unfortunately, is not open for public viewing. The Palm Tree Garden is a regular fixture for special holidays.
5.1.5 The Tower of the Ministry of Finance

This beautiful building was initially meant to become Paramaribos city hall. The architect, a mister Voigt designed the city hall, actually without the tower. So how is it that the tower came there after all? It was because of a very demanding governors wife who kept pressing her will. She just had to have a tower and this led to huge conflicts with the architect. In the end, the tower was indeed built on top, eventhough it took a lot of arguing. Strangely enough the building never served as city hall, it became the Tower of the Finance Ministry. The front of the building shows an image of King Willem III who reigned over the Netherlands from 1849 to 1890. It was King Willem III who officially abolished slavery in Suriname in 1863. For this reason his facial image was granted a spot on the buildings front.
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5.1.6 The St.Peter and Pauls Cathedral

This is the largest wooden cathedral of South America and the Caribbean. The building was put to use as a cathedral in 1885 after years of having served as a prosperous Jewish theatre. The building was first a private home of one of the richest Jews of that era. The building was turned into an immense and beautiful theatre called the Phoenix Arisen.
The theatre was only accessible for Jewish people because elsewhere another theatre had been built which would not allow Jews in. The Jews considered this an outrage of course, and this rich Jewish man granted them his home to serve as their theatre. The Phoenix Arisen was more beautiful and it had more theatre shows then the other theatre, Thalia. For many years the Jews enjoyed their theatre. After the big fires of 1821 the Catholics had lost their place of worship and eventually the Jews sold the theatre to the Roman Catholics. On their turn the Catholics built their cathedral around the Jewish theatre. This is the reason why there are countless Jewish elements still inside the building, which have never been removed. The inside of the cathedral is drawn up in unpainted cedar wood. Unfortunately the building has fallen prey to termites which of course is the downside of the wooden building. It is currently being renovated.
St. Peter and Pauls Cathedral
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5.1.7 Central Market

The Central Market is composed of a number of huge halls where vegetables, meat, fruit and fish are sold. Besides this, a lot of odds and ends are sold, like cds make-up, jewellery and books. The market is rather chaotic, warm and muggy and I find it to be not very hygienic. What is nice to see is how these market vendors sell their goods and for nice, cheap fruit this is the right place to be. The market is open daily, except Sundays. There are several other markets and Sunday Markets as well.
5.1.8 Wijdenbosch Bridge

The Wijdenbosch Bridge owes its name to former president Wijdenbosch who had it built. The bridge measures 1,5 kilometers in length and was erected in a round and steep arch. At its highest point you have a magnificent view of Paramaribo and the Commewijne District. From there you can also see the wreckage of the old German merchant vessel, the Goslar. Many Surinamese thought the bridge to be a waste of money but it has opened up the Commewijne District and thus it has brought progress. In the past the district could only be reached by ferry which was a very slow undertaking, causing a lot of delay. Nowadays everybody can just cross the bridge. The bridge was built by Ballast Nedam and this company is also responsible for its maintenance.
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5.1.9 The Goslar

The German merchant vessel the Goslar was in Paramaribo in 1940 when news reached the colony that Germany was at war with Holland. The Goslars captain then sank the ship to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Dutch.
5.1.10 Paramaribo Zoo

The Paramaribo Zoo is just outside the center of the city. Here you will find snakes, monkeys, many birds like Macaws, owls and the Jabiru, Pecarrys, Caiman, some lost Ostridges, Tigers and a number of other animals. The zoo is worth a visit. The zookeepers do work very hard to make the Zoo look better every time! They are all volunteers who do their utmost to keep everything as neat and tidy as they possibly can. Do drop by if you wish to support the zoo. The former manager of the Paramaribo Zoo, Joep M. Moonen published a book with all the animals of Suriname in it and all the funds raised selling this book are awarded to the zoo. Some of the drawings in this e-book are copies from mister Moonens book.
5.1.11 Modern buildings

Two new buildings that have been erected in the city recently are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Court. The first one was built by a Chinese contractor and the latter by a Dutch one. Both buildings are around the corner from the Presidential Palace and across from the Tower of the Ministry of Finance. Both these buildings were designed with the old style of the citys other buildings in mind and quite successfully so.
5.1.12 Shops and Shopping Malls

Clothing shops, both the cheaper as well as the more expensive, fancy jewellery shops, shops for shoes and other footwear, arts & crafts shops, Paramaribo has them all, as the people really fancy nice new clothing and shoes and they love to dress up and look good.
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The more expensive and exclusive shops can be found in the shopping malls, rather than scattered around in the city. Paramaribo has 5 shopping malls which are the Hermitage mall in the southern part of the city, the Maretraite mall in the north, the Kersten mall in the center, near hotel Krasnapolsky, the UNmall also in the center and the Lalarookh mall again in the south of Paramaribo. Yellow gold, white gold and red gold are available at all jewellery stores. You are sure to find something to your liking in their large assortments.
The Hermitage Mall
Gold in Suriname is a bit more yellow than usual because it is 24 karat gold. Always try and bargain for a discount, it is often worth the effort. Most jewellery shops are located in the city center, in the Maagdenstraat. People who are keen on footwear like mules or slippers will find their moneys worth here. You can find these all over the city in all sorts of variations, colours, shapes and sizes.
5.1.13 Entertainment district; Restaurants and Bars

The area from the Palm Tree Garden (Palmentuin) up until the hotel Torarica is the real entertainment area. However, outside this area you will also find many discotheques, restaurants and bars that are certainly worthwhile. One bar which is frequented by tourists is het Vat, where you can relax outside on the terrace and enjoy a Parbo beer or a bite to eat. Many foreign students and interns like to visit La Caff, right across from het Vat, where they have djs playing music regularly. You can also have something to eat there. In between het Vat and Torarica there are small restaurants; like Queens Garden of the Queens hotel. You will also come across Starzzz discotheque there and Tangelo where you can get cocktails and pastries. Two bars - The Spot and Zanzibar - are the last ones. Going around the corner into the Van Sommelsdijckstraat you will get to Het Lekkerbekje which is a fish restaurant, followed by the famous Pannenkoek and
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Poffertjescaf which specialises in all types and sizes of pancakes and which also is a favourite among (Dutch and Belgian) interns. There are various casinos in the city where you can also have food and enjoy dance shows. When playing, snacks and beverages are free of charge. If you need to exchange money you can do so at a bank or at one of the many exchange offices (cambios). Cambios should have better exchange rates compared to the banks but the differences among themselves are never too large. Some nice discos and bars are Zsa Zsa Zsu, Mystique, Millenium, Zus en Zo, Chillz and Fubar. If you like going out you certainly can do so here! Rumors in the Krasnapolsky hotel has a Jazz night every Friday and if you can sing you can join the band called Time Out for a jam session. You will notice they play Salsa, Merengue, R&B, House-music and Jazz. They have a variaty of dishes available there. There also is a wide variety of different Surinamese restaurants all over Paramaribo.To start with Javanese: At Blauwgrond in the north you will find many of those, Mirosso being the best known. Southwards you will find Sarinah and Jawa. Then there are Hindustani restaurants: Roopram in the city and various Roti shops scattered all over. Chinese restaurants are Chi Min, Palm Palace, Lucky Twins and there are a lot more. Dont forget the tiny ones around (almost) every corner! European food is available at Dok 204, Spice Quest (which also serves sushi) Park Avenue, the Waag (Italian), Zus en Zo and dOptimist (great Pasta!). American food is served at Silverado, a real Cowboy Bar and for fastfood you can go to McDonalds, KFC, Pizzahut, Allegria (great ice cream) and Naskip. There is the Garden of Eden for Thai food and a magnificent scenery. If you wish to order in you can call Bingo pizza. A great idea is to go on a cullinairy tour, which takes you to some nice restaurants from the different kitchens. Whether its the theatre or the casino, out to eat or to a disco, bar or party, anything is possible, even a visit to a gallery. At the Anton Dragtenweg you will find Gallery Steinhoff which regularly has some great art collections on exhibit. Who knows, you might find something you like.
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5.2 Nickerie
In the west of Suriname lies the second largest city of the country, New Nickerie, a city of 12.000 mostly Hindustani citizens. In the District of Nickerie there are many rice fields and the harbour of Nickerie is there for the export of rice. There is not much to do around the city. If you should visit there, spending the night at the Residence Inn Hotel is recommended. There is a discotheque named Zeppelin and there also are casinos. There is a sea wall which is often visited and which offers a great view of the Corantijn River. It is possible to pay a visit to the local mosque.
5.2.1 Bigi Pan

In Nickerie you will find the beautiful bird reservation Bigi Pan which is an enormous marsh with predominantly Mangrove vegetation. Besides the Scarlet Ibis this is the habitat of Fish-Hawks, Terns and various other birds. The Scarlet Ibis can be spotted here from November to April. The countless birds of the area are accompanied by Caimans. The Surinamese fishermen are active in this territory, fishing with nets from their little platforms above water.
5.2.2 The road from Paramaribo to Nickerie

The road from Paramaribo to Nickerie actually runs in one long straight line. It is a 3,5 hour drive on a reasonable road and you will enjoy the scenery of the different landscapes. You will travel through the Districts of Saramacca and Coronie, the latter famous for its coconut trees and coconut oil. Alongside the road you can stop at stalls to by some cold coconut juice.
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You will also pass Wageningen, and nearing Nickerie you will see more and more rice fields.
5.3 Albina
In the east of Suriname we find the town of Albina. It is a small town and used to be a riverside resort. Unfortunately, during the civil war the city was largely destroyed, some of the houses still showing the evidence of this. In Albina you can take a small boat to go to Galibi, or cross the border to the French Guyanese village of St. Laurent, with the typical atmosphere that French villages have. Going out to eat at the boat restaurant there is really enjoyable. You can also reach it by car or by boat. Either way, you will enjoy the exquisite French kitchen on this boat, which sailed all the way from France to be docked and turned into a restaurant. Other activities in French Guyana are Devil Island (Papillon) and Kourou (rocket base)
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Chapter 6 The most beautiful spots of colourful Suriname

Suriname is full of natural beauty and a lot of potential. The interior of the country is the best part, along with the rich cultural heritage. The cities and towns are nice for a while, maybe longer for those who are just looking for good food and going out. To get you an acquainted with some resorts I will list the most spectacular, but there are a lot more than the ones mentioned here. I have divided the country into territories to indicate the location and I will also inform you what type of trip you are taking to each specific resort, be it an adventure, a cultural journey, a nature trip or just going out to relax. I really hope that from all these possibilities you will be able to put together a suitable journey either with or without the help of the local touroperators. I should advise you not to organise a trip to the interior yourself as I have seen some tourists do. Since you do not know the way, nor the environment you might easily get lost in the forest! Good touroperators know the interior, they know the animals, they know the areas plagued by mosquitoes and they have well-trained tourguides who can keep the customers out of harms way. Heres an example: A group of Dutch tourists had decided to undertake a really long hiking journey through the deep forest. They argued that having climbed the Mount Everest, this would be an easy trip for them. So they set out a route and planned to walk the distance in 10 days. They had 10 local Native Indian guides with them, all of which told the tourists that this distance could not be covered in 10 days, but the group left, nevertheless. They arrived safe and sound but only after 15(!) days and they survived on food that the Indians provided by hunting. So dont be headstrong and let experienced people guide you. The interior can be inhospitable yet at the same time this also makes it exciting!
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6.1 Close to Paramaribo 6.1.1 White Beach

The name speaks for itself, White Beach is a resort with a beautifully laid out strip of white sandy beach. The resort is parted in three with different sorts of huts or cabins which you can reserve so you can sit and relax in the shade. A net is put out in the water, covering the length of the beach to prevent fish to come close to the beach, so you can freely swim in the river. There are three different restaurants where you can get barbecue dishes, various beverages or good snacks. The resort is laid out very professionally and it really is a great sight to see. There is a hotel there where you can spend the night. I like to go there myself, and I even got married at White Beach!
6.1.2 Surinamese Museum

Museum about Suriname situated at Fort Zeelandia. Guided tours only during the weekends.
6.1.3 Domburg
Domburg is a small town 40 minutes away from Paramaribo. Here you can experience the old sugar plantation Domburg. Rent a bike and stay in the Guesthouse Domburg!
6.1.4 Commewijne Tour

The Commewijne Tour takes you to 4 plantations. Theres the old sugar plantation Marienburg, where the sugar factory was. Then theres the Zorgvliet plantation, where you can see the special floor where the coffee beans were dried on. People actually still live on this plantation.
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The Lelindaal plantation, located a bit farther from Zorgvliet, is now an orphanage. Finally theres Frederiksdorp which you have to reach by boat. This is truly a magnificent sight as it has been completely renovated with the various plantation buildings kept intact. Here you can get some snacks and drinks like bakabana and cold coconut juice. It is possible to spend the night at Frederiksdorp. This tour includes a visit to the open air museum of Fort New Amsterdam. The various touroperators include the plantation tour in their program, albeit with different content and schedule.
6.1.5 Marinalex Resort

The Marinalex resort is close to the airport of Zanderij, in savanna territory. Driving to Carolina you will go past the monument for the victims of the planecrash of 1989. In that year an airplane of Surinam Airways crashed after hitting high tree tops. There was a thick fog and the pilot, who had been formally suspended at the time for landing on the wrong runway, made a calculated error. Marinalex is a quiet resort at a nice little stream; you can take a swim and take it real easy there. There are some simple cabins scattered on the terrain where you can spend the night. You have all the facilities to cook yourself or you can eat at the resorts restaurant, which also has a small bar and shop.
6.1.6 Cola Kreek

Cola Kreek lies close to both Zanderij and Carolina and it is a very well-attended resort, as opposed to the quieter Carolina. Theres a stream which runs through the resort and there are cabins and huts all over the place where you can sit in the shade and enjoy the scenery. Because of the leafage falling in the water, it has the same colour as Cola, hence the name Cola Kreek.
Colakreek
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6.1.7 The Butterfly Nursery

Near the village of Lelydorp there is a Butterfly Nursery. It focusses on export of butterfly pupas and the owner is Ewout Ericks. The nice thing about this nursery is that you can follow the whole process, starting with the egg and going on to the pupas. And of course you will find a wide variety of tropical butterflies there. The pupas are exported abroad to other butterfly nurseries.
Butterflies in the sand.
The breeding Morpho butterfly
6.1.8 Pottery
Pottery is an age old tradition of the Native Indians. The pottery is located in the District of Para, about a 45 minute drive outside Paramaribo. Here you can see what pottery items the Indians produce and how they do it. People have the opportunity to buy their products of course.
6.2 From the city to the Brokopondo reservoir

If you drive to the Brokopondo reservoir (officially, the Professor Van Blommestein Lake) you do so on a road of reddish clay called the Afobaka road. You will find yourself to be in the middle of the forest. Every now and then you will pass a small Maroon community and there also are various resorts along this Afobaka road. Some of the larger ones will be presented here.
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6.2.1 Overbridge
The Overbridge resort is in the middle of the forest on the banks of the Suriname River. A beach was created with light coloured sand which was scattered here. You can relax and bask in the sun in this wonderful environment, perfect for families to visit and much quieter than the lively White Beach, and much farther away from the city as well. There is a restaurant where you can have a sumptuous dinner but you can also enjoy a great breakfast there if you have spent the night in one of the huts or cabanas. In the huts you can hang hammocks to sleep in but if you are going for a more luxurious stay you should reserve one of the cabanas which have airconditioning, a microwave and hot running water. From Overbridge you can take a boattrip to Jodensavanne which lies on the other side of the river. The town of Toorarica must have been located right across from Overbridge on the other river bank.
6.2.2 Jodensavanne
Jodensavanne is an old sugar plantation where you can view the remainder of the oldest Synagogue in South America, now a mere ruin. You can also take a walk to the Jewish cemetery and to the spring that many believe to have water containing healing powers. Even the boattrip there is very nice. Let your tourguide tell you everything about this old plantation.
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6.2.3 Babunhol
Babunhol is a very quiet resort on the Suriname River. A bit further from the city than Overbridge, Babunhol lies between the Maroon villages Klaaskreek and Marchallkreek. Here you can really enjoy total peace and quiet. Babunhol used to be a citrus plantation, later it served as a breeding farm for cattle. During the civil war these activities were all stopped and the former plantation has not been active for years now. The resort has huts roofed with special branches and leaves which we call Pina leafs. Here you can enjoy your food and drink which you have to bring along yourself! Or maybe your touroperator takes care of that.
6.2.4 Brownsberg
A bit further away, passing the transmigration village of Brownsweg there is a mountain called Brownsberg. You can view Brownsweg from the bus as the villagers do not appreciate strangers walking through their quarters. The Brownsberg Mountain is a protected territory with fantastic flora and fauna. You should wear hiking shoes and descend the mountain towards one or more of the 5 waterfalls. They are the Irene Falls, Leo Falls, Kumbu Falls, Mazaroni Falls and Witi Kreek. They are excellent spots to cool off and take in the breathtaking views. The water is even fresh enough to drink. The mountains top is called the Mazaroni Top, from which you can see both sides of the Brownsberg. You will have a magnificent view of the Brokopondo reservoir and the tropical rain forest. You probably will run into wildlife here: the Howler monkey, squirrels, some frogs, maybe spiders, snakes and many birds show themselves often here.
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The Morpho Butterfly
A trip to Brownsberg can easily be combined with an overnight stay at Overbridge in one of the luxurious cabanas. The facilities to spend the night at Brownsberg itself are not that good, unfortunately. The Brownsberg Mountain is very steep so it is not recommended to go and try to drive up the mountain with your own means of transport. Especially during the rainy season the road is very slippery and the deep ravines at the side of the mountain can be very dangerous.
6.2.5 Berg en Dal

Berg en Dal (Mountain and Valley) used to be a wood plantation, now its an ecoresort; which means that jobs have been created for the people of that area with which they can preserve the local culture, flora and fauna. Berg en Dal is located just before the exit to the village of Brownsweg and the Brownsberg Mountain. At the moment the resort offers facilities to go hiking, mountainbiking, canoeing on the river and the great Canopy. This so-called Canopy is a funicular across the river taking you on a guided glide from tree to tree from one side down to the other side of the Suriname River. If you are not scared of heights this really is a spectacular ride to take. Berg en Dal has luxury lodges which enable overnight stays and extended stays. The resort has been split up in two parts. On the one side there is the Blauwe Berg (Blue Mountain) which is for nature and the animals.
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The other side of the mountain is where the old plantation is being restored, the plantation houses are being rebuilt and a museum is set up to exhibit how things were at the time the plantation was blooming. This part will also house frogs and butterflies nurseries.
6.3 The Brokopondo reservoir or Professor Van Blommestein Lake

This lake was created when the flood-control dam was built in the Suriname River in the sixties. An enormous area was flooded and some 20 villages slowly disappeared below the waters surface. The strange sight of barren treetops sticking out of the water on the lake is a fascinating and unusual experience. The lake is full of fish; Tukunari (a type of Bass), Piranha, Sriba (a tiny fish used as bait), Kwana and Koebie (also a type of Bass) can be caught here, so if you like fishing, the lake is a good place to be. There are many islands on the lake; I will give information on some of them.
Tonka Island
Tonka is the island closest to the dam. There are 3 separate houses and a large guesthouse you can choose from to spend the night. One of the houses will flood when high tide is in and you will be able to take a dive right from the porch. On Tonka you can go hiking through the bush, you can swim and relax and it is a great place for fishermen! The tourguide can take you by boat to the best spots to catch fish.
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Paradise Island
To get to Paradise Island you have to travel a bit further by boat, but its worth the journey because this island even has its own swimming pool. There is a large sleeping area for groups and small separate houses for those who wish to have more privacy. There is a kitchen you can use to prepare your freshly caught fish. There are many Tukunari in this area. From Paradise Island you can travel by boat towards the southern parts of the lake where you can meet with Maroon villagers.
6.4 From the south of the reservoir and deeper into the interior (extended trips) 6.4.1 Anaula resort
The latest and most luxurious place in the Upper Suriname region lies at the shore of a beautiful island. There are cabanas with four-poster beds and mosquito nets, private bathroom facilities, your own porch to retreat to, an excellent restaurant and bar, swimming pool, even a telephone service! The resort offers a hike across the island or a walk through the Maroon villages of New Aurora and Gunsi. In those villages you will be able to see Maroon dances and a lot more about the Maroon culture. You could also go on a trip to the Caimans. A short ride in a canoe will take you to the rapid streams of the Ferolassi Sula where you can take a swim. Anaula can be reached by airplane. It is also possible to go by bus and the final part by boat but this is a rather long and tiresome journey.
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6.4.2 Hotel Botopassie

Near the Marroon village Botopasi lays the nice hotel Botopassie. You can sleep in one of the 5 smaller wooden houses and experience the Marroon housing or take a room in the bigger building. At the beautiful terrace your breakfast is served as well as dinner and you can enjoy Surinamese rum in the bar. The beautiful sula (stream assilaration) Tapawatra is not far away.
6.4.3 Dan Paati

Dan Paati is Saramaccan (a Maroon language) for the island of Dan. The Dan Paati resort is built on an island close the village of Dan. It also is a luxury resort with many conveniences, electricity, private bathroom and shower. The lodges are made out of wood and in Saramaccan style. The resort supports the lasting development of the economy and environment in the region and cares for the children and the elderly living in the area. You can admire the traditional arts, have great meals of healthy food and get in touch with the Maroon culture. You can learn about the traditional weaving techniques from the Maroons. Exciting nightly trips to look for Caimans are part of the program on this island. Here, it is also possible to swim in the sulas (rapid streams) and relax!
6.4.4 Pikinslee
A very long ride and trip by boat will get you to the village of Pikinslee. You sleep in small cabins with very low entry doors which are meant to keep the evil spirits out. If you want to sleep in a hammock this is also possible. You will discover the magnificent art crafts and learn about the plants in the forest.
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You can become one with the local rastafarians and live it up! From Pikinslee you can travel by boat to the village of Kumalu.
Colourful canoes at Pikinslee
6.5 Deep interior (extended trips) 6.5.1 Raleigh Falls

The Raleigh Falls are situated in the Central Suriname Nature Reserve which is 78.170 hectares in size and one of the largest nature reserves in South America. You stay on the Foengoe Island where you are brought to by airplane. The island lies in the Coppename River in between sulas and rocks. There are over 400(!) different bird species, so if you are a birdwatcher you should really come here. From the island it is possible to go to the Manarie Falls. A forest hike and a stiff climb up the Voltzberg Mountain will demand a great deal of effort from you but the result is well worth the blisters.
6.5.2 Apetina
Apetina is a native village of the Wayana Indians, where you can enjoy the mighty culture of these people. The village is on the Tapanahony River, at about 1,5 hours flying from the city.
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You can meet with the Granman (Chief) and villagers during a nice stroll through the village. Besides this you can witness the fabrication of hammocks and cassava bread. A boat will take you to the foot of the Tebu Top, 400 meters high. You may take the opportunity to climb this mountain and you will be able to camp in the forest in that area. Some of the fish caught here are Anyumara, Koebie and Piranha.
Tebutop
6.5.3 The Kasikasima Mountains

If you are looking for a really exciting vacation, this should be your choice. These mountains are deep in Surinames south, nearing the Brazilian border. This is really Amazon territory. Leaving Palumeu by boat, you will be on the river for about two days before reaching the impressive Kasikasima. During these two days you sleep out in the open. You will probably come across a lot of wildlife.
Kasikasimagebergte
When reaching the Kasikasima Mountain you start on a 7 hour hike. You get an hours rest on one of the peaks and you will be witness to the most breathtaking sights imaginable.
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6.5.4 Tafelberg (Table Mountain)

The Tafelberg nature reserve measures 140.000 hectares. The territory covers 2 different types of landscape: savanna and tropical rain forest. There are countless waterfalls here. The Tafelberg is 1026 meters high making it one of the highest mountains in the country. It has steep walls and a flat top from which the view is truly magnificent. It is possible to go on an expedition to the top of the mountain.
6.5.5 Awarradam
Awarradam is a Maroon village. It lies south of Atyoni, the most southern village that can be reached via the road. Awarradam is on the Gran Rio River along which there are many more villages. You can visit those as well. You travel on the river towards Awarradam, pronounced Awaadan by the locals. Awaa is Awara, an orange-coloured, stringy fruit and dan means rapid stream. At Awarradam you can swim, relax, learn about local habits like their use of medicine and building of huts. You can also enjoy Maroon dances and music. One specific dance by the Maroons is one where they are carried around in the air on wooden planks or poles while they dance. You can take a look at the selfmade souvenirs or buy yourself a pani.
6.6 Western Suriname 6.6.1 Arapahu Island

Arapahu Island is on the Corantijn River in the west of Suriname. Near the village you can see rock carvings and petroglyphs and imagine yourself in another era in the past. The beauty of Arapahu island resort is that the flora and fauna surrounding it are really untouched. There is a great chance you will run into all sorts of wildlife.
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You can spend the night in a lodge with a spectacular view, you can dream away in a hammock or an easy-chair on your porch or have a drink at the public bar. There also is the opportunity to swim and relax as the Frederik Willem IV and the King George waterfalls which are closeby. Fishing is a nice option as well.
6.6.2 Kabalebo
A luxurious resort where you will enjoy privacy in an exclusive environment. There is wildlife in excess here. Kabalebo is in the southern part of Suriname in uninhabited territory. There are no villages or people in these parts, so its just nature and the animals and ... you. This is the heart of the Amazone forest and you can come across some rare animals like the Jaguar, various birds and a wide variety of fish like the Redtail Catfish. As far as fishing is concerned there is a Catch and Release policy at Kabalebo resort so as that the ecological balance remains intact as much as possible. You can also go kayaking or visit Misty Mountain. This 500 meter high mountain is always covered by a misty blanket in the morning. I highly recommend this.
6.6.3 Blanche-Marie Falls

The Blanche-Marie Falls are in the west of Suriname, 300 kilometers away from Paramaribo. They are named after the wife of the explorer who first found them while travelling down the Nickerie River in the 19th century. The waterfall measures approximately 10 meters in height and you can take a swim or let yourself be massaged by the water cascading down. Powerful sulas will only add to your enjoyment.
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It is possible to stay overnight in one of the houses and you can also visit the nearby village of Apoera.
6.7 Eastern Suriname 6.7.1 Galibi

Galibi is a Native Indian village at Surinames border with French Guyana, in the east of the country and it is located on the banks of the Marowijne River. From Albina you can take a canoe to Galibi. During the trip you will be able to see the French Guyanese shoreline or you may even decide to pay a visit to St. Laurent. This should be no trouble with a Dutch passport. You can also go straight to Galibi where you will spend the night and see how the people there live. At night you go by canoe and travel with your guide towards the Stinasu research center to view the Leatherbacks and Green Turtles. They will crawl out of the ocean and onto the beach, huffing and puffing, because these can be really big animals. They will each dig a hole to lay their eggs in, which takes some time so you will have ample time to witness this. As these protected species are very shy, people must beware not to disturb the animals. The animals need peace and quiet to fulfill this task. From here you can take the boat again and go to spend the night at one of Stinasus locations. The beach of Galibi is nice to hang out on.
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6.8 Boat trips 6.8.1 Rivercruises

There are several tours that allow you to explore the plantations, the rivers or places like Overbridge by boat. You can embark in Paramaribo and return, often in the late afternoon. Underway you will get the chance to disembark to view the interesting sights. Most rivercruises have good cooks and you will probably receive a great Surinamese meal. Some boats have sleeping facilities like four-poster beds or hammocks hanging on deck under mighty star-filled skies. In Suriname the stars in the sky seem to be closer and shine brighter than anywhere else. There is a chance you might see dolphins jumping out of the water at the mouths of the rivers.
6.8.2 Manoetje Tours

Embarking on a boat of Manoetje Tours in Nickerie will give you a chance to travel all the way to Kabalebo. This is a really wonderful trip, going down the Corantijn River and passing various villages. At some spots there are sandbanks in the river where you can take a swim and enjoy total peace. You will see nobody else on the river except for some small fishing boats of the natives who will go by once in a while. On this trip I was able to spot some river otters. You spend the night on the boat itself as it will anchor in the middle of the river. It is possible to go look for Caimans or go fishing at night as well. The boat will dock at Apoera, a village on the Surinamese side of the border, and at Orealla, a village on the Guyanese side. You can take long strolls through the villages and admire the Native Indians art crafts. One of Surinames authors, Clark Accord has written a book From Apoera to Orealla, about these villages.
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6.8.3 Sweet Merodia

The Sweet Merodia is a boat owned by the famous author Cynthia McLeod. She gives guided tours to the Commewijne plantations and she will tell you about past and present in a wonderful and captivating style. Again you will be able to enjoy a great Surinamese meal and dream away while taking in the magnificent views of the river.
6.9 Other tours and other places

Over the past few years many new and interesting tours have been added. Tourism is blossoming at the moment which of course benefits the tourists because tours, services and facilities are improving. You can even go on a Four- Wheel-Drive Safari. I have not yet had the opportunity to go on all the available tours or visit all the places that are open for tourists now, but you can find all the information at the touroperators. They will advise you on all the possibilities and match them with your wishes. This e-book should serve as an indication of all the interesting possibilities this country has to offer. There really is something for everyone here. At the better touroperators it is even possible to plan your own trip, combining visits to villages or mixing up different tours. Unfortunately, sometimes tours can be expensive, due to some areas being difficult to access. The harder it is to reach a specific area, the higher the rates to get there. On the other hand, places that are hard to reach are also more interesting and you will find that such places are not swarmed by tourists, which will ensure more privacy and personal attention. Preserving this environment is very important, so that we may enjoy it for many years to come, in this exceptional state, this, the Lungs of the Earth.
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Chapter 7 Extra information 7.1 Travel account/Internship and opinions about Suriname
My Suriname Internship
My internship in Suriname at the Torarica Hotel was a great experience and challenge. There I was in a strange country with a different culture, but great weather everyday of course! I felt at home in Paramaribo right away. This was mainly because the cordial and hospitable way Surinamese people welcome you. The difference in culture took some getting used to during my internship. I really had to adjust to the different way in which Surinamese people experience time. Meetings never start on time and if you have an appointment at 4 oclock, this could just as easily become 5. As a very strict Dutchman this took some adjustment on my part but as the locals say: No spang, which means Dont worry and you really shouldnt. If you adept to this you will find that it actually is a relaxed way of living. There are no schedules so this leaves room for many nice spontaneous outings, for instance, to the interior. I really enjoyed that tremendously. In the interior people still live according to age old traditions which are a really great experience to witness. There are really great villages in the Surinamese jungle which can be reached by airplane but also by car from Paramaribo. The jungle is breathtaking, the environment is so beautiful and untouched and you will see so many exotic and sometimes scary animals. You may choose to stay with Native Indians or Maroons for a couple of days and learn more about their culture and swim in rivers, go on boat trips or relax in hammock with a glass of wine. The trips to the deeper interior made my stay in Suriname an exceptional experience but there also are many nice spots to spend a day, which are closer to Paramaribo. I have great memories of White Beach where we went regularly with a group to swim and enjoy barbecue and cocktails.
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Paramaribo is a busy and enjoyable place with great restaurants. Because of the different cultures in Suriname there also is a lot of variety in restaurants. Theres Chi Min for great Chinese food and Sarinah for the best rice table I have ever had. I also enjoyed the Brown Beans with Rice at Uncle Rays on The Waterfront (Waterkant). Sometimes I missed the European dishes, but then I went to the Waag building or Dok 204 for a nice steak. On weekends after dinner I often went out into the nightlife. At first it took some getting used to, all the action starting at 1 oclock in the morning. But then we would go to La Caff to enjoy some caiperinhas, after which we would go to Starzz to dance all night. I really liked the nightlife because there are not that many places to go to so you would run into everybody in the same places. So enjoyable and great crowds! Rosalie Dijk
Suriname
I have been to Suriname twice, once for 4 months and the second time for 2 months. On these two occasions I have had the opportunity to explore the various beautiful aspects of the country. One of the high points of my travels was a visit to the forests of the interior near Blanche-Marie. Spending 3 nights in the middle of the jungle, bathing in streams and exploring the environment and wildlife during the day is a very special experience. Besides this I visited one of the islands in the Brokopondo reservoir, Kwana Island, where you can relax on the beach amidst the palm trees or take a swim or go fishing for Tukunari (a type of Bass). My last visit to the deeper interior of Suriname was a trip to Dan Paati. This is a great place to stay amidst the rapid streams and a wonderful natural environment. There also are some nice sights to see closer to Paramaribo, like Jodensavanne, and there are several nice resorts along the river where you can go for a short stay. White Beach is an example of this. It is a nice place to hang out, to swim, play some soccer (football) or do watersports. These spots are about an hours drive from the city and are suitable for a day out.
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The old plantations are not far away either and they are interseting to visit for people who wish to experience some of the history. In the city itself there is the market and several shopping malls and shops to look around in. Besides this there is Fort Zeelandia and the Presidential Palace with the Palm Tree Garden of course. You can also go swimming at Hotel Torarica or at Oase. At night you can go to several places of entertainment in Paramaribo like Starzzz, LaCaff, and Zanzibar. You can also try your luck in of many casinos where they serve free food and beverages. The wonderful temperature and friendly people make a stay in this country very pleasant. I myself like getting in touch with the locals and get a feel for the daily life here, which of course is easier to day when you are here for an extended stay. Suriname can bring you peace and quiet and you really should not fill your schedule too much because something always comes up, like invitations to parties or trips. Rutger Zoetmulder Graduated of Business Administration - Erasmus University
Assignment Suriname
As a journalist I had been assigned to write an article on Suriname but, after repeated unsuccessful attempts at contacting the Tourist Board to organise my trip prior to arrival, I landed without anything arranged. It was my good fortune, on a fact-finding tour of Paramaribo, to walk into Oxygens offices on the citys picturesque Waterfront. From that moment forward the Oxygen team, of Andy Lijkwan and Diana Gummels, took care of everything. Nothing was too much trouble. The schedule was flexible and entirely based around my specific requirements. The attitude was, if it can be organised in the time available it will be. After a Paramaribo city tour and a day spent amongst the Commewijne plantations, I joined the effervescent Andy on a four-day trip to the interior. He was driver, cook, entertainer and tour coordinator. The clients welfare and happiness was always his primary concern; he was last to bed and first to rise each day.
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Whilst we were in the interior the other Oxygen members were still working on my behalf. The four-day trip necessitated a change in flights, which Diana handled. As well as arranging superb trips Oxygen takes away the organisational headaches, leaving you free to enjoy your holiday and everything the wonderful country of Suriname has to offer. James Fuller, Journalist for Caribean Beat
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7.2 The National Anthem

Opo kondre man oen opo! Sranan gron e kari oen. Wans ope tata komopo , wi moe seti kondre boen. Str de f'str, wi no sa frede. Gado de wi fesiman. Eri libi te na dede, wi sa feti gi Sranan.
Translation
Stand up countrymen, stand up! Surinames soil is calling you. Wherever our ancestors came from We must build our country. There are battles to be fought, we shall fear none. God is our leader. All our lives until death, shall we fight for Suriname.
7.3 Surinamese celebrities

Jurgen Raymann; Comedian, TV talkshow host Quintis Ristie; TV star Cynthia Mc Cleod; Author Clark Accord; Author Anthony Nesty; Olympic and World Swimming Champion Letitia Vriesde; Silver medallist 800 meter Track & Field World Championships Francisco Elson; NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs. Fareisa Joemmanbaks; Miss India Worldwide 2007 Anton de Kom; Freedomfighter Erwin de Vries; Artist Ruud Gullit; Professional soccer player Edgar Davids; Professional soccer player Patrick Kluivert; Professional soccer player Clarence Seedorf; Professional soccer player Ruth Jacot; Singer Patricia van Daal; Singer
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7.4 Holidays in Suriname

January February March April May June July August October November December New Years Chinese New Years, Carnaval Phagwa Easter, Four-day walk across Paramaribo Labour Day Hindustani Immigration Day Keti Koti; Marathon Swimming on the Suriname River Day of the Natives; Javanese Immigration Day Chinese Immigration Day, Mens Cook-Out, Salsuri Divali; Id Ul Fitre; Savanna Rally; Independence Day (Srefidensi); Jazz festival Childrens Day; Surifesta; Christmas; Old Years Celebrations
7.5 Interesting websites

www.surinameiloveyou.com www.visitsurinameonline.com www.surimaribonet.com www.undefinesuriname.nl www.waterkant.net www.eteninsuriname.com www.youtube.com/nieuwsuitsuriname www.partypicsonline.nl www.surinamenet.com www.youtube.com/newsfromsurinam 108 Live and travel in Suriname weblog Information and events in Suriname Panorama photos of nice places in Suriname Information about Suriname Forum and information about Suriname Restaurants and menus in Suriname Videos of Suriname Party photos from Suriname Listen to Surinamese radio Videos of Suriname
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7.6 Medical Services:

7.6.1 Hospitals:
Academisch ziekenhuis Diakonessen ziekenhuis St Vincentius ziekenhuis s Lands hospitaal Dr.S.Redmondstraat Zinniastraat 64 Koninginnestraat Henck Arronstraat 64 Phone: 442222 Phone: 427288 Phone: 471212 Phone: 473655
7.6.2 Physician:
Drs. E. Sheombar Diakonessenziekenhuis Phone: 427288 Extension: 316
7.6.3 Dentist:
Drs. A. Kanhai (every day except Sunday) Tweede rijweg 4 Phone: 434586
7.6.4. Bureau voor openbare gezondheidszorg ( Public Health Care Office):

For vaccinations and medication. Open every day until 12:30 a.m Rode kruislaan 22 Email: bogsur@sr.net www.bogsur.sr Phone: 464532
7.6.5. Helicopter services:

Hi- Jet www.hi-jetheli.com
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7.7 Tour operators

Oxygen Eco Tours, Tourist information Touroperator Kwattaweg 250C, Paramaribo Phone: + 597 410100 info@surinameecotours.com Phone: +597 8572340 www.surinameecotours.com Phone: +597 8768187 Jossy Tours N.V. Tjong A Kietlaan nr. 55, Wanica info@jossytoursnv.com www.jossytoursnv.com Oetsi Tours Wagenwegstraat 15, Paramaribo info@oetsitours.com www.oetsitours.com Mets Dr. J.F. Nassylaan 2, Paramaribo mets@surinamevacations.com www.surinamevacations.com Orange travel, in Krasnapolsky hotel Domineestraat 39, Paramaribo info@orangesuriname.com www.orangesuriname.com Morinda Eco Tours Kerkplein 1, (in the postoffice), Paramaribo info@morindatours.com www.morindatours.com Acces Suriname travel Prinsessestraat 37, Paramaribo info@surinametravel.com www.surinametravel.com Sun and Forest tours Suriname Kleine waterstraat 1 b, Paramaribo sunforest@sr.net www.sunandforesttours.com Phone/ Fax: (597) 434900 Phone: (597) 8622269 Phone: (597) 8860238 Phone/ Fax : (+597) 410488 Phone:(+597) 441488 Phone: (597) 8500724 Phone: (+597) 477088 Fax : (+597) 422332
Phone: (+597) 424886
Phone: (+597) 422986 Phone: (+597) 08888883
Phone: (+597) 424522 Phone/Fax: (+597) 422959
Phone: (+597) 478383
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Tropcial Gem tours Waterkant 4, Paramaribo tropicalgemtours@sr.net www.mytropicalgemtours.com
Phone: (+597) 8878639 Fax: (+597) 421403
Manoetje tours, touroperator for tours within Nickerie Crownstraat 11, Nickerie Phone : (+597) 230048 info@manoetjetours.com Phone: (+597) 8862280 www.manoetjetours.com Phone: (+597) 8564407 Thats it Tours, Bookingoffice( for every tour) that comes to you! erna@thatsittours.com Phone: (+597) 8748942 www.thatsittours.com Stinasu, Stichting natuurbehoud Suriname Cornelis jongbawstraat 14, Paramaribo stinasu@sr.net www.stinasu.com Suriname tourism foundation Dr.J.F. Nassylaan 2, Paramaribo info@suriname-tourism.org Phone/ Fax: (+597) 421683 Phone: (+597) 476597 Phone: (+597) 427102
Phone: (+597) 424878 Fax: (+597) 477786
7.8 Airlines
There are 8 flights a week, Tuesday to Sunday from Suriname to Amsterdam and vice versa. The airlines on this route are Surinam Airways and Royal Dutch Airlines KLM. Surinam Airways flights are on: Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays. KLM flights are on: Tuesdays, Wednesdays,Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The flight duration is between 8 and 9 hours depending on the weather conditions. In the months June until September and in December traffic is busiest and it is advisable to book a flight well in advance. Airfares are also highest in these months. Surinam Airways KLM www.surinamairways.net www.klm.com
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Traveling to Suriname is also possible by plane from the US and the Caribbean. The only direct flights are from The Netherlands and some islands in the Caribbean. Flying in from the US, means you go to Miami or New York and then to either Trinidad and Tobago or Aruba or Curacao. Since it is not always that easy to reach Suriname, the airfare tends to be higher then other countries in the region.
Inland flights
Blue Wing Airlines Gum Air www.bluewingairlines.com www.gumair.com
7.9 Transportation
7.9.1 Bus / local busses
Buscoverytours Tourtonnelaan 59, Paramaribo info@buscovery.com www.buscovery.com Rudy Baldew Griegstraat 41, Paramaribo Phone: (+597) 520966 Fax : (+597) 421164
Phone: (+597) 453064 Phone: (+597) 8800294
7.9.2 Taxis
All major hotels and some of the appartments have their own transportation from and to the airport. Taxis are very reliable for the smaller trips in the city. Ashruf De Paarl Ulstrel C- taxi Phone: (+597) 450102 Phone: (+597) 403600 Phone: (+597) 470646 Phone: (+597) 8579490
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7.9.3 Car rentals

Hertz car rental Van t Hogerhuisstraat 23, Paramaribo Easy rentals Wilhelminastraat 16a, Paramaribo CHM rent a car Kernkampweg 50a, Paramaribo carrental@chm.sr Enterprize Fred Derbystraat 60, Paramaribo enterprizecarrental@yahoo.com www.enterprize.sr Wheelz Benjaminstraat h d 20, Paramaribo De Paarl, also limousine service Kanariestraat 42, Paramaribo Budget car rental Kristalstraat 1, Paramaribo reservations@budgetsuriname.com www.budgetsuriname.com Avis Kristalstraat 1, Paramaribo sales@avissuriname.com Phone: (+597) 400409 Fax: (+597) 402445 Phone: (+597) 472478 Fax: (+597) 472479 Phone : (+597) 531655 Fax: (+597) 531651 Phone: (+597) 473494 Fax: (+597) 473495
Phone: (+597) 442929 Fax: (+597) 441872 Phone: (+597) 403600 Fax: (+597) 403610 Phone: (+597) 457363 Fax: (+597) 456392
Phone: (+597) 551158 Fax : (+597) 456392
7.9.4 Bycicle Rentals

Fietsen in Suriname Grote Combeweg 13 a, ( Zus en Zo), Paramaribo info@fietsen-in-suriname.nl www.fietsen-in-suriname.nl Phone: (+597) 520781 Phone: (+597) 8815361
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Cardy adventures Cornelis jongbawstraat 31, Paramaribo Jopies rent a bike Tinstraat 1, Maretraite 4, Paramaribo
Phone : (+597) 422518 Fax: (+597) 424505 Phone: (+597) 8560382
7.10 Cambios
Exces cambio Flustraat 7, Paramaribo Moneyline Domineestraat 35c, Paramaribo Surora exchange Mahonylaan 41, Paramaribo N.V. Florin exchange Hermitagemall unit 101, Paramaribo zuid Phone: (+597) 442347 Phone: (+597) 422123 Phone: (+597) 425662 Phone: (+597) 430013
Do you want to transfer money from Suriname to abroad? Then you can use Western Union and MoneyGram.
7.11 Casinos
Ambassador Hotel & Casino Torarica hotel & casino Lely Hills hotel & casino Queens hotel & casino Golden Tulip casino Golden Truly casino Tropicana casino Mirage casino
7.12 Accommodations in Paramaribo and Nickerie

7.12.1 Houses for rent
Casacama
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7.12.2 Guesthouses and apartements

Oxygen Apartments Gummelsweg 250C, Paramaribo andy@surinameecotours.com www.surinameecotours.com Albergo & Alberga Lim a po straat 13, Paramaribo Centrum reservations@guesthousealbergoalberga.com www.guesthousealbergoalberga.com Divan Grantel Stanvastestraat 12, Paramaribo Zus & Zo guesthouse Grote Combeweg 13 a, Paramaribo Kristal apartments Kristalstraat 49, Paramaribo Zunorah apartments J. b.s Rebostraat 31, Blauwgrond, Paramaribo Guesthouse Famiri Dr. Axswijkstraat 72, Paramaribo info@famiri.com Guesthouse Stay-cey Verlengde hogestraat 41, Paramaribo Domburg Domburg Guesthouse Tjong A Kietlaan 55, Domburg info@jossytoursnv.com www.jossytoursnv.com Phone: (+597) 410100
Phone: ( +597) 520050
Phone : (+597) 403050 Fax: (+597) 401010 Phone: (+597) 520904
Phone: (+597) 550200 Phone: (+597) 551244 Phone: (+597) 455370
Phone: (+597) 450230
Phone: (+597) 412019 Fax: (+597) 420561 Phone: (+597) 370721 Phone: (+597) 8622269
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Nickerie Nickerie guesthouse Fredericiweg 15-16 Voorlangs Waterloo, Nickerie
Phone: (+597) 231762
7.12.3 Hotels
Spanhoek Hotel Domineestraat 2-4 , Paramaribo downtown reservation@spanhoekhotel.com www.spanhoekhotel.com De Plantage Oostwestverbinding km 23,5, Commewijne info@deplantagecommewijne.com www.deplantagecommewijne.com Residence inn Anton Dragtenweg 7, Paramaribo Best Western elegance hotel Fred Derbystraat 65, Paramaribo www.bestwesternsuriname.com Krasnapolsky hotel Domineestraat 39, Paramaribo www.krasnapolsky.sr Hotel de Luifel Gondastraat 13, Paramaribo www.de-luifel.com Torarica hotel Mr. L.j. Rietbergplein 1, Paramaribo www.torarica.com Eco Resort Inn Cornelis Jongbawstraat 16, Paramaribo www.torarica.com 116 Phone: (+597) 477888 Fax: (+597) 427121
Phone: (+597) 356567
Phone: (+597) 472387 Fax: (+597) 424811 Phone: (+597) 420007 Fax: (+597) 420008
Phone: (+597) 425522 Fax: (+597) 425510
Esther Lijkwan
Royal Torarica Kleine waterstraat 10, Paramaribo www.torarica.com North Resort Business hotel J.D. Gompertstraat 145-147, Paramaribo-noord Queens Hotel Kleine Waterstraat 15, Paramaribo Zeelandia Suites Kleine Waterstraat 1a, Paramaribo zeeland@sr.net www.zeelandiasuites.com Ambassador Hotel & Casino Dr s redmondstraat 66-68, Paramaribo Lelydorp Lely Hills hotel Sastrodisoemoweg 4, Lelydorp Nickerie Hotel Dorien Van Idsinghaweg 75, Nickerie Residence Inn Bharosstraat 84, Nickerie
Phone: (+597) 473500 Fax: (+597) 473808
Phone/ Fax : (+597) 477555
Phone: (+597) 368197 Fax: (+597) 312543
Phone: (+597) 231352 Fax: (+597) 231724 Phone: (+597) 210950 Fax: (+597) 210954
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7.13 Swimming pools and leisure clubs

Paramaribo Oase Witte Lotus Dolfijn Parima Stardust hotel Krasnapolsky hotel Residence inn Nickerie Hotel Dorien Lelydorp Lely Hills
7.14 Restaurants and bars

Surinamese kitchen: Lings food corner Lallarookhmall unit 7 Mix food Zeelandiaweg 1 Un patu Un center Chinese kitchen: Chi Min Cornelis jongbawstraat 63 Crystal restaurant Kwattaweg 393 Dumpling no. 1 Nassylaan 12 Fa tai Maagdenstraat 64 Lucky twins Maretraite Mall Kwan tai Kwattaweg 428 Korean kitchen: Lees korean restaurant Mahonylaan 12-14 Phone: (+597) 493809 Phone: (+597) 420688 Phone: (+597) 424000
Phone: (+597) 520597 Phone: (+597) 432441 Phone: (+597) 477904 Phone: (+597) 473917 Phone: (+597) 458989 Phone: (+597) 435323
Phone: (+597) 479834
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Javanese/ Indonesian kitchen: Mirosso J. Samson greenstraat 104 Sarinha Verl. Gemenelandsweg 187 Jawa Kasabaholoweg br 7 Hindustani kitchen: Jasmine restaurant Kleine dwarsstraat 85 boven Martins house of Indian food Hajarystraat 19 Thais kitchen: Garden of Eden Virolastraat 61 European kitchen: Dok 204 Anton Dragtenweg 204 De Optimist Verl. Gemenelandsweg 200 Park Avenue Commisaris e Roblesweg 10 Spice Quest Nassylaan 107 Lindeboom grandcafe Wilhelminastraat 8 Pannenkoek en poffertjescafe Van Sommelsdijckstraat 11 The Spot J.d.Gomperstraat 145-147 Spanhoek passage Domineestraat 2 De Waag Waterkant 5 Zus en Zo Grote Combeweg 13 a American kitchen: Silverado Kolonistenweg 39
Phone: (+597) 452871 Phone: (+597) 430661 Phone: (+597) 492691
Phone: (+597) 473558 Phone: (+597) 477535
Phone: (+597) 499448
Phone: (+597) 311462 Phone: (+597) 495009 Phone: (+597) 453788 Phone: (+597) 520747 Phone: (+597) 477504 Phone: (+597) 422914 Phone: (+597) 457591 Phone: (+597) 427122 Phone: (+597) 474514 Phone: (+597) 520904
Phone: (+597) 430670
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Fastfood: Mc Donalds Keizerstraat 62-64 KFC Wilhelminastraat 62 Popeyes Domineestraat 39 Naskip Verl. Gemenelandsweg 2 Pizzahut Wilhelminastraat 60 Ordering: Bingo pizza www.eteninsuriname.com Discos: Starzz Blue bell Zsa Zsa Zsu Millenium Mystique Cafs: t Vat Fubar Chillz Rumours Zanzibar
Phone: (+597) 421511 Phone: (+597) 424467 Phone: (+597) 426401 Phone: (+597) 410188 Phone: (+597) 424444
Phone: (+597) 400183
7.15 Important phone numbers

108 115 113 110 Information Services Police Emergency Services Fire Department
Country code for Suriname: +597 Simcards are available telecom companies Telesur, Digicel and Uniqa.
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Sranan tongo woordenlijst (Surinamese Word List)

Fawaka Fa fu yu? Bun A e go Ai No No mi no wani Pe yu wani go? Yu wani go waka nanga mi? Sranan sani Yu lobi mi? Yu wani sribi nanga mi? Brasa Danki Switi Grofu Oso Libipe, Tanpresi Pasi Fakansi Koiri Kofru Sranan Pasport Ferseikeren papira Datra, Dresiman Dresi Spoiti Korsu Kowru Fomeri Ati Berati Brokobere Tif ati Tifidatra Skowtu Moni Preis Moni oso Buy 121 How are you? How do you do? Fine Its going well. Yes No No, I dont want that. Where do you want to go? Would you like to go out with me? Surinamese things. Do you love me? Would you like to sleep with me? Hug Thank you Nice, Sweet Ill mannered House Address Road, Street Vacation Travelling Luggage Suriname Passport Insurance papers Doctor Medicine Vaccination Fever Cold Vomit Pain Belly-ache, stomach-ache Diarrhea Toothache Dentist Police Officer Money Price Bank To buy
Esther Lijkwan
Lasi Kba Dansi Sopi Biri Drinki Njang Brede Supu
Lost Finished Dance Alcohol Beer To drink To eat Bread Soup
Peprewatra Fayadosu Smoko Moi Tideniti, Dineti Tide Mundei Two dei wroko Drie dei wroko Fo dei wroko Freida Satra Sondei Sweng Wwoyo Miseiem Busi Ara Maskita Sibibusi Ingikondre Bel Oto Bus Bakra Srananman Amerkang Gowtu Silver Kopro
Native Indian dish, soup made with peppers and Kwie Kwie (a river fish). Very spicy! Cigarette lighter To smoke (also smoke cigarettes) Pretty Tonight Today Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday To swim Market Museum Forest, Bush, Jungle Parrot Mosquito Rainstorm Native Indian Village Make a phonecall Automobile Bus Dutch person Surinamese person American person Gold Silver Copper
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Checklist
You need a visa to come to Suriname. You can obtain visas at the Surinamese Consulate or Embassy in your country of residence or the legal representatives of Suriname in your country. You need a passport that has at least 6 month validity from the day of departure. People with the Dutch nationality who are over 60 can obtain their entry visa at the J.A. Pengel Airport in Suriname. Vaccinations against the following diseases are required: Difteria-Tetanus-Polio, Hepatitis A. Furthermore it is advisable to be vaccinated against Yellow Fever as well. If your stay will last longer than 3 months it is recommended to have a vaccine against stomach typhoid. Suriname has several Malaria regions so if you intend to travel to or through these regions it is advisable to take pills against this disease. Malarone is one such medicine but there are others as well. You should consult with your physician which one suits you the best.
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Sources
Information sources:
Oxygen Eco tours Samoe Schelts Various brochures http://www.wikipedia.org
Pictures:
Danning Chen Mets Suriname Oxygen Eco tours Samoe Schelts Esther Lijkwan www.flickr.com (Vanessa de Cort) http://www.wikipedia.org Other Internet sources.
Drawings:
J. Moonen Translator: Guy Schuitemaker
Books:
Onderweg van afhankelijkheid naar zelfstandigheid, 250 jaar Hernhutterzending in Suriname 1735-1985 (On the way from dependency to independence, 250 years of Hernhutter Mission in Suriname 1735-1985); by J. Fontaine Zes jaren in Suriname 1836-1842 (Six years in Suriname 1836-1842); by A. Kappler Avonturen aan de Wilde kust (Adventures on the Wild Coast); by Albert Helman Uit Surinames historie, Fragmenten uit een bewogen verleden (From Surinames history, Fragments of an eventful past; by J. Fontaine a.o. Reis door Suriname,(Trip through Suriname), adaptation of Voyage through Suriname; by P.J. Benoit Encyclopedia Sranan tongo dictionary Fauna van het Guyanaschild: Suriname (Fauna of the Guyanashield: Suriname); by Joep M. Moonen Wildlife of the Guianas; by WWF
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A word of thanks
I am very happy that I was able to write this book and for that I first owe my gratitude to Rhonda Byrne who, with her film the Secret, brought me on the track of Eelco de Boer. Then I would like to thank Eelco de Boer himself because he gave me the idea and informed me how to write an e-book, something I will continue to do with great pleasure, for many years to come. My family has been very patient while I was working on this book for many days and nights after each other, even into the small hours. To all the people who looked after my children when I was writing I would like to say thank you. I am grateful to Mister Danning Chen, my Chinese language teacher who is a great, artistically-minded photographer and who also handed me most of the beautiful pictures used in this book. I acknowledge the help of Mister J.M. Moonen who let me use his book about animals in Suriname with which he supports the Paramaribo Zoo. And last but not least my gratitude goes to Samoe Schelts, a fantastic guide who gave me a lot of information about Suriname and helped me to many wonderful historic pictures. Anybody who has given me any form of support in the realisation of this book: Thank you very much. If you would like to give your opinion about this book you can do so by logging on to http://www.surinameiloveyou.com/guestbook I truly appreciate your comments!
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List for Prepared Traveling To Suriname

Important! 1. Passport (at least valid for 6 months on the day of departure from Suriname, with a visa) 2. Ticket 3. Book (information on all the vaccination you have had: dtp, yellow fever, jaundice) 4. Money (credit cards, some small cash) 5. Make a copy of all the above items and keep them in a separate place in case theyre lost or stolen. Clothing: Cotton, linen and bamboo clothing are the best for the tropics. You probably only need summer clothing. Although people know that Suriname is a tropical country and almost every day is approximately 82.4 Fahrenheit, people still tend to take the wrong clothing with them. I was one of them! 1. Two or three long sleeve shirts are enough. (you only need those when you go to the interior or for instance Galibi) 2. Jeans (not to many, you only use those when you go to out to bars or maybe when it rains) 3. Thin trousers, skirts, shirts and underwear are the best clothing to wear. 4. Shirts, short sleeve or no sleeve t-shirts or dresses are the best upper wear. 5. Bikinis and swimwear (best to take more of those, so you can wash one and wear one, you will probably do a lot of swimming) 6. Underwear (best are cotton or bamboo ones) 7. Socks (only for walking shoes and when you go to clubs ) 8. Eveningwear (some of the clubs or the casinos want you to wear proper clothing and shoes, closed toe shoes for men and no shorts) 9. Caps and hats (really important, the sun is very, very strong. They help prevent sun stroke) 10. Sleep wear (not to heavy light weight, especially if theres no air-conditioning where youre staying or you prefer to sleep with out air conditioning)
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Shoes: 1. Slippers 2. Strong boots or sneakers (hiking shoes or walking shoes, for when you go climbing or hiking) 3. Pumps or high heeled shoes and casual shoes (for when you go dancing in the evening, to clubs) Toilet accessories: 1. Toothbrush/ toothpaste 2. Floss 3. Shampoo 4. Soap 5. Shaving foam 6. Shaver blades 7. Facial cleaner and wipes 8. Day crme 9. Night crme 10. Scrub 11. Perfume 12. Nail clipper 13. Hairbrush 14. Body lotion 15. Make-up 16. Deodorant, Anti- perspirant Things you definitely need: Sun lotion (The factor depends on what your skin is like, but understand that you are in a tropical country where the sun is strong and you are near the equator, so sunburn is very common.) After sun Sunglasses Mosquito stick (In Suriname we have a lot of products that are capable of repelling the mosquitoes here and they are probably much cheaper than what you can buy in your own country) Towels (how much, depends on where you are staying and for how long, it is always better if you have some when you go out to a resort)
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Optional: Cell phone (You can buy a sim card here with Uniqa, Digicel, or Telesur. This costs about $ 5.) Itinerary Laptop Addresses Jewelry (not too much so you dont lose them) Malaria pills (you can get them here in Suriname as well, and I would suggest to do that, cheaper and better) Camera Books/games Pens/pencils Chewing gum Nose/eardrops Prescription glasses if you wear them and/or contact lenses and solution (lens water) Sunglasses Pills for airsickness Attention! You are not allowed to carry large doses of fluids in your hand/carry on luggage. So make sure you put them in your suitcase, before they are checked (taken away from you). Be sure to confirm all policies with your airline carrier. Dont store valuable items in your suitcase. Beware of theft so keep them with you at all times. Lock your suitcase before coming. Have a save journey www.surinameiloveyou.com www.suriname-ebook.com
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List For Prepared Travel to Suriname with Kids

Important: Passport (In case the child has their own passport) Ticket Book with information on their vaccinations. Be sure to have copies of all the above. Clothing: Thin and easy summer clothing with short sleeves. Pack as much as possible (it will become dirty fast playing outside) For small kids the best clothing is a plain baby romper. Thin pajamas except when you sleep in air conditioning, then use the somewhat thicker ones. Swimwear (make sure you take more then one, so you can wash and wear the other one) Hats and caps (to protect from the sun, children tend to get sunburned much easier then adults) Socks (only for in the evening if at all) Shoes: Slippers or normal open shoes. Not to hot and be sure theyre comfortable. Baby can go bare foot too, of course. Toilet accessories: Towels, hydrofoil diapers (for drying), bath towels (How many you need all depends on where you are staying, but most hotels, dont have the typical baby towels) Hand towels Toothbrush and baby toothpaste Baby soap Baby oil or baby lotion Baby wipes Diapers (you can buy any kind of diapers here; Pampers, Huggies, what ever, so dont take to much with you from home. They are expensive though in Suriname. There are a lot of cheaper brands that works as well as the others, like Bebin) Hairbrush Nail clipper 129
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Things you really need: Swimmies Pacifiers (take two so when you lose one, you have another one. You can buy them here as well) Bottles Bottle warmer Sun crme (Especially for kids and with a high spf factor) After sun (special for kids) Mosquito lotion (really good one is, Johnsons anti mosquito lotion. I am using this one myself as well.) Baby Vicks Pain reliever for kids Nose/eardrops Blankets for sleeping Favorite bear or toy (for playing and giving them a safe feeling when not at home) Optional: Toys/pens/books/drawing pencils/paper (for in the airplane) Sweets or cookies (as a bribe in the plane) Baby food (for in the airplane.) Baby milk (ready to go) Tip: When taking off or landing with the airplane, make sure the child has a pacifier, a bottle or allow him or her to breastfeed, this helps relieve the pressure in the ears of the child. It is all about swallowing. www.surinameiloveyou.com www.suriname-ebook.com
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Esther Lijkwan

Suriname, South America

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Suriname, South America

Colourful Suriname Producties www.suriname-ebook.com www.surinameiloveyou.com www.estherlijkwan.com

Suriname, South America

3.2 The Creoles_________________________________________________________ 41

Suriname, South America

Chapter 4 Fauna and Flora ____________________________________________ 53

4.7 Trees _______________________________________________________________ 72 4.8 Flowers _____________________________________________________________ 73

Chapter 5 The cities ________________________________________________ 75

Suriname, South America

6.2 From the city to the Brokopondo reservoir ____________________________ 89

6.3 The Brokopondo reservoir or Professor Van Blommestein Lake __________ 93

6.5 Deep interior (extended trips) ______________________________________ 96

Suriname, South America

6.6 Western Suriname _________________________________________________ 98

6.7 Eastern Suriname ________________________________________________ 100

6.8 Boat trips _______________________________________________________ 101

7.2 The National Anthem ______________________________________________ 107

7.7 Tour operators _____________________________________________________ 110 7.8 Airlines ____________________________________________________________ 111

Suriname, South America

7.9 Transportation _____________________________________________________ 112

Checklist ___________________________________________________________ 123 Sources ____________________________________________________________ 124

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Marius, Basija (the Chief assistant ) of the Wayana Indians of Apetina.

Indian mother with child

Suriname, South America

1.2 Colonial times

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

1.3 The plantations

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Historical plantation house

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

1.4 Short Story

The Faith of a Dog

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

1.5 Paramaribo in flames

Lim a po straat, inner city

Suriname, South America

1.6 A time of gold and other minerals

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

1.8 War of the Interior

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

1.10 The Present

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

Chapter 2 The Country: Switi Sranan

Suriname, South America

Medium high mountains with bare tops

Suriname, South America

Suriname, South America

4.7 Trees ___ 72 4.8 Flowers _ 73

7.7 Tour operators _ 110 7.8 Airlines ________ 111

Checklist _ 123 Sources __ 124