The people I spoke to were proud to be living in a country where everybody, no matter if black, white, chinese, jew or muslim, may enjoy a peaceful life together. This must be true, since the mosque and the jewish temple are located one next to the other.
Tags: architecture
In the middle of the Paramaribo river there is a German shipwreck dating from World War II (first picture). Trying to get closer I found two other grounded vessels. I went aboard to check them out and I met Raed, a former seaman who now lived aboard one of the ships, together with four other people. While drinking a beer he told me the story behind the ships, in a mix of English with Portuguese and Dutch 🙂
Tags: watercraft
Today there are no railways in operation in Suriname, but I learned from my father about the old railway that has been abandoned shortly after the independence. As the motorcycle was already at the cargo terminal, I had to take a bus to get to the village where the locals told me the trains should be. Finding the trains was not easy, because of the vegetation that had invaded everything. I found two steam locos, two self propelled passenger units, some passenger and some freight cars.
Tags: train
Many older houses in Paramaribu have a distinct architecture. In select areas they are properly maintained, but about to collapse in others. There is also a very big wooden church, which I am still searching for.
Today I delivered Palomina to Suriname Air Cargo. Paid US$1042 for 195kg of freight. For that money, I hope she will be travelling really well!
Tags: architecture
After crossing that river I entered Albina, a poor village on the river bank. I had to stay there for one night because the insurance broker was closed and without the insurance paper the customs would not give me the clearance.
The next day I arrived in Paramaribu, after a 150km ride on a asphalted road that looked like it has been bombed or similar. This caused the rear storage lid to open and fall, being subsequently lost 🙁
In Paramaribu I approached several freight forwarders asking for quotes for shipping Palomina to USA. The most convenient solution I found to be with Surinam Airways Cargo, which charges around US$5/kg for freight to Miami. Now the problem is that Surinam Airways only accepts payment in US$ and there are no US$ to be found in Paramaribu (and I looked at banks, exchange houses, even casinos). Now I am waiting for the money to be wired so I can pay.
The flight will be Tuesday so in the meantime I have some time to check out the surroundings.