May in Cayenne

 My hernia operation went well, and I'm currently at home recuperating. I don't have to go back to work until June 15th which should allow me to fully recover.

May, however, is definitely the rainiest month of the year here in French Guiana. The rainy season itself doesn't officially stop until the end of July.

Contrary to other months, rain doesn't come on and off in May. I've already seen pouring rain, but it usually stops after ten minutes or so. Now, the pouring rain will last for hours and that floods our entire apartment complex.

This picture is of our back yard... (Click on photos to enlarge)

Even the worms are migrating to our back porch seeking shelter.

One advantage of the rainy season, however, is that the temperature drops somewhat. Average highs are around 30°C (86°F). Unfortunately, mosquitos particularly enjoy the rainy season too...

Saint Lucia

For the spring vacation, Jack and I went to Saint Lucia and met up with my dad and step-mother. Saint Lucia is just two and a half hours away from Cayenne by plane with a stop-over in Fort-de-France (Martinique).

We rented a nice villa for the length of our stay. (Click on pictures to enlarge)

Some parts of the island were dry while others were covered with rainforest.

 We saw a lot of orchids...

 and heliconia flowers. This variety is called the Sexy Pink Heliconia.

The island is very mountainous and has some great views.

 This is the city of Soufrière and its pitons.

There were also some secluded bays with luxury hotels, perfect for couples on honeymoon.

However, our favorite visits were to the mudbaths at Sulphur Springs and playing in the waterfalls.

We highly recommend Saint Lucia as the inhabitants are also very welcoming and friendly. We didn't meet a single rude person; instead everybody seemed full of good humor, patient, and helpful towards tourists.

Alas, now that vacation is over I'm getting my hernia operation done at the hospital in Cayenne. I probably won't be able to write another entry for at least two or three weeks.... Until then!