Jacques and I just got back from a week's vacation in the Surinamese capital. This is the second time that we've gone there and we really enjoy the attractions, food, culture, and historical buildings we can find there. (It's also a lot cheaper than French Guiana!)
Here are a few of the highlights of our stay. (Click on pictures to enlarge.)
Paramaribo is a city full of art and old buildings. Some houses have a very old look to them while others are carefully restored and figure among UNESCO's world heritage sites. We liked this one for the famous Surinamese figures painted on the fence.
A large part of the population in Surinam is from Indian and Hindustani descent. There are many Hindu temples around the city like this one near the Surinam River.
After some sightseeing, a refreshing Parbo beer at a local café really hits the spot!
Paramaribo's oldest monument is Fort Zeelandia built in the early 17th century to protect the colony's plantations. The Dutch architecture is easily recognizable.
We also made a few friends while in Paramaribo and got a special treat... A private cooking lesson to learn how to make "pom" a traditional Surinamese dish. Thanks Elfriede!!
Our favorite part of Paramaribo is the shady Waterkant area along the river. Some of the city's most beautiful historic wooden houses are located there.
This was our favorite building.
To complete our stay, we visited the famous orchid market held every Sunday morning. Hundreds of varieties are found there for sale, each unique and captivating. The prices are unbeatable!
It's really too bad that Surinam is unknown to most travellers-- the country has made great strides to preserve its history and offer good quality touristic services. How fortunate that our jobs in French Guiana have allowed us to discover this little country.
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