Chou-aï, the sloth sanctuary

The rainy season is officially over, and the dry season is now bringing more sun and heat... but the humidity is slightly lower.

One of the exciting things Jack and I recently did was to visit a sloth sanctuary just outside of Cayenne. (Click on pictures to enlarge)

 Here's a mommy with her baby...

 As the population in French Guiana grows, more and more trees are being cut down to clear space for construction. With their habitat shrinking, sloths are becoming an endangered species due to this increase of human activity. Some sloths are found wandering on roads here about to be hit by cars or near housing developments where dogs will attack them. Concerned people pick up the stray and sometimes injured sloths and turn them over to Chou-aï, the only sloth sanctuary in French Guiana.

 This sanctuary does a really good job at informing the public all about sloths and how we can try to protect them better. What really impressed us was the possibility to take a sloth in our arms. I can honestly say they are one of the mildest and most inoffensive creatures I've met. They love three things: sleeping, eating leaves, and being cuddled...

The Kaw Marshland

One of the most interesting places to visit in French Guiana is the Kaw marshland park just an hour and a half from Cayenne by car. It's part of a vast nature preserve where you can spot some of Guiana's diverse wildlife, from brightly colored birds (such as the red ibis) to crocodiles and water buffalo. A definite must for all those who visit French Guiana.

Jack and I decided to do an overnight tour of the marshes. We spent the night on a boat that meandered its way down the river. Our guide stopped regularly to give us explanations and show  different wildlife species. Fortunately, there are barely no mosquitos in the marshes as the water acidity isn't favorable for mosquito reproduction. (Click on photos to enlarge).

As the evening approached, our local guide anchored the boat so we could have a drink and a swim before dinner.

Swimming was extra exciting due to the presence of crocodiles and piranha. Also, the water is very dark and impossible to see through but the temperature was so refreshing.

Sunset was one of the most magical moments of all...

We also did a little night tour through the marshes in search of caymen and crocodiles. Yup, we found plenty...

The trip cost about 150 euros per person for two days and one night (meals included) but was worth it for us. We left the area with lots of good memories of its beauty and mystery.

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!

the heliconia

The expertise was done on my crashed Opel Corsa. It would cost €8500 euros to fix whereas it's worth €1250 euros. Our insurance company will buy the Corsa for €1000 euros. So, we're going to have to purchase a used-car soon.

Our upstairs neighbor told us that she's had 4 crashes over the past 5 years, and each time it wasn't her fault. She asserts that driving here is a lot more dangerous than in France because the population is so much younger. In fact, over 50% of the population in French Guiana is less than 26 years old, just like in many African countries.

Luckily, I'm able to garden in my backyard to cheer me up.  One of my favorite flowers in my garden is the heliconia, a curious orange flower I'd never seen before coming to French Guiana. (Click on pictures to enlarge)

The heliconia is very common here and you'll find giant patches of them along roadsides or in vacant lots.

As it opens, it begins to look like a flame. The flower also lasts for several weeks and then a new heliconia sprouts up alongside the old one. They reproduce fast!

On Sundays, Jack and I like to go out for a walk. In this picture, we'd gone to downtown Cayenne (place des amandiers) and decided to stop for a drink at a café.

car accident

I had a pretty serious accident last week that has now put my trusty '98 Opel Corsa out of commission permanently.

I was driving along the main road between Cayenne and Rémire-Montjoly, but the traffic was pretty bad and kept slowing down. The truck in front of me stopped, so I stopped too. The truck behind me, however, wasn't watching the road and hit me rather hard. My car was projected into the truck ahead of me so I got squashed in both front and back.

My back window shattered into tiny pieces, showering me in broken glass and I had a nasty whiplash.  I had to go to the hospital and must now wear a neck brace for the next ten days. The driver who hit me was actually a young Hindustani man from British Guyana who is working in French Guiana. He was driving his company's truck.

Our insurance company here is completely incompetent and is unable to assist in any way-- such as lending me a vehicule until the Corsa gets repaired. Although we contacted them and pleaded with them for a temporary car (we pay them for this service!) they just "forgot" us. (Evitez la GMF à tout prix, ils sont nuls !)

So, Jack and I have found a rental car on our own and it's costing us €15 per day. Also, there will be an expertise done on the Opel Corsa by our rotten insurance company to see whether it's worth repairing. If the repairs surpass the value of the car (which they undoubtedly will) then the insurance company will just give us a thousand euros or so compensation for the purchase of another car.

The bright side is that I'm feeling better and am grateful for not being seriously injured.

(Click on images to enlarge)

Willemstad, Curaçao

During our February vacation, Jack and I flew to Curaçao. Although it only takes four hours of actual flight time from Cayenne, we had to change planes in Paramaribo (Suriname) and there was a stop in Port of Spain (Trinidad). In all, we needed roughly nine hours to reach our destination.

One of the highlights of our trip was visiting Willemstad, the capital. It's a big stop for cruise ships so it is well-kept and brightly colored with cozy restaurants and high class shopping. Jack and I were quite startled by the contrast with other parts of Curaçao which were dirty, full of litter and poverty-stricken.

Willemstad is most famous for it's mobile bridge and fancy waterfront.

There are a number of nice museums which inform visitors about the island's history. This picture was taken in the courtyard of the Kura Hulanda, an impressive history museum.

 As we roamed the streets, we were impressed by all the flashy colors of the local architecture.

 This picture was taken near a posh restaurant where we had lunch.

 Next to the remains of Fort Riffort, now an upscale shopping center, is where the cruise ships dock for the day.

 The flamboyant Dutch colonial architecture was fun to photograph.

 This pastel green building is actually the maritime museum. Unfortunately, we preferred the outside to the inside.

 On our second day visiting Willemstad, we had lunch in an eccentric restaurant called Mundo Bizarro. It looked somewhat like an attic that once belonged to the Addam's family. The food was fantastic, but portions were too small... so a great place to bring friends who are dieting.

 Colors, colors, colors...