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My all time favourite meal in Guyana was pepper pot, an Amer-Indian stew that is the national dish. It was made in Tusenang by Camille, the wife of our guide, Thomas. We waited patiently while the beef was stewing in a sauce of peppers, cinnamon and cassava root. It was served with hot bakes: delicious bread fried in lard.
As we were trekking from one village to another in the Pakaraima Mountains of Guyana, we came across a very small settlement of about two families and saw these birds for the very first time. They are called Gray-winged Trumpeters and I was told they can be tamed and kept as "watch dogs" to protect children and babies not just from strangers but from snakes, as they are very adept at killing them. As we passed through, these birds made sure we didn't come too close and made quite a racket if they felt threatened.
In Guyana, education is free from nursery school through university. School is compulsory for children aged five to fourteen. The school teacher is an important member of village life and many parents make sacrifices so their children can attend school. All children have access to a village primary school. As we trekked from village to village we would encounter young students on their way to school, some having to walk as much as an hour.
The road into the interior of Guyana and further across the border into Brazil, has been built to carry logging traffic. Brazil apparently offered to pay for a proper road to be built, on the understanding that they would get a one mile stretch of land either side of the road! That is an awful lot of land! The Guyanese government did not agree!Another great worry to environmentalists is that logging companies from Asia, having devastated their own tropical forests, are now searching for new sources of timber.
The local Macushi people still hunt using the traditional bow and arrows. The main prey are the smaller mammals such as agouti or maybe tapir if they are lucky.Seeing Bernard walking towards us with his traditional hunting equipment, it seemed somewhat out of place for him to greet up with a firm "Good morning!" Forgetting that English is the official language of Guyana, you don't expect a greeting in your own language!Bernard also works on an ad hoc basis as aboatman ferrying tourists around.
The local Macushi comminity in Fairview Village, use the slash and burn method to create arible land where they can grow vegetablers, mainly cassawa.Within Iwokrama, this is sustainable and controlled, unfortunately that cannot be said for more large scale slash and burn agriculture elsewhere in the country.
People who lived in Guayna as far back as 7,000 years ago, left alasting legacy with these petroglyphs near Iwokrama. They are only accessible by boat at low tide (dry season). Very little archaeologial work has been carried out in order to try and find out more about the people who libved in this area in the old days.
One of the most famous Guyanese delicasy is the pepperpot. It various from household to household, and can be made with beef, chicken or fish.Veronica, our host in Surama village, really wanted to share her traditions with visitors, but ours was the first group to whom she had dared to serve the pepperpot. The dish it is served in had been in her generation for centuries, and she was very fond of it. The recipe is her own, with fish and fiery little chillies (the small yellow "bits" in the bowl that look like sweetcorn - my were they HOT!!!!). The dish is served with thin, crispy cassawa bread, and is absolutely delicious! Veronica was very nervous to see what our reaction would be like, and she was so pleased that we appreciated her traditional cooking, that she has decided to make it a regular feature with tour groups!
In the villages, it is not just a case of nipping down to the local convenience store for those last minute purchases, not can you buy in bulk and freeze!All the vegetables are locally grown. Most families only hunt wild animals as and when they intend to eat them, and then sell the remainder of the meat to the other villagers. My lunch consisted of:Eddoe - the grey veggie bottom rightPlantain - the yellow stuff bottom leftPumpkin - the orange stuffOkra - the green vegetablesPumpkin cake on the left.The sauce on top of the vegetables was made from coconut.
Once you're in the hinterland, the facilties are few and far between. Mostly, you use the bush. You should bury your faeces six inches deep and burn any toilet paper. Some places may provide a basic latrine, such as this one on the photograph.
Herdmanston Lodge Georgetown
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Princess Hotel Guyana International Providence
3 Reviews and 16 Opinions Princess is equivalent to a Standard family hotel in Canada. Your not gonna get better than this in...
Regency Suites Hotel Georgetown
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Q: I understand that Suriname to Guyana crossing is easy but I heard it is a bit more diffacult to do Guyana to Suriname is this...
A: Although Guyana and Surinam are the only countries in South America, that I ahve not been to, - I do try to keep up with the changes in any issues that may concern me on...
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