First full Day in Guyana

First full day in Guyana

After a welcome nights sleep my first full day in Guyana starts with a trip to the bank to change my US $’s to Guyana $ upon leaving the bank I felt like I may have increased my load by 5 lbs or so. Seems that the biggest bill is $1,000 note which at this time is around $5 US. All that paper but not a lot of money. Then down to the town market along the sea wall.

For a brief moment thought I may have stepped into a time machine back to the mid 50’s and Casablanca. Sights and sounds were much the same, only the fact I saw or smelled no camels or venders selling cups of water from a goat skin let me know that I was indeed still on the South American Continent. The venders singing about their wares, “ Come sister and look what lovely goods are here” “Step this way auntie, very good produce” “ Mommy, you shopping today? What ya shopp’n for?” Leather goods, clothing, kitchen wares, spices to meet the need of Guyana’s culturally diverse population, fresh meats ( no extra charge for the flies) and of course the fish. Here the smell alone told the story of both fresh and salt water varieties.

My favorite has to be the vender with the caged song birds, parrots, one monkey, and about fifteen iguanas each very neatly tied to it’s own little bamboo stick. Hmmm, new fad? Lizard on a stick. One booth selling Afro-East Indian charms and trinkets featured a boom-box playing not new age or rap but old time Negro spirituals , while across the isle another booth competed with 70’s era rock and roll. Rasta’s, East Indian women in serape’s, Caribbean blacks, colorfully dressed and a basket of goods atop their head. All these sights and sounds lend an air of exotic adventure to something as simple as going to the local market. Arriving back home via taxi, I try to relax and get ready to meet friend Holly who will be arriving later in the evening.

And tomorrow we head over the trail to the RUPUNUNI