More Region 1 - Moruca

Leatherette in full swing

When you're zipping along at top speed in a speed boat, bumping along over the many waves, I can tell you one thing.... there is a lot of SPLASH! If you have on a cap you may lose it to the wind. And whatever you have on, you will likely be wet before getting to your destination. Henceforth and therefore... many boats present you with a "leatherette" when you get in. This you will use to cover your bag and legs, and hold handy for when you need to pull it up over your head. Hard to get a shot of this at top speed when I'm bumping out of my seat and trying not to get my camera wet too...

Nothing to see for miles... The Atlantic Ocean

Mouth of the Moruca River lined with Mangroves

But, as we left Region 2 heading down the Pomeroon River and out to the Atlantic Ocean, this is one of those times that the leatherette became necessary. When the boats head out of the river into open water, the ride experience is a little LOT different. You may have noticed my comments on this in a previous post for Shell Beach. Now, I had been there, and done that, so I knew what to expect and was fairly settled. Once I had on my life jacket, I was good to go. But... remember the two that I mentioned in the last post for Region 2??? Well, now the show would begin! It's funny how the one who expressed her fear constantly for the past week seemed to accept
the ride and settle into the inevitable. But the other.... Oh, the other... now she made Scared seem like something newly invented. She clutched, groped, screamed, held her head, wrang her fingers, she was a MESS. Seriously, I was worried for her. I was thinking we were going to need to pour a bottle of vodka into her to get her on the boat to return from Moruca. In fact, I wasn't sure if we were going to get to Moruca. Good thing everyone was consumed enough with their journey and the bumpy ride that I don't think most people noticed her. And after the 10mins out on the Atlantic, we turned into the Moruca River.

Here the river was much smaller than most we've ever travelled on. We were now heading across to Region 1 (Moruca). I gather that this is the way we could also have travelled to Kumaka in Region 1 (see previous post http://bjanice1.blogspot.com/2012/03/kumaka.html ). I'm glad I did have the experience to fly their the first time, now I've done both. :) Thanks to... well, you know yourself, Thanks!!! :)

We passed many going about their daily business including kids coming from school. The courtesy extended to these smaller boats has the bigger boats slow so they don't make so many waves, and everyone seemed to get along just fine. 

Bridge over Moruca River

A house along the river

Now, it so happens that boats only leave out of Moruca to go to Charity at 5:30a.m. So, wanting to get back in the afternoon/evening was wishful thinking on our part. Still, nothing like wishing. So we did. Because otherwise, who knows where we would spend the night, what we would wear, and what we would eat. PLUS, we were paying for a perfectly good hotel on the other side of the river. :)

Soon enough, a boat with seemingly drunk?, high? IDLERS passed by heading to Charity. Last chance. So we jumped in. Now, I heard someone in the boat say that since they'd left Kaituma this boat had been breaking down. OH BOY! I chose to ignore that. It was like a little fishing boat, not the typical speedboats we were used to. And... get this... no life jackets. I tried not to think about the worst. But, my colleagues did. Oh yes. You thought the journey was frightening coming to Moruca? This girl was sick going back. Tears. Fretful. Nervous energy. I tried not to laugh, but it was funny seeing how worried she was. I suggested she direct her energy to prayer. the guys were smoking continually - I suspect they were nervous too. LOL. The smoke did not help us, and certainly not her, but, regardless, we got back okay - thankfully.

Maybe I've had enough of Region 1 now, and should try for Region 8 or 9 next. Or maybe even a whole other country... Stay tuned.

Region 2, Guyana continued...

So, the trip to Region 2 was on the way as you would have noticed in the last post. Four of us left out, but I wasn't sure that four were coming back. At least not the same route. Both the other girls with us had originally wanted to take the ferry - the SLOW boat from Parika. But, since we were taking the boat so many times, I'm not sure how that would have helped them significantly. One was a little more verbal about how frightened she was, so I kept an eye on her during the trip. But, she seemed relatively okay, and all was well.

The day we arrived in Charity was market day and it was swarming with people, stalls and just general activity. Now, this is not a covered market. People just have stalls set up on the side of the streets. I was amazed at the things being sold commonly on the streets... jewellery, mattresses, electronics of all sizes and kinds, major appliances, the works!

Notice the corset on the 1st mannequin? Separate blog for that! :)

Garden hose, generator, saw, LCD TV anyone?

Need I say MORE?

I didn't have the nerve to take pictures of the many vendors with their little cases with watches, chains, bracelets, earrings, etc. I was worried they may think I was setting up to rob them. :) Many of the vendors had a lot of Brazilian footwear. Now with Guyana's proximity to Brazil this was not surprising. They were very nice too. But, I think I'll wait until my trip to Brazil before buying any. :)

Another feature I noticed was the chalkboard with the comparitive prices of goods in this market and in one of the Georgetown markets.

Someone mentioned that the prices may not have been that accurate, but, at least someone was trying. :)






As you can see from the following pics, the harbour was quite busy, reflecting the numbers of people who had come to Charity to buy and sell. Also, remember, there was going to be partying at the club later!!!

Boats parked up with market vendors in background

Boats parked across the harbour. Some goods waiting to go out

We did see crates and crates of drinks, furniture (three pc sofa set and wardrobe), all kinds of things waiting to cross the river. Remember, if you want it on the other side of the Pomeroon River, you pretty much have to get it there by boat - or do without. :)

Even a container was waiting to be transported away

After trying out some Curried Labba (do I have to remind you what Labba is?)... http://bjanice1.blogspot.com/2012/02/past-days.html   and also http://bjanice1.blogspot.com/2012/02/catching-up.html

Basically, if you don't want to click on the links I'll remind you that Guyanese say... If you eat Labba and drink Black Water you will return to Guyana.... hmmm. But I tried the curry labba anyway. :) We went to our rooms at the Purple Heart Hotel and tried to relax for the evening. We had some plantain chips - a popular item in Guyana. This is sold on the Sea Wall on a sunday night and it's great. It is fried green plantains. We have this in Jamaica too, although we cook it slightly differently. Addictive...

As we bummed around I noticed my room was full of wild life... 5 crickets and a peenie wallie as we call them in Jamaica. This is a firefly or lightning bug. In Jamaica we always used to try and catch them as they lit up the night around us. Here, I just let it sit on the toilet tank. Later when a baby croaking lizard came in under the door, I decided that I'd had enough. I helped him back outside, and I won't tell you what became of the creature... But, he shouldn't have come in!

Soon afterwards the music from the club below started. Now, I'm used to LOUD music, I have been clubbing and the like, but THIS was ridiculous!!!!  The floor was vibrating and the walls appeared as if they were going to crack. Every insect in the world disappeared. It was a loooooong night!!! Purple Heart? Not again on a Monday!

Region 2, Guyana

Folks, I have NO IDEA why this post has gotten jumbled since I posted it, I will try to fix it, but my apologies for the patchy look - just in case...

To get from Georgetown to Parika, you can go by bus over the Demarara Harbour Bridge - the world's longest floating bridge. It closes for 1 1/2hrs everyday to allow ships to pass. But, this is the long way to Parika. So, your alternative is to 
 go downtown to Stabroek Market, go to the docks behind and take a speedboat from there.

Boats that leave out of Georgetown

THIS is the way to GO!

All enclosed and ready to go

The ride is about 10mins and then you arrive in Vreed-en-Hoop.

The size of our boat compared to ships in port

  

From there you take a bus to...

Passing through Parika, about to get on another boat

Here you again have a choice of transportation. If you're scared and have a lot of time to kill, then take a book and take the ferry.

The ferry - a surer, steadier ride if you're scared

Vehicles loading unto the ferry. You have to have time to travel this way.

OR you can take another speedboat across the river to Supenaam. This is about a 45min trip. The river is 20mls wide at the mouth. 

No cover on this boat...

Just prior to donning life jackets

At the end of the road is Charity. And there we checked into our hotel. We found out pretty quickly that there was a club below the guest rooms. And Monday is market day which means everyone is in town. After all, this is at the edge of the Pomeroon River and Charity is where every local comes to sell, buy and find local entertainment.

Entrance to the hotel, and the "club".

My room...

Much nicer than the last, right?

Tight space, eh

Brown water???

Adventure in Region 2 - to be continued...