Bonjour Madame!

But Cayenne, Guyane Francaise is not Paris.

It’s strange hearing French, using Euros, finding foie gras and escargot at the grocery store.

And then hearing Creole, looking around at palm trees, fading colonial wood buildings, and crumbling streets.

But the prices are definitely France!

And the attitude of not wanting to speak English.

It’s a shock after the rest of South America.

French Guiana has had European countries settling here since the 1500’s. It is now part of France (since 1797) and the EU.

There are the expected rumblings of unrest that you have in colonized countries. France sends a lot of money in this direction to support the Guiana Space Centre, the main spaceport of France and the European Space Agency. The centre launches most of the satellites in the world.

But I read that poverty remains high and France needs to help develop alternative industries.

The heart of Cayenne is Place des Palmistes.

Statue of Felix Éboué, local boy who went on to study literature and then law in France (1898). He was the first black French man appointed to a high post in the French colonies.

I’m staying in an old but beautifully renovated old building on the square.

The veranda is the best place in the town to eat, drink and people watch.

But this lemonade with cane sugar syrup to sweeten as desired, was €6 after the unexpected cover charge. A burger was €18.

From my balcony I could also see up to Fort Cépérou which was on land purchased from a local tribe in 1643.

Model in museum.

It’s very lush and green from the frequent rain and temperatures that hold from 27-30 day and night. It’s near the equator and the Amazon jungle is never far away.

This multi colour path took you by all the major sites.

Shutters serve a brilliant function in this heat and humidity (30 and 90%) by allowing shade and cross breezes.

This was in one of two homes of the Museum of Guyanese Cultures.

Embroidered purse from the Hmong people of Laos. They had fled from Laos in 1975 because they had supported the Americans in the war. I also saw them in Indonesia.

They are considered a huge success immigration success story here because they are great farmers and grow most of the produce here.

I had to find the intersection on Rue Malouet, where this was taken, to reproduce the photo.

Another building across from my balcony.

Musée Alexandre-Franconie had displays of history, artifacts and fauna.

Black Caimen are extremely rare now. 6-7 million skins were sold in Brazil, for leather, between 1960 and 1970.

Place Léopold Héder is the historic centre of Ceyenne.

Monument to the heroes of the First World War, topped with a Gallic rooster.

Food trucks and amusement rides around Place des Palmistes.

Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur. 80% of the population are Catholic.

Barricades were up for the parade. I think it was some kind of warmup for Carnival.

My hotel also had murals around the back terrace, and they were getting a much needed touch up

Multicultural town!

French bakeries, Asian restaurants and shops.

The remains of what was likely a colonial figure.

Ruins of Hôpital Jean Martial

Carnival exhibit

Remains of the old town walls

Les Chaînes Brisées was a monument to the slave trade.

Bus stop

Cemetery

Canal Laussat

Minibus station for Saint Laurent, where I was headed next

There was no schedule for the buses. Just ‘leave when they are full’. I had a contact who arranged to pick me up at the hotel, which was appreciated in the rain. Then an hour or so wait, with numerous stops to pick up and drop off passengers and freight.

I was picked up at 08:30 and finally made it to Saint Laurent by mid afternoon. My plan was two nights, then cross the river to Suriname.

I’ll finish the story on my next post!