Blanche Marie

3.30am really IS too early to get up… It’s still dark, no one up, even the birds are still asleep! Luckily the shower’s cold, which is good for waking up. 4.30 and the taxi was already there to pick us up.
We were there on time, but by the time everyone else had arrived, it was past 6am already and we had to hurry so we wouldn’t arrive there too late. Twenty people in a bus with a capacity of 30, you’d think everyone would have plenty of room… Guess again! All cramped in tiny seats, where your knees touch the seat in front of you, no room to even turn around a bit, not a chance I’d still be getting a bit of sleep here… I must say the nature was wonderful: huge trees, wide open fields, forests, … very impressive.
Around 9ish was our first big stop. It was a small village where we could have a break, stretch our legs and have breakfast. We didn’t see much of the village (or the villagers), but at least the breakfast was good and we had the chance to have a quick toilet stop.
By 1pm we had our second big stop: Witagron, a Kwinti-village (the smallest Marrontribe in Suriname) was the chosen place for us to have lunch. Witagron was the place of birth of our tour guide, so he knew the place and the villagers.
Nasi with kousenband, bakabana, tomatoes and cucumbers, yummy!
After everyone had had enough to eat, we all crawled back into the busses and on we went again. The road was bumpy, but less than the one to Brownsberg or Brokopondo. Around 9pm we finally arrived at Blanche Marie, all hungry and tired. We quickly unpacked and installed ourselves on the terraces where we could hang our hammocks.
When we were all ready and headed back to the recreation area, we discovered that the other two busses hadn’t arrived yet. Seemed that they couldn’t get over the mountain without a bit of help, so Diego (our guide) jumped in his pickup and went down there to help them out.
The others finally arrived and could unpack as well. When everyone was ready, it was time for dinner. Afterwards, everyone was so exhausted, we all went straight to bed. No one had even noticed anything from the surrounding landscape; it was too dark and we were too sleepy to care anyway.

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We got up at 7.30 today, breakfast at 8. or so we were told… by 9am we could finally eat: sandwiches with jam, cheese, peanut butter, chocolate paste, sandwich spread and scrambled eggs with cheese and onions. Very good breakfast!
After that we were free to discover the surrounding area and to get ready for the trip. At 10am we were going to leave for the waterfalls. Our group was the first to leave and we went straight to the Blanche Marie. It wasn’t a long walk, not a tiring one either. It still took us about half an hour to get there, cause our guide wanted to tell us all sorts of things about the plants and animals here.
Blanche Marie is the most wonderful waterfall I have ever seen in my life! Irene- and Leofall are nothing compared to this! Blanche Marie covers the entire width of the river and isn’t a straight fall down, but in parts (like the Irenefall). We immediately took our clothes off and got into the refreshing water. The guide warned us not to go too far, cause the currant could pull us down in an instant and it would certainly hurt us, if not kill us if we got carried away over the sharp rocks.
The water was relaxing and refreshing and I could’ve spent an entire day just sitting there, enjoying the cold water on my skin. Too bad we weren’t the only group here and when the second one arrived, it was time for us to leave again.
We first made a short stroll along the river shore and then went on to the next stop. We could choose either the “kidsoelas” (soelas is another word for rapids) or the massage falls. Of course we didn’t doubt for a minute and chose the latter. The massage falls weren’t exactly waterfalls, but more rapids as well. Ropes hung over the water for us to hold on to while the water rushed around us. It certainly deserved the massage-part of it’s name!
Yet again we got disturbed by the other group which “chased” us away again. A short walk took us back to the domain where we quickly head to the river to bathe and relax. Apparently it is custom to wash yourself in the river instead of a shower here, so we took a piece of soap with us and washed ourselves in the cold river water.
After this refreshing part of the day, it was time for lunch: fish, rice, peas and bakabana. Didn’t really like the salty fish, but the rest was nice. After lunch we had the afternoon for ourselves to relax, explore, do whatever we wanted.
at 5pm we all gathered again, cause Easter means: a search for Easter eggs! the guides took the entire group in the forest where they had hidden eggs for us to find. It didn’t take long for 60 people to find 50 hidden eggs, so we turned back to the recreation area faster than expected. The cooking team wasn’t ready with dinner yet, so we had a few moments to relax. After dinner (bami with chicken) a guide came by to gather all chairs for the musical chairs (or however you call it) act. First only girls, then all boys (which weren’t a lot), then the entire guiding team. That was one musical chair too much for me and Marij, Pia and I went to bed. I’ve had a stomach ache all day now, so I hope I fall asleep fast so it doesn’t bother me too much.

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Today, we can sleep in. Sleeping in here, means waking up at 8am because of the birds calling and the water flowing. Marij was up and she had bathed already as well. Time for me to do the same, so I took my shampoo and headed for the river. Nothing like washing your hair with the clean water from the river.
Breakfast was a bit disappointing: the same as yesterday, with the exception of the eggs, which were replaced with leftover fish from yesterday.
The most disappointing part of the day: no activities planned for the day, we had to entertain ourselves the entire day. Our group headed back to the massage falls for a swim, some sunbathing and reading. At 1.30pm we had to go back for lunch. After that, yet again some hanging around and doing whatever you wanted, so we went to the riverside and went for another swim in the cool water.
Around 5ish we finally gathered again and got ready for some action. A walk through the forest took us a bit further along the river, where our guides had improvised a way to the other side of the river by hanging ropes over it. There used to be boats to take us there, but they were all stolen, so we had to solve it this way. Everyone dived into the water, clothes and all, and swam to the other side, guided by the ropes, hanging on to them so we wouldn’t get carried away by the water.
All wet, we continued our trip through the forest to the next waterfall: the Eldorado waterfall. Too bad, no gold here, but it was an impressively high waterfall. We took out our adventure hat and climbed all the way up there, where we got a breath taking view over the waterfall and the forest. No pictures though, because we couldn’t take our cameras with us over the river…
After an hour of just sitting there, we had enough of it and some of us headed back already. A bit of a search to find the right route back, but we eventually got back at the river and could cross it again to the other side.
Different from what we had already done and seen, but it was a fun experience and more adventurous than just walking of course.
When we were all back and dressed again, it was time for dinner: potato salad, coleslaw and chicken, it was delicious! My stomach was still not 100% but I enjoyed it like it was the best thing I have ever eaten.
Plans were to have a camp fire and tell stories, sing songs, … but because of the bad weather tonight, it was cancelled and they had planned another jungle disco (like last night). I didn’t feel like dancing, so I went back to my hammock and lied down a bit to give my stomach the chance to recover a bit. At 10pm I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and fell asleep.

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The last day of the trip, which means a 15h drive back home. I really don’t look forward to that, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do…
Original plan: breakfast at 7am, pack at 7.30 and leave at 8am.
Eventually: breakfast at 8am, pack at 9 and leave at 10.30… We’re used to the Surinam way of life already, so we didn’t make a big deal of it, except for the fact that leaving later would also mean arriving later as well…
After 5h in the bus, we arrived at Witagron already, where we had moksa aleisi with fish and chicken for lunch. This time, we got a tour around the village. Wooden houses, huts and cabins, a dock for the korjaals (the traditional boats) and a special place for sacrifices, it was a typical traditional Marron village – and don’t worry, no human or animal sacrifices, just food, drinks and clothes. It even had a school and a medical centre.
When everyone had seen everything, we were ready to go again. Still a long way to go!
By the time we had reached our second big stopping place, the small village again, it was dark already (around 8pm). We could go empty our bladders again, but nothing to eat :( I was getting a bit dizzy, but not even cookies or chips around to fill our empty stomachs…
When we finally arrived at the small supermarket near Zanderij (the national airport) I was one of the firsts to head inside and buy everything I wanted (of course it was way too much to eat all at once, but hungry people need loads of food!). The world instantly stopped spinning when I had eating something and I was a happy girl again ^^ A spoonful of sugar is good for more than just helping the medicine go down!
Another hour later, we finally arrived in Paramaribo and were ready to head home again. The trip back home had only taken 13h, so no complaining here! Quickly called a taxi, said goodbye to everyone and got our stuff off the pickup.
When we got home, we couldn’t believe our eyes… the other three girls had cleaned the entire house! They had even cleaned the mirror where they had written “April 1st, a day you won’t forget”. It had taken them two weeks to do that, but it’s clean now, so yay!
I smoked one last cigarette and went to bed. I’m going to miss sleeping in my hammock, especially with this crappy bed!