Finding My Feeties

Two and a half weeks in and I am starting to find my little feeties here. Although it is still really (super) hot, it is kind of a given now so I seem to somehow have grown a little bit more accustomed to it. I no longer feel the constant need to tell everybody how hot I am. The whiteness of my skin still reminds me how far I've got to go to fit in a little bit more around these parts. I saw one other caucasian woman that was just as white as I am - score! I've been trying to work on my tan in order to blend in and seem a little bit less like a lost tourist, but I have to wear and SPF of 50 (the bottle designed for kids (and Finnish people)) because otherwise I just cook so it is slow work.

But heck, I've gotten around a bit since my last post. I'm having my "dinner" as I write this which I have to share with you because I find it rather funny - Desperados beer with crackers and cheese, a confused French dinner. I found organic cheese in the SUPER U (the supermarket)! C'est trés délicieux!

Right, so last weekend I went to my first "carbet". Essentially a hut in the jungle next to a river, designed for leisure activities. This particular Carbet was a fancy pancy one, I was forewarned that not all carbet's would be this luxurious - I'm talking toilets, showers, barbecue and kitchenette. Now that is not bad as far as camping goes. The new element was the sleeping arrangement. I am used to hiking, in Finland. Tents and doing your needed deeds in the open forest are no obstacle for me, so essentially this was five star camping as far as I was used to. But, what I was not prepared for was having to sleep in a hammock. Yes. There are especially designed mosquito nets that you place over your hammock and voila! There is your portable bed.

Sooo that was an interesting night. I didn't sleep all that badly actually, it was quite comfortable. I am not sure whether this was due to the rum that saw some enjoyment the night before. Upon arrival Anthony's colleagues were taking advantage of the river and doing some water sports, including kneeboarding and wake-boarding. Just before darkness we took a boat ride along the river. The sun was just going down and it was very surreal somehow. The jungle seemed to be falling in on the lake as there was no visible sandbank, just thickset jungle. We also tried not to kill the guy being trailed behind the boat. Because wake-boarding on a river at dusk in French Guiana whilst being under the influence is never a bad idea when you're a Frenchie (Pfff... just nuts I tell you). Anyway, the rest of the evening was spent playing a French card game called "belottte", which is extremely complicated (hurray!). I managed to hold face solely due to Anthony's boss, who was acting as "advisor" to the newbie. All in all it was a fun night!

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Of course, on the 14th of July the French celebrate Bastille Day, the French National Day commemorating the commencement of the French Revolution with the storming of Bastille on the 14th of July in 1789 (yes, I did my homework). Of course these celebrations are extensive in "métropole" (the local term for mainland France). In Kourou there was a short Gendarmerie (Police) and Army parade along the street parallel to the beach, Avenue Félix Eboué. The rather funny thing was that the sound kept failing. I laughed. There we were, celebrating the glory of France, with people gathered and inspirational music playing... and beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... - It was funny. I felt it was an authentic French Guianan moment :) saying that, the sound technician probably lost his/her job, poor fellow.

The French Navy Marines based in Kourou. Saluting and all - I thought it was kind of exciting.

The Gendarmerie based in Kourou. Cute hats.

The French Foreign Legion - Check out these bearded and aproned men - super cool uniforms, most definitely the best dressed lot - 10 points and a sticker for good effort :D

Then anthony had the camera so he took pictures of tanks.

And me, saluting (poorly) :) 

(There were more but I'm going to spare the visual army jargon).

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Then...   B E A C H   T I M E !

This is the Kourou beach which is literally right outside our house... which is kind of awesome.

The beach is in a pretty good condition too. Of course there is trash but the tide is quite useful as it keeps most of the beach free from debris.

The tide moves quite a bit as you can see from the picture. Just the day before the water level was covering the entire area with the darker shaded sand.

Mmmhhh...

Can you hear the rushing waves yet? Those huts on the beach amongst the palm trees are used for setting up your hammock for a relaxing afternoon or for barbecues and partying during the evening.

An Anthony and a Melba.

The patterns that the water leaves in the sand are simply fantastic. I think they look like sand sinews, like the muscles of the beach.

I simply love the palm trees. Even though they pose hazardous, they are beautiful to look at.

A white male and a happy dog :)

Melba still loves her sticks, although now they come in the form of driftwood.

She is still learning what happens when you drink too much of the beach water - it is definitely not pleasant.

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During the weekend Anthony also managed to try out his kite-surf. I have never seen this done but it looks like heaps of fun... and very very difficult.

So there you have it, our weekend in a nutshell!