Wedding Weekend

Ester was getting married and I was given permission to attend the wedding. Yippee! I took some shots of Georgetown while waiting for my mini-bus to depart the bus park.

Then, on to Laluni for an authentic Amerindian Wedding. The mothers of the bride and groom do not attend the actual service. They wait back at the reception site to welcome the newly married couple with a glass of some red liquid. The bride’s mother tips the glass for her new son-in-law to drink, and the groom’s mother does the same for the bride. I was a little nervous that the red liquid would end up down the front of either Ester’s beautiful satin and pearl white gown, or Enoch’s crisp pink shirt, but my fears were unfounded.

The bride and groom were seated at the table of honor and then subjected to words of encouragement as the fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, teachers, cousins, and friends took the microphone and delivered their parting sentiments.

The cake was cut and shared with bride and groom, but that was it. Food boxes and cherry juice were passed out, then music by the very talented extended family and friends.

So I kept eyeing the cake (they call it black cake). Finally I asked the sister of the bride, “When do we eat the cake?”.

“Oh, we don’t eat the cake here tonight,”

“What?”

“We will package it up tomorrow and give it to the families who helped out in so many ways, and to the attending quests.” Sure enough the next morning they were cutting and wrapping portions intended for certain housesholds. I was offered a piece right then and they also wrapped up a take home bag, so I had cake for dinner too.

The first photos are scenes from Georgetown, while I waited for the bus to fill up.

Famous Stabroek Market

Ester and Enoch

Tired out

Bridle Party disembarks

Entertainment

Coconut wrapped with gauze

Enough food for everyone

Dad and brother of the bride

Congratulations to Ester and Enoch, who make a gorgeous couple don’t you think?

Sunday is Market Day at Parika. Also this is where the boats load and unload on the Essequibo River. The place was a stir which is unusual for a Sunday. Now I know where to go if I want some Sunday Action.

A meal and a half!! Called cocoa, a fruit.

Cool Dude Mason

Tossing bananas to dock

Market Day in Leonora

It’s becoming a habit to meet up with Gloria, from Temptations (a snackette very near my house) at 7:30 Saturday morning to go shopping at the Leonora Market. Gloria knows the best vendors as she shops for lots of produce every week. Now that I have a fridge, I bought fish for the first time since living on my own. It was delicious. Since the produce is all locally grown, it varies little from week to week. I have about 5 standard meals that I cook using what’s available. If I liked eggplant (called balanjay) and ocher, I'd have several more.

Peppers and balanjay.

Pine

This butcher means business!

Beef for sale

Beautiful Gloria shopping! (the other beautiful Gloria)

Fisherman selling his wares.

Snapper

Crab in a barrel!

Pumpkin, pumpkin everywhere!!

Handsome cab driver drives right through the market.

School does not start here until Sept. 1. Classrooms are divided by freestanding chalkboards. Desks are painted different colors to indicated class levels. Assembly takes place outside on Monday and Friday. Some schools do have individual rooms for each class but I think the chalkboards are more the norm, so there is a challenge to hear with all the background noise. The kids love school. They do not want to leave at the end of day. School is where their friends are and where the cricket games take place. The students are responsible for sweeping at the end of each day.

The two most essential tools that you need not only in the Guyanese kitchen, but any kitchen, in my opinion, and which I will most assuredly be bringing back to the US despite their weighty content are the Kanhri and the Tawa. You’ve got your toaster, your flat bread fryer, your fry bowl, your lid, and your stir bowl.  Two items: a myriad of uses.

Check out these common modes of transportation in Guyana.

Taxi boat

Many people ride bicycles. Not always with a bird.

Delivery truck

Creek travel.

Mini-bus - most used. Question: How many people can you fit in a mini-bus? Two more than can fit.

Private car or taxi.

When leaving Georgetown and proceeding to Anna Catherina, we crossed over the longest floating bridge in the world, or so they say. The bridge crosses the Demerara River and is lined with large cylindrical anchors. Pretty amazing.

Sitting in the Guyana International Conference Center and listening to the speeches from the Ministry of Health and Education Representatives, the Ambassador of Guyana, the Country Director from Peace Corps, and our four chosen Volunteer Speakers it hit me that this really was an accomplishment and also a responsibility that I hope to live up to. In two years time I surely will be able to accomplish some redeeming project.

Here's the proof!!

Mine's the one on the right. Diamonds are forever!

My fellow Region 3 volunteers.