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Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Part 22 - Around the World 06/2015 - 02/2016

By Beyond All Maps - Portraits of our Planet by Thorsten Mehret

February 7^th, 2016

The former dutch colony has preserved a very special atmosphere. The old part of the capital Paramaribo with its beautiful wooden merchant houses is UNESCO World Heritage listed. The old farms around are best explored by bike, the main language is Dutch and also Pannekoek & Poffertjes can be found in the menus. But beside this, the country is a cultural melting pot with Indiens, Creols, Indonesiens, Marrons, Indios, Dutch, Chinese and other ethnic groups living peacefully together. Even the biggest mosque and synagogue stand next to each other. Talking to the locals they are very proud about this fact and I can only say “Chapeau“ Suriname. Unfortunately this tolerance works also in other areas, as it´s also a fact that the Suriname people elected a president who is convicted for drug trafficking in the Netherlands and would go straight to prison if he touched Dutch ground. BTW one of his sons is in jail in the US and another one is accused as well, I was told.

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Paramaribo

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Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Mosque and synagogue next to each other.

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

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On the street

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Paramaribo is a city full of gamblers. Many casinos around.

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Bicycle Tour

Outside Paramaribo are many old farms, most of them already out of operation for a long time. Some of them can be visited and few are even converted to guesthouses. As can be expected in a former dutch colony the best way to explore the area is by bicycle.

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

Suriname - A Cultural Pepperpot

© 2026 Beyond All Maps - Portraits of our Planet by Thorsten Mehret

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