Georgetown, capital of Guyana
After all the all night celebrations of the last few days, it was Hang Over Sunday and a day to recover before returning to normal on Monday morning. I expected the city to be quiet and certainly the previous night's revellers were still in bed but not everyone had had a late night and certainly not parents with young children.
I walked down Vlissengen Road, one of the main roads and the route of the parade and it wasn't a lie in for hundreds of council workers and volunteers who were clearing up the debris left over from the night before and judging by the mountains of empty plastic bottles and beer bottles, cans, fast food trays and all sorts of other litter, it would take some time to clean up the place.
I was on my way to the Botanical Gardens. Thee are meant to be manatees here but the manatee pools were quiet, full of algae and floating plants and not a ripple on the surface.
The Kissing Bridge in the Botanical Gardens.
Several different types of habitats found in Guyana are represented such as upland areas, mangroves, seasonal flooded areas, savannah and so on. This is a photo of one of the many drainage channels all around the city including in the gardens, taken to show the pink flowers of a water plant.
The Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception.
The Palace of Justice, two views of this impressive wooden building.
The Stabroek Market, made by the Edgemoor Iron Co in Delaware, USA and shipped here and completed in 1881, made from iron, steel and corrugated iron sheeting.
A close up of the tower. It doesn't have a distinct architecture style but is reminiscent of Victorian era Gothic style with the clock tower having more than a passing resemblance to St Stephens Tower of the Houses of Parliament which houses Big Ben.
Just one of many interesting colonial era buildings.
Government House.
City Hall although it needs a little work and see paint. The Republics 50th anniversary is next year so I am hoping to see some changes over the next year.
A side view of St Georges Cathedral.
A view of the east facade.
The Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology which was high on my list of places to see but it was closed.
The Prime Misters Official Residence.
I just happened to pass this and it wasn't on my list of places to see but it is the Court of Appeal but it looks more like any other large residential house.
The light house which stands on the site of an earlier light house built by the Dutch in 1813 but this was built b the British in 1830 and stands 103 feet high. It used to send a light more than 30kms out to sea but ships more use electronic beacons. Just as well as today there is a ten story Marriott Hotel between it and the sea.
The sea wall built by the Dutch which protects the city which is largely two metres below sea level.
And lastly at the National Park, I saw manatees but the water was murky and there was little to see. This is the head of a manatee with the nostrils and eyes.
But often all you see are the nostrils as they stay submerged and only expose their nose to breath and to eat the weeds and vegetation floating on the surface.
