Bridge Repair

In 2013 two friends helped us building bridges over the trenches. After 5 years of tropical weather, termites and mould had their way; all the wooden parts had to be replaced.
All 4 bridges are now in good condition again.

First guests

Up until we moved to Suriname we were members of the Dutch Motor Club Pink Spirit, just as Hennie and Josje still are. These girls already had a longtime wish to visit Suriname. Hearing from our plans they decided to spend their holidays in Boxel Boes Belanda. We were thrilled: our first guests!
There was one condition from their part though. "We'll only visit you, if you have something to do for us during our stay at your botanical garden. We want to make ourselves usefull." As there are only one thousand things to do in BBB, it took quite some time to come up with something suitable. Building bridges!
And that's what they did. In 2 weeks time four minimal-design bridges were built from scratch. They were great and very enthusiastic. They just kept on going even during the hottest part of the days.

 The lodge was well received and as the all around windows are made from mosquito screens only, the cacophony of bird songs woke them every morning for a fresh start.

Josje and Hennie

Good for them, they also had some true holiday trips planned. Like bird watching in Bigi Pan, a boat trip from Kwamalasumutu and a visit to the Indians in Palumeu. Read all about it in their blog 'Hennie en Josje in Suriname' (Dutch).

Enter the master house

Digging the first hole was in February 2013. Followed by the first stone laid in April 2013. And finally, my first night spent in the master house was September 2013. Finished!

Well, almost. The kitchen needs gas, lights are missing in the carport and all clothes are still lying around, waiting for furniture.

Satelite image updated

Google updates their images of Suriname frequently! The last one was from December 2012. Now the main house is also visible. From the details of this image, it looks like it's taken in September 2013. Let me show you a chronological overview.

pre 2011

terraforming, 2011

lodge, 2012

main house, 2013

Rise of the master house

Jurman and his guys building the master house are now finished with the outside. They have done an outstanding job on both speed and quality of building as far as I can judge it. The progress I pictured every day from the same position and angle to create a short movie.

Even though our custom and taste differ, they were always happy to adjust their building to please me. The huge roof and its sharp angle was something new for them. Also my preference to use the backside of laths (schrootjes) or my pleads to cover up the 'beautiful' relief on the concrete columns earned me some laughs. They blame it all on me being a bakra (i.e. white man).

Living in the lodge

Later on the wooden lodge will be available for guests, but for now it is our home in Suriname.

With the water pump installed for sanitation and a queen sized bed, it is a comfortable stay. In daytime cool wind blows across the wide balcony as I watch the guys building the master house. At night it offers me a place to read, watch tv and update this blog in the midst of the sounds of crickets and frogs.

Start building the master house

It is already a couple of months for me in the tropics and a lot of things have happened. My stay started with the inevitable red tape procedures involving visa, insurance and drivers licence  I was told that bureaucracy in Suriname is quite taxing. So I came prepared with a novel to read for the days of queuing,  changing desks and waiting.

That done, it was time for the next episode: building the master house. The choice of the contractor was actually already made when the lodge was built last year: Henk Dingé. Families in Suriname can be fairly large and every member has his specialty  The nephew of the brother (?) of Henk appeared to be experienced in building houses made of stone and concrete. His name? Jurman Majoko. And what work team he has!

Jurman, Frank, Rino, Jones and Etienne

The guys, all Saramacans from upriver, deliver hard workmanship every day. Whether rain or sunshine they keep on going in the humid heat from 8 in the morning till 6 in the afternoon.
Directed by Jurman, I shop for all the materials they need, transport it or get it be delivered. That way I keep up with the progress and it also offers me knowledge in building a house.

First lodge built

During the Christmas dinner with famely and friends we discovered that Google had made a new satellite photo of Boxelparaweg 22b.
The lodge is in place!

Master house

Last time in Suriname we met a draftsman. He offered us to transform our idea of the master house into a drawing with technical specifications. He also makes for a building permit.
The technical drawing is now finished. Now the next step is to find a suitable contractor. Henk maybe?

Terraforming

Recently we discovered that even Google Maps recognized a change landscape in 2011!

Finished?

This week our first lodge was finished! That is what Henk Dingé, the constructor, told me over the telephone anyway.
All shingles laid, sanitation installed, electricity wired and wood varnished. All we need now is water, electricity and occupation. Pictures of the lodge are promised and posted here the moment we receive them.
Regarding the situation in the Netherlands, we have applied for a long time stay visa from 2013 onward at the Consulate of Suriname. We certainly hope that the authorities in Suriname favor us, but an answer could take up to 3 months. An excellent exercise in patience.
Here rules is the clock, over there they have the time.

Lodge

Part of the BoxelBoesBelanda project is to incorporate a lodge or 2 into the garden. Recommendations from trustworthy people let us to the lodges Mets had built in Awarradam. The carpenter of these lodges is Henk Dingé, who lives in Pokigron (Atjoni). Just before we had to go back to cold, hectic Holland, we made up a 'contract'. On a notepad (you remember, pen, paper) we put down a signature committing ourselves to finance and built the lodge.

Jack, Stanley, Henk

Two months later at the end of July (actually, yesterday), I received the first picture of the lodge in the making from Erik.

The roof of the lodge is made up of shingles from the Walaba tree. Few people know how to make such a beautiful wooden roofing. Definitely a craft and Henk is rightfully proud to be that craftsman.
Actually, he is in the process of starting up his own carpentry firm. The trouble he goes through to keep us up to date, the fastness with which he collects all the materials and of course the magnificent result, we can not but recommend this man.

Ceremony, 20 February 2011

Not only did we have to work in February 2011, there was also time to celebrate! Master of Ceremonies performed the typical local practice to wish us strangers all the best. Complete with the local beauties!  A dinner was also part of the local practice ;)
We loved it!!

2 'strangers' and the local beauties

Dick and the Master of Ceremonies

Faja lobi

A lovely dinner at Little Paradise

The rough work, 2011

The first lines of our botanical garden with streams and small hills, were mapped with a tiny excavator in 2010. Now it was time to deploy a larger machine. 
At the end of our 'holiday' the land was transformed into what already looked like a garden. Well, to us anyway. We even came to planting some plants.

All wet from the western front

Shortly after we left, the rainy season started (September 2010). Combined with spring tide, things tend to get moist. Erik sent us some pictures to show us just how wet.

(Our future house must definitely be built on stilts)

Flooding

Streams and clay

High water

Spring tide, September 10, 2010

Mow and dig, 2010

In the second half of 2010 we were back. And for the first time we could sleep on our own piece of land! We had to cut the weed first to make room for the tent.

The next step was to alter the landscape to our design, one with small streams and hills. That was something that needed some explanation and lots of picket poles for the contractor with his tiny excavator...

When we told Erik & Neeta (the neighbours) and John & Lloyd (Kekemba Resort, Paramaribo) of our streams and hills, they reacted with: "Teletubbyland!". Hm, Suriname humour I suppose  :s

Boxelparaweg 22

While browsing the internet in search for anything about Suriname, Dick encountered the Botanical Garden Little Paradise in Boxel.

 

Already at the first meeting we were warmly welcomed by the owners, Erik and Neeta Kuiper. In 5 years time they had their barren land turned into a botanical garden: a beautiful cultivated piece of land, perfect to immerse yourself in the green world, accentuated with a cacophony of wildlife sounds. Hummingbirds buzzed, lizards rustled through the leaves, monkeys screeched, edible fruit or brightly coloured flowers in every tree and also the waters teemed with life. Actually, it looked exactly like our dream.
Even better, the adjacent land appeared to be for sale. But how do you negotiate with the seller when you are 7000 km away...?
Fortunately, Erik really helped us. He was invaluable for us in obtaining the piece of land. After half a year we were at the notary in Paramaribo to make it officially!