1. SURINAME 3 – North
East of Paramaribo are the Commewijne and Marowijne Districts. In Commewijne District, the Dutch developped a large number of plantations growing sugarcane, tobacco, cocoa and coffee, whose remnants can still be seen. The Marowijne District is the most easternly district ; its capital city is Albina, a nondescript town lying on the Marowijne River (the ‘Maroni’ in French). French Guiana is accessed by ferry from there.
West of Paramaribo are the Saramacca, Coronie and Nickerie Districts. They are crossed by huge rivers : the Saramacca River, the Coppename River and the Nickerie River. The Coronie District had a large number of plantations ; the English influence is strong there and the names of the settlements are English. The Nickerie District is a large producer of rice.
South of Paramaribo are the Wanica and Para District with Lelydorp, 2nd town in Suriname and Paranam where large bauxite ore deposits are to be found. Further south are other districts covered with forests (shown in chapter 4).
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2. EAST OF PARAMARIBO

3. Wijdenbosch Bridge on the Suriname River (longest bridge of the country)

4. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District)
This fort was built in and later by the Dutch in order to protect their plantations from English and French naval forces.

5. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District)

6. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : a sluice

7. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : old lightship

8. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : water reservoirs

9. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : Powder house (built in 1778)

11. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : weapons over the centuries
During WW2, the fort was strategic as it commands the access to the Suriname River and the large bauxite mines southwards. Suriname was used during WW2 as a landing site for planes flying between North America and Africa and the bauxite mines were essential for highly needed alumina.

12. Nieuw Amsterdam Fort (Commewijne District) : Modern art

14. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : Master’s house
‘Plantage’ means plantation. There used to be more than 600 plantations in Suriname. Note the large basin in front of the house : it was used for refining sugar.

15. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of factory buildings (coffee warehouse, tobacco & cocoa drying sheds) …
Peperpot plantation started as a tobacco plantation and later grew cocoa and coffee.

16. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of a factory building

17. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : a sluice & remnants of a factory building

18. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : an old plantation house

19. Marienburg Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of the sugar refinery
Marienburg was a sugarcane plantation, complete with a factory & ‘kampung’ (village for the indonesian workers)

20. Marienburg Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of the refinery machinery
The plantation used to produce sugar and molasses (basis for rum)

21. Marienburg Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of the refinery machinery

22. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : remnants of the refinery machinery

23. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : train used to bring sugarcane to the refinery

24. Peperpot Plantage (Commewijne District) : water wagon & water reservoir

25. Sorgvliet Plantage (Commewijne District) : Plantation House

26. Moengo (Marrowijne District) : entrance of the village (one of the 2 main bauxite mining operations in Suriname), populated by descendants of Indonesian immigrants

27. Moengo (Marowijne District) : ‘downtown’ & a strange work of art made of old cars

28. Moengo (Marowijne District) : modest local house with an up to date car !

29. Moiwana Memorial (Marowijne District)
It commemorates the massacre of civilians (mostly women & children) in the small Maroon village of Moiwana by soldiers of Bouterse (who committed a successful military coup – leftist - in 1980) in November 1986 during the Surinamese Guerilla War between the Surinamese military regime and the ‘Jungle Commandos’ of the Maroon rebellion. After the massacre, thousands of Maroon people fled to nearby French Guiana.
Bouterse was never condemned for that and even came back in 2010 – after regular elections – in power ! He has been accused to have instigated a hold up in Brazil & has been sentenced for drug trafficking in the Netherlands to 11 years of imprisonment and consequently faces arrest if he leaves Suriname ! His son is also involved in drug trafficking !

30. Marowijne River (Maroni in French) at Albina (Marowijne District)
In the background is French Guiana

31. Marowijne River at Albina (Marowijne District)

32. Marowjine River at Albina (Marowijine District)

33. Marowijne River at Albina (Marowijne District)

34. Albina (Marowijne District) : downtown ->
<- boats loaded with cheap petrol & other goods for smuggling into French Guiana

35. WEST OF PARAMARIBO

36. Mural advertising the local bier

37. Groningen (Saramacca District)

38. Groningen (Saramacca District)

39. Groningen (Saramacca District) : Monument to slavery abolition ->
<- Monument to Independence

40. Bridge over Coppename River (Coronie District)

41. A creek between Jenny & Totness (Coronie District)

42. A creek between Jenny & Totness (Coronie District)

43. Sluices at Totness (main settlement of Coronie District)

44. A canal in Totness (Coronie District)

45. Church, Totness (Coronie District)

46. Totness (Coronie District)
Houses in Coronie District have a specific style due to the fact that the English influence was stronger there than the Dutch one.

47. St Mary’s Hope (Coronie District)

48. John (Coronie District)

49. Church, Burnside (Coronie District) ->
<- Church, Clyde (Coronie District)

50. Church, Hamilton (Coronie District)

51. Bridge over the Nickerie River (Nickerie District)

52. Burning rice husk after milling process, Nieuw Nickerie (Nickerie District)
Nickerie District is an important rice production center, a large part of it being exported.

53. Kanaalstraat, Nieuw Nickerie (Coronie District)
Nieuw Nickerie is the last town before Guiana (former British Guiana)

54. Central market, Nieuw Nickerie (Nickerie District)

55. Church, Nieuw Nickerie (Nickerie District)

56. SOUTH OF PARAMARIBO

57. Market, Lelydorp (Wanica District)

58. Market, Lelydorp (Wanica District)
<- note these hairy fruits : ‘rambutans’ (introduced in Suriname from Indonesia)

59. Living crabs, market, Lelydorp (Wanica District)

60. Zanderij (Para District)

61. Cola Creek (Para District)
Close to Zanderij, this nice recreation park is established around a creek whose water is naturally brown.
It was named like this during WW2 by American soldiers posted at nearby Zanderij airport, reminding them the color of coca cola !

62. Smelter converting bauxite to alumina, Paranam (Para District)
Bauxite is the backbone of the economy of Suriname, accounting for more than 70 % of exports. Suriname ranks 10th in the world in terms of bauxite proven reserves.

63. A broken bridge over the Suriname River, Southeast from Paranam (Para District).
It was never used as it collapsed just after completion !

64. Crossing the Suriname River by ferry on the way to Jodensavanne, Southeast from Paranam (Para District)

65. Suriname River

66. Crossing the Suriname River by ferry on the way to Jodensavanne, Southeast from Paranam (Para District)
END