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Rockview Lodge, Guyana

Wednesday, March 4, 2009


Of all the places we stayed in Guyana, Rockview Lodge probably has its ecotourism act most thoroughly together. It manages to be sustainable and alluring, even luxurious, at the same time. Terrific food--fresh okra and vegetables!--relaxing surroundings, even a pool.

Of course, there were too many macaws in the mango trees for me to even think about a dip.
I spent what little downtime we had chasing birds and animals with my lens. Kevin Loughlin caught me with his. I was trying to lure them down with my mang0-orange shirt.

An obliging black vulture waited to scavenge some of the agouti's food in the small zoo on the lodge grounds. If memory serves, this is a red-rumped agouti, a species we saw in the wild, and a life mammal for me.
It was keeping company with a very pregnant kitteh, an odd couple among odd couples. Rodents and cats aren't traditional pals. Unless the rodent is cat-sized, and then it works, apparently.


A red-legged tortoise shared the agouti enclosure.He's a big boy, about 2' long, like a box turtle gone wild.

Because I was out and about so much, I attracted the attention of a couple of little girls whose parents work at Rockview. They followed my every move with great interest and lots of giggles. They loved looking over my shoulder as I sorted photos or emailed home, and they loved seeing the pictures I'd taken. Such beautiful little sprites; they were my buddies the whole time I stayed at Rockview.
I was in awe of the people we met in Guyana. They work against tremendous odds, since the country has virtually no infrastructure. For instance, here's how a bridge is fixed when it goes out. A crew assembles, and lives in a plastic tarp covered open sided tent for the duration of the repair, which is not short. I can only imagine what that's like, given the chiggers and heat.


The road equipment makes our old Massey Ferguson tractor look like a DeLorean.


Trees are cut from the surrounding forest and hand-hewn to fit together.


And all of this at about 98 degrees, 80% humidity--so hot by 10 AM that I couldn't be out in the sun without feeling dizzy. Recession and all, we Americans truly do not know the meaning of deprivation. Guyana needs our tourism dollars. Think about spending yours there. Costa Rica's been done, and done, and done.

10 comments:

Beautiful children and animals...life can be so different
from ours...I always love your photos!

I very much agree with your call to visit Guyana and spend some ecotourism dollars where it may really make a difference. My husband and I visited with a small birdwatching group last year and loved it. The local people were wonderful and the forest and rivers full of life. We stayed at lodges ranging from fine but rustic huts run by a village cooperative to the very comfortable, Rockview and Shanklands.

Fun post it sounds like a magical place. I especially like the picture of the agouti and the cat. Love your site- I just added a link to it on my site.

Non-sequiter alert!

Rankin said,... "boy, could that girl draw feathers!"...

arf!arf!

I guess I should order your book....

I agree with Colene about your choice of destination. Your photos are beautiful, as always, and those children make my heart melt. You apparently had a wonderful time. Hope you share more of your trip.

Too funny, NC MtWoman. Thanks for the blast from my Amazon past.

David, thanks so much for the link. I'm due for another linky update meself--I'll remember you. Love your book--had just gotten into it when I left for Honduras.

KaHolly, there is a whole mess of Guyana stuff in the archives, if you'd like to dip back into Dec 2008, Jan. and Feb 2009. And more coming. Some of the Guyana posts I think you'll find amusing--you might try Scorpions, Marmite and Crab Eating Raccoons, or Sexing the Caiman...use the search box at the top of the blog home page.

Colene, it's great to see you here! And so nice to meet you and Bill--very cool people. I'm searching for a stainless mug just like yours. Thanks for the little snort, too! Our Honduran Emerald seeking trip was fruitful, but that road!! Arrrgh! I bet you were whipped when you got back.

That agouti would be the actual littleorangeguy's ultimate fantasy AND nightmare, all in one cute little bundle.

Those kids are precious.

Thanks for the children. And the lives in Guyana. I think those children believed they saw an angel when they met you.

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