Raphael Kessler
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| French Guiana |
French Guiana is actually an oversees department of France so one is actually in the European Union there, complete with Euros and the prices are actually more expensive than mainland France - the supermarkets are actually about forty percent more expensive for the same products as in France, as everything has to be shipped over. The transport and accommodation costs are also very high.There are a surprising number of French tourists in French Guiana considering the costs and the lack of much very exotic for the money. Cayenne, the capital is not phenomenally impressive and Kourou, the second city and home to the European Space Centre is like Milton Keynes with less character. Les Iles de Salud were a famous penal colony until recently and the buildings have now been allowed to to disintegrate in the salt air. This is probably to try and forget the disgraceful history of the place where inmates were treated in abysmal ways that beggar belief until the last prisoners left in 1953. Amongst the most famous prisoners were Dreyfuss who was the subject of an anti-Semitic conspiracy. Henri Charriere wrote about his adventures in the islands and various escapes.  Nowadays one can see some nice wildlife whilst wandering around. I saw various birds, gibbons (Photos 1 & 2), capybara (Photos 3 & 4), lizards (Photo 5) and a turtle (Photo 6) just away from the cliff-face. |
