Time to build a garage/shop!

Done!

A new garage/shop!

Years ago this concrete area was a Hindustani Bar with a metal roof over it. We torn the roof off last year before it fell down and hurt someone. Now we have decided to add a roof again as it will give us needed shop space and a garage area. Framing in Suriname is a hard as 2x4's are really 2"x 4" and heavy! I ordered 20 ft ones and I can barely life them. 

The weather makes it interesting to work outside as one minute its raining and the next its 86F. Sunburn is always a threat too as the sun just cooks you as you work. Constantly drinking cold water helps but it is tough work that at 59 years old I admit is hard. Today we also ordered the new red metal roofing that will go on and match the roofing of the house. Maybe tomorrow we have some of the roofing installed before we go to "RotiFest".  Some friends are cooking all day making roti and all the rest of the fixings. Monique will be going over early to help prepare the different dishes so I can hardly wait to taste them all.

Chinese Sunday Market

Ray is in town to visit so of course a trip to the Sunday Market is fun. There was a amazing assortment of locally grown vegetables, dim sum goodies and Chinese supplies for sale. We bought our supply of vegetables for the week as this is the only place to buy them.

Ray and Monique

Chinese New Year

On Sunday January 22nd, we celebrated Chinese New Year by going to the Kong Ngi Ton San for lunch with lots of other chinese friends and relatives. The President's table was only one table away so that was interesting to be so close. Lots of speeches and toasts plus a dragon and of course fireworks!

As you can see in the picture it was packed with people and lots of folks were in the other rooms and even seated outside.

On Saturday night we went to a benefit concert at the Cathedral for the music school. It was amazing as the featured singer was a woman from Curacao who sings opera in Europe. The local talent was quite good and there were even duets with the church priest and the woman singing opera songs. 

Wow, this is just the same as my 1964 1500S that was one of my favorite cars I owned. Amazing car as I drove one from 1971 to 1982 when I sold it to buy a 1972 VW Bus. My 1500S had a gas heater up front which made it a great ski car. No matter how frozen the car was you just turned on the heater and in 5 minutes the car was toasty warm and ready to drive off. Skis and equipement fit in the back so I never had a rack either. I remember the car getting 30-35mpg to and it would cruise all day at 75mph when I drove it up and down the West Coast on trips.

New Years and the rest

New Years Eve (Old Year) is so much fun in Suriname as its one big party downtown with lots of firecrackers. The city streets become covered in a "red snow" from all the pagara's that are set off along with a haze from the smoke. Music from Dj's or live bands is on the different streets in the "core" of the downtown area. Food stands are everywhere along with private parties that everyone crashes to taste, drink and share some local gossip/news.

We also went on a trip to the old French Plantation Alliance where they still grow grapefruit and oranges with some friends.

On New Year's Day we had a family get together at Christine's of about 20 people. Lots of food, talk and fun. Monique made the desserts in the picture.

Steve and Cathy wanted Hot Pot for dinner the night before they left to go back to Canada. We had a great time with again about 18 people at dinner.