A NEW GUYANA

Thursday, January 22nd, 2026

Suriname/Guyana

Nayan and I had booked rooms for ourselves in hotel next to the Suriname Airport to catch an early flight for Guyana. It was a bit shady to say the least – no mirrors (I had to share), the sink was plastic, and when I was showering, the toilet collapsed on the floor with water spilling out of the tank. The flight was delayed by hours. Once we got in the airport, no one could hear the announcements due to the poor acoustics. For a while, no water was running in the public washroom. What a circus!

Once I arrived in Guyana, all was fine, except I’m seeing a new country. Since the discovery of oil in Guyana, the place is growing. Immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, and other locations are making a difference with new roads and wider roads, more malls, parks, more international cuisine. The place is buzzing.

It is the second day of Guyana’s Padayatra festival on foot, and if I’m not mistaken, my twentieth year coming here (except during COVID). The ISKCON of Guyana Hare Krishna Study Centre is growing and a new Govinda’s Restaurant is doing well. The community here owns a truck that opens up as a fully equipped stage. That stage got well used tonight as a component to the Padayatra. The bhajan music was good and the presenters did well. I was the last one on before the arati and kirtan. The cart for transporting the deities was assembled in Toronto years ago. It is still looking good.

MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU

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