Day 42, Suriname

We have arrived in Paramaribo, the capital and largest city of Suriname.
Did you know that the historic inner city of Paramaribo has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002??

Paramaribo has a population of roughly 250,000 people, more than half of the population of Suriname. and is famed for its diverse ethnic makeup, including Creoles, Hindustani, East Indians, Maroons, Javanese, Native Americans, Chinese, and Europeans (primarily of Dutch and English descent).

My friend Cheryll (www.postcrossing.com/user/Cheryll) has met us and is taking us for a quick ride through the city. Thanks for being our tour guide, Cheryll.

Where are you taking us? To Keizerstraat.Why? To see the Neveh Shalom Synagogue, the only synagogue of the Jewish community in Suriname. The lot on Keizerstraat 82 was acquired in 1716 by Ashkenazi Jews. The original building was completed in 1723 and replaced the first Surinamese synagogue in the Jodensavanne, originally built of wood between 1665-1671 (but already rebuilt with bricks). The current synagogue was completed in 1842 or 1843.

And adjacent to the synagogue is the the Mosque! How wonderful to see religious tolerance...

The Mosque Keizerstraat is the headquarters of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam in Paramaribo in Suriname, "Surinaamse Islamitische Vereniging" (SIV). The Muslim community of Paramaribo was established in 1929. Its first mosque, a wooden rectangular building with minarets, was completed in 1932.The current mosque was completed in 1984.

Aaah, Cheryll wanted to show us how a synagogue and mosque can exist side by side in religious harmony:-)

Did you know that on Sundays and holidays there is a popular bird song competition, and that black twatwas are the most common birds used??

Nopi wants to watch the new Harry Potter movie but Suriname has only one cinema, and all the tickets are sold out. Sorry Nopi:-(......

Thanks for the quick tour Cheryll but our next adventure awaits so its good bye to Suriname for now.