Happy New Year!

I slept the whole afternoon and now I'm and it's almost midnight. You guessed it... jetlag. Ugh! I arrived yesterday morning around 09.30 with KLM. I was travelling alone as Remesh and the kids were arriving after noon with Surinam Airways (SLM). In my previous post I already mentioned that Remesh purchased the ticket for me as a gift and by that time there were no other seats available on SLM. So KLM was my only other option as Paramaribo PBM doesn't have much airlift.

Suriname was great! I loved it! The people were extremely warm and friendly and I was amazed at the melting pot situation. Many other countries in the west can take an example of Suriname. I mean, which other country in the world has a synagogue next to a mosque? To my knowledge, none!

Mosque & Synagogue

You have the Amerindians (original Suriname inhabitants), Hindoestanen (descendants from India), Creoles (descendants of African slaves and Dutch colonists), Javanese (descendants of migrant workers from the former Dutch colony now known as Indonesia), Maroons (descendants of escaped African slaves), Chinese immigrants, Boeroes (boeren/Dutch descendants), Jews, Lebanese and Brazilian. Each group has their own language, but almost all can speak Dutch or the more common Sranan Tongo.

You can also see the mix of culture in the food. Each group has brought it's own thing into the cuisine. You have the roti, saoto soup, pom etc. etc. Love it all. Yes, I gained weight :-(

But it was great meeting Rem's family. The gay thing is not a major issue all over Suriname, but it remains an issue. A lot goes on underground. That is also the reason, why we stayed in a hotel and not at his family's home to avoid uncomfortable situations. I'm all for being out and proud, but I am also realistic as you can't force something in people's face. They may have been talks behind our backs, but I never noticed anything. But I always felt welcomed in the family's home.

The week flew by and then it was time to head back to reality. I had a great time and I'm sure going to visit again.

Great views

Arrival of KLM at Zanderij


Boarding

Goodbye Sranan! View of Jules Wijdenbosch Bridge over the Suriname River

Inflight PBM-AMS

Boarding Suriname Airways (photo by Arun)

When I landed at Schiphol, I had to go through the 100% control as is usual when you are arriving from destinations that are considered high risk. It consists of a big, scary looking dog coming to smell you and your bags while still in the loading bridge and a handbag check just when you come out the loading bridge. There they will ask questions where and when you bought your ticket, who paid for it and what the purpose was of your visit. I raised all the red flags! Remesh paid for my very expensive ticket a few days before I left (€1420,-), I stayed at the Torarica Hotel (upscale and expensive), the stay was short, I was travelling alone as my partner was still inflight and I had no family there. My explanations were questionable in their eyes, so an in-dept interview was required, while my hand- and checked bags were thoroughly seached. Pfff....

I was pulled inside an office, where I anserwed loads of questions and my passport rang up all the alarmbells due to the stamps. I tend to ask if a stamp can be left out or can be put on a seperate document when travelling for work. This is because some countries will deny you entry if you have visited a country they have problems with. Back when I was at AFC, I visited Syria (Damascus and Aleppo) on a private trip with Rob, my ex, and a year later when I arrived at Tel Aviv TLV for an AFC job with KLM, I was denied entry, put in a cell for 3 hours and was put on an El Al flight straight to Amsterdam AMS via London LHR. I also had problems entering Kuala Lumpur with an Israeli stamp in my passport, but because Medan on the isle of Sumatra was my final destination, they let it go as long as I stayed on the airside of the airport.

At Delta I've never needed a second passport, but I am in the process of asking for two seperate passports at this moment. This has to be done in conjunction with my employer who has to send in a letter to the authorities with the reasons why I need a second one.

Anyway, back at Schiphol... after I showed them my SkyTeam ID and explained what my job was, they let me go. When I arrived at the luggage belt (2 hours after arrival) I saw my cousin Michelle at luggage belt 19. She came in from Aruba with KLM as well. She was also pulled aside by Customs, but it was not as terrible as my situation. She was a 21 year old student travelling on a very expensive ticket that her parents paid for. But it ended up well.


Chelle in Aruba (Photos by Michelle)

After we had our bags, we had brunch at Starbucks Coffee and then we took the train home. Michelle to Amsterdam and me to Rotterdam.

When I arrived home, I did some grocery shopping, put some clothes to wash and hit my bed. Around 17.00 Rem phoned me to tell me that the kids and him arrived and that... of course... they were also pulled apart, questioned and searched, because I gave up his name as the person who paid for my ticket. Their flight arrived after noon and they left Schiphol around 15.00! Those poor kids! But at least we're home and these are the times we live in nowadays.

I got up and walked to Delibird, a Thai restaurant right around the corner from where I live. To give an indication, I live walking distance from the SS Rotterdam. I bought Phad Thai and ate some of it, watched some TV and headed back to bed.

So that was the beginning of 2012 for me. The rest of my photos can be veiwed on Picassa by those who have the direct link. Let me see if I can catch a few zzzz's. Going to visit my parents tomorrow in the morning. Cheers!