When three of us arrived at the major Suriname Airport, the official looked at my legal name which is Vis, with its origins in the Netherlands. Because Dutch is the official language here, the official burst into a big smile. "So you're a Vis?" he asked.
I responded, "Yes, I'm a fish. I love the water."
He chuckled.
Santosh, who is an anthropology/archaeology student, took us to these amazing black-water springs. Here I proved I was a fish, as my name translates. Nearby, Santosh took us to Jodensavanne where there are ruins of an old Portuguese Jewish settlement which was settled in the 1600s. There, near the Suriname River, in a nation that boasts the largest forest cover on the globe, there are remains of a synagogue, as well as burial sites for the Jews in one area, and sites for the slaves they secured, both African and local natives, in another.
One sad story about the jungle, in general, is the poaching of Jaguars which has become a major import for China, especially their jaws. Forest protection is a huge concern for some, but unfortunately, less for others. Other wildlife in this tree haven are anacondas, ocelots, monkeys and armadillos.
From the forest and animal habitat, we drove back to the temple ashram in Paramaribo. One person who has been writing me, Taromutti, was aspiring for diksha, so I obliged and gave her the name Archana Murti. She is a dedicated woman who busies herself in temple activities. A nice crowd came to see her take this spiritual step. https://www.facebook.com/331620403707785/videos/178860533493693/
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