Going to Saint Laurent du Mironi
20 Nov 13
Woke up early and rode into Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname, to purchase insurance for French Guiana. Before I could purchase a ferry ticket in Guyana for Suriname I needed to prove I had insurance and was told that it was the same when boarding for FG. Most everyone in Suriname speaks english so it didn't take long to get insurance and off I rode to Albina. Found a nice place to stay next to the ferry landing and would catch the first crossing in the morning!
Song of the day: Karma Chamelon, Boy George
(Believe me, I didn't want this. It was playing from a car stereo when I was loading the moto at the car wash / guest house. Worst thing, I knew the words)
The next morning drinking coffee on the balcony:
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Ok, lets go!
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Waiting:
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The main reason for coming to the Guianas, other than they are here, was to see the penal colony of Saint-Luarent-du-Maroni and the prison. In High School we read the book Papillon and that's when learned about the French prison system with regards to colonialism. After seeing the movie, Papillon, it went on the bucket list. The story that Henry Charriere, Papillon, told has been proven to be mostly made up of others experiences and a lot of exaggeration, however he was a prisoner there and it's a great book and movie.
What's left of the pier where the French prisoners would arrive. Two boats a year carrying six hundred convicts.
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There are four tours a day, however I was still in my riding gear and decided to come back later in the day once I got settled in. This area is open to the public and many of the buildings are being utilized, book store, pre school, sailing school, two acting theaters, a cafe and for achieves.
Main entrance to the "Transportation Camp"
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Prisoners convicted of less serious crimes, petty theft, vagrancy, drunk in public got the top floor. More air flow and less stench.
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In processing, kitchen and church:
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Latrine building and wash area:
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These two building are being used for "indigenous peoples theatre":
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Restoration:
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Top floor of one of the prison buildings. I didn't have access just stuck the camera through the bars. The top floors had cells where the lower deck was open.
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Managed to get in this one:
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Checked into the hotel and then came back at 3pm for the tour. The tour takes you into the areas that had the worse conditions:
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These cells were utilized by "semi freed" convicts. They had served their sentences however they were required to serve an equal amount of time as a citizen, however they had to return to their prison cell every night. They were allowed to go outside the prison, find work and even allowed a piece of land to grow crops which could be sold to the prison. Once they completed this time, and had saved enough money they could return to France. Not all prisoners were allowed this, it depended on the catagory they were listed as.
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On the other side were cells for the harder prisoners. Same cell just they weren't allowed out of the area:
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I measured the cells with my feet, 7 deep, 5 wide. Wouldn't take long to feel closed in.
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The beds or benches are gone but they were two feet wide and ran the depth of the cell.
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Each prisoner was given a bucket of water and a bucket to use a latrine. All became sick and many died due to the filthy living conditions and lack of fresh air. It was common for a prisoner to drink from the wrong bucket due to stench, poor visibility and their bad physical and mental state.
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Wash area:
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Block houses; Hard labor prisoners lived in these buildings.
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They were designed to hold 40 men but they double that. The raised concrete along the wall is the pillow. The high risk prisoners were shackled in during the night. If they got sick or need to use the latrine, to bad.
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Latrine:
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The waste went into a wooden box and was taken care of by an assigned prisoner:
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Death row:
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The Special Quarters: This is were prisoners that had received the death penalty were kept. These were convicts that had committed crimes in FG such as, killing a guard or a civilian. Once convicted of the crime they were placed in a cell for 40 days. Death was by guillotine and a day before the execution it was erected. The next morning the convict was allowed a last meal which he could prepare, a glass of rum, a liter of wine and a cigarette. When he was finished he was required to sign a release from prison form and was beheaded. A volunteer convict did the execution. All prisoners in the block area were required to watch the execution and a guard would hold up the head and tell them that justice had been done in the name of France.
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The name of an executed convict inscribed on a cell wall:
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This one was inscribed on the floor:
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Cells restored to original:
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If you were a problem convict you were shackled in at night. Notice the wood pillow.
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Cell #47. This was Papillon's cell:
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Papillon, inscribed in the floor however there is no proof it's real.
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How anyone could have survived such conditions is amazing.