Rich, N6KT will be active from French Guiana 18 - 28 October 2014 as FY/N6KT.
He will be active in CQ WW DX SSB Contest 25 - 26 October 2014 as TO2A.
QSL via KU9C.
French Guiana
French Guiana can be described as one of the tiniest countries in the world today. It still adorns its colonial-style architecture , while its old historical prisons still adorn some parts of some of its cities. The tiny country of French Guiana has some of the most diverse plant bio-diversities in the world today, while the French legal system is strongly recognized. The humid rainforest along the coast of this country is also worthy of mentioning.
French Guiana- People and Culture
French Guiana is located in the South Atlantic region of South America and it is an overseas region of France. The tiny country is bordered by Brazil and Suriname and as at the year 2013, the population of the country was just a little above 205,000. Cayenne remains the capital of French Guiana and it is the largest area of the country. French Guiana is presently recognized by the European union and the main legal tender is the Euro. Though French is widely spoken in this country, however other languages such as ; English, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese are widely spoken.
French Guiana- environment and climate
French Guiana has a tropical rain forest environment, with diverse ecosystem that is characterized by several mangroves, savannahs and floral. The tropical rainforest of the country has provided shelter for hundreds of years for diverse of animals and the forests that adorn the country are largely protected by the Guiana Amazonian park. French Guiana has several nature reserves, in addition to its forests. French Guiana has been facing habitat fragmentation problems over the decades and this has been caused by expansion of roads, gold mining and poaching. Logging activities are also common in the country, and this is one of the sources of livelihoods of many residents of French Guiana. French Guiana has lots of wonderful beaches along its west and southern coasts.
French Guiana- what to do
French Guiana may be one of the smallest countries in the world, but wildlife adventure remains one of the key activities you can indulge in here. Once you get into this tiny country, you may find yourself falling in love with its natural beauty. The Amazon rainforest in Brazil is very close by and it remains the largest forest in the world today. With some Savannah as well as wonderful beach along the coastal area, you will enjoy every bit of your stay in the country. If you are a hiker, French Guiana offers lots of trails and there are quite a number of activities for kids and families. You may not find quite a number of museums here but there are lots of natural places to go.
The capital city of Cayenne in French Guiana offers lots of activities to engage in. You can find more than 30 hiking trails in the capital city of Cayenne for instance, and the “Rorota trail” is one of the most popular trails you should consider. On a typical Saturday afternoon , you can learn about the cocoa cultivation- one of the main agricultural practices in the country. You can also take you family for a boat trip to the l’llet la Mere – the boat normally departs from the coastal region of Degrad de Cannes in the morning and comes back in the afternoon. The Guyarando tour , is another tour you should consider signing up to ,and this tour gives you the opportunity to learn more about Cayenne and French Guiana culture and architecture. Visiting the Island of l’llet la Mere will give you the opportunity of seeing and interacting with small monkeys.
French Guiana- key landmarks and places you must visit
•The Penal colonies and Papillion are some of the most popular landmarks in French Guiana. These are French figures that reveals so much about the French colonial years in the country, and it was the Papillion that actually put the country on the world map . The Papillion and penal colonies are popular because they survive the ruins of the French colonization era.
•The Saint Lauren de Maroni, also known as the transportation camp is another key place to visit in French Guiana. This place is where boats transporting slaves arrive from France, and this place is close to the Tourist office where you can hear and feel some of the slave-related stories of the country. You can sign up for the morning English tour guide , if you don’t speak French.
• The Kourou- also known as “Devil’s Island”, is an island where you can find some other ruins of the French colonial empire. You can access this key region by boat from Ponton des Pecheurs in the morning , and around 7.30 am when the boat departs and returns in the afternoon.
• Visit the rocket launch site on the Kourou. The Kourou has remained France’ rocket launching site for years, and about 10 rockets are launched at this site every year. You can access this site by bus.
• Enjoy spotting wild animals at the Savannah and rainforest. Some of the animals you can spot here include; the poisonous dart frog, and the wild monkeys.
• Take a boat trip to the “Kaw” where you can spot animals such as the water fowl and Black Cayman.
• Visit Awala Yalimapo and watch the sea turtles .the sea turtles are so beautiful and stylish and the July-August season is when you can watch the baby turtles more.
French Guiana- Getting in and around
French Guyana offers lots of accommodation ranges, mostly located in the Cayenne region. You can find exotic hotels as well as smaller and low price accommodation in and around the tiny country. French Guiana can be accessed by road through Brazil and Suriname while Air France is a major airline that flies to Cayenne International airport on daily basis. Several dug-out canoe arrives on the seashore of French Guiana on daily basis, from surrounding countries.
The best possible way to move within French Guiana is by rented car which can be hired in Cayenne, Kourou , and Saint Laurent de Maroni. French Guiana has a limited public transport system , therefore it is ideal to rent a car at cheap prices.