De Blik van Dick

In thirty short stories Dick Spijker takes you on a trip to Suriname and introduces you to the country, its inhabitants, culture, nature and all other things he experienced along the way. He captures his views in such a descriptive way that you feel as if you’ve been there yourself.

The book starts off by describing his arrival at the airport and how everyone including the customs officer, taxi driver and shopkeepers welcome him to their Suriname. During the months Dick and his wife lived in Suriname, they discovered and experienced the different flavors of Surinamese food, attended an Indian wedding, traveled by taxi, boat and local busses, visited schools, watched sea turtles laying their eggs and where charmed by the historical inner city of Paramaribo.

“On our very first day in Suriname we saw a howling monkey. We took a boat trip on the Saramacca river from Bloemendaal and were overwhelmed by the abundance, diversity and beauty of the flora and fauna. It was our first introduction to the Amazon rainforest. When we heard the monkeys or saw branches move, we yelled ‘Monkey alert!’.”

After a holiday in Suriname in 2014, Dick and his wife Joke decided to return and stay in the country for a longer period of time. They were involved in various projects, especially along The Upper Suriname River where Dick worked and wrote these engaging stories. With a sharp look as a trained observer, with a touch of melancholy, with a critical note here and there, but also with a wink and a healthy dose of humor. ■