Off The Charts In Guyana - Bartica

Future vision

Welcome sign for those just off the river pirogues

Bartica is a frontier town.  People and supplies queue here before heading into the bush.  We often saw young miners (Guyanese, Brazilian and other) walking around town in their rubber boots with backpacks.  It’s a mining town.  References to the frontier towns of the Wild West are not uncommon.  However, it is also an average town in many ways with construction and growth going on.  Interesting place.

 

Sign says it all but there is so much more once you go inside

Fancy eh?  Boodhoo's General Store - serious hardware store inside

Love the name

Mining and logging are big industries in Guyana.  Bartica is filled with hardware stores that sell your regular run of the mill hardware store items along with gear specific to these industries:  picks, shovels, rubber boots, scales (for measuring), hardhats, backpacks, huge scoops for a skidster loader and giant chains (like those on a bicycle but bigger) for road and hauling equipment. 

Standard hardware store supplies

I'll take two please

Transport vehicles

Beverage and tyre delivery

Loading up to head into the interior

Big transport truck repair shop

Add on generator to the city power plant - LOUD

 It is not uncomon in the Caribbean for houses to also have a small retail store in front or small snackette or simply sell things like meat, eggs, bread, etc...out of the house.

Local roving preacher with mic and rolling speaker - friendly guy

New, active construction - mixed use

Pedistrian walkway called the Arcade - heat of the day so it is empty

In addition to the regular stores, there was a pedestrian walkway called the Arcade that was nothing but small booths selling anything and everything.  There were also vendors on the main street as well.

Street vendor

Another marina for river pirogues