Parika

Parika is the place where the roads stop and the rivers take over, a landing on the east bank of the Essequibo where the ferry to the far shore loads vehicles and the speedboats leave for the interior whenever they fill up. The market beside the stelling runs on boat time rather than on clock time, and it is busiest in the early morning. Crates of pineapple and plantain go down to the water on people's shoulders. Almost nobody stays here. Everybody simply passes through on the way to the islands, the coast or Bartica.