Discovery Series – Guyana
I recently reported on Central America joining the new collection and have been closely monitoring the web for upcoming releases. Just as I anticipated, a brand new mug from South America has now made its debut. Discovery Series Guyana is a very colourful mug from a lush, culturally diverse nation renowned for its stunning rainforests, abundant wildlife, and vibrant blend of Caribbean and South American influences.
Guyana gained independence from Britain on May 26, 1966, becoming the first English-speaking country in South America. Originally colonized by the Dutch in the 17th century, the territory passed to British control in 1814 and was known as British Guiana. The country’s history was shaped by sugarcane plantations worked by enslaved Africans and later indentured laborers from India and China, creating Guyana’s diverse ethnic makeup. Located on South America’s northern coast, with 80% of its territory covered by pristine Amazon rainforest, Guyana differs dramatically from its Spanish and Portuguese-speaking neighbours. Today, Guyana balances its Caribbean cultural identity with South American geography while recent offshore oil discoveries promise economic transformation.
– St. George’s Anglican Cathedral rises as one of the world’s tallest wooden buildings, a Gothic Revival masterpiece completed in 1899 in Georgetown. The cathedral’s soaring spire reaches 143 feet, constructed entirely of local hardwoods, including greenheart.
– Stabroek Market dominates Georgetown’s waterfront with its distinctive red and yellow clock tower, a cast-iron structure imported from England and completed in 1881. The bustling market beneath the iconic tower sells everything from fresh produce to clothing, serving as Georgetown’s commercial heart.
– Kaieteur Falls plunges 741 feet in a single drop, making it one of the world’s most powerful waterfalls by volume and Guyana’s most spectacular natural wonder. Located deep in Guyana’s rainforest interior, the falls on the Potaro River remain relatively unspoiled and accessible only by small aircraft or multi-day trek.
– Jaguars prowl Guyana’s forests as apex predators, with the country supporting healthy populations of these magnificent spotted cats. Guyana’s vast, undisturbed rainforests provide ideal habitat for jaguars hunting peccaries, capybaras, and caimans.
– Anomaloglossus beebei is a tiny golden frog endemic to Guyana, found only on a few isolated mountaintops in the Kaieteur Falls region. This thumbnail-sized amphibian lives in water-filled bromeliad plants and exists nowhere else on Earth.
– Black caimans inhabit Guyana’s rivers and wetlands as South America’s largest predator, reaching lengths over 16 feet. These powerful reptiles lurk in murky waters, hunting fish, birds, and mammals, including capybaras.
– Green tree boas coil around branches in Guyana’s rainforest canopy, their emerald scales providing perfect camouflage among leaves. These non-venomous constrictors hunt birds and small mammals in the treetops, rarely descending to the forest floor.
– Tropical foliage, rainforest plants, and flowers create the lush green world defining Guyana’s landscape, with towering trees, vibrant heliconias, and countless plant species filling the forests. The country’s rainforests contain extraordinary botanical diversity with many species yet to be scientifically documented.
– Queen’s Park Swizzle is Guyana’s signature rum cocktail, a refreshing blend of Demerara rum, fruit juices, and bitters served over ice. This tropical drink showcases Guyana’s renowned rums produced from sugarcane and the cocktail culture inherited from colonial times.
– Guyanese pepperpot is the national dish, a rich stew of meat slow-cooked with cassareep (cassava-based sauce), cinnamon, and hot peppers traditionally served at Christmas. This Amerindian-origin dish can simmer for days, with flavors deepening as meat is added and the pot kept going.
