Devil's Island, French Guiana

                                 Papillon (French Guyana, March 1990)


   I’ve always liked Steve McQueen. And my favorite movie of his is “Papillon.” Perhaps what attracts me is the indomitable spirit, which will just not break—ever. Of course he’ll try to escape again! Years of deprivation, steaming jungle, unthinkable brutality, will not break him. He is Odysseus, always polumetis. And this in an idyllic Carribean setting. Gotta go there.
   On March 9, I flew to Florida and stayed with my parents at Deerfield Beach. On Sunday, I got on my flight from Miami that took me to Cayenne (stops at Pointe a Pitre, Guadeloupe, and Fort de France, Martinique). In Cayenne, I found a room at the Novotel (550 fr). A dollar is worth 5 francs.

Monday, March 12.

Cayenne is a sleepy place. The Place des Palmistes, Fort, and the colonial buildings are all very attractive.

I had dinner (poisson sauce piquante) at a Vietnamese restaurant.

Tuesday, March 13.

After a short run, I took at “collectif” (50 fr). to Kourou, where I checked into the Hotel des Roches (445 fr). Kourou is the French equivalent of our space facility at Cape Canaveral.

Wednesday, March 14.

The people at the hotel put me in touch with a helicopter pilot who agreed to take me out to the Iles du Salut (Royale, St. Joseph, and Ile du Diable) for 600 fr. The short hop was extremely beautiful. The ruins of the Bagne on St. Joseph are very moving. The cells are overgrown by the jungle, but there are a number of buildings fairly well preserved. There’s an “auberge” made from the guard’s barracks. The sea is rough and filled with sharks; the islands are very close together. Everything there conjures up visions of unspeakable brutality

Thursday, March 15.

Relaxing day. I swam, graded papers, and napped. I tried to run, but my left tibia hurt severely. (I think this one’s a stress fracture.)

I ate at the Restaurant Gastronomique (filet de Loubine, 175fr.)

Friday, March 16.

I got to the airport early, and flew back to Miami.

I’ve watched “Papillion” many times since, Given what I’d seen, I admire the McQueen character even more.