By Jasmaine Payne
“LEH we tek ah walk!”
With a slogan like that, one would no doubt expect nothing but a pure Guyanese experience, and Provotique Walking Tours will give just that to anyone who signs up for the adventure.
Let’s face it! When we hear of tours in Guyana, few of us think of Georgetown as a main attraction, and instead look to the outer bounds, where our majestic Kaieteur Falls and other natural attractions lie. Sure! We’ve got the St. George’s Cathedral and a barrage of other historical landmarks throughout our streets! But unless we head out and see them on our own, there’s really no one to give us that guided experience of the Garden City. That is, until now!

While over the years, companies have offered tours of Georgetown, Provotique is a fresh spin on things, with a team of young, enthusiastic visionaries seeking to enrich the minds of tourists and locals alike with fun and interesting facts about the seeming everyday features of key parts of Georgetown.
The virgin establishment currently offers tours in two areas: Main Street and the Botanical Gardens/Independence Arch.
With only a few weeks of existence, however, the group has thus far turned heads.
So, why should Guyanese sign up for this experience? It’s simple: To know the world, you must first know your home. And, what better place to start but your Capital City? As for tourists… Well, they just love tours in general! So why not make it available first within their reach?

THE TOUR: WHAT TO EXPECT
I was privileged to be given a tour by the bubbly Candasy Layne (pronounced Can-daisy, like the flower, she says), a 24-year- old with an infectious smile, and a warm, welcoming demeanour. She was accompanied by a police officer, who would be our escort for the duration of the tour. This, I was told, is a permanent feature of every excursion… For added security.
I was first presented with a delightful little package which consisted a brochure, a bottle of water, and a delicious packet of “chicken foot”; giving it a nice local touch, if I do say so myself.
The tour began in front of the Pegasus Hotel, where we were given short introductions before heading off, with a silent but attentive Officer Cooper in tow.
We were given an exclusive insight into 20 historic landmarks, beginning with the Umana Yana, past State House and the Sacred Heart Church, around and inside the St. George’s Cathedral (we should all take some time to experience the ambience of that place), past City Hall and the High Court, before ending the tour at the Public Buildings, from whence we were also given a glimpse of the Stabroek Market.
Throughout the excursion, there was hardly a dull moment as the tour guide was visibly engaged in what she did, and strove to make us as comfortable as possible. And while there are minor improvements that could be made, the initiative itself is promising enough to be added to a list of “Things to do in Georgetown”.
Needless to say, one of the highest points of the tour was observing just how clean the streets were; free of clogged drains and piles of rubbish which would no doubt have been a distraction for tourists, had this initiative been launched only a year prior.

GOING FORWARD
In the not so distant future, Provotique plans adding to its roster specialised tours for schoolchildren and other target groups. They also hope to introduce tours on donkey carts and bicycles, all in the name of keeping things interesting.
Soon, too, the group hopes to meet with President Granger, whom they say had expressed an interest in the initiative, so as together they can discuss other opportunities that could help them improve their venture.
More specifically, the group has come to life at a crucial time, just as Guyana is preparing for its 50th Independence Anniversary Celebrations.
Seeing that the country is expecting a large influx of tourists and overseas-based Guyanese, Candasy says that the group will no doubt seek to fulfill the need of educating these persons about the history of our Capital City.
“We already have bookings made by persons who will be coming in for the 50th Anniversary, who are very excited to gain more knowledge about where they’re from,” she said.
“Also, many Guyanese have children who are interested in knowing where their parents are from, so we can cater to that,” she added.
But it’s not only about tourists. The group encourages locals to also take the opportunity to get to know their country more. “Believe it or not, a lot of people don’t know the history of the places right in our town, so this is a good initiative to give the locals fun facts and history while delivering and restoring that sense of nationalism in the country,” Candasy said.
Overall, it was two-and-a-half hours well spent. Yes, two-and-a-half hours! So, if you’re signing up, do ensure that you walk with a fully charged camera battery, comfortable shoes, and sunscreen, if necessary. Water is provided.
Either way, it is hard to deny that this is a welcomed feature to the schedule of things in this beautiful country of ours.
So, by all means, “tek ah walk”, and indulge in the rich history that Georgetown has to offer.