Michael Zervos, a Greek‑American former filmmaker who says he has visited all 195 countries in the world, told British media that a market in the Guyanese capital Georgetown felt "like a real‑life horror movie." Zervos said locals had warned him against exploring Stabroek Market, but he entered the sprawling trading area anyway and found open drug dealing and visible sex work.
"It is one of those warehouse‑style markets. Drugs are traded openly, and there is sex work as well," Zervos told The Mirror in an interview recounted in a Daily Mail report. Guyana, a South American nation roughly the size of Great Britain, was one of the stops he singled out as particularly disturbing during his global journey.
Zervos completed his visits to every country in 499 days, a trip he said began about three years ago. He described the project as more than sightseeing: he asked people he met in different places to describe the happiest day of their lives as a way to explore what brings joy across cultures. He also told reporters he enjoyed visits to several countries, citing Liechtenstein and Madagascar among places he found memorable.
In his account, Zervos emphasised the contrast between those positive experiences and the moments that unsettled him. He discussed how warnings from locals shaped his expectations before entering some locations, but said he sometimes proceeded regardless to see for himself. The Mirror conducted the interview; the remarks were later summarised in the Daily Mail.
Stabroek Market occupies a central role in Georgetown’s commercial life, housing numerous vendors and stalls in a market complex. Zervos’s description focused on the market’s informal economy and the elements he found troubling rather than broader historical or economic context. Independent accounts and reporting on the market have documented its importance to daily trade in the city, along with periodic concerns about crime and public order that authorities and local organisations have addressed at times.
Zervos’s project has attracted attention for its scope and speed. Travellers who attempt to visit every country commonly face logistical, bureaucratic and safety challenges, and Zervos’s account highlights the differing conditions encountered from one place to another. He framed his journey as an effort to document a wide array of human experiences by asking a single question about personal happiness, a method he said helped him connect with people while travelling.
The comments about Georgetown add to ongoing public discussion about visitor safety in unfamiliar urban environments. Authorities in Guyana have in recent years sought to bolster policing and urban services in Georgetown, while tourism officials continue to promote the country’s natural attractions and cultural offerings. Zervos’s impressions are one traveller’s account and reflect his subjective experience of a specific location within the city.