Whilst here we/I have also been sampling some of the other things Trinidad has to offer including a number of musical events, a Christmas Bazaar and The Taste of Trini food trip that Jesse organises.
I'm writing this in two parts to try to get something posted before Christmas
I'm writing this in two parts to try to get something posted before Christmas
A Taste of Trini - Life & Music
A couple of weeks ago, I went with a crowd of others to the Christmas Bazaar held on the outskirts of Port of Spain. It was a great occasion with many, many stalls selling everything: food to eat there and take away, hand- made tablecloths and clothes, jewellery, wooden craft, cards made from photographs and right near the entrance a wonderful stall selling scented candles etc so immediately on entry the smells were lovely!!!
Needless to say, I did buy a few things including a bracelet made by a group called Turtle Warrior who collect glass found on the turtle nesting beach and make it into beads in their workshop in the beachside community of Matura; and some cards of hummingbirds made and sold by the photographer who took the pictures, Rachel Lee Young, and Englishwoman who has lived in Trinidad for many years. Unfortunately, I didn’t take any photos of the place itself so this was going to be just a brief note but then I realised I could share a couple of pictures of my purchases!
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We have also been to 2/3 music events (me 3 & C 2!!).
I went with a small group organised by Jesse to the first fund-raising event for COSTAATT, the College of Science, Technology & Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, which runs a programme to encourage all ages, all backgrounds and of all financial means to attend but, like everywhere else, is greatly underfunded. The music director of the college had been the musical director of a famous calypso singer David Rutter and had persuaded him to be part of the performance. It was a great evening with a concert given by the students first and then a brilliant trio, 3 Canal, culminating with David Rutter after the interval. He was not quite what I expected (not calypso as I know it!!)but it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
I went with a small group organised by Jesse to the first fund-raising event for COSTAATT, the College of Science, Technology & Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago, which runs a programme to encourage all ages, all backgrounds and of all financial means to attend but, like everywhere else, is greatly underfunded. The music director of the college had been the musical director of a famous calypso singer David Rutter and had persuaded him to be part of the performance. It was a great evening with a concert given by the students first and then a brilliant trio, 3 Canal, culminating with David Rutter after the interval. He was not quite what I expected (not calypso as I know it!!)but it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
More recently we have been to 2 smaller events with our friends Carol and Jim from Nepenthe.
Carol and Jim have been cruising for the last 17 years and, like quite a number of other yachties we have met, have been right round the world spending many years in the Pacific and Indonesia. Most unfortunately, they were hit by a barge in the Suriname River in January (2016) and quite badly damaged. After great help with the formalities from the marina manager in Domburg Suriname, they eventually were able to limp here and Nepenthe has been out of the water being repaired since then. About 2 weeks ago now, they FINALLY 'splashed' and are now back in the water – what a relief and smiles all round!! In fact they were so happy to be floating again they spent only a couple of further days here checking things out after and are now in Grenada - as happy as can be!!
However before they went:
Carol and Jim have been cruising for the last 17 years and, like quite a number of other yachties we have met, have been right round the world spending many years in the Pacific and Indonesia. Most unfortunately, they were hit by a barge in the Suriname River in January (2016) and quite badly damaged. After great help with the formalities from the marina manager in Domburg Suriname, they eventually were able to limp here and Nepenthe has been out of the water being repaired since then. About 2 weeks ago now, they FINALLY 'splashed' and are now back in the water – what a relief and smiles all round!! In fact they were so happy to be floating again they spent only a couple of further days here checking things out after and are now in Grenada - as happy as can be!!
However before they went:
The first of these events was a Parang and Steel Band event put on by The Silver Stars Steel Band at their panyard in Port of Spain. There was a bit of a mix-up over the times and we arrived far too early but our driver and his wife took us round the Savannah area of Port of Spain where the home of the President is in the Royal Botanical Gardens and there is always a wonderful display of Christmas lights. WOW!! The road outside has been made one-way to help ease the congestion and nearby a large area is turned into a food hall every night so sightseers can get food there after cruising down the road. Quite amazing.
Shortly after returning to the panyard, the evening started and we heard some great music both Parang (explained later) and I really LOVED the steel band but unfortunately, we had to leave before the end and missed their second slot. Everyone there said it was such a shame as it hadn't really got going – great time though. | Above: Parang band |
Steel Bands are very much part of Trini (and Caribbean) life and just before Carnival there are competions with great rivalry.
I'm HOPING to see another steel band performance before we leave.
I'm HOPING to see another steel band performance before we leave.
Thursday, last week, we went (with Carol & Jim, although lots of other yachties were there too) to another Parang event held within walking distance at the Wheelhouse Bar & Restaurant. Parang is a “folk” music derived from the Venezuelan, Caribbean and African music influences and the band – the band were really great and we all had another good evening.
Even Chris was dancing at the end so it must have been!!! Among other instruments were a flute, ukulele, (I didn’t get a chance to check out it’s tuning) and a tea-chest bass!! Brilliant!
Even Chris was dancing at the end so it must have been!!! Among other instruments were a flute, ukulele, (I didn’t get a chance to check out it’s tuning) and a tea-chest bass!! Brilliant!
So that’s a taste of Trini life; now onto THE Taste of Trini.
A Taste of Trini - Food
This is a trip that everyone you ask says you MUST go on. It’s run by Jesse (again!) and he takes a bus load round the island (well North & Central anyway) tasting all kinds of street food on offer. We tasted over 70 different foods – luckily we had been warned not to have breakfast and only a light tea the night before!!
At around 9.30 am, Jesse collected the group from Power Boats where his office is, and then came around to pick 4 of us up from Peakes Yard and off we went. We didn’t get very far at first though as the first stop was on the road between the Power Boats and Peakes yards and their entrances are about 50 yards/metres apart!!!
He stopped the van and started the day by getting Coconut bake, with salt fish, smoked herring and chicken gizzard (coloured green and not my usual fare but I had decided to try everything and actually found it very tasty – in small quantities!!); he brought the food back to the van and then handed out plates, forks and kitchen roll, before dividing it into small taster portions. At that stage, we ate it all up – we later knew better!!!!
(I can’t list everything we tried although I did make a note of it all and much of the spelling is guess-work!!
He stopped the van and started the day by getting Coconut bake, with salt fish, smoked herring and chicken gizzard (coloured green and not my usual fare but I had decided to try everything and actually found it very tasty – in small quantities!!); he brought the food back to the van and then handed out plates, forks and kitchen roll, before dividing it into small taster portions. At that stage, we ate it all up – we later knew better!!!!
(I can’t list everything we tried although I did make a note of it all and much of the spelling is guess-work!!
We had the inevitable doubles (a baked bread with Channa – Chickpeas made into a “stew” – with pepper sauce to taste, a staple breakfast/lunch food; then more and more breakfast items – pies of beef and potato & cheese; roti with beans, tomatoes, potatoes; macaroni pie with cheese; cow heel soup (where the men are meant to eat part of the cow heel to help with their “performance”, if you know wht I mean!!) ; |
near Arima, katchorie and saheena (a spinach and chickpea flour fritter); near Valencia, BBQ pigtail (that I’m afraid I ducked out of as I’m not that fond of BBQ sauce – well that was my excuse but Chris said was good). We seemed to have at least 2 lunches! Near Sangre Grande, one with cassava, sweet potato and tasheen (pork) followed by fruits. |
We sthen topped at Manzanilla Beach on the East coast of Trinidad where we sat at one of the staone pinic table and benches and we had 4 different types of curry, beef, chicken, goat and mango; with 2 sorts of bread dahl and something else I couldn’t catch. Jesse also provide drinks so we had Peanut punch, lovely in small quantities; soursop (a type of fruit I think) – delicious; and mauby (made form the bark of the mauby tree and sweetened) OK but rather sweet.
We slowed down a bit after lunch but still managed to try10 or twelve different sweet snacks including spiced sour plum that I did NOT like! In Tabaquite we had pork cutters which was small pieces of roast pork and were absolutely delicious. Most of the pork we have found here has been pretty tender but with little taste so this was a real treat. There was also a very tasty coconut bread and bread pudding – just like Mother used to make!!
During the tour Jesse kept up a running commentary about the places we were travelling through; explaining among other things that the summer had been so wet that. although the wataer melon had grown to a really good size, it was so wet that they could not be harvested and lay rotting on the ground causing as much hardship as if they had not grown!!
The list went on with a supper of gym won, stewed lentils; mac(aroni) salad, grilled fish, cinnamon fried plantain pork and pickles.
This was about it but our final stop was not far from the boatyards where Jesse insisted we all found room for a “small” ice cream. I had pistachio - a lwonderful bright green in colour but mmmmmmmmm, delicious.
We were dropped off, totally full, at nearly 8.00; after a great day of godd and very intersting food and, of course, great company.
A truly wonderful trip.
During the tour Jesse kept up a running commentary about the places we were travelling through; explaining among other things that the summer had been so wet that. although the wataer melon had grown to a really good size, it was so wet that they could not be harvested and lay rotting on the ground causing as much hardship as if they had not grown!!
The list went on with a supper of gym won, stewed lentils; mac(aroni) salad, grilled fish, cinnamon fried plantain pork and pickles.
This was about it but our final stop was not far from the boatyards where Jesse insisted we all found room for a “small” ice cream. I had pistachio - a lwonderful bright green in colour but mmmmmmmmm, delicious.
We were dropped off, totally full, at nearly 8.00; after a great day of godd and very intersting food and, of course, great company.
A truly wonderful trip.