Posts Tagged With: Trinidad

Off de road, Trinidad Carnival 

Posted on February 22, 2016 by erikamae82

So you’re on the side of the road watching this glorious event and you’re thinking… Will they ever stop? Do these energizer bunnies just drink their way through Port of Spain for 12 hours straight?! I’m sure there’s a few that do, but for the majority there’s a lunch stop included with your costume package. This year, I’m connected to the section called Bliss. Representing Bikini Cabana, I was the hairstylist provided for all touch ups, pin ups and extra love to help the girls feel refreshed before heading back out to the madness.  
First let’s walk around the lunch stop.  There was different venues providing food and drink options as well as a variety of promotional stands giving away complimentary gifts.  

 

The bathrooms? These were of higher quality and cleanliness than half the concerts I’ve been at in proper venues. I’m sure it makes pulling up the tights over sticky sweaty skin a bit easier(ish).

Now to our tent! This is inside before the sun kissed, bedazzled (slightly beat up) group arrived. My little section is on the right with two chairs, a steady table and an abundunce of hair product.

      

A quick wipe and mouth rinse, why not?! Chilled bottles of beer and Prosecco as well as ice-cream and water. Yes please! This is all of course in addition to the complimentary lunch options ranging from fish, meat, veggies and salads to basic sandwiches and snacks. 

  They’ve made it! Try to imagine for a quick minute how they must be feeling. A combination of excietment (they’ve waited a year for this!) exhaustion (walking and dancing for miles) overheated (we are in the Caribbean) giddy (playing all day in fun costumes with some of your best friends). Did I mention hungry? Now bottle all of that up and try it on for size! 

 Jumping over to my small part in this massive performance…     

     
While some were getting all dolled up, others were taking an appropriate cat nap. I can imagine this was their first opportunity to actually sleep since who knows, last Thursday maybe!? Check out the blistered heel, I’m sure this was just one of the thousands of battle scars acquired during the festival.

 Suited up, rested up and ready for de road!

  

As the last feathered headdress disappeared into the soca blasting streets, we were left with an empty tent, drops of Prosecco and some remaining cups of ice cream.  “We” being me and the amazing group from the restaurant Kato’s Place.  They were here and popular by demand do to the tub-o-bubbles they brought with them. Next time you’re in Trinidad please make time to check out the cool vibe, excellent service and top rated happy hour at their new joint! A huge thanks to my new friends, personal tour guides, Roti trying, Prosecco providing, all smiles of a crew! Samantha, Ashleigh, Tiffany and Shaq… Wouldn’t of been the same without ya!  

 
Another thank you to Vanessa and Bikini Cabana for the opportunity to be a part of this spectacular event! Looking forward to the next round! 

 

Categories: Edibles!, Fashion from a backpack, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The greatest show on earth

Posted on February 19, 2016 by erikamae82

Monday and Tuesday make up the grand finale of the previous weeks celebrating Carnival in Trinidad, “The greatest show on earth”. Costumes were distributed to the participants and they’ve been gearing up for the next 48 hours of prancing, dancing, drinking and eating (only if you dare while squeezed into those barely there bikinis). 

A house or hotel room this time of year typically has a few areas designated towards Carnival.  Costumes, clothes, drinks, coolers, and enough random wrist bands from all the parties to create a chain-link fence. Here we have bedazzled tanks and itty-bitty bikini bottoms being stretched over chairs, believe me from experience… It’s necessary. A makeup table that looks like a production off a movie set accompanied by enough hair product to open a salon. An abundance of jewels, beads, chains, art supplies and one hot glue gun for the universal fix-it tool.


Complimentary survival tray provided by the hostess. Jax, you’re amazing!  

Ooh and what did we find here? Sneak-a-nap between parties (with the Barbados flag in hand.. way to represent Clint!)

 

My contribution to this controlled chaos? Hair skills. I found myself behind the scenes for this magical time of year with the honor of making each hair client feel even more spectacular that they already are. Here’s a look at what my hands were doing while all of this was going on.    

 

Where did I find the space for these lovely ladies? Thanks to Vanessa at Bikini Cabana I was able to set up a make-shift salon connected to her store. Here’s a few examples of what they offer (especailly for the “Monday wear” described below). How I walked away without giving in and purchasing something is still beyond me.

Carnival Monday is less intense in regards to the length of time they parade the streets and the extent of the costumes.  The women create their own “Monday wear” by adjusting dresses, customizing swimsuits or simply rockin it raw and casual. Carnival Tuesday is the “full shibang” with head pieces, feathers, beads, diamonds and sparkles. The following is a mesh of both days, random sights, a variety of looks and too much fun. 

     

           
  For some of the most brilliant photos of these costumes, please visit the page of an upcoming photographer who captured the vibrance exuding from the day.  World, meet Keshav D. Ramnath!

Towards the end of the day, I took advantage of a different perspective. Where was I? My new friend Ashleigh is close with the owner of Studio, a hidden gem that happened to have a portion of the bands crossing right in front! Funky decor, happy people, Prosecco and a balcony view… Perfect! 

   They even offered complimentary tasty treats (enter a puckered up sarcastic face here).  These are salt prunes soaked in Tequila. I was keen for the Tequila, not so much the salty prune.  I’ve had worse, but I didn’t go back for seconds. 

As the better part of the day continued, the party didn’t quit. The music still echoed through the streets of Port of Spain as the participants went strong in full costume.  How did they manage to keep that gorgeous fresh look?  I’d personally like to take partial credit. My position on these days placed me at the lunch break in the Bliss tent. I was there for any girls request to touch up their lovely locks. In the following post you’ll get a glimpse of what you don’t see from the road. Courtesy of Bikini Cabana, I was able to be front and center in my favorite spot… Behind the chair! 

  

Above photo by Peter Sheppard
 

Categories: Accommodations, Art, Edibles!, Fashion from a backpack, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No alarm clock needed

Posted on February 15, 2016 by erikamae82

Carnival in Trinidad is known as the “Greatest show on earth”. First off, it’s not just a day of parading around in eccentric costumes, it’s two full days of sunrise to sundown music, chipping, drinking, whining, dancing, laughing, eating and celebrating through the streets in Port of Spain. There’s not a pre-party, there are hundreds to choose from! From local fetes to raging events, concerts, fashion shows and pretty much any other reason to gather together.  I tell you Trinidadians have the stamina beyond that of what I’ve seen.  An Irishman might put you under drink for drink, but if you want to keep up around here, you have to match day to day, night tonight, back to back!
Although it seems to be an unspoken sin to fly all the way over here (with the other 240,000 international guests) and not participate, it’s what I’ve chosen to do. I came to Trinidad with the drive to do hair for the wonderful ladies of Carnival during these exciting days. With that said, I didn’t really partake in the extravaganza that is Carnival, so for this post I’m only going to highlight a few of the events leading up to the big days.
Lets start with the one and only that I attended (thank you Joe and Pumpkin!), called Revel. This is categorized as a cooler party meaning you bring your own ice-chest with drinks and enjoy the overall chilled energy. 

 

The venue is just outside the Queens Park Oval Cricket stadium in Port of Spain. A stage is set with two main areas, general admission and VIP. 

 

Before the crowd gathered I took a walk around to show you the layout. Here’s looking at the field then I did a 180 turn and stood with my back to the stadium looking at the entrance to the VIP section. 

 
Just beyond that gate is general admission where they sell food, drinks and give away things such as temporary tattoos, flyers and merchandise. If you’re anything of a soca fan, you’ll recognize the name below… Machel Montano. Yep, he was the performer on this evening!  

 

Back to the VIP side is where you’ll find, complementary food to nibble on and a clear view of the crowd amped for the main event… As well as the amazing people I came to join!

  
    
 

Show time! Heart pounding, hip thrusting, flag waving, energy elevating and nothing shy of purely entertaining (if you like the music or not) type of performance.

 
Care to hear a glimpse of the sounds that caused this entire audience to jump, wave their flags and shout along? I only had a point a shoot camera, but here’s a one minute video of Machel performing one of his hits, Like uh Boss! For more quality visuals and different songs, I suggest just googling his name.

Fun Fact:  Machel Monatano was my first concert in Barbados, check out that post called Dining and dancing the Bajan way.

Moving on to the next event. Keep in mind Revel (from above) went till dawn and the one you’re about to see was prepped at Dawn.  This country doesn’t sleep!

Down de islands, DDI, best fete, the one and only pre-Carnival party… Call it what you want but this is known as the must-do , don’t miss events of the week. I didn’t attend (you’ll see why in the next post) but I have been down de islands on a much smaller scale seen in Through the sea and down de islands.

Short and sweet- it’s a huge day full of music, boats, bikinis, drinks and energetic people that don’t appear as if they were out all night just hours ago. I chose my favorite picture to show you… Just a glimpse. 

 

So get this, Revel was Friday, DDI was Saturday and now we’re on to Sunday. For all my American football fans, imagine doing all of the above, then going to a Super Bowl Party (which they did) and then continuing on right through Carnival (which they did!) I tell you, their party drive is impressive. And yes, although some pick and choose, many people do all the fetes! 

Next up is J’ouvert. Now I know you’ve seen this, again just on a smaller scale. It’s a part of Cropover in Barbados as well.  Sneak a peak at those memorable days by clicking the link to dirty clean fun!

This is another evening I didn’t attend  (I know… I know!) but here’s what I did gather from the happy crew I was staying with.

A few photos I snagged before the bus took the group into the streets of mud and paint.  What a lovely clean bunch…

  

 
And then… The night passed and the sun came up.

   

So they’ve had weeks of parties leading up to a cooler fete, all day on boats in the sun, a Super Bowl party to all night playing in mud and paint and now? Now they have just a couple hours (if that) to wash off, dress up and get to the beginning of the 2 day Carnival parades. Can you beleive the lovely people from the night above transformed into the stunning stars below? Them and thousands of others traded in mud soaked skin for bedazzled bikinis and a fresh drink. Coming up… Carnival Monday! 

 

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Heavy peppa please!

Posted on February 12, 2016 by erikamae82

I’m going to be honest here and let you know that I’m finding it a bit challenging to organize the 10 days of Trinidad that I just experienced. It was a whirlwind from farms to fetes, food to new friends and a lot of work with a touch of play. 
I’ll start with my favorites which is of course is amazing friends and tasty food! Before you read on, I invite to jump over to the post from last year when I tried everything edible within reach. Just click this little link and you’ll see much more of what Trinidad has to offer!

Breakfast: What trip to this island would be complete without a double or three? Doubles are a common street delight that contains channa, an option of pepper sauce and a cucumber chutney. Here’s a photo of famous George and his stand. Note to self and others: Please try other doubles on this island as they range so much in flavor and texture. Joe, thank you for ordering me three separate kinds so I could try the variety of sauces and spices. Amazing friend you are!

  

 Here’s what I’ve found in regards to Trinidad and their pepper sauce. “No sauce” is obviously the most mild, “Slight peppa” is supposed to be spicy but tolerable and “heavy peppa” is rarely ordered due to the extreme kick. Because I’ve ordered heavy peppa several times and questioned if they forgot to even add it… I can only assume they went light for the visitor since “you don’t know Trini peppa”.  

Dear Trinidad, please follow through with your peppa threats… I like to sweat a little.



Feeling more for a green start to your day?  Option 2 is a farm in which invites you to walk, snoop, pick and eat straight from the vine (or in other words, my happy place). Welcome to U Pick vegetable farm and coffee shop!

 It’s a large open property located on Tucker Valley Road in Chaguaramas. There’s several green houses, rows of vegetables and my favorite part which was an indoor area that provides fruit, veggies, snacks and drinks. Lets work from the inside out. 

  

  If you’re similar to me, you’ll start selecting away until your arms are full and a staff member will politely (with a concerned look) offer you a bag or basket after you’ve almost dropped the melon. Here, they have creatively placed these adorable wagons for your shopping pleasure.  

Care to choose off the vine?  No problem!

 I was lucky enough to hop in the truck with Perry and head off to the corn fields. This immediately brought back memories of the post Can chickens smell a chicken? 

  If you ever find yourself on the green mountainous island of Trinidad, I highly suggest you make your way to this fresh farm, not only for your edibles, but an experience leaving you with a green thumb!

Lunch: I had a bundle of fresh fruit with me so I was in search of something to complement it. Look what I found! Homemade plain yogurt with crushed almonds and dates inside. I appreciated that there was no food coloring or artificial flavors. You could clearly taste the nutty enhancement from the crunchy almonds and the true flavor of the dates that were the only added sweetness to the combo.  Delicious! 

 

Dinner party (for the boys): Cards, drinks, meat and Mac pie.  

This wasn’t the Macpie that the restaurants slab on your plate, this was Auntie Linda’s homemade delight. I believe I gave her more entertainment than she expected as I jumped around the kitchen like paparazzi. I loved watching her try and contain the shy smile that so often smirked along her face. I asked her how many times she’s made this and her response was the same look you’d get from asking a surfer how many shorts they’ve owned or questioning the number of guitar picks a musician has jammed through… Uncountable.  

    
 

Now let me introduce you to my new friends (and dinner company) that so willingly took me under their wing in full determination to enhance my trip.  From left to right is Samantha, then Tiffany, Ashleigh and Shaq. Girls, it wouldn’t of been the same without you! (More events to come with these lovely ladies).

 My dinner with the girls above: Roti! Please notice there’s no microwave, ketchup bottles or machines around this stand. Just hard work, busy hands and real ingredients. In typical West Indies restaurants your options may include chicken, conch, goat, beef, shrimp and channa. Vegetables can also be added including potato, lentils, pumpkin, okra and spinach as well a variety of condiments like pepper sauce (hot sauce), a cucumber-cilantro(ish) sauce they call shado beni and a sweet chutney being the most popular. On the street, your options can be limited but never short of a tasty original Roti.

I ordered an all veggie with extra pumpkin and Ashleigh proceeded to get me a beef and potato to try as that’s more common around here. Perfect hosts if you ask me!
   

 It wouldn’t be right if you finished one of these with clean hands, so as a backpacker would, I raised my sauce covered fingers with (what I can imagine) a look of debate on my face. “Hmm, option A- wipe them on my pants. Option B- find a friend with a water bottle or… smile with pride when Ashleigh caught my attention”. She walked me over to complete my experience with the proper hand wash that most street Roti vendors offer. 

 

Midnight snack: (Of course typically taken on the way home after an evening of partying) On this night, we stopped for one of my favorite local flavors, Trini corn soup!  Every recipe is different but generally in contains corn, squash or pumkin, peppers, onion, garlic and spices.  Some venders will throw in dumplings and all will offer you pepper sauce and shado beni (the cucumber cilantro-ish item described above). Thank you Raj and Clint for treating me to this indulgence… And the friend who let me finish his.

 

Next post: The reason I’ve actually landed myself here in Trinidad.  Lookin forward to the beginning of fancy feathers, jewels, hairspray and hair play!

Categories: Edibles!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do Trini’s speak English?

Posted on February 6, 2016 by erikamae82

I’ve traveled over a small part of the Caribbean sea to experience what has been titled as “The best show on earth”.  If you’re familiar with the worldwide event of Carnival, you’ll know that I’ve landed in one of the top celebrated locations.  Welcome to Trinidad! Before we dive in to the controlled chaotic parties, elaborate costumes, all night events and some of the most energetic people on this planet… Lets meet the country first. If you’d like to see past detailed posts, click here and check out the land, food, adventure and culture. For now I’m just going to familiarize you with where the island is on the globe. 

 
Here’s a glimpse of its proportion to other parts of the world to give you an idea of the land size populating over 1.3 million people.

 Now for the fun part of this post! I often get asked “Do they speak English where you are?” Lets find out…

English Language: a west Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England; a body of words and the systems for their use common to a people who are of the same community or nation.

Language used in Trinidad: Not English.

Trini slang: a mixture of shortened words and phrases commonly used in daily communication.

Technically the language of Trinidad is English, however let me tell you that their verbiage is far from what the average English speaking person would recognize. Take a look at some of the phrases you may encounter while visiting the island of Trinidad. Here are just a few of my favorites!

Jus’ now – in a little while (5 minutes, a day, next week. Pretty much anytime except right now… Go figure)

One time – right now.  “Yuh come dis way one time” (I’d be like, just once? Really… That’s it… Never again?)

Jus’so – out of the blue

Lime – to hang out in a social setting “I feelin to lime”.

Fete – a party… a big one with drinks, loud music and “nuff” (enough or a lot) people.  

Fuh true – in truth, for real. “Fuh true? You lie!”

Boomsie – the backside, bum, toosh, etc.

Shif yuh carcass – move over, get going

Sweet too bad –really nice, pleasant, attractive “Dred, dat gyul (girl) eh play she sweet too bad!”

Screw up yuh face – to make a face in disgust 

Vex – real angry “she make yuh rel vex, now yuh screw up yuh face”

Bacchanal (back-en-aul) – Scandal, heavy quarreling or a big party

Go doh make sheep -direct translation: “goat don’t make sheep” 

Bess – hot, attractive, sexy, appealing “ooh, she uh bess ting”

Maco (mah-coh) – someone who minds other people’s business; nosey

Awah – generally used at the end of a sentence in place of “or what” – “yuh limin, awah?”

Wha yuh for? –  “what do you want to do?

Dan dans – fancy clothes or dress up outfit


Words or phrases that you won’t hear in Trinidad:

The – If they even include it in a sentence it’s pronounce “dee” or “de”.

Examples:  “Yuh bring the punchy punch?”  Or “We goin down de islands”

Friend – Instead they refer to people close to them as family or they’ll use slang words.

Examples: Breddda (brother) Tanti (auntie) Hoss (“horse”, which in America would be “dawg”) Dred (friend) Gyul (girl)

Any word starting with “Th” is replaced with “D” or “T”– Try it, seriously any word. “Three” is tree & “Them” is dem.

Quick story a local friend told me.  When he was fifteen he was preparing to leave the island to go study in Canada.  Knowing the English language, his family tried to help (or just make fun) by having him repeat the number 3,333. It went like this:

“Tree thousand, tree hundred n thirty tree… No, Three thousand, tree hundred n tirty three… Ugh, THree THousand, THree hundred n tirty THree..”  You get the idea of why his family encouraged this entertainment. (Side note, he’s now one of the most successful business men on the island.  They call him the serial entrepreneur).

Pretty much any other word fully pronouciated – Sentences just don’t make sense or sound anything close to English.  A personal example was when I met a new friend here.

Him: “Ah hyar yuh livin dong by dey so?”

Me: “Uhh, I think I heard living… Say it again please?”

Him: (really slowly): “Haha, I say ahh hyyyar  yuh (as he points to me) livin dunnn by de so (as he points away)”.

Me: “Yeh, I got nothin”.

Turns out he had heard I was staying in Barbaods and was asking if it’s true. I still giggle over our entire interaction. 

Something I’ve learned in years of traveling is that pretending to know what someone is saying only leads to mass confusion and you looking “dotish” (stupid or like a foolish person). One time, smiling and nodding bought me a dozen hard boiled eggs and heavy cooking creme.  I was going for a dozen raw eggs and cottage cheese. Lesson learned.

Categories: Travel talk, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Through the sea and “down de islands”

Posted on September 28, 2015 by erikamae82

As we said our farewell to Duane and his wonderful guidance through the island of Tobago, we snagged a ride back to the ferry.  I don’t want to pass up an opportunity to acknowledge a few little ones that made me smile.  These adorable faces tagged along for small talk for the entire journey and I loved every second of it!  My favorite part? Her hair, little ones cheesy puff covered fingers and the older ones smile while explaining that the top of the cupcake is the best part. (Enter my happy face here!)

Back to Trinidad meant another trek on the vomit comit with high hopes that Ryan and I weren’t the only ones that don’t get sea sick. This ride was better, especially because I got to see Eric again! Remember the mention of his name in Biggest little island of Tobago, well not only did we connect again, I got a tour of the ferry.  Thanks pal!  

 Trinidad.

There’s a popular spot that many retreat too for a getaway. Maybe you go every weekend or just for the holidays, either way it can be considered a mini vacation.  I was lucky enough to be invited to join Ryan in a trip down de islands for a day of food, drink and socializing.

Typically, you meet at the dock where someone from your destination will send for a boat or in our case, personally come get you! 

  

 Once we reached our dwelling place for the afternoon, it was clear it would be a day of friends, food and good times.  Lets take a walk around!  

   

   
Lunch was a treat not only to eat, but an experience to watch the process from the beginning. Hours of preparation, several ingredients, a head chef and a few helpers equaled a variety of flavors with cultural depth. Curried channa, meat stew, fish soup and a sweet n’cheesy dessert. This was of course along the side of many appetizers, snacks and self serve drinks.   
   
Wouldn’t you know it that I got the soup that was looking back at me!  I’ll consider it good luck. 

 

So besides eating, what do you do while on an island with a group of fun people? Enjoy them!  

 
Then there’s Ryan of course, my idol in the world of energized, water-loving acrobatics. He saw something elevated with a aquatic landing… for him, it was a must do! 

…over and over and over again.   
It wouldn’t be a typical day in a tropicl place without the afternoon sprinkle… or down poor.

  
As the sun hid behind the surrounding ridges, a few retreated to the patio as the rest of us went back to the main land. What an unexpected day on the outskirts of Trinidad.

   

 Thank you Joe for the welcoming vibe on my first trip down de islands!

   

Thought of the day:

Would you rather be stuck on an island with 3 friends and no supplies… or stranded out to sea with one friend and a month of supplies?
 

Categories: Edibles!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Birds have the best view

Posted on September 18, 2015 by erikamae82

There were so many magnificent spots that Adam, Chastine and Halcyon shared with us, that I’ve decided to bulk a bunch into one post. Sit back, keep up and enjoy!

Fort George was once used as a signal station back in the early 1800’s and now hosts as a historical site looking over Port of Spain. After seeing the incredible view, it’s no wonder this was the prime lookout point for any possible invasions.
   

  

      
Also a perfect spot for a picnic… and a handstand.

  

This is a large tower nearby that granted another spectacular view. We were warned to keep an eye out and tonot “hang out” up there. Apparently there are sketchy people that have been known to come out from the bush and attack onlookers. Excuse me, say that again? No way! Oh well, up the tower we went!

  

The biggest challenge was dodging the bird droppings below your feet and falling from above.  

    

Thank you Chastine for the quick girls trip venturing to the capitals city streets! Downtown Port of Spain was similar to most cities with discount stores offering clothes, fabric, phones, plastic toys, jewelry and more.  We were in and out, so here are just a few photos I snapped during our jaunt.
      

Fast food, street food, full restaurants and coffee shops offered a variety of options if you needed a snack break. We opt for sharing a Double. Just like other foods, it seems like each vendor varies in quality, flavor and texture. Some of the fried bread is thick and are almost paper thin. The channa mix inside ranges from runny to almost paste like. Today we both enjoyed the flavor and texture of this one!

Fun fact “Double” is for the 2 pieces of wrap. You can choose to have a single or even a tripe if you want! 

 

Another pit stop was to a local food court called the Breakfast shed. It offers typical Trini cuisine in a court that reminded me of an outdoor cafeteria. 
   
I went with fish stew and salad with pepper sauce. Delicious! I’d never turn down a chance to try veggies. Here we have provisions which is starchy vegetables like pumpkin, cassava, plantain and potato. 

Chastine ordered Oxtail. Yep, that’s exactly what it was… tail of an ox. No thank you. Along the side is Calalloo (one of my new favorites) over a dense spongy cornmeal bread (not my favoite) called coo-coo. 

 On a different day, we all headed south for a quick foodie request that allowed us to try a handful of Trini-Indian bites. My favorite was a crispy spinach, fried dough mystery-of-a-treat with a scoop of channa in the middle.    
  
We shared a variety of sweets just for the fun of it. None of them pictured below struck me as amazing, but certainly worth a try!  

    
Awh coconut water with a side of jelly! Just like my favorite coconut stands in Barbados, you collect the water and ask for the jelly. Super serving of electrolytes and major hydration, yes please! 

 

I’d like to wrap up this post with random shots taken from the passengers seat this week.  In no specific order… here’s more of Trinidad! 

    
   

Categories: Edibles!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tour me Trinidad!

Posted on September 15, 2015 by erikamae82

Before arriving to Trinidad, I was informed that it’s mainly industrial with busy city streets.  For those who “warned me” of this, I fear that you haven’t seen the greener side of this beautiful country. Our friends (dubbed amazing tour guides) took us to 3 attractions that I’m sure are in every travel guidebook for this lovely island.

First stop was in the Tucker Valley in Chaguaramas to enjoy a walk through a popular trail. This peaceful hill is decorated with arches of green bush which is home to howler monkeys, spiders the size of silver dollars and the most vibrant of butterflies. Hopefully these photos speak in a simple language expressing the natural essence of the Bamboo Cathedral.      

        

       
    
 

Moving to another location, we found ourselves at one of the more famous religious sites in Trinidad. It’s an 85 ft high staue of Hanuman Murthi which has been claimed to be the largest outside of India. To the general public this hindu god looks like a peacful red monkey showing off vibant colors and detailed work within his garments.  

    

After reading the caution sign of Ashram rules, I questioned if a handstand would be acceptable here on the sacred grounds (especially after seeing a sign clearly stating no exercise). Would a handstand classify as some sort of fitness activity? My intentions were far from wanting to offend anyone or an entire culture for that matter so I chose to do an upside-down handstand.   

  A few confused yet entertained looks came from the ground keepers, so I asked if it would be honorable if I did a proper handstand. The response was not only positive, but encouraging!

 

   
 
A short distance from Hanuman is an eye catching site full of colors, two adorable elephants and another design on the ground that I’d love to have hanging on a piece of silk in my room.  Beautiful!

   
 

  Next up is called Temple in the sea. It was constructed (started) in 1947 by a determined laborer named Sewdass Sadhu. His story of success is unique and I highly suggest you research further if you have interest in learning of his drive led by faith and passion. For now, you’re getting a visual tour… walk with me!

When you first approach the seaside, you’ll notice the sets of worn but colorful flags that are half emerged underwater. At first, I thought the ceramic bowls and dolls were just a part of careless litter until I was informed that it was actually the reminisce of a traditional ceremony. What would yo think?  

   Then there was the little boat that captured my attention.

 

My favorite part of this site was the peaceful walkway that gave you plenty of thinking time as you neared the main temple. 

 Along the way, we ran into this man who was there to pray at the shrine of God Shiva. He gave us a quick lesson on the intricate manner in which he does this, down to the number of leaves from specific trees to the amount of time per placement. He practices this weekly. 

   

   
I made sure I was on the outer edge of the temple (just in case) before showing my feet to the sky. 
 
Sneak peek from what’s next to come…

 
 

 

Categories: Art, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No sample cups needed

Posted on September 11, 2015 by erikamae82

Are you as excited as I was?! Today we got to go to the local farmers market and see what Trinidad has to offer. Favorite thing to do when I arrive to a new place… check! 
Let’s start with the usual items you’d expect to see at any open air market.  

 Local vegetables and fruit galore! This was my first time seeing a yellow watermelon. I was jumping on the opportunity to try it, but was informed by the others that it tastes exactly like the red one (enter disappointed face here).  

    

    
Studies show that local raw honey contains pollen that is specific to your area and therefore can really help seasonal allergies. Here in Trinidad, it’s the only option as it’s illegal to import honey to the island. I love that they left the comb in some of the jars!
 Kombucha tea seems to be making a world wide tour since I first heard of it back in the states. I love to be reintroduced to it as a “brand new wonder drink”. Yes please, I’ll take 2. 

 Today, Ryan went with a loaded Arepa. Spilling over two pieces of fried bread are hunks of pork, beef, cheese, black beans and a homemade sauce. To me, it sounded like a stomach ache waiting to happen. To him, it was breakfast. For the sake of trying all things new, I geared up for a bite (you can tell how thrilled I was). A mini nibble was all I needed to stand up and keep looking around!
    
On my scavenge around, I ran into a popular dish that was put on my “must try list” by a local friend (thank you Lisa!). Curried crab and dumpling is a soup of whole crab marinating in a coconut curry broth. I asked for their smallest cup but was quickly informed that the only option was a family bowl, no… more like bucket size. When debating on my order, he offered me a sample (if you know me well, I rarely turn down a bite) so I put my hands together in a “thank you”stance. 

This is when he just stared at me. What seemed to be a solid minute of awkward giggling (by him, not me) he then opened my hands and said “here”. Ohhhh, I get it! 
I decided against the crab and kept enjoying the variety that was before me. Here’s a dose of some other options. 

    
 This one stopped me for a moment in curiosity. Is it three separate things, fish, tea OR soup? Nope, it was definitely “fish tea soup”. This I had to try! The broth had a perfect balance of sweet, salty and spicy with solid pieces of pumpkin, potato and white fish. Warning to future visitors, several dishes down here include the bone, so I highly suggest that you don’t chomp away like it’s your grandmas noodle soup!  
  
Sweet tooth? To my minimal experience so far, most of Trinidad has one! They fill this desire with a variety of sugar based treats ranging from Indian delights to homemade candy and ice-cream. I was drawn to this stand from all the color and the small sign that said “Cassava pone”.  Pone is not a pudding, not a cake, but somewhere in between. It’s usually made from root vegetables (this one from cassava) but you can also make them with carrots, sweet potatoes or pumpkin. 

I bought it to share and when she handed it to me, it was as if she passed a crumb covered brick. This thing was solid! Not my favorite splurge. 

 
Besides edibles, there were tables showing off jewelry, artwork, handbags and more.  What market would be complete without live music and a sitting area in which you can enjoy the surroundings!   

 Through the vibration of the cultural music, I could faintly here trickling of water… where was it coming from? Oh my, check out this one of a kind seating!  A typical picnic table covered in greens, with a small stream running right through the middle leading to a dainty waterfall.

When I grow up (or at least have an address) I will have one of these to share in good company!

  

As if all of the above wasn’t enough, the walk back to the car presented us with a colorful path of delicate flowers, blooming trees and fresh growing herbs.      

Next step up the stairs of this Trinidadian adventure leads us on a quick trip to Maracus Beach. If you speak with any Trini or previous visitor, they will most likely mention this hot spot. Why is it so special? I’ve been told 2 main reasons. First of all, it’s one of the few waterfronts protected by a deep bay creating a prime lounging area. Secondly, it’s known for the popular dish called “shark and bake” or “bake and shark” (depends who you’re talking with). This is a world famous sandwich that consists of two pieces of soft fried bread with a portion of shark as the meat. You then line up at what resembles a salad bar and top it off with whatever sauces, veggies and extras that you prefer. From garlic spreads to pepper sauces, coleslaw to fresh lettuce. Here’s a few shots from the drive to this trendy north coastal region.  

 A pit stop to check out the tourist section of our day. Here you can take a break and purchase some typical treats and souvenirs. A well known goodie along these parts is called chow. Chow is almost ripened fruit soaked in lime, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Although you can find it in a variety of flavors, you’ll often see mango, plum or pineapple.   We made it to Maracas Beach!
  
 
Chastine had made the comment that it “always rains on this beach”. After proving her wrong with the bright blue sky, within minutes (no exaggeration) nature giggled back with this… 

  Oh well, no law against having a shark and bake in the rain!  

 

Can you believe it’s only afternoon? Whew! I’m so grateful for Ryan with his photo skills and willingness to share… our friends with their high energy (you all are the best guides!) and this stunning country that has given me new material to stimulate the senses. Much more to come!  
  

Categories: Edibles!, Fitness, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Trinidad, we finally meet!

Posted on September 9, 2015 by erikamae82

There’s a place that has been ringing in my ears now for quite sometime.  In fact, my first trip to Cropover in Barbados is when Ryan so gently planted the bug to visit a unique place called Trinidad and Tobago. Boasting about the friendly people, high energy parties and the lush scenery he went on to confirm that Carnival in Trinidad still proves to be the “best show on earth”. It took 3 years for the plans to align, but I’m so thankful that I waited.  Let me tell you how amazing this worked out.  The very person who has been encouraging me to go, is actually going at the same time for a seperate event! Yes, I get to travel with my dear friend Ryan to his other island home and explore the surrounding areas.  How lucky am I?!

Airport check in, final wave to Barbados and off we go to Trinidad! 

 
We’ll be staying with his friends Chastine, Halcyon and Adam (those accomodations will be a seperate post) as we explore the tropical island that sits just off the coast of Venezuela. 

I’ll give you a proper introduction of the wonderful people hosting us, but for now I’m going to jump right into to the amazing sights we’ve seen so far.

Within minutes of arriving, they loaded us up in this sweet ride and we headed up Paramin hill. Located on one of the highest points of the Northern range, Paramin is a village with steep mountainous whose residents have traditionally been farmers, producing herbs like chives, thyme and parsley, as well as vegetables like tomatoes and yams. Here’s a few shots from the drive up.

     
 Although I loved the beast of a jeep we had, it was always refreshing to stop and hop out for a mini adventure, quick handstand or cold beverage.
    
   

They spotted out a guava for me to try, fresh off the tree! I love my friends. 

Fun fact: A Guava have 4 times the amount of vitamin C than an orange.

Reaching the top made for a spectacular view that brought on yet another handstand and several breath taking views. I could of sat on that log with Ryan for hours… just staring off into the wide open space. 
 
      
  

As we returned back “down de hill” they swooped us away to a small evening out for some local flavors. Every night the locals gather here for a bit of socializing while enjoying a few favorite bites. Known as “the Savannah,” this is Port of Spain’s largest open area and the world’s largest traffic roundabout! 

  

 
We stood in line here with high hopes for some delicious corn soup and as we were up to order (literally next in line) they called out that the soup was finished.  Bummer I missed out, but how great is that… it’s made fresh and sells out to the last drop. 

I’m sure some of you are wondering “what on earth is cow heel souce and chicken foot souce?” pictured below. Take a wild guess and I’m sure you’ll be close.  “Souce” is meat marinated for a long time in a solution made of fresh lime or lemon juice, vinegar, salt, parsely, minced hot pepper and cucumbers. The meat described in the title is indeed the meat you’ll be served. The heel of a cow, foot of a chicken and sometimes the ears, feet, knuckles and shoulder part of a pig.

 
Since we didn’t get the soup, next up on the “must try” list was Pholorie, a dough that’s made up of flour, ground chickpeas, water and spices then deep fried. Traditionally it’s served with a side of tamari sauce or chutney. 

Although it didn’t taste bad, if I’m going to splurge on a local dish, I’d much rather have it be something more flavorful than a ball of fried bread.

   
Other options that are offered up range from meat plates to soups, several fried options and an array of sides like macaroni pie, callaloo and provisions (sweet potato, cassava, pumpkin,etc).

   
 
As we were leaving the Savannah (me with my pouty face for missing out on corn soup) we spotted a truck loading up what appeared to be a food stall.  You’ll find several of these along the streets selling their personal dish for whatever item they specialize in. What’s this? Corn soup!  

This delight includes juicy ears of corn stewing in a coconut milk/split pea broth that’s packed with flavorful seasonings and other tasty vegetables. Sometimes they’ll add dumplings with the option for pepper sauce. I have yet to meet a cup-o-corn soup that I didn’t like!

Good ol’ Ryan and his charming ways got them to dig out a few more servings so we could indulge in this local favorite. Scrumptious!

 
When you think there couldn’t be any more time in the day (I feel like Trini’s use way more hours of the night than most cultures) we headed out for yet another treat. We got to sneak a peek at a local steelpan  band practice! There’s no other sound that could duplicate the unique tones of this hypnotizing music.

Fun fact:  Steelpan originated right here in Trinidad!

 

I’ll give you three clues and one guess as to what’s in store for tomorrow… Its my favorite thing to do in every new city. It’s vibrancy stimulates all of your senses and by the end, everyone there usually knows my name.

See you in the morning!

Categories: Edibles!, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blog at WordPress.com.