MY TOP 5 REASONS FOR LOVING TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Trinidad and Tobago are the southernmost islands in the Caribbean archipelago. It comprises of the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and is known as the land of the humming bird, calypso, carnival and the home of the only musical instrument invented in the 20^th century, the steel pan. I’ve been to Trinidad and Tobago multiple times and here are my top 5 reasons for loving T&T:

5. The Sites- Trinidad and Tobago has a plethora of sites to see. From the beautiful beaches and breathtaking views in Tobago to the great sites to visit in Trinidad such as the Pitch Lake and Temple in the Sea, Trinidad and Tobago has a lot to offer.

Pitch Lake, Trinidad

One of my all time favourite trips to make in Trinidad is to the religious community at Mt. St. Benedict in Tunapuna.  The Mount is the site of a Benedictine monastery which makes its own wine and honey. The views are breath taking and on the Mount one feels the peace and tranquillity away from everyday hustle and bustle of life. So the next time you’re in Trinidad, take this side trip and enjoy a little time for yourself.

                                                               View from Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad 

4. The Shopping – Trinidad and Tobago has some of the best shopping in the Caribbean. With the infamous Trincity Mall now renovated and expanded, there are even more stores offering a wide variety of brands suited to every tastes. There are several malls available for shopping ranging from the ultra chic West Mall to the friendly Long Circular Mall. There are also several great stores located in Port of Spain. From the infamous Jimmy Abouds for cloth to Francis Fashions for their great selection of men’s clothing and shoes, there is something for everyone. The exchange rate is also favourable so take along a few extra dollars to pick up something whether for your family or yourself!

                                                         

Trincity Mall (Picture taken from TriniGourmet.com)               

 

3. The Parties – Trinidad and Tobago is famous for its parties and nightlife. Tobago is known for its laid back culture. However the night life is quite enjoyable. A visit to the Bucco Reef on a Sunday night is great. I remember the sounds of steel pan belting out the sweet tunes of old soca and calypso sounds while enjoying some fish and a cold Carib. Trinidad is famous for its nightlife. There are so many clubs to choose from that it’s hard to ever not have somewhere to go. From the infamous Zen to the Thursday night party at 51 degrees to some of the lesser known country clubs in Arima, Tunapuna and Chaguanas such as Club Maharaj and Livin’ Room.   

And then there is the ultimate party in Trinidad – Carnival. As soon as Christmas ends, Carnival literally starts. There is a fete every weekend and each caters to a different tastes. It all culminates the weekend before Ash Wednesday with some of the biggest parties including the International Soca Monarch, J’Ouvert and the world Renowned Carnival Tuesday Street Parade filled with colour and displaying the creativity of the mas men. No wonder it’s said that nobody can party like a Trini.

                                                    

2. The People – It’s said that all Caribbean people are friendly and Trinbagonians are no exception to the rule. Trinis are known for their hospitality and welcoming of people whether you’re from near or far. From the taxi drivers to the store clerks to the waiters/waitresses to the vendor on the street, one is made to feel right at home. They will even guess the accent and where it’s from and the stories will flow from their own travels to your country to the cousin from the tanty (aunt) on their mother side is married to some from your country. It’s hard not to feel at home in T&T. With this welcome and hospitality, no wonder persons return time and time again to this Paradise. 

                                                     

1. And my no.1 reason for loving Trinidad and Tobago is the FOOD. Trinidad and Tobago is any diner’s paradise. From the beautiful and fresh sea food in Tobago to the culinary delights found on any street corner in Trinidad, one has to love the food there. There is a plethora of dishes to sample in Trinidad and the different influences are seen in the dishes. The influences of the Amerindian, East Indian, African, Spanish, Chinese, Lebanese and Creole can be seen in the everyday dishes served up. From the wonderful doubles in the morning to a great roti (whether sada or buss up shot) to a nice bowl of peleau, there is always some food to enjoy. On my last trip I enjoyed 2 doubles for breakfast, a nice bowl of stew lamb with macaroni pie and cassava, a nice bag of pineapple chow and two aloo pies for dinner. The drinks are endless and the best drinks to have in T&T, a cold Carib or Stag or a nice glass of rum: whether it be White Oak or Vat 19. And who can forget a nice Trini Christmas present coming to meet me: a box of pastelles. With all this food, the question is why aren’t Trinbagonians fat? Well they work it off with all that partying especially the wining in the waist.

And those are my top 5 reasons for loving Trinidad and Tobago. As the tourism ad says: Trinidad and Tobago, When you coming???

Miss SVG 2011: My thoughts

"Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed."  - Benjamin Franklin

            I wasn't supposed to be home in St. Vincent for Miss SVG 2011 so I never really followed the pageant. However following the death of my grandmother I flew home and knew that I would be here for the show. I took the week before the show to familiarize myself with the contestants in the show. To my surprise I knew a few of them and had even taught one of them at the Carapan Secondary School during my year working there. (I am not that old so don't even ask.)

    As fate would have it, I was blessed with a ticket to attend the show from a good friend. She always loved my critique of the shows and it became a yearly tradition that we would get together and analyze the show after. So on Saturday May 28t, I dressed in my "Sunday Best" and made my way to Victoria Park which is dubbed around this time as "Carnival City" to take in the show. 

    I arrived at the venue just as the show was beginning. To my surprise there were no fireworks as they normally have at the beginning of the show. This was a disappointment as this was being hailed at the 60th year of pageantry in SVG. There should have at least been some pomp and ceremony to open the show. However the show went on. 

      The Introduction section was quite interesting. The contestants did their introductions wearing different costumes from Mas bands here. I must commend the mas bands in SVG for their creativity year after year. The costumes were quite interesting and the use of colours was excellent. However the introductory speeches left much to be desired. Most sounded rehearsed and lacked confidence and exuberance one would expect from contestants in a pageant. A few were so long that I had time to have a full conversation before they were finished.

  The swimsuit section was interesting. The design of the suit was excellent in great bodies, it would help to accentuate the curves. There were good bodies this year as there was a lack of lovehandles. However those buttocks need some firming. If I wanted to see Jello, I would make one.

   The talent section was not very entertaining. Although several relevant topics were touched such as the image of women and domestic violence, there was no talent that was able to dazzle me. I think its time somebody come with something that is new and captivating instead of the usual repeats. There are several controversies within the talent area as well such as did  one contestant really play all that pan music and why did  another contestant have a dance partner? I won't comment on these since they are based on speculations and require some more research so as to get evidence and not be libelous (I can't pay a lawyer now.)

    The evening gowns were average. I must commend the local designers for putting their best foot forward in creating their dresses. The winning gown designed by Kimon Baptiste was beautiful and was my pick from the time I saw it. The use of black was a wise choice and the design adequately fit the form of the contestant who also happened to be her sister. Other notable designers were Jeremy Payne and Alex Grant. One shortfall in this section was the description of the dresses. There were not well constructed and when they were read, they were horrible. The mispronunciation of the Greek goddess of Love, Aphrodite, the mispronunciation of sequins as well as the use of Greecian which should have been Greek all added to the mistakes made. The contestants did not even walk properly on the stage. The turns were poorly executed and the poses were stiff and looked quite unnatural. 

   And then comes the best section of the show: The interview section. This section was integrated to be done with the evening gown section. I wonder how much preparation is given to the girls in this section. These young ladies don't even think about what they are about to say. While some of it may be attributed to nerves, I would say at least 60% of it is a lack of knowledge and preparation. The answers only served to highlight how ill prepared and the lack of knowledge and critical thinking skills these young ladies have. Some may say that they should be like the girls in Ms P'tani however they were controversial because they got their exact questions before. ( I will comment on this in my next blog entry) My favourite answer was to the question on environmental awareness. How does fixing the road help promote environmental awareness? I really shake my head but every year you must have at least one!

    After all the competiton Ms. Aviar Charles emerged the winner and a well deserved win. See was the best of the contestants presented and so deserved the victory. Congratulations Aviar.

  So was there anything good about the show? I must commend the entertainment. This year it was quite interesting especially with the use of local talent such as Skarpyon and Strong. Calypso Rose was quite entertaining as well. I was also happy to see the 1st Ms SVG Mrs Audrey  Hazell- Gomes grace the stage. She did this in truly regal fashion and if a few girls take a page from her appearance that night, they could have done alot better. 

    However there was alot lacking in the show and in order for the pageant to grow in standard and caliber, some of the issues have to be addressed.  The first is the decor of the stage. The background was just bland and the use of those potted plants gave the show a cheap look. The decor should be simple yet elegant adding to the atmosphere of the pageant. The time for the show needs to be addressed. Why does this show need to be 5 hours? Its just a long, drawn out show.This show need to do some major restructuring in the production so that it flows and is a more concise and entertaining  show. Then there is the contestants themselves. The addition of a University scholarship was to attract a certain caliber of girls to the show. This has failed to happen. However I think with effective and efficient training, the girls can be brought up to a standard that would make anyone proud of the national pageant. 

     After what I have seen in the past few years, I really should not be surprised at the show this year. As Benjamin Franklin says "Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed." Maybe I need to stop expecting a great show and then I won't be disappointed. Well let's see how Aviar will do at Ms. Carival and I look forward to Ms. SVG 2012 with no expectations!