Trinidad
Our Posts about Trinidad
This, was a mistake.
That rueful refrain kept racing through my head at the onset of my excursion into the Caroni Swamp in Trinidad a few weeks ago. It wasn’t fear of the Spectacled Caiman, or the “relatively aggressive” Cook’s Tree Boa snakes, both notable Caroni residents, that had me so unnerved either.
No, the real source of my trepidation was the young 20-somethingish kid sitting next to me on our tour boat. The problem: he was wearing nothing short of his Sunday best.
More so than any other beer brewed, bottled and sold in the Caribbean, Stag Lager is a Man Thing… You have to drink it to understand.
At least that’s what the makers and marketers of Stag will have you believe. Look at their tagline: A Man’s Beer. Look at their sexy Stag Girls. Look at their sponsorships of thrill-a-minute sporting events like the Stag Rally.
Just look at the name “Stag” for chrissakes! You know: antlers, horns, hard, horny…
Everything about this particular beer reeks and oozes of super-charged testosterone.
Stag’s schtick is so thick you might think it masks some sort of, *ahem*, deficiency.
Do you think you’ll ever move back?
Like anyone originally born and raised in the Caribbean who now lives elsewhere, it’s a question I get asked all the time. It’s also a question that’s not as easy to answer as some may think…
Certainly great weather, unparalleled natural beauty, beloved cultural traditions, friends and family all present strong arguments for bee-lining back to my homeland ASAP, but life, I mean real living, in the Caribbean is not all beach limes, endless libations and lazy afternoons.
Many of the creature comforts so many of us have grown accustomed to here in the States are just not available at the same level in the islands.
One of the best things about visiting Trinidad this time of year is the unique opportunity it affords to get a behind the scenes look at the preparations for Carnival. It’s a special experience akin to venturing uptown in New York City to see the floats and massive balloons all lining up the night before the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade… only much louder!
I was lucky enough to stumble upon the Silver Stars pan yard late last night, capturing a bit of their rehearsal for 2012 Trinidad Carnival in the video above. It was a unique experience I’ll be sure to tell you more about later.
Greetings from warm and wonderful Port-of-Spain, Trinidad! As UC Facebook fans already know, I’m visiting my and Patrick‘s ancestral homeland this week at the invitation of the country’s Ministry of Tourism. Indeed, it’s not the usual wildly independent method of travel we prefer, but with an itinerary that includes such uncommon spots as the Waterloo Sea Temple, Maracas Beach and the Gasparee Caves, well, what’s not to like?
There’s also a good bit of free time worked into the schedule, which will hopefully give me time to answer the question that’s in the title of this post.
As the middle of three brothers with Trinidadian heritage, I truly, truly love this photo. It was submitted to our Flickr photostream recently by UC-fan Marsh E. (aka: Curepian), whose amazing images of Trinidad are well worth your attention (click here for more). Not only does the image remind me of endless, carefree days of goofing off with my brothers during our childhood years in St. Croix, but it also gives me hope for a special new travel adventure I hope all three of us can enjoy together next year.
The special destination I’m hoping we can visit is none other than Trinidad; land of our ancestors, our favorite West Indian foods and drinks, and the place where the vast majority of our extended family still resides today.
Black Cake, Ponche de Creme, Coquito, Rum Balls – all wonderful Holiday Season treats from my Trini/Crucian heritage that my family has spent the past few weeks enjoying in the run up to Christmas Day…
Well, most of my family anyway.
In truth, the grown-ups have been doing virtually all the enjoying. Why? This recent question from one of my sons illustrates the answer:
Does all Christmas food from the Caribbean have rum in it?
Hmm… I must admit, this one stumped me initially.
continue…
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St. Croix Food & Wine Experience Cookbook
Naparima Girls’ Highschool Cookbook
Original Uncommon Caribbean Logo T-Shirt
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