PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD and TOBAGO, West Indies
We’ve arrived in the Caribbean Islands, land of gentle waves and beautiful soft sandy beaches! Seven miles off the coast of Venezuela lies the two island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. They were once part of
South America but rising seas and movement o
f the tectonic plates caused them to separate. Trinidad is a pretty big island covering nearly 2,000 square miles (40 by 80 miles at its widest points). Its northern point is 15-½ miles from Venezuela while its south western point is only 7 miles away. Its “little sister” the tiny island of Tobago, is only 20 miles away.
The population is about 1.3 million, 42% of East Indian origin, 38% are from Africa and the rest are of mixed origins (Britain, Asia and Europe). Slavery was abolished in 1834, but the whites’ pigmentation didn’t allow them to work in the sugar cane and cocoa plantations so laborers were brought in to do this type of labor, first from India, and later from China and other nations.
Calypso and steel drums originated here -- the steel drums being made from salvaged car parts and old pots and calypso from African songs. This is the basis for their Carnival celebration, one of the oldest and most spectacular in t
he Western Hemisphere. The buildup for Carnival begins at Christmas. The early working class citizens and slaves were allowed to poke fun at colonial authorities and this “play” theme has survived through the years with caricatures and names being mocked in the various colorful costumes. Carnival starts in Savannah Queen’s Park which was once a sugar plantation owned by the Pisches family in the 1700s (their tomb is in the park) and is now used for various recreational events and activities.
The most notable landmarks of Port of Spain a
re the Magnificent Seven estate homes, now owned by the government and in various stages of restoration. They are excellent examples of many different architectural styles, all in the same area -- Moorish style White Hall (because of white coral and white roses), baroque style Roodal Home (“gingerbread house”), Stollmeyer House based on Balmoral Castle, French style Mille Fleurs, and Red House which was built for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1897 and is the current seat of parliament.
The botanical gardens boast unusual trees such as the rainbow bark, Brazil
nut, cannonball, and sausage and bootstrap trees. Trinidad is also noted for its rum and angostura bitters production, flying fish sandwiches, cinnamon and nutmeg, and some oil and chemicals. Last month they hosted the Conference of the Americas and remnants of President Obama's visit are still displayed throughout the city.
We’ve arrived in the Caribbean Islands, land of gentle waves and beautiful soft sandy beaches! Seven miles off the coast of Venezuela lies the two island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. They were once part of
South America but rising seas and movement o
f the tectonic plates caused them to separate. Trinidad is a pretty big island covering nearly 2,000 square miles (40 by 80 miles at its widest points). Its northern point is 15-½ miles from Venezuela while its south western point is only 7 miles away. Its “little sister” the tiny island of Tobago, is only 20 miles away.The population is about 1.3 million, 42% of East Indian origin, 38% are from Africa and the rest are of mixed origins (Britain, Asia and Europe). Slavery was abolished in 1834, but the whites’ pigmentation didn’t allow them to work in the sugar cane and cocoa plantations so laborers were brought in to do this type of labor, first from India, and later from China and other nations.
Calypso and steel drums originated here -- the steel drums being made from salvaged car parts and old pots and calypso from African songs. This is the basis for their Carnival celebration, one of the oldest and most spectacular in t
he Western Hemisphere. The buildup for Carnival begins at Christmas. The early working class citizens and slaves were allowed to poke fun at colonial authorities and this “play” theme has survived through the years with caricatures and names being mocked in the various colorful costumes. Carnival starts in Savannah Queen’s Park which was once a sugar plantation owned by the Pisches family in the 1700s (their tomb is in the park) and is now used for various recreational events and activities.
The most notable landmarks of Port of Spain a
re the Magnificent Seven estate homes, now owned by the government and in various stages of restoration. They are excellent examples of many different architectural styles, all in the same area -- Moorish style White Hall (because of white coral and white roses), baroque style Roodal Home (“gingerbread house”), Stollmeyer House based on Balmoral Castle, French style Mille Fleurs, and Red House which was built for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1897 and is the current seat of parliament.
The botanical gardens boast unusual trees such as the rainbow bark, Brazil
nut, cannonball, and sausage and bootstrap trees. Trinidad is also noted for its rum and angostura bitters production, flying fish sandwiches, cinnamon and nutmeg, and some oil and chemicals. Last month they hosted the Conference of the Americas and remnants of President Obama's visit are still displayed throughout the city.
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