Memoirs of a (not so) Desperate Housewife: May 2008

There's so much to be said and has been said about this tiny island in the Caribbean. Oh, we've all heard our fathers and uncles arguing about Tnt politics, skyrocketing inflation and crime. Don't even get me started on race relations. One can argue that things just starting going downhill once the PNM (and largely black government ) took back power from UNC.

But I've decided to try and focus on the positive and beautiful things that still exist in the country.
Why?...because I hope that one day things will change and we can leave behind an unpolluted, safe and beautiful paradise that our children can go back to. A place I can feel proud to tell Brandon and Aishlea that their forefathers came to 150 years ago from india.

Is there anything good left in Tnt one may ask?
Hmmm..that would take one a few months of research to really get into and I could write a whole book.

But here's a few good things :

1- The North coast. The pristine coast line of the north is the best scenery and beaches you can get in Trinidad. it is largely untouched by any large hotel developments. The winding road through the Northern range to get there is somewhat treacherous, but well worth it once you get to the seaside.

Time to hit da beach !!
We have a true beach bunny one our hands. I don't think I've ever seen this little girl as happy as she was on a beach.

4 Hours later and (even baby) still having a great time.

Maracas is the best beach in Trinidad

Here we are up on the lookout to Maracas bay where stalls of vendors selling all kinds of jars of various preserved fruit are everywhere. Yum

What else is good about Tnt..who can forget the FOOD!!!?..it was the one thing we had been looking forward to.

A trip to Maracas is just not the same without a fried shark and bake sandwich. Here we are loading up our freshly fried fish sandwich with various condiments.

Finished product

The west coast is also largely untouched. We drove through some serious jungle to get to Moruga Beach one day.
According to some, the Moruga jungle is like the Bermuda Triangle in trinidad, where kidnap victim bodies are dumped and never recovered.
But the rainforest itself is lush, thick and beautiful.

Gang loaded up, ready to go

Making a million pit stops before getting there

Aunty Esther, looking not too happy to have to ride on a trailer bed!!

Moruga's coastline is lined with these rugged cliffs, as can be seen in the background. The water that day was as warm as bathwater.... aaahhhh

Hanging with Uncle Neil

As a post-script to the food part, here we are enjoying some great doubles by a roadside one day. Doubles are 2 deep fried breads made with dahl flour and stuffed with a savoury filling of curried channa. Because of soaring prices of flour in the country, they now cost $4.50 TT.

The whole point of our trip was to attend a memorial service for Desmond's grandfather who passed away last year . It is a customary Indian tradition to pay respects and perform the final prayers and rituals one year later.

Here are some highlights from that day

Brandon and Aishlea with their great-grandmother "mama" Cynthia

Enjoying a communal meal

Typical "prez food" dahl, rice, pumpkin, buss-up shot

Part of the gang that came from Mtl

Celia,me and vanna

Lesley, Neil , Aish and Des

Vanna and Kevin posing in the village

Hmmm...what do we have here?...a little village girl

Hands where it is not supposed to be..

Posing

Bareback baby

Lastly, i think what all those calypsos and songs extolling how sweet TnT is. They really are referring to the people of Tnt. People who, in the face of such adversity and hardships, still manage to have a smile and that carefree way about them.

One way I think people are able to overcome such difficulties is their profound sense of spirituality.