WATERLOO:
Waterloo is situated in West Central Trinidad off the Uriah
Butler Highway. The area consists mainly of abandoned sugarcane
fields. Most of it’s inhabitants are people of East
Indian descent whose ancestors came to work as indentured
labourers after the abolition of slavery.
The area is developing rapibly into a hub for business and
industry – a meeting point between South Trinidad and
the North, near to the busy town to Chaguanas.
Sites visited:
The Dattatreya Yoga Centre, a spiritual centre set up by His
Holiness Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji.
The Indo Caribbean Museum, home to artifacts such as musical
instruments, agricultural objects, cooking utensils, pieces
of jewelry, old photos and rare books.
The Temple by the Sea, built by and ex-indentured immigrant
labourer, Siewdass Sadhu.
Activities:
Learning to cook Kurma
Making pots
PLYMOUTH:
Plymouth is a fishing village on the South Western Coast of
Tobago, about 20 minutes from the Crown Point Airport. Plymouth
is famous for it’s Fort, it’s mystery tombstone
and now the Tobago Jazz Festival.
Fort James the oldest fort site in Tobago. It was named after
Jacobus (James) the Duke of Courland. The battery was first
erected in 1761, but the French destroyed it in 1781 and occupied
it until the British took over of the island in 1793.
Sites visited:
Fort James
The Mystery Tombstone
Activites:
Playing marbles and moral
Tobago Speech Band
CHARLOTTEVILLE:
Charlotteville is a fishing village on the North Western point
of Tobago in the heart of the rainforest. The drive from Tobago’s
capital Scarborough takes about an hour along the picturesque
coast road to the East of the island. With the beautiful Caribbean
Sea on one side and the hills of the Main Ridge on the other,
the winding road takes you through many villages and countryside.
Climbing the hills of the Northern Range from Speyside, the
view from the top hill breathtaking. Man o War bay is the
only deep-water harbour on the West Coast. Charlotteville
is the birth-place to many of the country’s great scholars,
such as Dr. J. D Elder. The impressive library and auditorium
is a mark of this heritage.
Sites visited:
Campbleton Battery, built in 1777 to protect the bay from
American Privateers raiding the British Islands during the
American War of Independence.
Pirate’s Bay
Activities:
Fishing
Snorkelling
Dancing the Tobago Jig
SAN FERNANDO:
San Fernando is the second largest town in Trinidad and Tobago,
it is located in the Southwestern part of Trinidad, on the
coast of the Gulf of Paria. The Amerindians called the area
“Anaparima” which means “Single Hill”
a description of the San Fernando Hill rising out of the centre
of the city. In 1784, Spanish Governor Don Jose Maria Chacon
established the town named San Fernando de Naparima. The town
grew as the sugar industry took over the country’s economy
with sugar plantations in the Naparima Plains. This growth
continued through the 19th century with the construction of
what was then, the largest sugar refinery in the world, the
Usine, Ste. Madeleine Factory.
The nearby oil refinery at Point a Pierre played an important
role in the development of San Fernando between World War
II and the 1980’s. The oil boom of the 1970’s
and 1980’s led to the growth of the suburbs of San Fernando,
especially Marabella and Gasparillo. San Fernando is known
as the industrial capital of the country.
Sites visited:
The San Fernando Hill is a 180 meter hill, made out of limestone.
Originally it had a dome shape with a flattened top but the
size was reduced by more than a third because of un-restricted
quarrying for over 2 centuries. The quarrying was stopped
in the 1970’s and a program of rehabilitation and beautification
was started.
Activities:
Making costumes
Playing Mas
POINT FORTIN:
Point Fortin is one of the oldest towns in the country. It
is situated on the South West Coast of Trinidad. On the way
to Point Fortin, you pass the famous Pitch Lake in la Brea.
It is the largest of only three natural asphalt lakes in the
world. It covers 40,000 square kilometers and some of the
world’s best asphalt comes from this lake, which seems
to constantly replenish itself. Natural springs appear at
its centre during the rainy season.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Point Fortin was an
agricultural community living off the culture of cocoa and
coconut. Travel in and out of Point Fortin was by coastal
steamers as there was no road. The main street of Point Fortin
is dominated by family businesses that have been in existence
for generations.
In 1907, the Trinidad Oilfields moved into Point Fortin on
an expedition for the exploration of oil and sank its first
oil well on La Fortunee Estates. The company was acquired
by the Government IN 1974 and was named TRINTOC, today it
is called Petrotrin.
Point Fortin claims to be the cultural capital of Trinidad
& Tobago.
From this town, has originated some of the country’s
leading calypsonians, such as The Mighty Duke, Superblue,
Neil Iwer George, Preacher to name a few.
The steelband is also very popular in Point Fortin and it
really comes alive during the Borough Day celebrations in
April or May every year. Point Fortin people come from all
over the world to meet in Point and celebrate. Borough Day
celebrations in Point take on the form of a Carnival with
JOuvert, steelband competition and mas.
Activities:
Playing pan
Singing
PARAMIN:
Paramin is a quaint village up in the hills above Maraval
in the North West of Trinidad. The road to Paramin takes you
up some very steep hills and sharp bends. The taxis, on this
road, are mostly jeeps carrying children to school or the
villagers to sell their produce at the central market. Paramin
is a close-knit community and most of the villagers are related
to one another.
In Paramin, farming is a tradition and a full time occupation
for most people. The crops are mostly chives and other herbs
such as Spanish thyme, Broad Leaf thyme and celery. The people
of Paramin have been planting chive in these hills for over
60 years. They have recently started planting other crops
such as tomatoes, cabbage, sweet peppers and pimento peppers.
Chives are native to China and Taiwan and they were introduced
to Trinidad with the arrival of Chinese immigrants over 200
years ago. They strive best in sunny conditions. The chives
are wrapped in bundles and carried for sale to the central
market. Others use the chive to make seasonings like green
seasoning and pepper-sauce. Paramin seasoning is famous all
over Trinidad.
Paramin is also famous for it’s music be it parang
or more recently kwech, Christmas songs sung in Patois. Patois
is a language derived from French, spoken on the plantations
long ago in Trinidad and in other Caribbean islands with strong
French heritage. Today Patois is really only spoken by grandparents
in communities such as Valencia, Blanchisseuse, Toco, Arima,
Santa Cruz and Paramin. Kwech is an attempt to revive Patois
amongst the younger generation.
Sites visited:
Chive fields
Ms. Mal’s factory
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
Activites:
Singing Kwech
NARIVA:
The Nariva Swamp is located on the East Coast of Trinidad.
It is just opposite the sea along the Manzanilla Mayaro Main
Road. The Nariva Swamp is the largest and most diverse wetland
ecosystem in Trinidad and Tobago. The whole area along the
sea front used to be one of the largest coconut estates in
Trinidad. The estate is no longer active and was taken over
by The Manatee Conservation Trust. The Trust ensures the protection
of the Manatee’s natural habitat and farms several very
profitable acres of watermelons.
The Nariva Swamp is very important for its biodiversity;
it has the most varied flora and fauna of all the wetlands
in Trinidad and Tobago. The Nariva Swamp supports several
rare and endangered species of animals including the West
Indian Manatee, the Mata Mata (which is the largest freshwater
turtle in Trinidad), the Giant Anaconda, Cook’s Tree
Boa, the White Fronted Capuchin and the Red Howler.
The Bush Bush Wildlife Sanctuary on the South East tip of
the Nariva Swamp. It is a protected wildlife reserve where
one can see Red Howler and Capuchin monkeys in their natural
habitat. You can only get there by boat going through three
different vegetation types: a mangrove eco system, a palm
marsh area and swamp forest. The Bush Bush Island is 1600
ha and is covered in a tropical evergreen seasonal rainforest.
The Red Howler monkey has the loudest call of any monkey.
They have a special organ in their throat that helps them
amplify the sound. Howler monkeys are well built; they have
powerful, muscular bodies and ginger colored fur.
Capuchin monkeys have a supple and slender body with thin
limbs. Their long tail is partly prehensile. It serves as
an anchor when the Capuchin monkeys travel through the trees.
The origin of the name comes from the appearance of a black
skullcap on its head.
The West Indian Manatee Sea Cow is the largest aquatic mammal
inhabiting the rivers and wetlands of the East and South coasts
of Trinidad. They live in fresh, brackish or salt water. These
habitats provide them with sheltered living and breeding areas,
a steady obtainable food supply and warm water, all of which
the manatee needs to survive. The manatee range in color from
gray to brown and has a seal like body with a paddle shaped
tail. The head and face are wrinkled and the snout has stiff
whiskers. Manatees are gentle and slow moving. Most of their
time is spent eating, resting, playing and traveling. Manatees
are completely herbivorous. They may rest submerged at the
bottom or just below the surface of the water coming up to
breathe on the average of every three to five minutes. The
Manatee is considered a protected animal under the Conservation
and Wildlife Act. It is an offence to hunt this animal. There
are only 25 to 30 manatees located in the rivers and wetlands
of Trinidad’s east coast.
Activities:
Fishing Cascadu
Husking Coconuts
Exploring the Swamp
LOPINOT:
Lopinot is a country community in the vicinity of Arouca,
it is located out 10 km from the Eastern Main Road. The valley
is very rich with a variety of fauna and flora. Local folklore
claims that the valley is still haunted by the ghost of its
founder: Compte Charles Joseph Lopinot. Compte Lopinot and
his legendary 100 slaves arrived from Haiti and settled in
Lopinot in 1806.
Spanish descendants who made the trek from Caura Valley to
La Veronica Village in 1946 also inhabit Lopinot.
The cocoa industry drove the economy of the valley in the
early years. Cocoa houses were pivotal to the estates. The
majority role of the cocoa house was to dry the cocoa beans
that were brought in from the field.
Parang music is a surviving strand of folk music from the
Spanish days. In Lopinot, Parang is played for every celebration,
be it a public holiday, a christening, a wedding or a funeral.
Sites visited:
Lopinot Historical Site and Compte Lopinot Estate
Activities:
Dancing the cocoa beans
Playing and singing Parang
Dancing the Maypole
Swimming in the river
GRANDE RIVIERE:
Grande Riviere is a small fishing village, on the North Coast
of Trinidad. The village is situated along the Paria main
road. With the hills of the Northern Range on one side and
the Caribbean Sea on the other, Grande Riviere is located
in a very fertile part of Trinidad. Abandoned cocoa and coffee
estates border the winding road that takes you from Toco to
Matelot.
Grande Riviere is named after the Grande Riviere River, which
meanders its way through the rainforest to empty itself on
the Grande Rivere beach.
The beach is a protected nesting ground for the Giant Leatherback
Turtle and the forest is the natural habitat of the Pawi,
also known as a Wild Turkey.
The Leatherback Turtle is the largest marine turtle and can
grow to a length of over five feet and can weigh as much as
450 kilos.
Every year, from March to August, these huge ancient creatures
climb onto the beach to lay their eggs. The female turtle
lays about 100 eggs at a time and will come ashore more than
once during the laying season. The eggs hatch in 60 to 80
days and young hatchlings make their way to the sea. Only
a few make it, as predators such as dogs, corbeaux, eat the
others fish….
It is said that when the young turtles mature, they lay their
eggs on the same beaches where they were hatched. The Leatherback
Turtle is an endangered species as hunters prey on the female
turtles to eat their meat and the eggs. We have to help protect
this defenseless creature.
Activities:
Watching baby turtles
Carving calebasse
Swimming in the river
CHAGUARAMAS/WESTERN PENINSULA:
Chaguaramas is the name given to the Western Peninsula of
Trinidad and the five offshore islands that link Trinidad
to Venezuela. From Port of Spain, a twenty minute drive takes
you along the Foreshore Highway pass Westmoorings, Glencoe
and Carenage. Chaguaramas was a US Naval Base during World
War 2 and you can find reminders of this history in the airplane
hangars, bunkers and the Chaguaramas Military History and
Aviation Museum.
The Museum now occupies part of what used to be the seaplane
ramp of the Military Base. The museum began as a Model Building
Club by Lieutenant Commandant Gaylord Kelshall in 1986 and
was officially opened in 1992. The museum is an exciting journey
through 500 years of Trinidad’s history – spanning
from the Amerindians to Space Exploration, highlighting the
role played by Trinidad and Tobago nationals. It is said to
house the largest collection of historical military artifacts
in the Caribbean.
Parts of Chaguraramas are protected national parks with dense
forests home to monkeys and ocelots, hiking trails and secluded
beaches.
The islands off the peninsula, locally referred to “down
the islands” are also a spectacular part of Chaguaramas.
There are five main islands Gaspar Grande or Gasparee, Gasparillo
(Centipede Island), Monos, Chacachacare, Huevos.
On Gaparee and Monos, there are many holiday homes on the
water. The limestone formations on Gaparee have given birth
to interesting underwater caves that you can explore.
The largest centipede in the world was found on Centipede
island. The boomerang shaped island of Chacachacare once housed
a hospital and a settlement of persons afflicted by leprosy,
from 1922 to 1984. All that is left today are abandoned buildings
and medical records. Huevos is the last island between Trinidad
and Venezuela.
Other small islands lay out in the Gulf of Paria, such as
the group of Five Islands (actually six):
- Caledonia and Craig Island are joined by a man made causeway
- Lenagan Island used to be an isolation hospital for very
infectious cases
- Nelson Island was a gateway to the peopling of Trinidad,
the indentured labourers were inspected here before being
transferred to the mainland.
- The other 2 islands are very small: Pelican and Rock Island
and once housed holiday homes.
Another important island in the Gulf is Carrera also known
as the Carrera Prison.
Sites visited:
The Chaguaramas Military, History and Aviation Museum
Down the Islands
Activities:
Boat ride
BLANCHISSEUSE:
Blanchisseuse is a fishing village on the North Coast of Trinidad.
The forested hills of the Northern Range stretch across the
entire 80km width of the north of Trinidad. The drive to Blanchisseuse
takes you through rich tropical rain forest that hangs over
your head, continuing down to the sea. Two roads cross the
hills to Blanchisseuse: from Port of Spain passing the famous
Maracas Bay, and from Arima to Blanchisseuse.
The name Blanchisseuse dates from when the French Creole
planters grew cocoa ad coffee in the area, it refers to the
laundresses who washed clothes in the village stream. The
French Creole left a number of traditions in the area, such
as their language. Le patois was created as a language of
necessity for the African slaves to communicate with their
masters. In the 1890’s it was spoken among 70% of the
country folk in Trinidad. Today only 6% of the population
speak Patois.
Blanchisseuse is a village with many traditions, like the
corning of fish, plaiting metiver mats or preparing cassava
farine.
Today fishing is the main economy in Blanchisseuse. The fishing
depot is very active and supplies a lot of fish on a daily
basis. The depot also gives a lot of work to people in the
village, if you are not fishing you can be a justler. This
means you help the fishermen lift their boats in and out of
the water. You may also be the one to carry the heavy 300
pound engine from the jetty to the depot!
Beyond Blanchisseuse there is 30km of coast before the next
set of paved road in Matelot. In between there are some fabulous
wild beaches and magnificent coastal views. The area can only
be reached on foot, following trails which dip and climb through
lush forests of old coffee, cacao and citrus estates.
Activities:
Corning fish
Speaking Patois
Plaiting mats
ARIMA:
Arima is the largest town in the East of Trinidad at the foot
of the hills of the Northern Range. Founded by the Capuchin
monks in 1757, Arima is one of the earliest settlements in
Trinidad. By the 1870’s, Arima changed radically with
the spread of the cocoa industry and the inauguration of the
first railway line in Trinidad for passengers and freight.
Today the economy has moved from agriculture to industry with
factories and housing estates along the outskirts of the town.
The area is still home to most of the Amerindian population
of the country.
The Amerindians of the Caribbean grew out of the Indian culture
of the tropical forests that extended all the way from the
Upper Amazon basin in Peru to Venezuela, the Guianas and the
West Indies. They included two major language families: the
Arawakans and the Caribans. The Arawakan tribe dominated the
Caribbean Islands. They were settled communities focusing
on agriculture. The Caribans were more nomadic. Trinidad,
being the closest island to the mainland, was the first point
of entry to the Caribbean. Our historical records show that
Amerindian peoples have existed in Trinidad for as long as
6000 years before the arrival of Christopher Columbus and
numbered about 40,000 at the time of the Spanish settlement
in 1592. Trinidad was populated by several tribes (such as
Yaio, Nepuyo, Chaima, Warao and Kalipuna). It was also a transit
point in the Caribbean network of Amerindian trade and exchange.
For most of the 16th & 17th centuries the district of
Arima was the home of the Nepuyo tribe whose active resistance
to the Spanish rule was led by the Warrior chief: Hyarima.
The Carib Santa Rosa Festival is held in Arima each year
on the last weekend of August. It is the Feast of Santa Rosa
de Lima, the first canonized Saint from the Americas. After
the traditional parade and smoke ceremony a Carib Queen and
King are crowned. In 1974, the Carib Santa Rosa community
was formed and they have recently introduced the Amerindian
Day of Recognition in October where Amerindians from communities
in Suriname, Dominica, Guyana and other islands come together
to celebrate the First Peoples of the Caribbean.
Arima is also famous for the Arima Dial, a majestic clock
tower, purchased in Nice, France and dedicated to the borough
in 1898.
Activities:
Meeting the Pia yi
Pounding Plantain
PORT OF SPAIN:
Port of Spain is the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, it is
the third largest town in the country after Chaguanas and
San Fernando. It is located in the northwest of Trinidad,
between the Gulf of Paria, the hills of the Northern Range
and the Caroni Swamp.
Port of Spain is the administrative and financial center
of the country. It was founded near the Amerindian fishing
village of Cumucurapo, the early Spanish settlers built a
port on the water and named it Port of Spain. The capital
was transferred to Port of Spain in the mid 1800’s.
Don Jose Maria Chacon, the last Spanish Governor spent a lot
of time and money developing the new capital. Port of Spain
continued to grow in size and importance during the 19th and
20th centuries. The population has now moved out of the city
limits to the suburbs in the valleys of St. Ann’s, Maraval
and Diego Martin. The inner city is very commercial, with
many modern high-rise buildings.
The Brian Lara Promenade is now the centre of downtown, offering
a pedestrian area for people to relax, play dominos or cards,
or stroll in the evenings.
The National Library building is located at the corner of
Hart and Abercromby Streets in Port of Spain. The building
is located next to a historic landmark - the Old Fire Brigade
Station - which has been restored and incorporated into the
new complex. The building also stands in juxtaposition to
two other landmarks - the Red House and the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
There is a great interactive children’s library with
a story telling space.
The Queens Park Savannah is Port of Spain’s largest
open spaces and one of the world’s largest traffic roundabouts.
It occupies about 260 acres of land. Once sugar land, it was
bought by the town council in 1817 from the Peschier family
(except for the small parcel in the centre which is the Peschier
cemetery). At first it was used as a vast cattle pasture,
by the middle of the 19th century it was established as a
park. Until the early 1990’s, horse racing was held
there at the Savannah race-track. Now it is mainly a sporting
arena with cricket, football and rugby pitches. On the Savannah’s
southern side is the Grand Stand, formerly used for viewing
horse races, now used for various cultural events, the biggest
of all being Carnival.
On the Western edge of the Savannah is the location of the
Magnificent Seven , a group of late Victorian buildings including
the prestigious Queens Royal College, residences of the Anglican
Bishop and the Roman Catholic Archbishop and the office of
the Prime Minister: Whitehall
Sites visited:
National Library
Emperor Valley Zoo and the Botanical Gardens
Queens Park Savannah
Activities:
Reading and story telling in the Library
Visiting the zoo
Playing hoolahoop in the Botanical Gardens
Playing football in the Savannah
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