Blogs from Trinidad, Trinidad & Tobago, Central America Caribbean - page 8

That's the first thing someone told me yesterday when I said I would be going to a Muslim wedding. And did I ever. We hopped back in the car this morning, where I feel like I'm spending all my time, to head down to the town where Sharon's sister who would be taking me to the wedding lives. The country has a pretty good public transport system...but nobody has given me a chance to figure out how to use it, so instead I'm just toted around everywhere. Oh well. They had called the bride the night before to okay me tagging along, but apparantly that was mostly just formality since they have enough food for everyone they've ever met to come. I guess it would just be a little hard for me to blend in. We ... read more

It's been a whirlwind couple of days since I've gotten to Trinidad, but isn't that always how the first couple of days seem? So first things first...Where in the world am I and why? I'm in Trinidad and Tobago (whip out those globes...or look at the little map on the bottom, it's an island off the coast of Venezuela) for the next 7 weeks doing an independent study of sorts studying the marriage and wedding traditions of the area. Translation: I'm crashing Hindu, Muslim, and various types of Christian weddings for the summer. Everytime someone asks what I'm doing here I get less and less sure why I'm here, but every person has enthusiastically told me I'm in the right place for weddings, so here's hoping. I thought coming to an English speaking country would be ... read more

Silver waves washed the sandy shore in the pinkish hue of evening light. The sun sailed red into the ocean where the silhouettes of small fishing craft swayed in the gentle breeze. Above, coconut palms arched over the beach to form a natural vaulted roof. The bride and groom stood bare foot on the warm sand as the pastor read from the Songs of Solomon. The perfect setting for a romantic wedding. When Henry and Louise decided to marry in Tobago it was their favourite holiday destination and held many happy memories. Arranging a wedding 5000 miles away from home though can be a daunting prospect. So it is not surprising that couples hoping to marry in the Caribbean tend to opt for the ‘all in package’ offered by hotels, often in expensive tourist resorts. ... read more

Three of us traveled down to San Fernando to be at the Supreme Court building by 9 a.m. and during the morning went for a snack at the Treehouse Restaurant. As we traveled back north, not far from San Fernando, we had lunch at Cara Suites, originally known as Farrell House but which recently had undergone a change of ownership, change of name and was completely renovated. These photos were taken that day.... read more

Our annual trek to West Mall in Trinidad was great fun and also eye-opening to see the modernization that had been accomplished over the past year. Here are some scenes from The Falls, as it is now called. The white tiles on the floor look like marble! Because renovation is still going on, some stores have yet to move in. When they do, there will be almost nothing that you cannot get here.... read more

Today was a red letter day for the family of Pat and Ray LeBarrie of Arima, Trinidad, since this was the day they emigrated to the United States after many years of planning and waiting. They and their two children, Paul and Becky, plan to live in Homestead, Florida, near Ray's mom and brother to be able to better further their children's education and be near relatives. A large group of us went to the airport to share last minute coffee with them and to bid them a fond farewell. It was a happy and exciting time for them, but mixed emotions for those dear friends they have to leave behind. The day dawned beautifully, with no rain in sight, in stark contrast to recent days of heavy storms, overcast skies and much flooding. Some pictures ... read more