One of the best things about our Trinidad vacations is how much it feels like home. That expectation’s should be a little unrealistic- we moved to the States in time for me to start kindergarten, and I didn’t return to the island until I was a grown woman. But from the time I feel the humid air at Piarco, Trinidad embraces.
Part of it is our guest quarters. My aunt Annemarie hosts us all (David and I, our besties Erin and Craig, my mom, aunt and uncle, my cousin and her new fiancé- a whole crew!) at her lovely home, and it’s perfect for playtime and partying… ‘liming’ is the Trini translation. She’s just the most gracious hostess, and makes her home a pleasure for us to visit.
Auntie has the loveliest ladies helping her at home. They spoil us rotten, and take such good care of us. Mrs Rose and her daughter kept us in literal feasts, and Mrs Rhona (to my mom’s right) kept us in stitches too. We always joke that their goal is to fatten us up till our costumes don’t fit- these women are some talented cooks.
More on Trini food in an upcoming post… Back to the party! says Auntie Angela. ?
The house pretty much has a revolving door, so the soca music starts the party early in the morning, and it goes all day. Aunties and family and friends stream in and out as Craig, the most patient bartender in the world, keeps drinks full and strong. Poolside is a sociable place to be in the Trini heat on the days we stay in.
Each of us maxes out our duty -free purchase upon arrival in Trinidad, and we stock the bar. Absolut Karnival is a bit of a thing on our trips- it’s a local market limited edition, flavored with passion fruit and orange blossom, and we drink it with soda, lime and bitters. When we’re not drinking rum, that is. We drink a lot of rum. It’s a Trini ting.
The house has plenty: people, food and drink, bright colors, photos of my auntie’s winning carnival costumes. And Lola, my aunt’s parrot- she’s something else. My mom taught her to say my name on a previous trip, and hand to g-d if Lola doesn’t call for me incessantly. Bless his heart, Craig spent some time trying to teach her other names, but no such luck.. She only wanted to sqwawk ‘vayna, vayna’ ad infinitum every time she saw me or heard my name.
If you visit our family, someone’s going to tell you about the savannah, (Queen’s Savannah Park), and claim it as the largest roundabout in the world. I don’t know about all that (proof or it didn’t happen), but it’s home to good stuff. Aside from the carnival festivities it hosts, there are vendors of every stripe dotted along the roundabout all the time- fruit, drinks, oyster shooters, kebab, roti, and more.
For us, it’s always about going to see the coconut man. Normally we’d do oysters, then coconuts but we kept missing the oysterman. It’s not like the street food vendors are on some kind of easily accessible schedule, and rumor and routine are only so reliable on Trini time.
Coconut water in bottle or can can be as cold-pressed and raw as it wants, but it can’t compare to a fresh Trini coconut hacked open. After all the water has been drunk, the coconut and machete meet again, to expose the yummy coconut jelly ready for eating.
We’re always interested in shopping local, seeing markets, and engaging with the vendors. We made a trip with Auntie Annemarie out to El Soccoro Road, where lots of fruit vendors are. The produce is arranged prettily, like at an American farmer’s market, but the varieties differ greatly. I was totally intrigued by the fresh pigeon peas in their pod, and the assortment of chilis made me realize exactly why homemade Trini hot sauce is so good.
I spent some time chatting with the shop owner while I browsed, and while he chopped my sugarcane to reasonable lengths. Trini people are just chatty. Auntie enjoyed art directing from the idling driver’s seat- peep her there?
similar black dresses // vintage chambray dress similar // similar // gaimo espadrilles similar, 2
The sun was setting as we headed home, so we took a long detour to go up to the lookout. Port-of-Spain and the sea beyond were really gorgeous as the sun slipped below the horizon and pinpricks of light sparked on.
loveRavayna