From calypso to Carnival
Long before Harry Belafonte hit the world with the Banana Boat Song in 1956, the people of Trinidad and Tobago were already swaying to the tropical rhythms of calypso. Here, in the birthplace of calypso, the distinct form of Afro-Caribbean music became the voice of the people and was characterized by highly rhythmic and harmonic vocals. Originating in early 20th century, calypso has its roots in the West African Kaiso and the migration of French planters and their slaves. The songs are a virtual document of the political history of these islands and continue to inspire other genres of music like rap, hip-hop and rapso. The steelpan (steel drums or pans), claimed to be ‘the only acoustic musical instrument invented in the 20th century' was invented in Trinidad. Trinidad also spawned Soca, Chutney and Parang music and the famous Carnival arrived here with the French. To top it off, Edmundo Ros, the King of Latin American music, was born in Port of Spain.
Naipaul literary trail Nobel laureate Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul was born in 1932 at Lion House, the 90-year-old home of his grandfather Pandit Capildeo, an immigrant from India. This ancestral home in Chaguanas is being restored to its old glory and forms an Indian heritage site along with the Brechin Castle Sugar factory. The historic house featured in VS Naipaul's A House for Mr Biswas. His early work was clearly influenced by his years of growing up in the West Indies. While working at the BBC, Naipaul wrote his part-autobiographical novel Miguel Street set in wartime Port of Spain, using a typewriter and ‘rustle-free paper' so he could write on the sly. His second fictional novel Suffrage of Elvira was a political satire set in colonial times about a local election in the small town of Elvira in Trinidad.
Relish Trinidadian cuisine When the West Indies team toured India in the 90s, they insisted on stopping by at Sue's Kitchen in Bangalore for some Trinidad and Tobago fish curry, Jamaican jerk chicken, crab curry, chicken pelau and jeera pork. Such is the draw of Trinidadian cuisine, a cuisine that has Indian, African, Creole, Amerindian, European, Chinese and Lebanese influences. The national dish is callaloo, a creamy spicy dish made of dasheen (taro leaves), okro (ladies finger), crab or pigtails, thyme, coconut milk and shado beni (closed cilantro). Curry Goat with Buss-Up-Shut, is a much-loved dish consisting of shredded roti which in the delectable Trini accent is said to look like a ‘busted up shirt'. Another local invention, Doubles, is thick curried chickpeas sandwiched in bara bread with tamarind, mango and pepper. Besides Phulouri and Dalpoori, other typical Bihari dishes include Baigan Chokha, fire-roasted eggplant mashed with browned garlic and onion; also available in a tomato variant.
Pigeon Point
Pigeon Point is Tobago's most beautiful beach and is home to the famous thatch-roofed jetty that has become an international symbol for Tobago. The Heritage Park (PPHP) includes long stretches of white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. While in the area, visit Milford Bay and Store Bay, and for more beach escapes, head to the picturesque Pirate's Bay, Englishman's Bay, Castara Bay, Mount Irvine Bay and Arnos Vale Reef.
Turtle nesting Between May and September, thousands of marine turtles return to Trinidad's northeast coast to lay eggs. Five turtle species nest here: Olive Ridley; Green; Hawksbill; Loggerhead; and Leatherback, the largest of all sea turtles. At Matura Beach visitors can stay with a local family to experience authentic local food and culture while enjoying guided walks to the beach. Besides Leatherbacks at Grande Riviere, you can also see the nesting of Hawksbills, which abound in the coral reefs of Tobago.
Marine life at Buccoo Coral Reef With open sea all around, the underwater wonders of this region make it a superb dive spot . French oceanographer and undersea explorer Jacques Costeau named Buccoo Reef—the largest in Tobago—the third most spectacular reef in the world. Located in south-western Tobago about six miles from Scarborough, the 10-acre marine park is great for snorkelling, scuba diving and glass-bottom boat rides. Besides sea turtles, about 119 fish species including grouper, parrotfish, hogfish and triggerfish have been identified in this habitat of coral reef, seagrass bed and mangrove swamp. Make sure to visit Nylon Pool, a shallow coral sand reef you can walk on!
Nature and wildlife
Located just seven miles from Venezuela's north-eastern coast, Trinidad and Tobago were once joined to the mainland. The South American flavour is apparent in the dazzling array of birds, insects, plants and fish. The Trinidad Piping Guan, locally called pawi, is the isle's only endemic bird. Learn about local fauna at Emperor Valley Zoo in Port of Spain. One of the most bio-diverse regions in the Caribbean isles, Tobago is a birdwatcher's paradise and is home to over 250 birds. Established in 1763, Tobago Forest Reserve was the first such reserve in the Western Hemisphere. Just off the coast of Tyrrell's Bay, Little Tobago or Bird of Paradise Island, is a nesting site for seabirds. Enjoy the attractions of the 12-acre organic retreat called Adventure Farm & Nature Reserve, which include hummingbirds, jewelled motmots and orchards. Genesis Nature Park near Hopes Bay is a nice petting zoo and small conservation den of rescued animals.
Caribbean Cricket Brian Lara, Keiron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Dwayne Bravo, Ravi Rampaul, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Ganga, Adrian Barath…some of the most prominent names in West Indian cricket are from Trinidad and Tobago. At Port of Spain, enjoy a match in true Caribbean style at Queen's Park Oval, the home ground of the Trinidad and Tobago team. It has the largest capacity of any cricket ground in the West Indies; no other ground in the Caribbean has hosted more Test matches than the Oval. It is one of the most picturesque cricketing venues in the world—set against the backdrop of Trinidad's Northern Range. Dine at Jaffa, a restaurant inside the Pavilion that is open to the public.
Try ‘Barbados Water' Clearly, the seed for Robert Louis Stevenson's classic Treasure Island and his famous sea-song Dead Man's Chest was sown here. Inspired by Charles Kingsley's At Last: A Christmas in the West Indies, the chorus: "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum! Drink and the devil had done for the rest, Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!" rings out loud in these lands. Named Nelson's blood, kill-devil, demon water, pirate's drink, navy neaters or Barbados Water, rum is a many-faced devil. It's believed that rum was first distilled in the 17th century on the sugarcane plantations of Barbados. While refining cane sugar, plantation slaves stumbled upon molasses, which could be fermented into alcohol. Peppering the islands are rum shops serving local brews like Ponche de Crème (a Trini version of eggnog with condensed milk and alcohol), puncheon rum (a high-proof light rum also called Fire Water) and homemade wines from local fruits.
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