When you first see the Port of Spain in Trinidad you notice all the derelict ships cluttering the harbor.  When we first decided to visit Trinidad, the port was filled with debris and silt, and the ships propeller constantly stirred-up plumes of mud.  Since that first visit the Trinidad government has dredged the harbor so now larger cruise ships can berth right at the dock.  They have done nothing with the derelict wrecks littering the waterway. There is enormous amounts of construction going on in the capital city reflecting the Trinidad government's keen interest in tourism. 

Both Trinidad and Tobago were originally settled by Amerindians of South American origin. Trinidad was first settled by pre-agricultural Archaic people at least 7,000 years ago, making it the earliest-settled part of the Caribbean. Ceramic-using agriculturalists settled Trinidad around 250 BC and then moved further up the Lesser Antillean chain. At the time of European contact Trinidad was occupied by various Arawakan-speaking groups including the Nepoya and Suppoya, and Cariban-speaking groups such as the Yao, while Tobago was occupied by the Island Caribs and Galibi.

One of the highlights of our time in Trinidad was taking a trip to witness a small island in the mangrove of Caroni Swamp turn blood red in the dusk of a hot summers day.  Getting there was an adventure in itself. The tour operator was the biggest black man I had ever seen.  When I asked him his name he said it was "Blue."  When I asked him how he got his name he replied "I'm so black my mama just called me Blue." 

Blue's tour "bus" was an old two door Monte Carlo and the ride out to the Caroni Swamp is a long one from Port-of-Spain but as we rode ascended the hills surrounding Port-of-Spain Blue made a few stops for us to take photos. (above right and left).  Lois was in the back seat with two gay guys who had just met. They were delighted to meet over Lois's body. I was in the front seat closely watching this guy Blue.

When we finally arrived, we were ushered into small flat-bottom boats and the operators of the boats usedlong poles to steer and propel us forward.  Before we left the "dock" I asked Blue how we would find him upon our return in the pitch black of night.  He said "you just call my name and I'll be there."  The trip through the swamp was pocked with seeing pythons curled-up in the overhead tree branches as we passed beneath them. Lois loved that of course. 

At any rate, we reached the island deep within the Caroni Swamp, that's where the Scarlet Ibis roosts and nests. They feed on the crabs which populate the mud-banks at the edges of or between the mangrove roots. The spectacular evening roosts of several thousand Scarlet Ibis are accessible via daily boat trips to the Caroni Swamp.   Numbers of Scarlet Ibis are highest from September to February the resident population is augmented by non-breeding birds dispersing from the mainland South America. The Scarlet Ibis has been designated as the national bird of Trinidad.  It's was spectacular to watch the island slowly turn from Green to red and yes Blue was there when we got back for our keystone Kops ride back to the cruise ship.

Trinidad and Tobago culture is known for its carnival, steel band and calypso music are famous throughout the world. The carnival was first introduced in Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago language is a mixture of African dialects besides coining some words from other languages.

Trinidad and Tobago culture also encompasses Trinidad and Tobago language, art, food, society, religion. Trinidad and Tobago language is a mixture of various languages. The Trinidad and Tobago language has words spoken among the Kwa and Akan dialects of African origin. There are some loan words borrowed from Spanish, French, Amerindian and East Indian Languages. Hindi words are also very much a part of the Trinidad and Tobago language.

The Trinidad and Tobago carnival shows the creativity of the trinbagonians. Carnival had its birth in the streets of Trinidad and Tobago. Kite flying is another part of Trinidad and Tobago culture. Moreover the calypso and the steel band is famous worldwide and is also a part of the Trinidad and Tobago culture.