Casarosa Port of Spain

I decided to take advantage of my paid vacation and spend two weeks in Trinidad and Tobago. My good friend Kevin Fortune, who I met in college, is from Trinidad and was a phenomenal tour guide. I stayed away from computers, cell phones and any reading materials related to the economy and/or the environment. <br><br> <br>

Every few days at Suzan's Guest House, new travelers would arrive, usually couples. We'd have no chance to get to know them, but for brief hellos at the evening meal, where all of Suzan's guests shared two tables off the kitchen. A French couple, an American biologist and his family, a Belgian couple....normally they would appear in remote Matura at Suzan's unmarked guest house, have dinner with us, and travel to the beach that night to view the turtles; then they'd move on the next ...

By far my favorite non-turtle activity was the day we went ocean kayaking. I specifically remember this as the day that everyone and their dog fell into the ocean. After leisurely kayaking the Salybia River last week, some of us decided it would be a fantastic idea to take it up a notch and hit the ocean. There was a sweet little island not too far from shore that was ripe for exploring, and we were going to be the ones to do it. Looking back, I'm fairly certain that ...

... passed areas where fire pits had been assembled, and arrays of bottles had been discarded into the sand. And there had not been one single time, day or night, when we had been at this beach and not come across groups of men who seemed to have no permit and no recreational purpose on the beach.<br><br>....but there is no poaching, and, from the surface, everything is pretty in Trinidad.<br><br>The first time I went to the Dis-and-Dat Shoppe, which is a small convenience store ...

... have a wheel built into the monstrosity; most are carried with shoulder harnesses. All of them are amazing. You can't help moving to the beat as you watch the progress across the stage. Our next event was a bit of a disappointment only because of the volume. The live concert featuring Trinidad's favorite singer would have been great if we didn't worry about our hearts stopping and our ears popping from the level of the speakers. We were warned to bring earplugs ...

... front and good, and the stuff goes down easy, just a few lumps in the gravy. The live bands are even better of course. Even now, long before Carnaval, steel 'pan' bands are honing and licking their chops, hoping to win the Carnaval competitions. I wish I were here. I think I like Trinidad more than Brazil. Too bad they speak English. Trinidad seems to overtly prize its African connection more than any place I've yet seen in the ...

... also staying at Joel's uncle's place), that we MUST get up at 3 in the morning (the next day, Carnival Monday, in 3 hours) for J'ouvert. J'ouvert, or "Dirty Mas", always takes place before dawn on the Monday before Ash Wednesday. It means "goodbye to the flesh" or "welcome to ...

... seats and the raster taxi driver had his music booming out of about 5 distorted speakers. We had an early morning flight back to Caracas, and decided to meet my friends Marcello and Marco before they flew back to Italy the next day. We went out in Caracas to an area called Las Mercedes which was full of open front bars playing load music until 2 - 3am. Marcello had a list of dodgy gay and straight clubs from the internet but all had closed down. That is how fast things change in ...

... his teeth open like a harmless monster's, and the back of his throat lets out a short-noted chuckle. David resembles an onion when he smiles. At Gerardo's stories, he laughs so hard I worry for his health. His face reddens. Tears are squeezed from his eyes and choking giggles from his mouth. Gerardo went on to speculate that the guy who found John Bobbitt's penis in the street must've been gay. Because, he, personally, never would've ...

... with roadtrip buds, Cory "Johnny" Anderson, Lucas "Johnny" Seipp-Williams, and Paakow and Derrick. We left one tired night after midnight, and Johnny Anderson and I stayed awake to drive. To stay focused, my fellow comrade and I recited communist slogans as we drove. "Let the workers of the world unite!" said Johnny, raising his fist. "And un-shackle themselves from the tyrannical chains of their proletariate oppressors!" "Who needs sleep?" I said. "We don't need sleep! I'll tell you ...