There are two things which we Trinis need to recognize about Tobago: The first is that in Tobago we see no litter and garbage on the roadsides or the beaches. The second is that public toilets in Tobago are clean and useable.
We Trinis should develop a sense of shame about now nasty we are compared to our Sister Isle.
With that off my chest, I now revert to the adventures of a Tobago Wedding between a Trini man and his American lady. Now, I accept that this was in no way the traditional Tobago Wedding with men in top hats and couples dancing that Tobago Jig.
Last week I described how some of us journeyed to Tobago for our son’s marriage to his lovely American Bride. And this week I want to pay tribute to Tobago—for the experiences you gave us, lovely memories! - , to our extended and Pumpkin Vine family who came in, and indeed to all of our new in-laws, Bride, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, with whom we limed, ate, danced, prayed, snorkeled, swam and fished over five or six days!
Thanks to the Villas at Stonehaven, who hosted the ceremony, and accommodated about half of the guests…mostly on the American (bride’s) side, and to Plantation Villas, just down the hill from Stonehaven, where most of the Trinis were ensconced.
Other than the bride’s parents being delayed in NY, but CAL managed to get them from Piarco to Tobago on a later connection, the only travel hiccup was the seizure by Customs of one guest’s shorts! Surely airlines serving T&T ought to tell boarding passengers that they cannot wear “camouflage” clothing here… far less walk off the flight in brand new camouflages?
At least Customs let him change his clothes as they seized the dangerous apparel!
The week began with getting to know each others’ families via a couple of good evening beach limes, and for me fishing expeditions as well.
Arranged by the new American arrivals, we travelled to a dead-end road in the Bon Accord mangrove, where the transport just left us. Euphemistically named “Gibson’s Jetty”, a partially sunken block of concrete was surrounded by old pirogues tied to mangrove roots.
No fishing boat was in sight, and the place had the aura of a drop-off point for strange commercial activities. I half expected some Colombians to arrive with packages and ask us if we brought the money! But luckily, the only arrival was the boat skipper and crew, who took us out to a boat anchored out of view from the “jetty”.
We Trinis should develop a sense of shame about now nasty we are compared to our Sister Isle.
With that off my chest, I now revert to the adventures of a Tobago Wedding between a Trini man and his American lady. Now, I accept that this was in no way the traditional Tobago Wedding with men in top hats and couples dancing that Tobago Jig.
Last week I described how some of us journeyed to Tobago for our son’s marriage to his lovely American Bride. And this week I want to pay tribute to Tobago—for the experiences you gave us, lovely memories! - , to our extended and Pumpkin Vine family who came in, and indeed to all of our new in-laws, Bride, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, with whom we limed, ate, danced, prayed, snorkeled, swam and fished over five or six days!
Thanks to the Villas at Stonehaven, who hosted the ceremony, and accommodated about half of the guests…mostly on the American (bride’s) side, and to Plantation Villas, just down the hill from Stonehaven, where most of the Trinis were ensconced.
Other than the bride’s parents being delayed in NY, but CAL managed to get them from Piarco to Tobago on a later connection, the only travel hiccup was the seizure by Customs of one guest’s shorts! Surely airlines serving T&T ought to tell boarding passengers that they cannot wear “camouflage” clothing here… far less walk off the flight in brand new camouflages?
At least Customs let him change his clothes as they seized the dangerous apparel!
The week began with getting to know each others’ families via a couple of good evening beach limes, and for me fishing expeditions as well.
Arranged by the new American arrivals, we travelled to a dead-end road in the Bon Accord mangrove, where the transport just left us. Euphemistically named “Gibson’s Jetty”, a partially sunken block of concrete was surrounded by old pirogues tied to mangrove roots.
No fishing boat was in sight, and the place had the aura of a drop-off point for strange commercial activities. I half expected some Colombians to arrive with packages and ask us if we brought the money! But luckily, the only arrival was the boat skipper and crew, who took us out to a boat anchored out of view from the “jetty”.
I pause here to tell Orville London and Stephen Cadiz that Tobago needs a couple of simple marinas, where boats can come alongside to collect clients, refuel, load the Caribs, and offload the catch!
Quite frankly, what we faced to get aboard a fishing charter was an embarrassment, and this is no fault of the charter boat operators. Tobago has excellent deep-sea fishing just off its coast, and the tourism potential here is tremendous.
But, say what! Fishing is bonding, and I got to know my son’s new family better out on the sea - reeling in six fine fish on one day, and six more two days after the wedding—than men could get to know each other liming elsewhere!
While we fished others limed, suntanned, went snorkeling, visited the reef and the Nylon Pool, sampled Tobago’s restaurants and street foods, and consumed endless amounts of Carib and Stag---“it’s the heat you know”, explained one English nephew, he one of three brothers who flew in from UK.
But somewhere in between was the reason for all this festivity---a wedding ceremony in Scarborough, and convoys of maxis to get most of us there. From the church it was back to Stonehaven, where all of our overseas guests joined us locals for a truly wonderful Trini wedding reception; Pan music, good DJ, much dancing, fine food and lots to drink!
This week of family festival brought over a hundred people in to Tobago, and most from “away”, and most stayed five days or more, and at the end of it English O’Connor’s had met American O’Connor’s for the first time, and all the O’Connor’s/Hezekiah’s had joined with the McKeon’s of New York - two families of the Irish Diaspora now joined in a larger pumpkin vine relationship sealed in Tobago.
As I watched them all, arriving, meeting, feasting, dancing and finally departing, I was reminded of how this all might have been in times past—where people from two tribes, villages or families may have travelled great distances to meet, to dance, to wed and to join with each other, and then return to their homes, all better for the experiences shared, and friendships sealed!
We should do this more often?
But, say what! Fishing is bonding, and I got to know my son’s new family better out on the sea - reeling in six fine fish on one day, and six more two days after the wedding—than men could get to know each other liming elsewhere!
While we fished others limed, suntanned, went snorkeling, visited the reef and the Nylon Pool, sampled Tobago’s restaurants and street foods, and consumed endless amounts of Carib and Stag---“it’s the heat you know”, explained one English nephew, he one of three brothers who flew in from UK.
But somewhere in between was the reason for all this festivity---a wedding ceremony in Scarborough, and convoys of maxis to get most of us there. From the church it was back to Stonehaven, where all of our overseas guests joined us locals for a truly wonderful Trini wedding reception; Pan music, good DJ, much dancing, fine food and lots to drink!
This week of family festival brought over a hundred people in to Tobago, and most from “away”, and most stayed five days or more, and at the end of it English O’Connor’s had met American O’Connor’s for the first time, and all the O’Connor’s/Hezekiah’s had joined with the McKeon’s of New York - two families of the Irish Diaspora now joined in a larger pumpkin vine relationship sealed in Tobago.
As I watched them all, arriving, meeting, feasting, dancing and finally departing, I was reminded of how this all might have been in times past—where people from two tribes, villages or families may have travelled great distances to meet, to dance, to wed and to join with each other, and then return to their homes, all better for the experiences shared, and friendships sealed!
We should do this more often?
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