Toco

The North East most tip of the island, the area where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The point where you can stare as far as the horizon without the hint of land, making it look as though you’re alone in this world.  Even though the sister island of Tobago only lies 35 kilometers northeast of this point, you cannot see it from here.  Toco is the closest point from Trinidad to Tobago.

Yes the day started adventurous as we, having a week of schlepping our son to his science camp in the North Eastern town of D’Abadie, had nothing better to do with our time, than to tour the region and its beaches.  Our plan was not to bathe, but more to mark locations for later family visits.  So we travelled to local malls, shopping districts and yes, beaches where we have not been in over 20 years.  Today’s venture Toco, via Valencia.

The day started without an inkling of morning's promise, the mist, moist and tranquil with the notion of a shower, but alas the blaze of the sun showed its power over the other forces of nature.  A gentle kiss of the scent of tropical flowers, and fruit, yeah, it is the season of mangoes and they are everywhere.  The road long and winding, through many small villages, where you wonder if the natives travelled out much, as their lives proved to be a simple one.  Fishing, farming, owning a small shop of trinkets, or snackettes or a mini restaurant, seemed the order of business.  Then there was the occasional offering of a place to stay for a weekend, a week, etc.  Also of mention are the many bars along the route. 

 

We have befriended the smart phone app ‘waze’, and this app makes finding places so much easier as the streets of Trinidad and Tobago are installed.  The road surface is better than I expected.  Outside of the one area around the quarries where the heavy duty trucks are prevalent, everywhere else was smooth sailing.

 

In Toco there is a lighthouse which overlooks the Northeastern oceanic approach to the island.  This lighthouse built in 1897 is no longer in use, but it is a historic site and the grounds are well upkept.  This area is referred to as ‘Punta Galera’ (now Galera Point).  Galera is derived from the word ‘galea’, the name ‘Galeota Point’ (Galeota also derived from Galea) was given to the southeastern point of the island by Christopher Columbus, this name was accidentally given to the northern point as well and the name stuck.

In the old days there were no roads connecting Toco to the rest of the island, instead in 1818 Toco was accessed via the round island steamer service which was started by Governor Ralph Woodford.  This service allowed trade of goods and cocoa (one of the main products of the region).  The first roads were built to this area by 1930, linking the area to Sangre Grande.  Toco is the home of the 2012 Olympic Gold javelin winner Keshorn Walcott.

After our long almost two hour drive we have arrived.  We are greeted by many food vendors along the beach.  We chatted with one of the native “Sonia”, she had a welcoming and delightful personality.  She showed us an area that she referred to as the swimming pool, where the water was calm, and the waves broke further out to sea and the deepest area was lower than shoulder height.  We stood and soaked up the view of the coconut and local almond trees along the beach front.  Against our faces a gentle sea breeze, the waves lapping at the delight of the northeasterly trade winds, the beauty of God's creation for us all to see, smell, play in and digest.  The beauty of a small land, an island, southerly lying just above the coast of Venezuela, rich in natural resources with a diverse culture and people.  A land that I call ‘home’.

Road view of the ocean

  A beach along the way

Are we there yet?

On the way

The breeze

Calmness of Toco swimming pool

Different exposure of beach

Macro view of coral

Thought it was a nice cloud

Fishing village indeed

Lighthouse view

From the lighthouse, spray

These birds posed for me

Bridge only allowing one car at a time

© 2013, Odette M. Lawrence and NorDean Canvas. All rights reserved. The use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog’s author and/or owner are unauthorized and strictly prohibited. 

Birthday Greetings!

Well I would be remiss if I didn’t post something on this the day of my birth.  As long as I could remember people have expressed the things that they have learned through the years.  Looking back I am trying to separate what my mind thinks I knew all along with what I have acquired through the passage of time.  

I have learned that God’s plan is the only plan that will play out in life.

I have learned to be thankful, truly grateful for every gift, every fall, every stumble, every blessing presented.

I have learned to treasure life, my husband, children, siblings, parents and all of my family.

I have learned that patience only needs to be learned by those who do not express the want to wait.  

I have learned that advice from someone who has not attained your dream or ‘walked the walk’ is useless.

I have learned that quiet time is void when you have children.

I have learned that faith is rooted in your belief, and your faith goes hand in hand with your patience.

I have learned that respect of self, parents and others comes mostly by the knowledge of how one wants to be treated.

I have learned that there is a mirror effect in giving.

I have learned that those to whom one gives and shares are often not the reciprocators of such transactions and the least likely individuals show more appreciation than expected.

I have learned that my family is not jealous or greedy.

I have learned that when faced with adversity, although my chest heaves, my inner being is strong.

I have learned that there are people that you can count on.  You just have to know how to choose your friends.

I have learned that loving people is easier than hating them.

I have learned that face value, first impressions, are valuable insights into personalities presented.

I have learned to be quiet and observe.

I have learned that not everyone has your best interest at heart, even though their mouths may say so, their mind is on a different wave length.

I have learned that my mood is a direct result of the actions of my loved ones.

I have learned that my unequivocal devotion to others will not be reciprocated.

I have learned that God wants me to love the people that hate me the most and to show them kindness.

I have learned that oral expressions must be followed by showing actions.

I have learned that giving of your time and talents are a greater asset most times than just giving of your treasures.

I have learned that my threshold for nonsense has not improved, I am just less vocal about it.

I have learned to avoid hateful acts or people as they are vexations to the spirit, and I can pray for them and love them from afar.

I have learned my power, my strength, and my purpose.

I have learned that the things that I hold important are not equally important to those I care the most about.

Today is a day of reflection.  Looking at how I’ve lived and thinking of the things that I want to do, developing a bucket list on life.  Reality can be a harsh eye opener, but we can take simple lessons and move forward, stronger, more equipped, more adept and wiser.  Setting plans in motion, can propel us one step closer to where we would like to be.  Are the plans a reality?  Do they line up with God’s plans? Questions we must ascertain. 

Today I am but a year older, a tad bit wiser, a simple mind with complex thoughts, a believer in good, a lover of life, a grateful spirit, a bright light, and I am all of these because of the family I was born into, the people I have met along the way, the friends that have encouraged and nurtured me, and last but not least my belief in God.

So today I bless you all, because you have blessed me with your presence, with your lessons, with your love. from my heart to yours.

Enjoy my day with me, have a wonderful day!


© 2013, Odette M. Lawrence and NorDean Canvas. All rights reserved. The use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog’s author and/or owner are unauthorized and strictly prohibited.  

Las Cuevas - Trinidad

Las Cuevas Bay

This beach is East of the infamous Maracas Bay.  There is also Tyrico bay just before it and Chupara Bay right after it.  The name “Las Cuevas” means “The Caves” and there are many caves on this beach.  The bay is more sheltered than Maracas therefore the water is calmer and the waves get to approximately three (3) feet.

We took this drive up on Saturday after first going to Arouca for my husband to source his work.  These North coast beaches are accessible via Blanchisseuse, Santa Cruz, St. Joseph, or Maraval.  We chose the Maraval route as we wanted something to eat and Maraval had the most delectable choices for our palette.

I purchased some new software and was toying on not posting this entry until I was able to setup the software and do new photo editing to show you all my shots.

However, as you can tell I was itching to write.

It turned out to be a hot sunny day, with the ensuing rain falling in the morning hours.  We arrived at the beach around 3pm for an afternoon frolic in the water.  My daughter decided to sit on the sand and carve out sea creatures, while my son played beach football with his dad and uncle.  I sat on a log and enjoyed the breeze and scenery, snacking on chips and cookies, drinking a solo Bentley with Bitters, chatting with my girlfriend (in my best GA drawl).

I tried to capture the splash of a wave, the inside of a cave, some shrubbery and folks playing up and down the beach.   I didn’t take as many shots as I have done in the past but the few I did should capture the moment.

By the way, I did toy a little with the new software received and made some subtle changes to a few of my photographs, rendering them more appealing, at least to my critic eye. 

Please enjoy.

© 2013, Odette M. Lawrence and NorDean Canvas. All rights reserved. The use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog’s author and/or owner are unauthorized and strictly prohibited.