Manzanilla

A rural village located on the east coast of Trinidad, just a 20 minute drive north of Mayaro and less than a 30 minute drive south of Sangre Grande.

In 1942 during World War II, the area of Manzanilla became the temporary home of US soldiers.  This was as a direct result of a wartime agreement between British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill and US President Franklin Roosevelt.  During the six years of war a military training camp was established, soldiers who were assigned to the camp, trained in jungle warfare and were then dispatched to serve throughout the Caribbean.

The area was populated by disbanded soldiers who were expected to cultivate the land in cocoa, yam, cassava, rice and bananas.  The villagers were also commissioned by the government to build a 10 mile macadam (large stones) road from Sangre Grande to the Manzanilla beach.  Manzanilla was sectioned into three areas. Manzanilla one included the small village of Comparo, Manzanilla two included Cacao Wharf and Manzanilla three ended on the beach and included the fishing industry.

By the end of the 19^th century, the area was booming with cocoa plantations, and inhabited by many squatters on government/crown land. 1886 brought the railway, however by then a good macadam road was already completed.

We found the drive to be short and uneventful.  The busiest time was going through Sangre Grande, else smooth sailing or should I say driving, out to Manzanilla.

At the beach I was confronted by an elder lady who wanted to know if I was already leaving.  She had a young lady visiting from Boston (and quite frankly I was wondering if she thought that I was the life guard).  I thought them an odd combination. Primarily because when speaking to the young lady, I did not hear any hint of Trinidadian and wondered how she came to be in the presence of an older lady who referred to her as a friend.  However, with chatty older folks the story often comes out with no prompting.  She told me that she met the young lady at the mango festival (a festival celebrated annually currently in its 5^th year – by The Network of Rural Women Producers teamed with UWI and the Ministry of Food Production) which is hosted at the UWI field Station, Mount Hope.  (A little about the festival -- Sweet, juicy, versatile and delicious mangoes of every size and variety is the focus of Trinidad and Tobago’s fifth annual Mango Festival. It featured a mango market, mango products, grafting demonstrations, exhibitions, children’s activities, games, mango eating competitions and other entertainment, Trinidad and Tobago’s Mango Festival offers mango lovers every imaginable mango-made delight, from soaps and preserves, to candles and gift paper.  A highlight of the Festival is the mango market where a variety of the locally grown fruit can be purchased, including the sinfully sweet Julie, considered the Queen of mangoes, which was developed in Trinidad, as well as other varieties with whimsical names such as Rose, Hog, Calabash, Douxdoux, La Brea Gyul, Turpentine, and Graham – a seedling of the Julie mango. Trinidad and Tobago’s Mango Festival promotes economic opportunities through the sustainable use of the mango and educates participants on the many benefits of the much loved fruit).

I then found the young lady to be rather brave to meet a stranger at a festival and follow her home.  She told me that the young lady was a student at a university in Boston and was awarded a scholarship to go visit multicultural nations and study the diversity of the people and whether they live harmoniously or not.  The young lady first travelled to South Africa where she found that even though the culture was diverse, each nationality stayed to themselves, forming areas or villages of a particular race with not much intermingling.  She found that Trinidad showed a multitude of people living mixed with one another and even though we may have political strife, for the most part had no problems with our fellow man or neighbor.  She found a food so diverse and infused with each other’s seasonings that it was unique to the land.  She found that we had named the mixing of races, for example douglah: when one parent is East Indian and the other African. Another example CocoPyol: when one parent is African and the other Spanish, Portugese or French.  She documented us and was on her way back to present to her professor and class.

When we returned home, my husband showed me the older lady that accosted me on the beach in the local paper receiving an award at the mango festival for the best mango chow.  I then realized that the two must of met at the older lady’s stall.  

This beach was filled with sea shells, apparently there is a season for it, at one time the beach is littered with them and at others none to be seen for miles.  My husband, mother and daughter walked along the beach picking up sea shells for a later project.

It was a beautiful and relaxing day.  The beauty and peace of tranquility, the sunlight reflecting on water, the spray of salt in the air and coconut trees swaying in the breeze.  This is yet another chance to drive around our island to see, taste and smell, and as the locals say, “Welcome to Trinidad”.

© 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. 

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.