Destination 》 North America 》 The Caribbean 》 Trinidad and Tobago
Year Visited: 2002 – Jan
I visited Port of Spain, capital city of Trinidad, for a business trip during January 2002. This was a short, one week trip, so I spent few evenings, after work, walking around the capital city checking out Steelpan orchestra and Calypso dancers practicing for upcoming Carnival. Also, one evening our client drove us around the island.
Trinidad and Tobago, island country of the southeastern West Indies, is a nation consisting primarily of two Caribbean islands just 11 km (6.8 mi) off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. The country is the most industrialized and one of the most prosperous in the Caribbean.
Caribs and Arawaks lived in Trinidad long before Christopher Columbus encountered the islands on his third voyage on 31 July 1498. The island remained Spanish until 1797. In 1889 the two islands became a single British Crown colony.
Following World War II, Trinidad and Tobago was combined with various other British Caribbean countries into the West Indies Federation, but the different countries could not get along and the federation soon collapsed. Trinidad and Tobago obtained self-governance in 1958 and independence from the United Kingdom in 1962.
The demographics of Trinidad and Tobago reflect the diversity of this southernmost country in the West Indies. It is sometimes known as the “Rainbow Country”. As of the 2011 Trinidad and Tobago Census, the population was 35.43% East Indian, 34.22% African, 7.66% mixed African and East Indian, and 15.16% other mixed.
Pictures below are from a week long stay in Port of Spain, the capital city. I was fortunate to witness Steelpan orchestra and Calypso dancers practicing as I visited Trinidad a week before their annual Carnival, an event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The event is well known for participants’ colorful costumes and exuberant celebrations.
Visit to Port of Spain, Trinidad was a business trip so didn’t have much time to explore out side the capital city, other than one afternoon we drove around the island to check out its beautiful beaches.
After a week on the island, I few back to Dallas, my home at that time. Trinidad and Tobago have lot to offer than just the capital city, though because of limited time, I couldn’t explore more. I would definitely like to come back and explore more.
Window on the World 