Page 160 - slovenia

Natural Exuberance

Butterflies and birds abound in the islands’ undeveloped rain-
forests, marshes, coastlines and mountains, and my favorite
excursions included lots of natural exposure. Port of Spain,
Trinidad’s main city, quickly gives way to a green-on-green
landscape broken by small towns with all the requisite busi-
nesses, from KFC to roti take outs to fruit and candy stands
(don’t miss the pickled green
mango called chow). According
to my guide, the omnipresent
rum shops are essential in
even the tiniest outposts.
“Rum is an integral part of
our culture,” he said. “Rum
shops are the first business
to open and the last to close.”
The tour included stops, of
course.

We also lingered at Richard’s in Maracas Beach for bake
and shark, an island classic with seasoned shark inside fried
bread. There were easily a dozen sauces for further flavor,
including yummy garlic, tamarind and cilantro versions and
lip-searing pepper and chile potions best avoided. The long,
popular beach is lined with similar casual stands. In the past,
the shark came straight from nearby waters, but the crea-
tures are disappearing due to overfishing, and some stands
offer dorado, calamari and even vegetarian options. The sand
looked tempting, but we were soon off to the lush mountains
for staggering views of the coast.

I devoted several hours to a similar country tour on Tobago,
spotting jewel-covered hummingbirds and posing for photos
of the sculptured roots of a 350-year-old silk cotton tree.
Healthy-looking goats grazed beside simple wooden houses
in small villages and the countryside. Turns out Tobago’s goat
races are legendary. Racers train by swimming in the ocean “ Turns out Tobago’s goat races are legendary.
(we didn’t spot any paddling goats, unfortunately) and are
Racers train by swimming in the ocean...”

Left to Right: Ladies prepare Bake and
Shark at Richard’s.; Sunset at Caroni
Swamp; Shops and stands in small towns
sell all necessary supplies.

160 WDT MAGAZINE SPRING 2017