Look, de Band is Coming (Trinidad Carnival)

-any fetes related to your band and Carnival

-enjoy the spirit and craziness of the cultural celebration

-know why and what they're celebrating-it'll be more meaningful

-the photos I took and the amount of dancing I did-I love dancing!

Quick Tips:

There will be ads on Carnival fetes everywhere in the country. What are considered to be the more organized, well-to-do fetes (if that's your thing) are advertised in the Guardian and Newsweek and are usually about 275TT per person. That's not to say that the ones that are cheaper aren't as good, but be prepared for a larger crowd, and of course, many different people.

Best Way To Get Around:

Maxis are the best. These are similar to airport shuttle vans, but they have loud music and you'll find out that you're in the Caribbean for sure! They are safe and cheap. If the people of the country are taking them around, why wouldn't you? Well, one reason may be that you may not look like a local, but don't go with that assumption. People are friendly, and of course, be aware of your surroundings and items.

Although I can't recommend a place since I was there for a short period of time, there are many hotels that are worth staying at.

The Hilton, of course, is a safe bet because it's a chain and has standards.
Kapok Hotel is not a chain and is local, but I've heard it is excellent, and it is downtown, where you can easily access all the other ex-pat stuff if that's your thing!
There's also the Crowne Plaza in town that isn't too shabby. It is definitely downtown-not bad.

Yeah, this place is trés casual, and from the name, you probably guessed--quite small! It can hold, incredibly, about 25 to 30 people comfortably, but since you gotta squeeze it all in, there can be up to 50 people, and it flows on the sidewalk. Don't worry about drinking on the sidewalk; it is quite normal in Trinidad! It's got a good cozy pub feel, and I found that a few more Venezuelans go there than the average Trini. I like it. It's nice if you just want to catch a drink with a friend in a casual environment.

Trinidad is beautiful. This statement is packed with meaning, so I'll try to explain myself as best as I can. It is a country that has such a mix of culture and ethnicity that no doubt, in 30 to 40 years, our society in North America will begin the resemble its ethnic mix. Within the beauty there are flaws--(isn't everything beautiful flawed?) the government and the gap between the rich and poor causes overall turmoil. It wasn't until I lived there that I realized the importance of a good government, and everything that I had read in papers about social welfare came to life.

The culture beckons those who are willing to see each other as equals. The culture, in my opinion, is quite dominated by religion and certainly Carnival is not a proponent of that!

In the end, you must read the newspapers, understand the history (very rich), and deal with and meet the local people. I wasn't a big fan of places like TGIF and ex-pat places since they weren’t places that captured the essence of Trinidad's citizens. Can you believe that there isn't a McDonald’s in the country? Hmmm . . . why? Do your research!