Melanie and Michael come to Trinidad

Christy's friend from Denison Melanie and her boyfriend came to visit us for 10 days in Trinidad, with a quick trip to Tobago during the week. We had a great time, and did a lot of sight seeing. We went to the beach, took the Caroni Swamp Tour, drove up to the Asa Wright bird sanctuary--a busy but fun time. We had brunch with our neighboors and their house guests as well last Sunday. Got two flat tires while parking but David had them repaired before we were even served our food! (A testament both to the quickness of David's repair job and the slowness of the service at this restaurant). This weekend and next are cleaning and taxes weekends, and then Grandma and Grandpa Machak come visit in April!





Nicholas got his first pair of Crocs.

yummmm....

out to dinner

Melanie and Michael

Benihana's Japanese hibatchi grill

fresh lobster from the market

Caroni Swamp tour

Asa Wright Nature walk

the viewing station at Asa Wright

Carnival 2011

We had a blast the weekend before last at Carnival. We attended a cocktail competition at a night club called Zen on Sunday afternoon (a nice chance to see it since we aren't exactly the nightclub type), and early Monday morning we played J'ouvert in the band Chocolate City with some friends. Monday afternoon and Tuesday we watched mas at a local restaurant called Coco Lounge with some other embassy friends. Trinidad's carnival is unique in that it is truly a participatory carnival. Anyone can sign up and play in a band, and there are far more participants than spectators. Nicholas stayed home with Alicia, as not only was it hot, the speaker trucks were blaring socha music at a very unhealthy decibel.





a very popular band called Tribe, that blocked our car in for about an hour when we were trying to leave on Tuesday.

some leaders in each band have more ornate costumes

found an extra headdress

the balcony of coco lounge with friend and neighbor Eniko. in the background is one of the beer trucks

typical costumes

David with our neighbor's sons

the guys seemed to like these girls...

David with one of the marines in front of a steel pan truck

cool costume

The bands' security teams would keep the groups together and let them know when they could cross in front of the judging stand. This was on Carnival Monday where most wear T-shirts instead of their full costumes.

I don't know how this guy could sleep with al the noise.

leading a band to the judging stand

at the cocktail competition

Carnival Monday at Coco Lounge

cooling off after J'ouvert

Chocolate City!

Grenada

We had a great time in Grenada. Thank goodness the flight was short--25 minutes there and 15 minutes back, because Nicholas is not a fan of small loud planes or sitting still. Friday night we attended a local fish festival, joining a group of British tourists for an hour long bus ride through windy mountain roads in the rain to get there. Saturday was a quiet day--it was raining at breakfast so we decided to go into St. Georges and check out a museum. It cleared up for an hour or so but by the time we got back for lunch it was raining again. Nicholas ended up taking a 3.5 hour nap in the afternoon so at least we got to relax and sleep. Sunday fortunately was beautiful so we spent most of the day at the beach and the pool, and had dinner on the beach too. at sunset. Monday was also nice and we got to see a nutmeg processing factory and garden, a waterfall, and the view from Ft. George before flying home Monday night.

All of the pictures are up on Christy's Facebook page, but here are the highlights:

the fish festival

St. George's harbor

pretty view

Grand Anse beach

pool at the sister hotel to ours





does anyone else see anything about the second to last bullet that doesn't quiet make sense?

rehydrating after a nice swim

spice market! We got saffron, nutmeg, and a whole vanilla bean.

Nicholas loved playing in the sand, and dumping it all over the lounge chairs.

family pic at the beach

sunset dinner on the beach

peek a boo!

Nicholas's idea of a great vacation--turning the TV on and off in the hotel room

up at Ft. George

Ft. George over looking St. George's harbor

the hotel had a real bathtub so we picked up some bubble bath!

tasting room at the nutmeg factory--they made syrup, jams and jellies, liquers...

all for sale

garden outside the factory

Annondale Falls


ship in St. George's harbor

Nicholas playing soccer on the beach