TOBAGO ISLAND EXCURSION

THE TOBAGO BRANCH (upper level)

Last week we spent a couple of mornings cleaning and organizing the branch meeting house.  The chapel is on the main floor and the office and primary room are on the second floor.  Sister Linton and I are leaving for the afternoon to take an excursion to the Caribbean side of the Island.

This is the Branch's full time lawn mower

Everybody has a goat or two.  They keep the grass down, provide milk and meat.  Our branch goat will butt you if you get too close.  

CANNON USED TO DEFEND AGAINST PIRATES IN THE 1700'S

There are forts everywhere.  They were used primarily to protect the sugar and cocoa plantation shipments from the pirates that came from the Americas.

OVEN TO "HEAT THE CANNON SHOT"

The shot was heated red-hot before firing it from muzzle-loaded cannons for the purpose of setting fire to enemy warships.  It was a powerful weapon against wooden ships where fire was always a hazard.  It was mainly used on shore batteries and forts and fired at enemy ships..

ONE OF NETTIE'S FAVORITE HOUSES

This little home was tucked back into the trees and was as neat as a pin and perfectly charming!

CRAFTS OF THE CARIBBEAN

This store hung over the ocean cliff and specialized in hand carved containers and ornaments.

MY FAVORITE FLOWERING TREE

These trees are on the main highways of the island and I was finally able to get close enough to for a decent picture.

AN EXPLOSION OF COLOR

TOBAGO HILLSIDE SUBDIVISION

Couldn't resist taking a picture of this spot carved out of the trees.

THREE HOUSES 

HIGH-RISE MAILBOX FOR CLYDE KING AND THE LEWIS BOYS

THE ISLAND OF ABANDONED CANNONS

DESIGNED FOR DEATH - CORRODED FORTRESS FOR BIRDS

I came across this cannon sitting in a field of tall grass and was startled when I looked into the barrel and saw a nest of birds. 

TREES GROW OUT OF THE STONE WALLS

I LOVE THE FLOWERS OF TOBAGO

BEAUTIFUL RED BARKED TREES

WE WERE WARNED NOT TO TOUCH THE BARK

We were told that a couple of missionaries touched the "red barked tree" and were burned by caustic sap. 

 A VISIT TO SISTER DOOKRAN'S HOME ON BLOODY BAY ROAD

Sister Dookran's home is about an hour drive up the coast from our branch chapel.  The road winds through jungle with open vistas of the Atlantic Ocean.  When you park your car, the first building you see is the abandoned cocoa production building shown above.  Chocolate was a major island export until a hurricane stripped the island clean of vegetation and the agricultural economy was replaced by tourism.

ESTATE GUARDHOUSE

Wasn't sure what the little box-house was for but there was a man sitting inside who was more interested in his music than us white folk walking by.  This is the beginning of the trek to Sister Dookran's home.  

LETTUCE GARDEN

HOUSING BELOW THE PATHWAY UP

CITRUS ON THE TREES 

CUT OPEN WITH MY FOOT INSERTED FOR SCALE

Had to pick one on the way back to the car to see what was inside.  Smelled like a citrus and looked like a citrus with a very thick skin.  The elders said it was still green and when ripe it is delicious.

A FLOWER IN THE SHADOWS

SISTERS CAMPBELL AND SCHLINDER LEADING THE WAY

THE SPECTACULAR JUNGLE TRAIL 

ON AND ON WE WENT

I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW BEAUTIFUL IT WAS

SHADES OF GREEN EVERYWHERE

SISTER LINTON FOLLOWING THE TREK

BAMBOO STAIRWAY HINTS OF A HOME ABOVE

LOOKING BACK

 THE FRONT YARD

AT HOME WITH GRANDMA DOOKRAN

 AND THREE GRANDKIDS.  

HAPPY, HAPPY FAMILY

BEAUTIFUL GREAT-GRANDBABY 

THE KITCHEN SINK OUTSIDE A WINDOW

SISTER DOOKRAN'S BELOVED MANGO TREE

SISTER DOOKRAN 

A VERY HAPPY FLOWER

This gentle lady broke her foot in a fall last year and limped on it until it healed.  The doctor wanted to re-break it and set it straight but she said it was good enough.  She saves a few dollars a week and puts it into a savings account so she can make her first temple trip to the Santo Domingo temple in the Dominican Republic. She faithfully attends the Tobago branch each Sunday by hailing a ride down the canyon.  Most of the people in the branch do not have cars and they 'catch travel' - meaning a taxi.  She was the first church member in Tobago, having been baptized in Trinidad six years ago.  

THE PLANTATIONS OR LOWLANDS OF TOBAGO

We moved into an apartment in the Tobago Plantations development last week.  This is where the missionary couple we replaced have been living for the past year.  Two sister missionaries live above us on the third floor.  Of course we are enjoying ourselves here.  We had a nice apartment in Trinidad but the contrast of living here is quite obvious.  There are no bars on the windows or doors, the streets of Tobago are much less congested and there are beaches everywhere.  The island is only six miles wide and twenty-six miles long so it would be hard to get lost.  There seem to be adequate services for food and the drive to the chapel from where we live is only about fifteen minutes on an excellent road.  I believe we are spoiled.  Our assignment is to look after the Tobago Branch.  I am the Branch President and Nettie is happily going to take care of Primary (no Primary presidency, teachers, chorister,  pianist - nothing - Nettie will do it all).  There were 6 children there last week ranging from two years to ten.  We are spending our days cleaning and organizing 'things' at the church house. 

Our palm-lined entry

Front entry of the Magdalena Hotel which is close by

Hibiscus Flower

Our apartment

Typical architecture

Magdalena Hotel in background.  Our swimming pool (pools are everywhere).

Flowers of every color and shape.  

We haven't begun the wet season yet though we have had a couple of rain storms.

Out on the golf course

We understand it is a PGA course.  It is beautiful and we are able to walk it before eight in the morning and after five in the evening.

Magdalena Hotel from golf course

Lily ponds

We wondered if they bloom all year long.  The leaves are a deep red-brown and about twelve inches in diameter. The flower heads are about eight inches in diameter.

Atlantic Ocean behind the golf course

 Golf Course with coastline in background

Flowering tree

Pond with more water lilies  

Signs are posted everywhere warning of Caiman - we have seen one in the large lake and we were told that one was in our swimming pool a couple of months ago.

Looking at our housing units behind pond

Imposing stone structure behind one of the golf greens

Closeup with canon on left 

 First we thought the structure was for sugar cane production or storage, now we wonder if it was a defensive structure (see canon on left)

Intriguing historic structure in excellent shape

Another flowering tree of which there are many

Large pond of water plants with an island of trees in the center

Beautiful flowers everywhere

I know, you thought we were roughing it as missionaries in the West Indies.  We actually are working hard in a country of contrasts - tonight we visited with the Regis family which I will talk about on a future blog.