ASA WRIGHT NATURE CENTER

 

 

Most of the roads in Trinidad are crazy and the mountain roads are on steroids crazy.  Every time I suggest to Nettie that we go into the mountains she goes white with fear and I must admit the narrow, steep and winding roads are not to be taken lightly.  It was on such a road that the missionaries had a head-on collision with the Porsche - see a previous blog. 

The Asa Wright Nature Center road was less crowded and slower driving so it wasn't bad. 

 

 

 

Here it looks mild and beautiful as it winds it's way up the mountain.  The foliage is spectacular and the road is canopied by it.  The road is asphalted but the picture above doesn't show how narrow it is.

 

 

 

 

Part way up the mountain you start to appreciate the grade that they had to cut through the hillside to make the road.  There were a couple of turns where a warning sign was posted "dangerous curve".  One of the few signs we saw.  In Utah we are alerted by every curve left, right or switchback.  And of course speed limit signs.  Trinidad doesn't believe in signs.

 

 

 

 

When we came into a clearing we saw rolling green mounds and on closer inspection we saw that they were vine covered nets supported by posts.  The vines formed a green canopy.

 

 

 

 

Still hard to see in this picture.  You had to be about 4 to 5 feet tall to walk under it and the underside was a mysterious green tent with hundreds of stick poles with the beautiful green netting of vines.  Under the vines was a green squash-like fruit about the size of a real fat cucumber with a dark green skin.  I suppose they are more like a small green squash with a very deep green skin - nobody could guess what they were.  We have had several new and unusual fruits since we've been here and I suspect this is something we haven't tried before.

 

  

  

 

Very steep and somewhat dark and mysterious down there under the canopy.  We didn't see any workmen harvesting the fruit.

 

 

 

 

There could be a dozen workmen under there but you wouldn't see them - the ground is about 5 feet below the green carpet.

 

 

 

 

A little bed and breakfast cottage in the Asa Wright compound of buildings.  We think it would be a good place to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary in September.

 

 

 

 

Lipstick flower or Columnae Scandens

 

 I bought a flower guide but with so many varieties it's difficult to name them.

 

 

 

 

Heliconia or Lobster Claw

  

Even the visitor's center was brimming with exotic cut flowers. 

 

 

 

Green Honeycreeper

 

The birds were all around us but almost impossible to photograph.  A few of these we took and some of them had to come out of a Birds of Trinidad website.

 

 

Yellow legged honey creeper or Blue Dacnis 

 

I really don't know for sure - hard to identify clearly.  I understand that bird watchers come from all over the world to see the birds of Trinidad.

 

 

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 The birds were no less colorful than the flowers.

An amazing array of every color you can imagine.

 

 

 

 

Heliconia from a bright red/yellow to soft pink white

 

 

 

 

Lobster claw Heliconia

 

 

The guide called this a pineapple flower

 

When the flower is gone and it is in seed it does look like a pineapple.

 

 

 

 

I believe this is a Bananaquit

 

 

 

 

The Tufted Coquette 

 

Bee-like in size humming bird and impossible to photograph. 

Had to take a picture off the web to appreciate it.

 

 

 

 



Tufted Coquette

 

Spectacular little humming bird.

 

 

Green Honeycreeper

 

 

 

 

Bananaquit

 

There were numerous humming birds which were impossible to photograph

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the flower colors are in shades of red 

 

 

 

 

We were deep in the rain forest when I took this one.  The forest floor was covered with dead vegetation and here in the middle of it was this spectacular flower. 

 

 

 

The petals are very stiff and waxy and the flower head was about 8 inches

 

 

Pineapple flower with the base turning to seed

 

 

 

It probably seems like we spend a lot of time looking at birds and flowers.  We average around 9 hours a day in the office and the few trips into the mountains have kept us sane. 

 

I picked up an auditor from the Dominican Republic today and she is going to spend the next four days going over our financial procedures and writing a report.  I don't look forward to it and I suspect by the time Saturday comes I'll be exhausted.  We are still recovering from conference weekend.  We spent Saturday and Sunday in the Chaguanas Branch.  It was too far to drive so we were there for the sessions and the two hours between plus the driving time to get there and back.  I took my laptop and a projector and we were able to watch conference in their little chapel.  There weren't too many there but about five investigators attended and those that saw it were grateful for the opportunity. 

 

The Friday before conference we went to a protected beach and saw a giant leatherback turtle lay her eggs.  I will post the pictures of that on a future date.  We are more adjusted to the area and can now get around without too much difficulty.  We will move into our new apartment next week and we are looking forward to leaving where we currently are.  This Saturday, Steve & Markie will paint the living room and kitchen - I need to be more critical of their keeping a tarp on the floor and furniture.  The two bedrooms they painted look much better but despite my telling them to use a drop cloth, the carpet and blinds also got painted.

 

The trees are now beginning to blossom and hopefully I can catch some pictures of them.  When we were going to the office this morning, one huge tree that overhangs the road was raining pink blossoms.  The road was blanketed with delicate pink flowers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trinidad Talk and Culture

After listening to Trinidad talk for a few weeks I decided to look up a few of the words and expressions to see if I could understand them more.  When we're in conversation with a serious "Trinny" we are totally lost and have learned to ask them to speak slowly and pronounce their words as clearly as they can - it helps a bit.  To let you know what we're up against here are a few selected words and phrases taken from a source the mission published and another one I found on the internet.  To lend a realistic sense, I've interspersed the lingo with some of the island culture. 

  

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For true - for real

 

Garr - Sit around talking

 

Liming - sitting around

 

Mindin my picknies - minding my kids

 

Utes - youths

Tree - three

***

When one of the branch members said "one, two, tree" I said spell three and he spelled it correctly.  I then said say three and he said tree.  We both got a laugh out of it.

***

 

Till over so - that direction close by

 

What da scene -  what's up

 

Ya storyam - you are lying

 

Watch me know - listen to my story

 

What's your title? - what's your last name

 

***

 

 

Rasta Man

 

*** 

 

Bacchanal - arguments, confusion e.g. "If dey find out, it will be rel bacchanal."

Back chat - a rude response e.g. "Doh give meh no back chat now, yuh hear!"

Badjohn - a bully; a person who thinks they're really "bad"

Bath suit - swim suit

Band (Carnival) - a Carnival band refers to a group of masqueraders who are wearing the same costumes, or costumes based on the same theme.

 

Biscuit - cookie, cracker

 

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Banana truck with workman asleep on top

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Bobolee - a person who gets taken advantage of

Bobolize - to bully someone

 

Boof / buff - to scold

Buss - to burst; to be a flop e.g. "Shux dred, dat party was rel buss."

 Buss it - to leave e.g. "Well when I see dat, I buss it!"

Chips - French Fries e.g. "May I have some chips, please?"

Chutney - a type of music indigenous to Trinidad, which evolved from Indian music

 

***

 

 

 

A lot of the men with rasta hair will tie it up and put this type of hat on and the hat being a loose knit expands to match the size of the rasta.  They also wrap it in colorful fabrics and see how high they can stack it.  I will take some pictures of their hair wrapped and post them in the future.

                                                                      ***

 

 

"Trinidad doubles" sold by vendors on the streets.  It is an inexpensive fried bread with a chick bean, onion and garlic sauce filling.  Very popular.

 

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Commesse - confusion, conflict

Cunumunu - a foolish person

Dingolay - to dance in a joyful, carefree manner

Dotish - silly, stupid e.g "Don't act dotish nah!"

Doux-doux - sweetie, sweetheart e.g. "Don't mind dat, doux-doux."

Dred - friend (see also hoss, padna); cool e.g. "Dat movie was dred, eh dred?"
 

Fella - a fellow, a boy, a guy e.g. "Way! Check dat fella!"

Fete - party

Fuh real? - really? Is that so?Gyul - girl

Hoss - a close friendIn truth - for real, that's right e.g. "That test was so hard!" Reply: "In truth!"

Lagniappe - a little extra, a bonus
 Lil - little

Lime - to hang out in a casual atmosphere e.g. "I feeling to lime."

Maco - someone who minds other people's business! e.g. "Wha yuh macoing so for?"

 

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Cotton candy street vendor

 

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Make style - to show off

Mamaguy - to make fun of, to fool

Mas - used to refer to Carnival; to play mas - to masquerade
 

Obeah - black magic, voodoo

Obzokee - unpleasant, out of place

Ole talk - chit-chat, light-hearted chatter e.g. "We was just ole talking dey."

One time - right now, immediately e.g. "De gyul was rel angry so I buss it one time."
 Padna - (from "partner") a close friend, buddy

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Sister John hanging out her wash

 

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Parang - music played during Christmas time. Parang has a lot of Spanish influences.

Patois - local dialect Picker - thorns e.g. "Doh touch dat rose bush. It have rel pickers."

Picong - to insult in a jesting manner

Pong - pound e.g. "Gih meh two pongs of tomatoes dey tantie."
 Poohar - see dotish

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Rasta man taken from "Trinidad Rasta Hair" website

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Pot hound / pot hong - a mixed dog; sometimes used as an insult e.g. yuh lazy pothound!

Saga boy / star boy - a male who likes to "make style"; a male who is cool

Screw up yuh face - to make a strange expression, usually when angry or in disagreement of something e.g. "Look how she screwin up she face nah!"
 Soca - a type of music indigenous to TnT, derived from "soul calypso"

Soucouyant - from old ghost stories, an old woman who turns herself into a ball of fire and suck's people's blood

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Street vendor

 

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Sweet too bad - really nice, pleasant, attractive e.g. "Dred, dat gyul eh play she sweet too bad!"

Sweet drink - term used for soft drink, soda, pop

Sweetie - a sweet, candy

Tabanca - the feeling of hurt and pain when a close relationship ends e.g. "Leave him alone hoss, he gyul leave him. He have rel tabanca."

Tantie - auntie
 Tong - town e.g. "I went to tong today."

***

 

 

Open street market in Trinidad

 

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Toutoulbay - a gullible person

Vex - angry, upset
 

Whas de scene? - What's up? e.g. Ay padna, whas de scene?

 

 



Look close... a really big Trinidad caterpillar found in the Asa Wright Nature Center - I wonder if they taste like termites?

 

 

 

 

 

THE CONTRASTS OF LIVING IN TRINIDAD

 

 

I thought I would talk about the broad range of the living environments in Trinidad.  We are living in a fairly upscale neighborhood but a mile or two away are neighborhoods that we feel uncomfortable driving in.  We live in Valsayn which has a small commercial center where the mission office is.  There are small cities with commercial centers off the highway and we have found some decent stores for food, household goods, hardware etc.

 

 

 

 

This is the home of Greeta, Amanda and Nicholos taken by Sister Sanner who is the mission nurse.  Even though it is a sheet metal assemblage it is well cared for and appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 A home of the upper class.  Many wealthy business people live in Valsayn.  It is pleasant to walk through the neighborhood of large homes and beautiful landscaping.

 

 

 

 

Sweet little home of modesty with lots of character.  Might be meager but you can't possibly do without television connected to the world through satellite.

  

 

 

 

Yes - this is a home.  The mother and child are in the yard on the right and there are clothes hanging on the line.  There is no roof on it but they do have a television or at least the antenna.

 

 

 

 

Rows of apartments in Chaguanas.  The first one on the right is the home of one of the sweetest families in the Chaguanas branch.

 

 

 

Trinny food ready for a feast on Boxing Day with Sisters Atkins and Daviana.  Photo taken by Sister Sanner.
 

 

 

 

Sister John who has all she needs to be happy. 

 

 

  

This is the neighbor's house directly across the street from our apartment.  They are Indian and typically they have three wives.  The wives are sometimes kept in different houses or they have a very large lot that includes two or more homes with a small temple in the yard for their worship.
 

 

 

 



The wild and crazy house - one of my favorites - I really want to meet the family that lives here.  They are just a block west of our home and every time we walk by it I hope somebody is in the yard so we can talk to them.  Maybe they have a personality that matches their home.

 

 

 

 

This home is a block east of our apartment - interesting modern in pastels - more my kind of house.  Many of the houses in the neighborhood are beautifully landscaped and each morning the gardeners and street cleaning crew show up in their orange outfits to prune and sweep. 



 

 

 

 

And here is our humble abode.  We live upstairs on the right.  It is owned by an Indian landlord whose interests seem to be to do as little as possible on upkeep.  He owns over a hundred units in Trinidad.  I asked if he would have the inside painted and he angrily said no!.  We are now painting it and this weekend we will ask him to replace the carpets - good luck on that one.  The mission president suggested we find another home and we have looked at a few.  Tonight we made a verbal agreement to rent one that is three complexes east of us and much nicer.  Maybe we can talk our kids into visiting us for a few days - there will be plenty of room and it really has a nice kitchen.

 

 

 

Nettie's dresser - we just emptied out the entire bedroom and had it painted and it looks a lot better now.  After we move out we will use the apartment for missionary housing during transfer week.

 

 

 

 

First class shower.  I usually shower in cold water which is kept in large black tanks outside.  It is pumped into the apartment at fairly low pressure.  It's warm enough that the cool water is pleasant.

 

 

 

 

Toilet - very tight fit - be hard to fall off

 

that one.

 

 

 

Yes, those are electrical wires in an ugly dirty corner.  We've had a hard time trying to clean things up to make it livable.  Much of the grime is in corners that need baseboards and painting.  The base is painted black and there is a gap between the wall and tile floor.  the gap is large and roughly filled with cement - impossible to clean.

 

 

 

 

A kitchen to die for.  Anthony is enjoying our wonderful kitchen in Logan which Nettie dearly misses  The white vertical tubes are water filters.  It's a three stage system that we put in every apartment in the mission - supposed to remove the little critters that you don't want living inside you.

 

 

 

 

Stuff from last tenant - and that's after we've taken out loads of garbage so it's looking better than it was.  Laura and Matthew wanted to see inside our apartment so this is it - now we can move on to our tour of Trinidad.

 

 

 

 

 

Marine Toad

 

Our resident toad.  He lives by the front door and he's big - about the size of my #12 shoe.

We have a couple of lizards that live in our house - perhaps that's a good thing since they eat the insects that also live here.  We even had a bat and two birds fly in for a brief visit.

 

 

 

 

Mimosa

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful un-named flower inside the visitors center at the Asa Wright Nature Center.

 

 

 

 

Heliconia

 

 

 

 

Tufted Coquette

 

 

 

 

 

God's creations awaken and inspire us as we look for the beauty and joy to be found in our wonderful world.