by Theo Chambers

Trinidad can change shape, texture, color or mood in a matter of minutes or even seconds. It transforms itself before you with the arrival of the next major date in its festival calendar or in just the short distance you travel between town and country or ocean side. Wherever you visit, some other aspect of the island emerges to greet you that is distinct and vivid. Take for instance the ride from the busy international airport into the capital of Port-of-Spain. The traffic is intense on this main artery, but move past all that and you soon find yourself ensconced in the most tranquil high-rise hotel suite overlooking a glassy smooth bay. Drive again across town, and you pass a commercial inner downtown life that teems with energy and color.

City Side

Port-of-Spain is a capital in transition—get here while you can still find its lingering neighborhood charms. Nowadays, old and new sit side by side in many places such as Woodford Square, laid out in early nineteenth century and surrounded by imposing edifices such as the Red House, the nation’s parliament. City exploration is not complete without going another mile north to the Queen’s Park Savannah, a huge urban green space, where you observe a true cross-section of Trinidadian life from joggers and cricketers, Easter kite flyers to vendors of oysters, corn and coconuts. Woodbrook is the suburb to jump into for its mix of everything from fine cuisine to panyards to boutique shops.

Port-of-Spain is ground zero for Carnival time events. It actually launches with preparations in January before the climax of events on Easter Monday and Tuesday (Dimanche Gras). There are many ingredients that go into this annual highpoint, so drop in for some of the rehearsal at a panyard and you might see anything from limboists, stickfighters, soca singers and of course pannists refining their moves. Panyards are the main rehearsal ground for Panorama, the big steelband competition, but also for Carnival time. The other hive of activity ahead of Carnival is the mas camps—workshops for the costumes for the thousands of masqueraders and the huge kings and queens design extravaganza. By Carnival Week all is ready, with competitions for steel bands, kings and queens of the bands, extempo calypso singers, soca monarch aspirants, and much else.

While still in and around the capital, take advantage of the wide array of the culinary styles—everything from European (mainly Spanish, French, English and Italian) to Lebanese, Indian and Asian (Chinese and Japanese) can be found. But for those times when you want to taste just the local cuisine, look for the smart version called nouvelle cuisine and the local fast foods from beach and street vendors. A quick, inexpensive but still tastey snack should include the roti – with all the garnishings of curry mango and chutney, or a corn soup or corn-on-the-cob.

Green Side

Thanks to a healthy economy buoyed by oil and gas, Trinidad has not had to rely on a glut of all-inclusive hotel properties for its survival. Instead there are a few big hotel names around Port-of-Spain—Hyatt Regency, Crowne Plaza, Hilton—you can also seek out smaller boutique hotels and guest properties in the country or near the beaches. And as far as the coasts themselves, these remain uncluttered by endless megaresorts.

It is in the interior hilly country that the most beautiful green side of Trinidad is on display, along with the rugged areas and flats of its northern coastline. Not far from Port-of-Spain is the Caroni Swamp and Bird Sanctuary. You arrive here as the day melts into evening, motor boat out into its open waters and wait in the stillness for the flights of the scarlet ibis, s national bird. This is their roosting ground and a naturalist’s paradise, but an unspoiled reserve that anyone can appreciate. A more lengthy, winding and uphill drive will get you up into the lush heights of the Northern Range and to Asa Wright Nature Centre, which with its many bird species is a world-renowned birwatching retreat and eco-centre..

Beach Side

Head to the north coast for the most extensive and popular beach options—Maracas Bay has food stalls, restaurants, and swim facilities. Just 35-45 minutes from the capital, it is popular with locals and visitors alike. The special treat to indulge in at Maracas is the lunchtime shark-and-bake—a round of fried dough filled with golden fried shark and a huge choice of garnishes. Also nearby and worth visiting is Tyrico Bay, and then there is Blanchisseuse, which is ideal for a weekend getaway and to wander its hiking trails to a waterfall, and rainforest. Truly fabulous on the northeast coast is Grande Rivi re, another weekend getaway option, with plenty of outdoor variety from river bathing to kayaking to forest hikes.

From natural and raw to refined and sophisticated to sensual and vibrant, Trinidad is a landscape of many faces, and as many different paces. Return again and again, and you step back onto an island that becomes familiar but goes on offering some entirely new piece of its character to take away with you again.

JUST THE FACTS

PANYARD SITES For event calendars, panyard locations, and anything related to the steelpan world on Trinidad, check pantrinbago.co.tt – Pan Trinbago, and trinbagopan.com – The Origin of the Steelpan.

TOURING The Caroni visitor center is open daily 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Permit required unless you are on a guided boat trip—these leave around 4 p.m. and return at dusk. Tel: 645-1305. Banwari Experience: wide-ranging adventure operator with a tour for every taste – Carnival package, beach, shopping, hikes. Tel: 675-1619; banwari.com. Caribbean Discovery Tours – informative hikes and other nature touring throughout the island. Tel: 624 7281; caribbeandiscoverytours.com