Visiting Trinidad And Tobago, My Homeland

As the dust slowly settles on the Summer of 2022, I have inched my way back into my office and reclaimed the seat at my writer’s desk. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time away with my family, but I am excited to return to my creative space. I have lots to share with you! Because the new 2022-2023 school year would bring significant changes for our family unit, we decided to take a few trips together this Summer. These included visiting Trinidad and Tobago, my homeland, and California.

As you may know, my firstborn, my handsome son, started college last year. Oh, how time flies! You can read my letter to him before starting college here. He is settled back into school and ready to make his sophomore year a success. My beautiful daughter has begun her first year of college. It has already been over two weeks! As you may know, she struggles with Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Getting to this point wasn’t easy, but here we are! We are incredibly proud of her and how she has muscled through her challenges.

We all knew that being apart in the Fall would be a significant change. As a result, we seized the opportunity and planned a Summer to remember. And to tell you the truth, we were all due for a relaxing vacation anyway!

Visiting Trinidad and Tobago, the journey begins

We literally had three days to get ready for our international flight when we returned from seeing my husband’s family in California. That visit was short and sweet and filled with lots of family time. We celebrated my mother-in-law’s birthday with her, and my hubby was also able to spend Father’s Day with his dad. We got one day of sightseeing in. Definitely not enough, but that gives us an excuse to visit again in the future!

As our departure date to Trinidad neared, I could feel the excitement building; it was almost too much to bear. I hadn’t been back since 2018, when I visited twice, once for my mother’s funeral and the other for my niece’s wedding. It had been too long since I had hugged my brother and sister and too long since I had buried my toes in the sand at the beach. It was time to go back, and I was more than ready!

My family hadn’t traveled on a plane since the pandemic. Besides having to do a Covid test, preparing for the flight was hassle-free. And when departure day arrived, the anticipation was palpable. We had many hours of travel ahead, but as a mom and wife, I wasn’t about to complain. In other words, I’ll take spending countless hours with my family any day. It doesn’t matter what we are doing, as long as we are together!

After takeoff, as the plane traversed the night sky, I looked at each family member and smiled. This family that my husband and I created is my everything. If I have done anything right in this world, this is it. They are my happy place, my pride and joy. And so, I am thankful for this blessing every day.

Sweet reunion

Despite all that I had heard about post-Covid travel, our time through Customs and Immigration was short and sweet when our plane landed in Trinidad. Everyone was pleasant, welcoming, and very efficient. My brother and his family were picking us up at the airport, and I could feel myself shuffling faster and faster to get to them.

But as we neared the exit, my excitement turned to dread and apprehension. I felt sad, and my heart felt heavy. It took everything in me not to burst out in tears and ruin the moment for my husband and kids. But they knew without asking what was going on. The reality was that I was visiting a home where my parents no longer existed. The last year I was there, I went to say goodbye to my mom. My father had passed away eight years prior. My parents were my heroes, and I loved them more than anything. Growing up, I couldn’t imagine a life without them, but here I was, living out that awful reality.

See Related Post: 21 Important Life Lessons I Learned From My Parents

Despite the overwhelming feeling of trepidation, I pushed through the emotions, and we made it through the exit. Hello, incredible heat and annoying sweat! The reality of being on a tropical island, there’s nothing like it! I was home.

When my brother and his family drove up to the curb, there were hugs all around. The feeling in that moment is indescribable. I knew I had missed my family, but seeing them, I realized just how much.

Simply Beautiful Beach Villa

The rest of the day after our arrival was spent making up for lost time and catching up on all things family. It felt good to be home and surrounded by loved ones. We talked, hugged, laughed, and even cried (okay, I did). It felt so good!

The next day, we were heading to the Simply Beautiful Beach Villa, where we would meet up with my sister, cousins, aunts, and uncles to spend a few days together. I am not picky about what I look for in a beach house. But there is one thing I must have. I want to be able to walk off the property and right onto the beach. Simply Beautiful Beach Villa delivered! Not only does it have spacious (5 bedroom), beautiful, and well-maintained accommodations, but it also has direct access to the beach. I was sold!

The villa is located on Manzanilla beach, on the east coast of Trinidad. This beach is about a 30-minute drive from Sangre Grande, where I grew up, so my family frequently visited here. Needless to say, we made some incredible memories here together, and I was more than ready to make some new memories with my husband and kids.

As fate would have it, the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service issued a Tropical Storm/Tropical Cyclone warning on the night of our arrival. Yep, lucky me! Schools would be closed the next day, and people were advised to take all necessary precautions to stay safe. Family members canceled their trip to the beach house the next day. We even toyed with the idea of leaving but opted to stay off the roads and see it through.

A night to remember

Before the weather got ugly, we made the most of our first night. We walked on the beach, took lots of pictures, and just enjoyed our time together as a family reunited. I finally had my moment in the sun and sand!!! As an animal lover, I always seem to make animal friends everywhere! Meet my sweet friend, the beach doggie with the sweetest personality.

My cousins prepared a fantastic spread of all the foods that I had missed so much. It was all incredibly delicious, and I can’t thank them enough for making us feel so special and at home. I come from a family blessed with excellent culinary skills!

We stepped over to the Tiki Bar and Grill next door to close the eventful night. This establishment has the same owner as the villa, a soft-spoken lovely lady with a sharp business sense. After all, a place like this is heaven for someone seeking a little rest, relaxation, and entertainment at the beach. We met some of the staff that night. They worked hard and provided impeccable service as we celebrated our time together.

The next morning my sister and I took a stroll along the beach before the rain came in. We were joined by our four-legged friend.

The storm finally came and left, and thankfully, we were safe. Some of my family visited when it was all over. It was great catching up and spending much-needed time together, and it was a fantastic way to end an amazing trip to the beach.

Trip highlights

Eating DOUBLES: touted as THE must-have street food in Trinidad!

Visiting San Fernando Hill: my family visited here often when I was growing up. It is a historic landmark in Southern Trinidad with magnificent views of the city below.

The Falls At Westmall

Located on the island’s northwest coast, this mall boasts incredible decor and affordable shopping. Growing up, I thought it was an okay mall at best, but having visited several other malls on this trip, Westmall is one of a few malls that has taken steps to move forward to keep up with the times and stay relevant. The decor is colorful, well thought out, inviting, and representative of a tropical setting. An indoor mask mandate was still in effect in the country during our visit.

A trip to TGIF: my husband and I frequented there during our courtship.

More food………

Valpark Chinese restaurant: this restaurant has stood the test of time. While living in Trinidad, I went here often, as a child, up to the time I migrated as a young adult. The quality of the food has stayed the same; it may have even got better!

Architectural gems in the capital city of Port-Of-Spain

Stollmeyer’s Castle: built in 1904, is one of the Magnificent Seven (a group of 7 mansions that aptly portray the architectural heritage of Trinidad) along the western side of the Queen’s Park Savannah. The building was inspired by Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Whitehall: built in 1904, served as the Office Of the Prime Minister until 2009

Next, beach time…………again! In all honesty, I couldn’t get enough!

Las Cuevas Beach: peaceful and scenic; clean bathroom and shower facilities.

Maracas Beach: beautiful beach frequented by tourists and local beachgoers alike. It is the most popular destination to find a Trinidad delicacy, Bake and Shark, and a host of other delicious foods!

To be clear, I only put tamarind sauce on my sandwich, but you can choose a variety of things to spruce up your sandwich, such as lettuce, tomatoes, pepper sauce, mustard, ketchup, and more!

In conclusion

While two weeks wasn’t nearly enough, we made it work! We visited family and galavanted around as much as we could! We ate most of the foods we missed and made some incredible memories.

While it was difficult to say goodbye to my loved ones, I left Trinidad feeling loved, happy, and rejuvenated!

And as the curtain comes down on the Summer of 2022, I look ahead with a renewed sense of self.

I’d love to hear your stories of Summer. Feel free to tell me all about them in the comments.

Much Peace and Love to you all!