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Trinidad and Tobago: Two Islands, One Nationby Lynn Grisard Fullman and Milton Fullman
An island often visited by business people, Trinidad, on its northern shore at Maracas Bay, has picturesque beaches, void of high rises and commercialism but abundant with palm trees and white sand.
A long and narrow island, measuring only 116 square miles, Tobago years ago was part of the South American mainland. Today, it remains undisturbed.
Scarborough has banks, a library, post office, old fort and a market filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, beef and mutton. Early morning is the best time to visit here and to witness locals, overhear their dialect of English and see what makes their lifestyle so richly Caribbean. Ringed with bays, Tobago easily could be a postcard-makers dream. Here, umbrellas aren't rented on beaches but palm trees serve the same purpose. A thatched roof concession stand at Pigeon Point sells soft drinks and a few natives roam about pounding on "pans" which serve as drums and make beautiful music, in the hands of the knowing. Taxi drivers are willing to take visitors about anywhere, narrate about their native land and wait as their charges explore each destination. "Pretty, hu?" asked our taxi driver, Josey "Kodak" Eastman, who was born here several decades ago.
It's likely anybody's guess what these sister islands will become as more and more tourists discover their undisturbed terrain and pristine beaches. But, for those who've been there recently, the consensus seems to be, "So far, so good." IF YOU GOIn Trinidad, the Hilton is an ideal overnight spot; in Tobago, Coco Reef Resort. When it's mealtime, try Veni Mange or The Normandie Restaurant in Trinidad. On Tobago, good bets are at Patinos or Arnos Vale Waterwheel, where new construction maximizes views of the ruins of an old sugar factory. For information, 1-888-595-4868 or 305-444-4033) or http://www.visitTNT.com. Images by Milton Fullman |
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TM
Trinidad and Tobago are two
islands yet one nation. And, like two children raised by the same parents, they
are opposites. One is outgoing; the other, rather shy.
Trinidad is known for Queen's
Park Savannah, a Port of Spain park lined with Colonial-style mansions dating
to the early part of the century. It's known also
for its abundant fabric stores and streetside vendors selling visitors coconuts
from which to sip coconut water. 
Trinidad is the setting for
two large companies which offer tours to curious visitors. Carib Brewery, which
produces the "beers of the Caribbean," invites visitors, by prior
arrangement, to look beyond its gated entrance to see where beers, stag beer
and shandy are produced. Angostura welcomes visitors to tour its world-famous
aromatic bitters facility where the strong aroma greets visitors stepping into
the building where the secret formula remains guarded. 
Tobago is, as one native said
recently, "a sleeping giant." Poised for tourists but not yet
discovered, it is markedly void of T-shirt shops, moped rentals and high rises.
Palm trees lean and cover
sandy beaches, warm breezes blow, flora and fauna abound, boats
take visitors into clear waters and a few luxury accommodations such as Coco
Reef Resort have
been first on the scene to set the stage for what promises to become a major
tourist draw.
Yet, the villages are just
that. Villages. A taxi ride to Scarborough, the chief port and main town of
Tobago, and Plymouth, on the island's western end, shows native people going
about their lives. Tourists are welcome -- and secure -- to nose about, yet
they will not find trinkets and T-shirts catering to their usual buying whims.
School children, dressed in uniforms, form a ribbon of navy and white as they
pace alongside streets following a day in an unair-conditioned building. 
Yet, "Kodak" doesn't
figure Tobago will remain the same island he has known.