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Sarongs hanging'between Pa[m treesat theBay,

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iGuideTRINIDAD & TOBAGO

Clockwise: Designer Anya Ayoung-Chee; a model wearing Chee on therunway; one of Chee's inspiringdesigns; Meiting Esau.

r$tlilD$TYrrLocaI designers you shouLd

MEILINGOne ofthe most famousfashion designers far West,Meiling Esau was declareda national icon in zor3.Known largely forher edgyurbanwear, Meilinghasrecently ventured into vintageand contemporarybridalwear as well. Check out herflagship studio atWoodbrook,Port of Spai n. meilinginc.c om

shop for when in town.

CLAUDIA PEGUSAIso known as the 'GrandMaster of Caribbean Fashion,,Gtaudia Pegus' signaturestyle includes awide range ofhand-embroidered silk workon different fabrics.Operating out of her store inWoodbrook, she rrrns theClaudia Pegus couture iabeland the pr6t label, CBFS.claudiapegus.com

ANYA AY(IUNG CHEEA-ft er winni ng Proj ect Ruru.t) aySeasong, Anya Ayoung Gheestarted her clothing label,Pilar andlingerie line, Anya deRogue. Among the country'syounger crop ofdesigners, shecollaborates with otherdesigners to produce fashioninspired from the TrinidadCarnival at the carqt au alshop.mryshopifu.com

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_GISELLE LARONDE-WEST

INDIAX

-:: :::- Trinidad's go-to':!:. - -:^: for authentic'.:-:- -l :n food for over_ : . : :': ^: ,v, The menu is= ==:'='.=,,rith a diverse,:::::- an fare and inctuoes: - : -=SS-:lmmOn SCa[[OpSarc duck preparations,= -: ^ I :'"e' meats.

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AtI. T||T I|TORTD'$ A PI.ATTFor o country whose. demogrophy is morked by immigrotion ondsettlers.noturaL that its food reflects different culturo[ inf Lueices.FRENCHil*;i:li A veaI cheekcannetloni served withsaut6ed escargots, thechicken aI mattone, or aCrdme Br0t6e Napoteon-everything about Chauoscreams French. Therestaurant has separateLunch and dinner menus, andentists a Long List of cocktaiLsand sorbets. chaudkm.com

ITALIAN&lrrli Owned by ChefJohn Aboud, Aio[i is oneof Trinidad's most popularand favoured fine diningdestinations. The menu usesthe choicest of [ocaI produceto create a grand ltatian fairand boasts a mouth-wateringCrab Risotto and theVenetian Fritto Misto.oiolitrinldad,com

CARIBBEANnti.:ir*a:r This Car ::=. -

special.ity restaurar: ::Hyatt Regency Trir- c=:contemporises trad itio r-a.recipes that arecomptemented by -^lmpressive wine . s: : ..---ambience and a :.i:- : ..

iater, the resta;r:-: ti .:-:a wett-rounded n-e-_trinidod.regenc)'.^., ::: _ : -

IOZ TRAVEL + LErsuRE / ocroBER 2016

DAY L stu"t at Pigeon Point and onceyou are done admiring the beauty of thebluest waters, take a glass-bottomed boattoBuccoo Reef, one of the world's largestioncentrations. You can either peer downat the world of corals through the bottomof the boat, or snorkel and swim with fishofevery colour and reach the corals thatflap and flutter in the undercurrent'

DAY 2Putonyourhiking shoes andclimb up to the ArgYte Watedall,the country's highest waterfall thataccumulates in pools at three differentheight levels; dip your feet in the coolwaters at the lower pools before makingthe climb to the top, then train your earsto follow the sound of water. Make sureyou carry a swimsuit.

DAY 2 Named afterthe waythe waterslook like on a sheet of cloth, the Nylon Poo[is a shallow sandbar in the middle of thesea. The magical turquoise waters are so

clear that you can see the white sand thatIines the sea bed. Wade through the pool,or take dips-and while you're at it, rubsome of the sand on yourself, it is believedto make you look 10 years Younger.

Take a virtuoltour of thesecleor-woter beoches with

white sond beds attrovelond lei su rei n dio.i n'

TRAVEL + LErsuRE / ocroBER 2o1o 1O3

iGuideTRINIDAD & TOBAGO

CURRY CRAB & DUI'IPtIIIGSThis Tobagonian staplestrikes the perfect harmonywith Iocal crabs. Cooked inan Indian cunTt, it is servedwith theAfrican flat flourdumpling. This is like aworldmap onyourplate.

cArLALo0 & c00 c00Heavily influenced by WestAfrican cuisineJhe dishcombines a leaf vegetable,cornmeal served with cassava,yams, sweet potatoes, and aCreole fish stewthat is usuallvIight buttangy-spicy.

PELAUApot dishwhere thecaramelised meat is cookedwith rice and pigeon peas(a locd staple). A favouritefood for social gatherings,pelau is usually servedwitha side ofsalad.

STEWED BEEF SERVED WITHBEANS & PEAS, MACAR(|NI PIE'Stewing' in Caribbean foodrefers to the process ofcaramelising the meat beforecooking it, which lends it abrown colour and a fall-off-the -bone texnrre. Usuallv

From left: A succutentbowl of beef stew; a localdelicacy, pig's trotters.

servedwithbeans, this is theTrinidadian Macaroni Pie,the Caribbean variation of theAmerican mac and cheese.

THE R(ITIStemmingfromthe East,with Indian influence on thecuisine-the staple bread is

. eitherthe shreddedvariety(called'BussUpShot' becauseit resembles abustup shirt) ort}rre Dhalpouri with a chickpeafiIling. Then there's the DostiRoti (friendship in Hindi)where two balls of dough arerolled and cooked together.

]|OI'il ]|EIRIYHunt down these five dishes for a good ot' taste of f iery locaI food,

sTRttT-r000o Trying the exciting array ofthe street food, is a must.It ranges from doubtes-asandwich made with two boros(ftat fried bread)-to the moreadventurous corn and cow heelsoup; the customised Bake andShark sandwiches to the stickybarbecued pig tail.s. St Jamesdistrict in Port of Spain andStore Bay in Tobago are someof the sought-after haunts.o The French creote slaves,when kept away from CarnivaIcetebration, began making theirown instruments from pans,drums, and [ids to cetebrate the'Canboutay'. Today, the panshave become synonymous withthe region's indegenous musicscene. tntislond,com

STAY

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+.

CULINARY GENIUS' f,lref KhaEi# &sohasnxmed is a French Ctrlinarylnsliiute allifii ailcl lhe ftlan behnd the upscnle

Chauci R.estaurar"rt, Fr:rt nf Spail"t. To ceiei:rato theTriLriciaclro-n Crecl€, he ptcnetlre ri {usiotl Irjclfjes lc

bricige tlie gap betweti:t lncal ll.rltdtlce alldinternational caoking tcchniques.

RISEIICY, IRIilIDAOThe Hyatt Regency, Port ofSpain, traces the city'swaterfront that lends it ahearfwarming view.It boasts of a beautifulsundeck, impeccable rooms,top-notch room service,a restaurant, a patisserie,and a fascinating rooftopinfinity pool! trinidad.regency.hyatt.com

lO1 TRAVEL + LEISURE / OCTOBER 2016

IRTY TOUC]|Seniice standard af ihe istanders is onLy superceded bytl'reil" taLents in i'on*, culture. music, and art,

Drive to the Tobago CocoaEstate (tob ago c o coa.com) onCameron Canal Road toexperience a day out on a cocoaplantation, the best time beingthe harvest season betweenDecember and March. Walkamidst the twitter ofbirds, therustle ofleaves, and open cocoapods, on ajourneyto understand

the science of making cocoa.Endyourtrip on ahigh note bytaking a rum and chocolatepairing session at the property,followed by sumptuous localdinner. All the finished productshere are made by the artisanchocolatier, Francois Pralus,who uses the Trinitario cacaobeans, native to this country.

The Trinitario cacaobeans, native to thecountry, make for a

sensuaI ingredient inthe locaI recipes.

C||A$Il{G lIAl|I$llelen Evans a Central -Saint

Ivli,irti i is alumnu.s, cameto Ti.rbago l0 Vr:ars

ago arrd nevel'le ii She selr-i1: Pl:ir re. Cl,r'itrrrrcs

' l]1r rltcf.-tri'ci/ltics cortr I l f

irrgrrur' !jcrrrtt wltere she sellsiri.gJ!r- frreci ceramic artefacts

rrrsitii-ttcl by ilre r .IaveS,co.lolr-s enci sourcis tlratsr,rr r o,.rir ii her ;n Tobagc

.v_' r :.iin- ir-rnrc' lr;ilttirLg. lrousesrgLr: .r,r,d jevrrellery, stre

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PRI1'|I $PACICheck in at one of these fabulous hotels inTobago for aculturol immersion before you set foot in the city.

DUANE DOVE

MAGDALENA GRANDBEACH ANO GOLF RESORTl-iie iesrrii silrawi,s lver mile:;of r:ee 'rei'\, anC l,:oks oui rnirtihL., cceEi.r, Witi-i ihe gni,ic.-!i-rrs,o in front anil thewgre i.f ront i,.lelrinC tiie i'oa,irsi,. l-l i 1V et-i V i;.r i-. Lr,:,ii e',r.,S a I CJ

rer:ei'ie a iot oi natr.ir.aL iirjiri.-i-i,e rri-nperiy irouse s scr'i:c:,ri the Sest lr:tteiiranis aiii:irar s ln ihe igi.aitrj:r, r: ci r..i o I e n ct ti l' i] l: :,i : ?, r n

i ocroBER 2016 1O5

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YERETTEHidden amidst the lush slopesof the MaracasValley, Yerett6is the home that theFerglusons share with r3 ofthe 17 species ofhummin gb irdslnhabitin gTrinidad and Tobago. Sit backontheirpatio and spendhours being enamoured bytheir songs, vivid colours, andaerial acrobatics. y erettett.com

TURTTE SAI{CTUARY, MATURASpearheading the country'sdeveloping eco-tourismefforts, the sanctuary startedas a conservation and mapping 'proj ect for leatherback tr-utles.The long drive to Matura atnight $ves you the surrealexperience ofwatching theendangered species lay eggs inthe sand, underthe moonlight.turtlevillagetrust.org

Il|Il|Ultll'll1{0BlR0

I'lAllTheodore Ferguson

is a leadershipdevelopment

professional, a poet,and a photographer

who lives in ahouse with no

directions or signs-with hummingbirdsand his lovely wife,

Gloria. For him,Yerefte is only ameans to sharethe calm and

peace that natureand his loved

hummingbirdsbring to him.

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CAROI{I BIRD SANCTUARYAboat ride on the GaroniSwamp is perhaps the bestplace to see the widest varietyof the islands'wildlife in theirnatural habitat. Strain youreyes on the mangrove to spotendangered species andmarvel at the sudden sight of aflock of Scarlet Ibis take flightin poetic hannony.c ar onibir ds anctuary. c orn

IIfit|RII]|IBIIfi$On a cool morning, arrive at one of Trinidad's numerous sanctuariesand meet the isl.and's other inhabitants.

THE MASTER (lF RUM

$*hsc ffi$trg€s trained ul'tder the ruzrr prildllcinglegends, Ali:ert Gcrnuz and Tarnrcy Gfrtctriffe, has been

in Lltn i:usiiress fnr mnre than 30 years.?l"r* rn;ur hehinil tirr: range af itifferently:rgecl runls

fr'*m Angcst.ilr&, GBorges, takes keen interest inexperinrenting with agln.g process.

lOG TRAVEL + LErsuRE / ocroBER 20ro

SAlf*L;R

$PIRIIEDAI|TAYAlthough fomous forthei r q romotic bitters,o round of the Angosturodistillery reveols the finerums they have beenprod ucing a nd effectivelykeeping our spirits high.

Axrgostura ? Vear ff{ugThis amber colouredrum smetls of chocotate

I and honey, and [ets off adeep, woody aroma,Soaked in oak barre[s,the rum has a nice,ctean flavour and leavesbehind a beautifuI heatat the back of the throat.ldeaI for buttered rumand cuba libre.

A HIGHBALL GLASSBuitd in a highbaLL gtass; mudd[emint leaves in [ime juice andsimpte syrup. Then fil.t gl.ass withdry crushed ice. Pour rum overthe ice and swizzte wett til.l. gl.assis frosted. Pack gtass with morecrushed ice and top withAngostura aromatic bitters.Garnish with a mint sprig.

AnEostura 1919

neat or in a daiquiri,

Angostura 1824

his first bottte of bitters, this rumis best had on the rocks.

III IOR Il|I OI|IEI{An g o stu r o's M o ste r D i st i lle r,John Georges shores therecipe forthe rum cocktail,Queen's Park Swizzle:

2 oz Angostura 7-year-otd rum1 oz sugar syrupI oz fresh [ime juice12-14 mint [eaves6-8 dashes of Angosturaaromatic bitters

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CITY SIGHTSA drive around the capitat city ofPort of Spain reveats the variouscutturaI influences history hashad on the city. A cityscape ofmany contrasts and dottedwith BrutaIist architecture,it has a beautifut house ofpartiament, a 200-year-otdAnglican Church, theco[oniaI Qugen'sRoyat Collegeand for the loversof Iiterature,VS Naipaul's house, r,

These five tours wil.t hel.p you fl.ag Trinidad and Tobago on a map'

THE JUNGLE B(ItlKAn eco-tourism haven, theMain Ridge Reserved Forestis something straight out ofour storybooks. Abundant inflora and fauna, it serves ashome to the rare nativewhite-taited Sabrewin gHummingbird. Even if youdon't end up seeing it, you wiLtatways go home with storiesfrom the watking traits, thewaterfatts, and the thousandsongs that the birds keepsinging in the forest.

GtINE FISHINGThe Castara Bay is probabty thecteanest beach you'[[ ever see.

At the fishing vil.tage nearby, youcan watch fishermen at their daiLycatch, and maybe get tucky enough

to spot sting rays among thedroves of fish, Don't forget to look

up to see the seagu[[s hoveringgreedity in pursuit of lunch!

"iire'1. rh; irl;:-$" * r;r;e:rr.ri:.irks iiirlili1$ il]\iN's

ll;.: ir-' S*Xit:;,i .ii f r,t jr"ir;

in l.l"t* "',\iilild."ONE MORE REASON

TO VISIT?

HEADINGN(IRTHWARDS

The northern coast boasts the bestbeaches in the country; driving

through the MaravaI viltage, one canstop by St Andrews Go[f Course

before viewing al.t of the La Vache Bayon the way to Maracas Beach.Customise your bake and shark

sandwich by the beach and end it on asweet note with some locat home-

made ice cream.

LIMII{G LOVEDriving up to Lopinot from Port ofSpain is a heavy affair because you

carry your meat and a[cohot, and someloudspeakers with you. But it al.l.

makes sense when you stand by theriver, ptay the soca loud, and cook

some duck curry with a glass ofpunch in your hand, This is what

vacations are reatty for: Sitting backwith a bowl of curried mango andtaking a break, or tike they say in

Trinidad, 'time'.

'ocroBER 2016 l0z