Submitted by Regina Cordell on the 2013 winter session program in Trinidad and Tobago sponsored by the Department of Music…
Last Tuesday, we visited the Asa Wright Nature Center, a beautiful nature preserve in the middle of the rainforest. We went on a guided hike through the rainforest where we learned all about the surrounding habitat and saw lots of beautiful birds and unique animals. We ended the hike with a refreshing swim under a waterfall!
Friday morning, we left to spend the weekend in Tobago. We went to a history museum and then lounged on the beach after a long week of classes. Saturday we went on a boat ride through the Caribbean Sea and got to go snorkeling to see some of the beautiful coral reef and fish! We stopped for a little while at a sand bar and then continued to a small island, where we mingled with the locals, danced to Soca music and had a delicious BBQ lunch!
Sunday morning, we visited the Tobago Cocoa Estate, toured the land and learned all about the production of chocolate. We got to see the cocoa bean trees, and even taste the cocoa bean pulp straight from the pod! We also saw and learned all about other local fruits and herbs. The owner of the estate prides himself in a completely organic production of the chocolate from start to finish, and adds no vanilla or dairy products to his chocolate so you can taste the true dark chocolate and genuine flavors from the beans. As if that wasn’t an awesome enough morning, we hiked to another beautiful waterfall in the rainforest, Argyle Waterfall. Some just swam by the bottom pool while others climbed to the top for a refreshing swim. We ended the day with a delicious meal at Jemma’s Tree House, a sea-side restaurant that has been nominated as having the best food in Tobago!
What a weekend! Now we’re headed back to Trinidad for another week of playing the steel drums and learning about Caribbean history!
