Cultural Carnival - not just B&B - March 28, 2011

Living the cultural Carnival experience in the country where it was born and where a year's worth of effort and energy culminates in three, four, five, six days of fun, frolicking and festivities (combined with the religious tradition of Lent and what happens before Lent) is an experience worth having at least once in a lifetime.

Listening to Machel Montano's (@machelmontanoHD) "Advantage" evokes memories of seeing his performance live on stage at the Hasley Crawford stadium on Fantastic Friday, the Friday of Carnival. The song conjures emotions of love for the festival and the words resonate in hearts as memories of "chippin", jumping or marching along Port-of-Spain's city streets and through neighbourhoods resurface. Hearing the words in the song, feelings well up and catch in the throat as images, sounds and pictures of masqueraders on the stage flood the mind. It's not just the beat of the song but the story it tells of Carnival moving out the Savannah and onto the streets then coming back and reclaiming the Savannah stage, the Grand Stand and the North Stand.

Playing Kes' (@kestheband) "Wotless" at any time of day reminds one of Carnival days and nights "chippin" down the street, chilling and dancing, swaying to the beat, and even lying on the beach the day after Carnival for the unofficial-official cool down at Maracas Bay. To evoke feelings of satisfaction, contentment or peace with oneself, play Kes' song and be taken away to a relaxing Caribbean lifestyle where what you make isn't as important as who you are. Hearing Kes' voice sing this song I also hear my brother singing this song for me to show me that Carnival is so much more than bumpin and grindin. Kes made a great feel good song that you can dance to but it transcends perceived notions of Carnival. I and my friends wore the beads and bikinis (B&B) costume that Trinidad's Carnival is most known for but we celebrated Carnival in true soca style dancing to every song and marching from morning till night. A day-long party is how I'll remember this experience more than the clothes (or lack of ) that I wore. Carnival and the feelings it evokes is so much more than costumes.

Only music like this over sounds of steelpan can carry Trinidadians onward to celebrate more than five days of Carnival. As a Canadian visiting and experiencing 'big people mas' for the first time, I can only imagine how real Trinis manage to celebrate Carnival in these five days. From the Soca Monarch competition on what is now known as Fabulous Fridays, Kiddies Carnival and Panorama on Carnival Saturday, Dimache Gras on Carnival Sunday, J'Ouvert at dawn and Day 1 of the Carnival parade on Carnival Monday to Day 2 of the parade on Carnival Tuesday as well as countless fetes and limes, it's no wonder everyone needs an unofficial-official Cool Down on Ash Wednesday.

Are doubles gluten-free? Sort of but not really - March 5, 2011

Having just filled up on a gluten-free, sea-moss drink that was great value for money, Poppa and I stopped for a doubles at the doubles vendors at Independence Square. I was still full from the sea-moss so I bought 3 doubles to go, no pepper, not even slight, and some tamarind sauce. I didn't even ask for mango but they have dat too!

Doubles can be gluten-free if they are made from chick pea flour alone, but many are a mix of wheat and chick pea flour. It takes really good and you might not notice the gluten if you have a mild gluten sensitivity. (If you have a serious allergy you may need a doubles maker who can make a special batch of chickpea flour only).

It was a busy Friday in Port-of-Spain and everyone was about getting last minute things before de Carnival weekend start. Walking about downtown on crowded streets full of people and traffic and the Carnival spirit was real nice.

Steelpans on trucks were playing in the street adding to the festive air. For me a prelude to Panorama on Saturday night at D'Savannah. Steelpan was at its best at Panorama Saturday night. My favourites were Despers (Desperadoes) and All Stars and All Stars won! The bands are more than 100 people and pans strong. Carrying and evolving a tradition of steelpan greatness.

Each band came on the stage with twice as many supports as players. They are needed to push the pans on the stage. Once the pans were in place the supporters stayed to the side until they were needed again. Despers had the best presentation with their pans making an old-fashioned house complete with filligree wood trim and everyone dressed in red and white and hats plus old-time dancers. Beautiful!

Sunday night is Dimache Gras. More beauty.

It's Jet Day - I'm at the airport and on my way! Did I bring enuf gluten-free products?

Pearson International is a nice airport.Very friendly service people and they treat their customers right. I managed to pick up some gluten-free bars at the convenience store on my way in. I totally forgot to tell the airline - Caribbean Airlines - of my gluten allergy, as if they could do something about it.

It will be a wait and see kinda thing. Wait and see what foods they serve that gluten-free people could eat. I have my almonds, seeds and nuts, a bottle of water, and I bought 3 of those bars, just in case. They were $3 each, atch!, but I need them so its okay. www.break-a-waysnacks.com makes decent looking fruit and nut bars. My review of this snack will come later as I'm yet to eat them.

I'm looking forward to some good Trini-cooking and lots of fun street food. The kind you cannot find anywhere else. Here's hoping its gluten-free.