Trinidad and Boat Work

So after a long summer vacation, I'm finally back on the boat. It's been 5 months, and I've gotta say, it feels really good to be back. Trinidad is different from what I expected. When my mom described it as industrial, she really meant it. It's not another one of those fluffy, sandy, touristy islands. It's an island mostly driven by oil. It actually reminds me very much of Penang, Malaysia (which I visited just recently). They have lush, green mountains, but the local population consists of mostly poor workers. Much of the island is taken up by power plants or generic shops and grocery stores.

However, the people here are quite friendly and educated. The man we hired to pick us up from the airport was a 10th generation Trinidadian, and he gave us the full rundown on Trinidad and its history. He said, what once used to be an island based on cocoa plants found oil, and turned completely industrial. The population mostly consists of the locals and Indians (brought in as indentured slaves) along with a few from Southeast Asia. He told us of the corrupt government and the crime that's seen here. He saw it turn from this green, lush area into the industrial island that it is today. And this man was a taxi driver! Educated about the island, the government, and all the influences that the immigrants brought with them.

After a one hour drive from the Island's capital, Port-au-Spain to Chaguaramas, I reunited with my dad and dog, and got to see the new work we've just done. The change is amazing! The outside is a nice, 'moonshine' , creamy color, and the inside is 10 times more usable. Instead of the TV that would go down into the storage place, we have it hanging above the bar. We then replaced the leftover space with a sofa (which is still being finished so no photos yet).

 

Our backyard

New boat color