Castara, Tobago

From the 4th to the 8th of October we took some time out to regroup as a family in Castara, Tobago.

We, somehow, managed to score an amazing rate on a two bedroom apartment which overlooked the most amazing beach in Tobago - Castara.

Castara is a working fishing village where, early in the morning, fishermen pull seine and later in the day pelicans circle and dive for their lunch amongst shoals of friars along the shoreline. Roughly 20 metres offshore there are amazing corals, which make snorkelling an absolute delight.

We took the ferry from Port of Spain to Scarborough, then drove our own car (stocked with everything we needed for the boys) to Castara. The ability to dive our own car around Tobago, coupled with the fact the we scored the most amazing accommodation, made for the best family holiday yet!!!

The ferry.

Heavenly Bay, Castara

Our accommodation.

Looking along Heavenly Bay towards our accommodation.

A view of Castara, including the backside of our accommodation.

The beach from our balcony. The Caribbean at its best!

Watching the family swim from our balcony.

Some seriously good snorkelling, all to us.

Is this not the best shower ever?

The boys playing on the beach at Englishman's Bay.

The holiest supermarket in Tobago!

Jesse introducing himself to Pirate the parrot at Arnos Vale Hotel.

Please sir, may I please, please see you baby turtles...?

A baby leatherback turtle.

Jesse trying to grab the turtle.

Who knew that Sarah had a restaurant in Tobago!?!

Samuel's 4th Birthday - 14 October 2010

On 14 October 2010 our little boy took another step away from the "little" part. Samuel turned four!

A few days before his birthday, Hannah and I let him know that the birthday boy gets to choose what he has for breakfast on his birthday. Samuel promptly told us that, in that case, we'd be going to the Hyatt Regency for breakfast. Ah, erm, ok then Master Samuel, of course, what ever you desire. Not wanting to rewrite the birthday breakfast rules or break a promise to our little man, we went to the Hyatt for Samuel's birthday breakfast before work and school.

Samuel got a magnifying glass for his birthday and he explored every inch of the Hyatt and Waterfront with it. He was so taken by it that the actually breakfast part of the outing was almost entirely forgotten.

Samuel asked for a turtle for his birthday. Han managed to find the prefect turtle in Barbados and Samuel named him "Flooky".

Samuel celebrating his birthday with his classmates. I had arranged the muffins in front of him in the shape of a 4. I'm not quite sure what happened to my four between dropping Samuel and the muffins off at school and when this shot was taken.

Yay for 4!

Asa Wright Bird Sanctuary and Blanchisseuse

We've been living in Trinidad about eight weeks now but we've been out of the country four times. By the time we had a chance to settle into life in Port of Spain, we'd seen more of Barbados that we had of Trinidad. So, a few weekends ago we headed off on a drive to the Asa Wright Bird Sanctuary and then home to Port of Spain via some specky beaches on Trinidad's north coast.

The Asa Wright Bird Sanctuary is based around a gorgeous old plantation house from which you can view the birds. There are trails through the sanctuary as well but, from my point of view, hanging out on the house's huge verandah and waiting for the birds to come to you is the way to do it. Taking a walk along the trail was well worth it though. However, during the walk I was more taken by the flora than the birds. There are some shots below of some of the weird and wonderful plants that we saw.

The viewing verandah. We had lunch here and just watched the birds fly in and out. The highlight was definitely the hummingbirds.

Hop, hop.

Samuel and Hugo looking up the bird bible.

Blanchisseuse is a village about midway along the north coast of Trinidad at the foot of the Northern Range. We stopped here to grab a drink and stretch our legs. It was packed with locals liming (the local word for "hanging out") and blasting music from obligatory speakers built into the boot of their cars.

This river flows through the Northern Range and into the Caribbean Sea at Blanchisseuse. It's apparently great to kayak along, so that's on the to-do list now.

Looking east along the north coast and the sun is setting. The light on the heads looking back to Maracas Bay was beautiful.

Looking west along the north coast at sunset - Caribbean tranquillity? Well, not quite. If you look carefully in this shot and the one below, you can actually see an oil rig on the horizon. Trinidad has a booming oil and gas industry and some element of that industry is never too far away.