I'm in Love All Over Again

I love the lotus flower.

My return from Trinidad/Tobago was exciting, sans the 10 minute super bumpy connecting flight from Miami to ATL, which had me clutching my seat arms like a petrified child. I'm pretty courageous, but turbulence like that shakes me.

I was happy to get home because I had desperately detox from all eating I did.

Yes, I was on the dual island to cover their exquisite culinary festival, as a freelance writer, but it was so much more than that. I ate entirely too much and did not have enough of a real opportunity to make room for more! Can you imagine eating 5 times a day--and not small portions--I'm talking big ol' dishes full of spices and sauces and gravy's and side bar items and this and that, etc...

I was done with eating.

I'll leave coverage of the food festival for Flanboyant Eats but will share here some the other outdoor excursions I dabbled my cute feet into.

In 1999, I went to Italy with my then boyfriend. Sigh. That was almost a train-wreck trip, except for the fact that we managed to get along during 12 days and good sex never hurts. Ooops. T.M.I.

I had heard of a fabulous "blue grotto" in Capri but unfortunately it was closed for repair. Major drats. Well, I'm glad to report the chair of all blue grotto's has been redeemed! In the most of unlikely places, mainly because it's so un-kept, Trinidad has a fabulous grotto in which I dove into!

This a view of the Caribbean Sea as we hiked toward the caves.



250 ft of a nasty walk, down a steep, bat poo-infested well, we came upon a gorgeous cave of old rock formations and 12 ft deep water. I was scantily clad in my pink stripped bikini. I dove in. I swam. I closed my eyes. I went under water and pretended to be mermaid without that fine man waiting at shore. And then I got out.



Breathtaking.

I could lay on a floating device for hours and just write away. So peaceful, even the bats don't bother.

That was probably the most fun part of the trip. Though a 2 hour tour of the Caribbean's largest distillery was educational. Angostura Bitters are world-known. I got to sip on some.

Carmel Valley Estate produces the best grade of cocoa in the world! I ate it! Whoa there Nelly! You must mosey on over to FE to read more on that. And other delectables out of that Estate made their way inside my illegal camaflouge bag!

Before I end, I will offer my Public Service Announcement! Fatique is illegal in T&T! Had I read my itinerary, I would have saved myself and fellow journalists the agony of waiting outside, as if I were being held as a traitor, while I was being interrogated for the fashionable use of my pilot's helmut bag! Ms. H., please go see the officer in the "red line". Oh my God! I almost lost it. I was at risk of having my bag taken away from me! Thanks to limited discretion, the ma'am asked me to place my bag in my suitcase and discreetly walk out!

Whew!

What's a gal to do without the bag that carries all of my goodies and a pair of $400 white pumps?

A trip to the fowl sanctuary was exhausting but beautiful. I saw birds of species I didn't know existed. Not the type you hear sing in the morning glory. Rather, colorful, big winged birds that are caged for us to muse on. It's a conservatory, making their placement there justifiable.




I'll go back to Trinidad any day. It was gorgeous. Diverse in culture. Rich in history. Beautiful in spirit.

Sunset at Maracas Beach was sexy. My suite at the Hyatt was even sexier. Shower right smack in the middle of the room. Flat screen TV in front of my uber chic extra large King size bed with views of Conan O'Brien made me happy.

Baby, please rub my feet. I've walked a lot today.


*****

My official story on Trinidad will be published in Odyssey Couleur later this year and can be found in Barnes & Nobles, nationwide. Stay Tuned!