When I was small growing up in Trinidad, when something going good for you, the older folks always say 'like you living in London', or something to that effect (hey, I am getting on in years, this may be Alzheimer's kicking in). Little did they know...
First of all, London is the most expensive city in the world to live. Doubt that statement? Check the British Home Office website (the Home Office is responsible for immigration). It clearly states that England is the most expensive country in the world to live in (and visitors should be prepared to accept this), and London being the most expensive city in this country, by extension becomes the world's most expensive city.
So despite Alzheimer's, I figure now everybody in Trinidad living life in London, we all scrunting bad, bad (except for a few elite of course, and the kidnappers, community leaders, CEPEP personnel etc). Wait a minute though... London has a few differences.
Let's see... They have oodles and oodles of places to visit, hang out, activities etc. That being said, Birmingham is no slouch either and is rather my choice. But London is marketed well, so well in far you never know its the most expensive city in the world (gotcha there, didn't I?), and a real pocket breaker to visit. Makes me wonder, with so much to see and do in Trinidad, who exactly in the Ministry of Tourism is asleep on the job. Hmm, all of them?
It's funny how things that the Tourism people look at as negative are the things that us Trinis miss most when we move away, and are the things we describe first when we try to persuade our foreign friends to visit. I miss coconut round the Savannah, cooking at Quinam and Los Iros beaches, the oysterman round Cocoyea Roundabout, the doubles man by Rambalack gas station in Penal, the guabine and cascadoo from meh pardner in Woodland, the drive to go Mayaro or the temple by the sea or Maracas/Tyrico, KFC spicy, roti and duck/goat, mauby and sorrel... the list goes on, but these are the things that could be marketable, the simple things we Trinis remember as home, the things that make us unique.
Now that I am here in England, I guess I am just stuck ... with life in London!
First of all, London is the most expensive city in the world to live. Doubt that statement? Check the British Home Office website (the Home Office is responsible for immigration). It clearly states that England is the most expensive country in the world to live in (and visitors should be prepared to accept this), and London being the most expensive city in this country, by extension becomes the world's most expensive city.
So despite Alzheimer's, I figure now everybody in Trinidad living life in London, we all scrunting bad, bad (except for a few elite of course, and the kidnappers, community leaders, CEPEP personnel etc). Wait a minute though... London has a few differences.
Let's see... They have oodles and oodles of places to visit, hang out, activities etc. That being said, Birmingham is no slouch either and is rather my choice. But London is marketed well, so well in far you never know its the most expensive city in the world (gotcha there, didn't I?), and a real pocket breaker to visit. Makes me wonder, with so much to see and do in Trinidad, who exactly in the Ministry of Tourism is asleep on the job. Hmm, all of them?
It's funny how things that the Tourism people look at as negative are the things that us Trinis miss most when we move away, and are the things we describe first when we try to persuade our foreign friends to visit. I miss coconut round the Savannah, cooking at Quinam and Los Iros beaches, the oysterman round Cocoyea Roundabout, the doubles man by Rambalack gas station in Penal, the guabine and cascadoo from meh pardner in Woodland, the drive to go Mayaro or the temple by the sea or Maracas/Tyrico, KFC spicy, roti and duck/goat, mauby and sorrel... the list goes on, but these are the things that could be marketable, the simple things we Trinis remember as home, the things that make us unique.
Now that I am here in England, I guess I am just stuck ... with life in London!
