| Trinidad (island) | |
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| State | Trinidad and Tobago |
|---|---|
| Surface | 4,820 km² |
| Inhabitants | 1.252.800 |
Trinidad is an island of the lesser Antilles in the sea of the Caribbean. Together with the smaller island of Tobago form the island state of "Trinidad and Tobago"
To know
Geographical notes
It is the largest and most inhabited of the 23 islands that make up the nation. It is also the southernmost of the gods islands Caribbean, being only 11 kilometers from the coast of Venezuela.
The highest point of the island and of the whole country is El Cerro del Aripo with its 940 m s.l.m.
Territories and tourist destinations
- Northern Trinidad - The most urban and bustling area, but with some quiet rural and relaxing places like the north coast beaches and the rainforest. Highest peak in the northern mountain range.
- Eastern Trinidad - A somewhat peripheral area, where the University of the West Indies is located.
- Central Trinidad - Dotted with farms and heavy industries, the central mountain range with rainforests.
- Southern Trinidad - Center of oil production and the labor movement.
- Southeast Trinidad - Rural and mostly undeveloped area. Most business centers revolve around offshore oil extraction.
Urban centers
- Arima - Hometown of the famous calypso artist "Lord Kitchener".
- Point Fortin - Small village that revolves around the local LNG plant (Liquefied Natural Gas).
- Point Lisas - Located in about half of the west coast and home to many industrial plants.
- Pointe-à-Pierre - North of San Fernando inhabited mainly by those who directly and indirectly work for the local refinery.
- Port of Spain - The capital of the country.
- San Fernando - Southern coastal city overlooking the Gulf of Paria.
How to get
By plane
Airlines serving Piarco International Airport (IATA: POS), which is located 25 km south of Port of Spain, They are the following:
- Caribbean Airlines (National airline): direct flights from / to You love me (one a day), New York, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Toronto, Caracas, Georgetown, Kingston, Paramaribo, Barbados and various other islands Caribbean.
- Aeropostal Alas de Venezuela: direct flights from / to Caracas.
- American Airlines: direct flights to / from Miami.
- British Airways: direct flights from / to London Gatwick.
- Conviasa: direct flights from / to Porlomar.
- COPA Airlines: direct flights from / to center is south America away Panama.
- Liat Airline: stopover from / to the eastern Caribbean islands.
- REDjet: direct flights to / from Barbados, Georgetown, Kingston, Grenada.
- Surinam Airways: direct flights to / from Paramaribo, Curaçao.
- United Airlines: direct flights from / to Houston is Newark.
The Prowler ferry covers the route Güiria (Venezuela) / Chaguaramas (Trinidad). Passengers can carry at most two pieces of luggage per person not exceeding 18 kg; hand baggage cannot exceed 6 kg. Here are the details of the route:
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More up-to-date information can be obtained by calling the relevant office directly on 634 4472.
How to get around
By car
The island is relatively small but due to the limited road infrastructure it can be very busy and consequently travel can take much longer than you can imagine.
Drive around Pitch Lake or La Brea need a lot of attention especially at night. Not infrequently it is possible to encounter hollows or bumps even of several tens of centimeters.
For those who do not want to rent a car, it is also possible to travel by taxi. Inside the airport, as soon as you leave the baggage claim, you will find a green stall where you can find out about the official fare to reach the desired destination.The official taxis are all identified by the plate that begins with the letter H. (Hire: rental), while the plates with the letter P. (Private) are related to private cars e T. (Truck) identify trucks, vans and pick-upAll luxury hotels have agreements with taxi services operating 24 hours a day and whose fleet is made up of superior category cars, with which one-way, round-trip with call or round-trip can be arranged. with waiting at a fixed point.
What see
- Pitch Lake (Mother of the Lake), La Brea (In the southwest of the island of Trinidad). The largest natural bitumen deposit in the world (about 40 ha). The whole area that extends around the lake is affected by bradyseism and manifests itself by heavily disrupting public buildings and roads in a relatively short time.
- Beaches. The main ones in Trinidad are: Maracas, Tyrico, Las Cuevas, Toco, Mayaro, Chagville, Los Iros and Quinam. Those located to the north meet expectations, while Los Iros and Quinam may arouse some disappointment; especially Quinam whose waters are clouded by the sediments of the Orinoco river that flows into the sea from the territory Venezuelan.
What to do
At the table
Trinidadian cuisine is influenced by many cultures, but most of all by that one Indiana is African (called Creole cuisine). Other influences include that Chinese, and in part English is French. There has been a strong influx of American fast food restaurants in recent years such as Subway, KFC and Pizza Hut. Most locals love meats of all kinds, but due to a significant Hindu population, there are plenty of good vegetarian offerings.
The doubles it is a typical street food probably of origin Indiana. Tasty and inexpensive, many view doubles as a good quick meal or snack. They consist of channa (i.e. chickpeas or beans) with curry sandwiched between two coffin (toast bread) fried, wrapped in greaseproof paper. Extra toppings include mango, chutney sauce (hot sauce made from fruit and spices), pepper sauce, and others. Order a doubles "without"(without), means no / little pepper, while a"blaze"(flambé) means a full spoonful of pepper. Doubles vendors also usually sell fried potato pies, called"aloo pies"which can be similarly seasoned. Prices are around 3/4 TTD."
The bake & shark it is a typical dish of the northern coast of the island. It is generally sold from the kiosks just off the beach at 30 TTD (Nov 2013). They can be roughly likened to fried fast food sandwiches. The external dough that makes up the sandwich is fried and opened in half while fried fish is inserted inside (without bones and which, despite the name, is not a shark). Between the counter and the seats there is a series of sauces and vegetables with which you can fill your "bake & shark" as you like. These kiosks also offer variations such as bake & king fish or surround it with fries.
Safety
Caution is a must in much of Port of Spain. At night it is better to avoid walking on the street: it is recommended to travel by taxi. Armed guards are often stationed in banks and shopping malls. The following areas are known as crime hotspots and should be avoided both during the day and at night:
- Lavantille Frequent murders related to local gangs occur, almost on a daily basis.
- Beetham A den of criminals, mostly thieves.
- Maloney & La Horquetta located near Arima.
In case of emergency, you can contact by phone:
- Police: 114
- Ambulance: 118
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Trinidad (island)
Commons contains images or other files on Trinidad (island)
