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This morning after breakfast we drove to Blanchisseuse which is in the north west of the island.  The road was rocky and rolly in places, but the scenery was quite amazing. After an hour and a half of hard driving we reached Yves’ house at Blanchisseuse.

It really is an amazing place.  A beautifully designed building shaped like a hexagon on plan and with lots of windows open to the sea air.  Adjoining it is the most enormous model train layout you’ve ever seen.  Originally the train tracks ran round the garden supported on concrete pillars.  Now they have their own outhouse and to give you an idea of scale, the bends at each end or the track are 7 foot radius.  It’s a Gauge 1 track built for coal fired steam locomotives.  I didn’t get to see it in operation, but it must be some sight.  We had a Heineken beer when we arrived or Green Tea as Yves called it.  Scamp and Madeleine had a Bentley which is a mix of lime juice and bitters.  After refreshments, we sat looking out to the wild rolling sea and it was wild and it was rolling.  So much so that the walk along the beach had to be cancelled on account of there being no beach!  The rollers were thudding in against the rocks.  Still there was a blue sky and it was hot.

Lunch was next served by his housekeeper’s son, Sheldon.  Eight of us sitting at the table eating Chicken Pilau and discussing Trump’s latest atrocities.  Quite incongruous to think that we are sitting here on the edge of paradise discussing the vagaries of a buffoon.  Fruit salad for dessert was fresh and lovely.

Then the music started.  Yves’ wife played the piano and then Scamp played.  Jaime played the Quatro (a Venezuelan four stringed guitar) and sang in Spanish.  Then the pianists competition started.  I can’t describe it as anything else.  With the two pianists, it was just a case of who could play the best, most obscure and most difficult pieces.  I get bored with competitions really quickly and I went and took a few more photos. 

When we finally left about 7pm it was dark and Jaime opted to drive.  The drive up had been scenic, but tough going.  In the dark it was just tough.  I don’t think I’ll forget the sight of little white flat-bed Hiace vans parked at the side of the road – lights off in total darkness with a man lounging in the back miles from anywhere.  What were they waiting for?  Why were they there?  The mind boggles.

Anyway, we made it back home and I think all of us were totally exhausted, so we went to bed early.

It was a long time before we surfaced this morning even after going to bed the earliest we’ve gone in years.  I felt it was a struggle breaking the surface of sleep.  But we were soon up and showered and ready for the day.

Breakfast was Aloo Pie which is diced potato and chickpeas mixed with herbs and spices, then wrapped in a light bread dough and deep fried.  Doesn’t sound all that interesting or tempting, but it is delicious.  I was greedy and had two.  I’ve never seen them or heard of them anywhere else in the world.  After breakfast we just sat on the veranda and read while we recovered our timeclocks.  Then Jaime and I assembled and set up their new smart TV.  Really easy to do.  That’s probably the ‘smart’ part

After lunch we headed off to the Botanic Gardens.  I was surprised to find that all the trees were foreign to me.  Even the Bay Trees were nothing like the bay trees we get at home.  The leaves were similar, but not the same.  A lot of the specialised areas were closed.  It wasn’t clear if that was because it was the weekend or because they were being run down.  It would be a shame if that was the case as the park was really well attended lots of families picnicking on the grass.  One big area was taken over by a church or a Sunday School with folk singing hymns in the open air.  I sounded really nice.  Really old fashioned.

After our walk around the Botanics, we drove, to the Savannah where a marathon or a 10k was in its finishing stages.  Jaime stopped at a roadside stall and we had our first taste of coconut water fresh from a green coconut.  When it is finished, you hand the empty coconut back to the guy and he slices it open and then with another two cuts, makes you a wee scoop to eat the white flesh – called jelly!  Messy and sticky but tastes lovely.  We walked along past Savannah and then had to return to the car because rain was threatening.  Just got back to the care when the rain came, but it didn’t amount to much. 

Dinner was Kalaloo which is soup made from Onions, Dasheen leaves and okra, but apparently you can make it with Spinach instead of Dasheen leaves.  Must try it some time.  Also had Hop bread which was a yeasty roll.  Very tasty.

I don’t know about Scamp, but I am tired again tonight.  Off to Yves’ house tomorrow!

The first line in an old John Mayall song, but also a good description of today.

The day started with an alarm at 6.30am.  After a quick shower, dressed and a key drop, we were out of the Hilton and into the check-in.  Quickly through there for once and then into security and then breakfast.  After that we just waited for the call to the gate.  Basically, everything went smoothly. 

Up through the light fog and cloud layer and we were out into blue sky.  Second music quote of the day is “Up above the clouds there’s always a blue sky”  Can’t remember who by, but I’ll maybe remember by the end of this write-up.  It’s a long flight, but a wee snooze on the way and a film on the way helped – “Miss Petegrine’s … “ had to do because Ghostbusters 2016 didn’t want to play.  Over eight hours and with an hour stopover at St Lucia.  Landed 15 minutes early in Port of Spain.  That’s when it all stopped working.

Immigration at Port of Spain is a nightmare.  Over an hour just to hand in our passport and a piece of paper that we’d already filled in.  The officials are so laid back, they might as well be going backwards.  We saw Irish, Czech and Africans being refused entry until different parts of the form were completed satisfactorily.  In some cases, until money had changed hands too.  We were dealt with quickly and efficiently by official number 9 and eventually got through to pick up our cases and meet M&J who were waiting patiently outside.  That’s where we realised that the air-con in the immigration hall was really efficient.  It was warm outside at 7pm. 

Got driven back to M&J’s house.  The same one we stayed in almost three years ago.  Drinks, catchup, supper and a very early night.  When was the last time we went to bed at 9pm, although in real time that was about 1am.