Trinidad Carnival 2010

Images from Trinidad Carnival 2010
captured by Stephen Broadbrideg. All photos copyright Stephen Broadbridge Caribbean Discovery Tours

 

 

masqueraders heading to crossing the stage

San Fernando mas

Pictures from Jouvert Morning. From the French Jour Ouvert, it is the ritual  opening of the carnival before dawn on Monday morning. According to Definitive Caribbean
:J'ouvert is the raw heart of Trinidad carnival. It is a massive, night-time street party and procession which crystallizes in central Port of Spain in the early hours of Lundi Gras, before the daytime carnival parades. "

Blooms Day-with a twist

Since most of my blooms are just about the same as what I posted the past 3 months, I thought I'd post pictures my friend Aoth took at her family's home in Vientiane, Laos-pointing out the similarities to my blooms.

Orchids grown on a tree trunk-where I live is too dry for me to keep orchids easily

 

There are many lovely Thai hybrids of  Euphorbia Milli. I actually have one quite similar to the first.

 

Soft and delicate

 

 This is the inflorescence of the coconut palm.

 

I have bougainvillea that look almost identical

 

Not a bloom but this picture of bamboo is just too lovely to not post

Valentine Red

Nan at Hayfield is Seeing Red following Rebecca’s Rainbow invitation
to join her in the 'Rainbow Challenge': find a flower for each of the colors of the rainbow and do one post. Like Nan, I am doing the red post first, and to wish you a Happy Valentine’s. Most of these have been posted before, but they are among my favourite blooms

Bauhinia galpini

Erythrina crista-galli and the more common Erythrina

 

Luscious red hibiscus. the first one is the "common" non hybrid type

 

Kalanchoe and Euphorbia milli

Aromatic Ripe Plantain

Here's another one is for the Caribbean islanders who love ripe plantains. I made this, inspired by the recipe for Plantains with Balsamic-Basil Glaze from Douglas Rodriguez's Latin Flavors on the Grill. This one is a pie, as opposed to grilled. If you can get culinary lavender please do use it here, as it adds a wonderful aroma and taste. I used quite ripe (the yellow turning black) plantains.

Ingredients
1/2 cup mirin, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lime juice
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon culinary lavender (optional)
Hot pepper to taste eg 1/2 teaspoon pepper sauce or some minced hot pepper (optional)
6 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced in two

Preparation
Combine the first seven ingredients in a small bowl. In a shallow baking dish layer the plantain and spread the glaze on each layer-two layers work best so choose the size of your dish accordingly.
Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil, use a spoon to spread the glaze on the plantains more evenly, and bake uncovered a further 15-25 minutes, depending on ripeness of plantains. For a party this will make 8 side servings-but at home usually just 4!

TRINIDAD RED CROSS KIDDIES CARNIVAL 2010

All photos taken by and copyright Stephen Broadbridge, Caribbean Discovery Tours

Promenade Gardens Part 2

The very architectural looking blooms and spent fruit stalks of the cannonball tree

 

We now pass thorough the bougainvillea arbour to the Bandstand. This is very typical of the design in the mid-eighteen hundreds. There are very similar bandstands in the public gardens and parks in Trinidad.

                                                                                                 Statute of Mahatma Ghandi

Come into the flower garden

 fragrant old fashioned roses, Plumeria, red and pink Pride of BarbadosHeliconia rostrata, Gmelina

 more towering palms, such lushness...

Elegant water lily pads