Back from Tobago - My Bestie is Married!!! Happy Mardi Gras

Wow.  So many things to say and so little time.  First of all, other than my bestie getting married, all the travel involved to get to this small island is 100% not worth it.  This is my least favorite Caribbean island.  In fact, had I never been to the Caribbean many times before, I'm not sure I would even give it a second chance.  Why?

Other than the beautiful weather (and the weather is beautiful - hot, sunny with a nice refreshing breeze), there is nothing else to to speak highly of when it comes to this island...

Their main industry is tourism yet they are RUDE, rude, rude rude.  Ironically, most of the cabbies are nice but they have no idea where anything is.  The island is tiny and they have lived there their whole lives... HELLO!!!!

There is no fresh fruit, fish, or generally edible food on the island.  Their favorite foods are fried and BBQ.  What?!?!  Who goes to the Caribbean wanting to eat BBQ?  I currently reside in a US city that is known for BBQ and I don't want it then.  I ate more fast food there than when I am in the US. Granted I also have food allergies, many of which were not taken into consideration by anyone, so there was that, but I mean really - not even a piece of good salmon or tuna.

The Magdalena Grand, where the wedding took place was the least friendly, and shabby of them all!!!!  You have at least two hundred people here who have spent thousands of dollars just to come and stay in this small island that does not even deserve to be any representation of the Caribbean, and these folks are not friendly, and do not want to work not even a little a bit...  They don't know where something is on their own property.  People are spending $500/night to stay there and the hall/reception is closed off, no oceanside views.  What's the point of having a wedding at the beach if you can't see it??!!  They did not arrange for proper transportation and this was the icing on the cake, they stole a cab I had flagged down for my mother, bestie, and I.  I was beyond furious with just about everything.  

To be fair, I did like the bartending staff and I think the wedding coordinator was doing her best but she had no help from management or the the front desk.

All was not lost however... the bride looked beautiful.  I ended being the MC very last minute, and everyone said I did a great job, asked if I did it for a living, and said I was a professional.  On that note, I must confess I totally got out of character and had an absolute shit fit meltdown when that worker came up and stole our cab!!!  It was the icing on a very shitty shit cake all week, which by the way - I still do not have my luggage.  Another story there.  I know I am great at hiding my emotions and not caring.  Most people have no idea what I think or feel, but for five minutes I literally was just raging - just absolute raging.  Then I was good.  I found us another cab.  I was the raging one, but still got the job done.  I guess everyone else was just in shock.  My diva self had come out of hiding, definitely hitting all the angry American black women diva stereotypes but whatevs...

And final travel annoyance... my bag did not make my last connection and as a result of the weather, it has yet to arrive... Sigh...

Okay, enough ranting as my blog is generally positive so here are some positives:

I fit into the Kwe Kwe skirt.  I was quite concerned about that as you may recall.  I actually fit the dress I bought at Flip for the wedding.  Another concern as well.  I got complimented a lot in that dress but who knows what I look like on camera, especially on the video as I had no intention of actually MCing.  I will post the pictures I do have but there aren't many.  There are so many pics of me skattered all over the place.  I absolutely dislike that.  

I feel like I have been filled with negative energy - all this hate/dislike on this page.  Starting tomorrow, Ash Weds, I am going to celebrate Lent by giving up Carbs.  I need to get back to my spiritual even keel self.  My bestie (who stayed with me and mom and was one of the maids of honor) and my Mom think I am completely not myself and I agree.

I swam one day and did crunches another but honestly I had no real time or true desire to work out.  I did climb a waterfall.  All these pics will be shared and as I receive more, I will share and update this page.

I saw a poem yesterday on a site I frequent, which I think speaks to the flood of emotions that spilled out of me late Saturday night (Happy Valentine's Day).  Thank you.  You know who you are and it was much needed. (Italics are mine)

If you are after a perfect person in me
Then I am afraid you will be disappointed
If you after someone who will never hurt you
Never let you down
Never misunderstand you
Who will never fall short of your expectations of me
Then I must let you know
I cannot promise you this

If you expect to find me without flaw
Without anger
Without selfishness
Without stupidity
Then the standards you are setting for me are too high

For I realize I am human
Perfect in my imperfection
For in my life I will succeed and I will fail (sometimes simultaneously)
I will love and I will hate (try not to do this much)
I will be selfish and selfless
I will laugh, cry,
Rage (not often but beware when unleashed)
I will be lonely and I will offer comfort

I. Am. Human

Okay... Here are the pics as promised....

Views from Villa

From the beach

@ 2 of the forts on the Island

@ the waterfall

having climbed up the waterfall.  quite slippery...

just came back down.. even more slippery and treacherous

Happy to be back down

The blogging will be back to a day by day play by play starting tomorrow as it begins Lent and no carbs...  Feel free to join me.  The more support, the better.  Even if you give up something else like sweets or meat, it's great to have a group of supporters helping us all out.  

Today is Mardi Gras and I am at home unfortunately.  I was invited to my cousin's annual Mardi Gras extravaganza in NOLA but I decided not to as this week was intended to be a major week at work except we have had two days of snow and no work soooo.... I could have gone, although I have no suitcase so don't exactly know how I would have managed such.

With that said, while not happy to be back in the cold, snowy weather, I am actually happy for once to be off of a Caribbean island.  This is a first for me.  If I were you, I would not go to Tobago.  I can't speak for Trinidad but Tobago is a Hell to the Nah....