…and we were wrong in our assumption that we would be visiting Trinidad and Tobago…
From the District 7030 GSE chair:
"With regards to the itinerary, your group is scheduled to visit Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. The exact dates for travel to each island is not arranged as yet, so the itinerary may change slightly, but this is what we have placed at present."
That means we will be visiting the Windward Islands.
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Shelly, Rick, Liane, Monica, Heidi, LillahSeptember 27 - The second planning meeting was hosted by Shelly. Great job with all the food and, of course, the rum and coca-cola!
We know our travel dates are Febraury 28 - March 28, 2010. As of today, we still have not received our itinerary from the host District in the eastern Caribbean.
District 7030 comprises 14 countries with 69 clubs meeting in 19 different territories. The actual geography: starting in the south on the South American continent with French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana and as it goes north encompassing the Eastern Caribbean, or as some people may know it, part of the old British and French West Indies.
Given that we do not speak French or Dutch, we have been told we will likely visit four English speaking islands. Since Trinidad and Tobago is the home of District Governor Astra De Costa and is the largest region with 22 clubs, we assume Trindad is a sure thing.
We also note that Grenada and Barbados are English speaking islands - we are excited. No matter where we go, it will great!
What did we not resolve today? How do you pronounce Caribbean? Both kar-a-BEE-an and ka-RIB-bi-an are correct, but the research indicates the preferred is kar-a-BEE-an. We'll have to wait until we get there to really know....
Liane will be hosting the next meeting - October 25.
One of the songs most identified with Trinidad is "Rum and Coca-Cola," sung my various artists, but the most popular is probably the recording by the Andrews Sisters in 1945.
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The song became a local hit in 1943. The original lyrics lamented the presence of American military personnel on the island during the war and the resultant increase in price that prostitutes could command. Note that the complaint was not about prostitution itself, merely the cost. Although the Andrews Sisters version was changed slightly by Morey Amsterdam, it still alludes to the world's oldest profession.
The original lyrics included phrases like “saw that the Yankees treat them nice / and they give them a better price” and “the bride run away with a soldier lad / and the stupid husband went staring mad.”
It will be interesting to see if the song is still acceptable on Trinidad.
The Amsterdam/Andrews Sister lyrics:
If you ever go down Trinidad
They make you feel so very glad
Calypso sing and make up rhyme
Guarantee you one real good fine time
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
Oh, beat it man, beat it
Since the Yankee come to Trinidad
They got the young girls all goin' mad
Young girls say they treat 'em nice
Make Trinidad like paradise
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
Oh, you vex me, you vex me
From Chicachicaree to Mona's Isle
Native girls all dance and smile
Help soldier celebrate his leave
Make every day like New Year's Eve
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
It's a fact, man, it's a fact
In old Trinidad, I also fear
The situation is mighty queer
Like the Yankee girl, the native swoon
When she hear der Bingo croon
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
Out on Manzanella Beach
G.I. romance with native peach
All night long, make tropic love
Next day, sit in hot sun and cool off
Drinkin' rum and Coca-Cola
Go down Point Koomahnah
Both mother and daughter
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
It's a fact, man, it's a fact
Rum and Coca-Cola
Rum and Coca-Cola
Workin' for the Yankee dollar
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