R2I Club Member Hangout

old-spice2 wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 10:52 am I just came back after a week trip to Barbados and Trinidad. Went to the cricket grounds where F and SF will be held. Did some ground work and fixed matches so India wins this Cup and lifts Modiji govt 400 paar.

Trinidad has lot of Indian origin people who are 5th or 6th generation. They still follow many of the Hindu religious customs, but their food sucks. Looks like they brought the cuisine from Bihar/Bhojpur of 1850s and have not updated to current standard/taste.

One time in Port Of Spain got a black cab driver. Asked him to take me to "real Indian" place instead of Trinidadian Indian. He asked "you want Indian Indian food? '. Found one Punjabi joint with aloo paratha and dal tadka.

Initially thought of settling down in PoS where Sunny hit incredible 220 in 1971 to draw the match and win series 1-0 for India. I started following cricket since then and it was always a dream to walk on that hallowed ground. Dream fulfilled after 50+ years.

One of the cab driver said he was present in the stadium in 1971 and saw that match. He said till lunch time black supporters were cheering for WI but after that left the ground when Sunny started hitting their pacemen all over. Like 1983 WC, 1971 WI series was one I should have watched live.

SAPPORO wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:36 am Please share more of your travel stories since it would help me immensely. Did you go the Tobago islands? What's there to do in POS anyways, I am scheduled to be there for 5 nights.

SAPPORO wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:36 am Sunny also hit 124 in the first innings of the same test, and I vividly remember hearing it on Radio in Tony Cozier's voice and I was all of 5-months old
The SF is not going to be in Queens Park oval and it's in the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, some 50 miles away and so I am hoping to sell those tickets for a good price!

old-spice2 wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 11:43 am

SAPPORO wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:36 am Please share more of your travel stories since it would help me immensely. Did you go the Tobago islands? What's there to do in POS anyways, I am scheduled to be there for 5 nights.

5N in PoS is too much. Max 2 days should be enough. Not many places to see - there is a seaside temple, Hanuman mandir, few India style markets as island has 47% PIOs. I did not go to Tobago due to shortage of time. You have to take a flight to the island and it is mostly beaches, water sports and tropical forest/natural beauty. Don't take ferry as the sea gets rough and if you have motion sickness then it will be a problem.

Stay in PoS for 2 days and 2 days you can spend in Tobago island.

We spent 3 days in Barbados - Gary Sobers, Greenidge and Garner's hometown. Barbados has nice beaches. We went for swimming in the Caribbeans and spent half day in the resort poolside drinking rum that was invented in the island. Barbados has no Indian presence, mostly AA population.

SAPPORO wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2024 11:36 am Sunny also hit 124 in the first innings of the same test, and I vividly remember hearing it on Radio in Tony Cozier's voice and I was all of 5-months old
The SF is not going to be in Queens Park oval and it's in the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, some 50 miles away and so I am hoping to sell those tickets for a good price!

Oh ok, my objective was to walk in the Queenspark Oval where Sunny hit 220 and saved the fifth test match. The second test in PoS is which India won and Sardesai hit a century there. Queenspark has Brian Lara stand and paintings of all great WI players outside. Lara's statue is placed in the city center. He is everywhere in the city. Guide showed us his mansion atop a hill but he was in India busy with IPL. Otherwise we could have gone for a "chai pe charcha".

SAPPORO wrote: ↑Fri May 24, 2024 1:03 pm Do they offer a guided tour of the picturesque Queen's park oval?