post-carnival blues...

i realise i never got around to saying more about the trip, partly because i'm not sure how to explain. for those who've never partied in sweet trini, far less done carnival, i don't have the words. but this is a blog, and i claim to be some kinda writer, so...
the feteing starts months in advance- we don't wait and save it for that monday+tuesday before ash wednesday. months before the christmas prior, there are band launchings and other excuses for feteing to break up the long descent into christmas carols. band launchings are supposed to be about leaders/designers showing the drawings for their costume sections, but i can't say i ever looked at drawings until after a launch. the launch is about the party.
then there's a lull while christmas happens (although the feteing continues for christmas, just with different music and food) and we pick up again immediately after- and for those in the usa, a real fete doesn't stop @ 3am. there's no such thing as last call. we fete until sunrise or later, and still make it to work. there are also day-fetes, which start by noon and go until night, allowing for a better showing at the job on monday morning. and in addition to band launchings, various associations (from high schools to political parties) throw their own fetes.
and calypso tents open and panorama prelims start.
calypso tents are basically a venue to hear many calypsonians in one night, on one stage, to get a feel for the year's offerings. there are several, so you can choose based on which tent has your favourites, or sample as many as you can afford.
panorama is a huge competition in various steel-band (orchestra, really) categories (small, medium, large, pan-around-the-neck, etc.) that runs over several weekends, culminating in carnival weekend finals. pan also goes all night, into the wee hours of the morning.
as you may have realised, we take partying very seriously.

fetes become more frequent as carnival gets closer, and by carnival thursday we feteing every night. thursday, friday, saturday, sunday (into j'ouvert @ 4am monday) you can choose from at least 2fetes per night (or just go to all, if you can afford it) with kiddies' carnival, panorama finals, the soca monarch competition and dimanche gras also happening over that weekend.
j'ouvert i've already mentioned, then on monday+tuesday the previously launched bands finally take to the streets with music trucks for pretty mas(querade) and/or traditional mas (well-known characters including jab-jabs, dame lorraine, bat, sailor, baby doll, pierrot grenade, midnight robber). after tuesday mas, las' lap ends @ midnight, at which point is ash wednesday and lent begins. no sleep carnival friday until ash wednesday morning.

now there's also the 3canal show to see in the weeks leading up to carnival. it closes carnival saturday night, but it's a great show, pulling together their music (and other artistes), choreography, and some characters loosely based on traditional characters (above) in a social commentary. nice way to ease into j'ouvert (their jocks-tuh-pose is my band of choice).

when i was growing up, you weren't allowed to play calypso or soca on the radio during lent, or even be caught singing it in school. as soon as ash wednesday hit, all revelry done. it's more lax now (thank god?) but it goes to show the relationship between the festival of flesh and the period of penitence built into the catholic calendar.
these days, we fete on the beach on ash wednesday, or in tobago, or down the islands- you'd never know it was lent. this year, i opted to not do a beach fete, but just go to the beach. i hit maracas with my girl scrawn (although now the 4'11" wonder has made it past 100lbs. and has grown a bottom to balance out those 36C's up top, it's prob'ly inappropriate, but ayanna will be scrawn forever) and ate my prerequisite bake+shark (if you've never had it, one more reason you should visit sweet trini) and all was well with the world.
as i tell grims: nobody could possibly ever doubt my love for him because there's no other reason i should keep coming back to this damn cold, overly-pc, no-beach-having, too-much-clothing-required, fetes-close-too-early, what-the-fuck-is-last-call-maybe-if-you-drank-more-your-dancing-would-improve country!
i wish he'd been there with me. i saw family, immediate and extended, and he was the only one missing.

so now i'm all sad because it's a whole 'nother year before the chance to take him home for carnival arises again, and in the meanwhile i have to make it through the end of this winter and the start of the next one...
know that carnival is the best. trust me, but don't take my word- go.

walk good. wine plenty (dance, not drink; gyrate, don't guzzle.)