There's an ad in the paper, listing fruit and vegetable prices at a local market: sorrel, paw paw, dasheen, melongene, pomme cita, cassava, eddoes, green fig, plantain, patchoi. Huh, where are the apples, oranges and bananas? Rick looks at me and comments, "We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto!"

No, we're in Trinidad, and spending several months here each season for 6 years, we now feel quite local. We eat pelau and roti, we know most of the maxi taxi drivers, and are hard pressed to drive through Carenage Village without bouncing up someone we know. We have our favorite local radio stations, know most of the local popular songs, and are friends with the singers and band members. Our cell phone rings off the hook. Local friends call to ask where the hot pan and calypso events are. Cuz we know. And when we go to these events, we hug up the band and the performers, cuz Trinidad is a small island, and if you stay open and friendly, you soon know everyone.

It's Carnival season here, and that means that the streets are pulsating with the rhythm of steel pan and calypso. It is just indescribable. There are festivities everywhere, with primal music and vibrant colors and dance and art and creativity and song. There are Calypso contests, pan competitions, children's parades....what a celebration of life! This is our 4th Trinidad Carnival, and each year we discover several new treasures.

Just imagine dozens of steel bands playing in the streets, while thousands of fans dance to the rhythmic and magical music of the pan, with broad smiles and eye contact with every stranger (have you noticed how Americans often avoid eye contact with strangers?) These happy islanders are beaming with a love of life that fills your heart and intoxicates you. I am close to tears many times for the joy of it all. We have never seen such pure and heartfelt happiness as we see here.

Every night there are dozens of spectacular shows to choose from, exhibiting local cultural arts born in Trinidad, including calypso, steel pan, chutney, soca, chutney soca, limbo, and tassa. Chutney is a beautiful form of East Indian singing and dancing, and soca is Trinidad party music, so chutney soca is East Indian party music. Tassa is drumming that takes you to other worlds, other times. Amazing that so many wonderful and different musical art forms were born here.

We love the competitions for King and Queen of Carnival, with the amazing 40' high costumes. They are incredibly creative, colorful works of art.

One of our favorite Carnival events is the 'Talk Tent', a showcase of AfroTrinidadian oral tradition, which is old time storytelling at its best, African style.

But really, there is no other musical art form that defines Trinidad like Calypso, which is the ultimate AfroTrinidadian oral tradition. It's a combination of social and political commentary, all set to a lively rhythm. Calypsos typically have clever and humorous lyrics, and are sung by well dressed gentlemen in 50's style fedora hats. They say that if you want to study the history of Trinidad, just listen to the lyrics of the Calypso songs. Harry Belefonte popularized his own form of Calypso in America, but he learned the art form from the Calypso icons of Trinidad.

Two years ago, we met and quickly became close friends with "Lord Superior", the granddaddy of Calypso, or "Kaiso", to use the traditional Patois term. He is one of the most loved and respected Caribbean entertainers here and abroad. He introduced us to his world of Calypso, which we adored. He brought us everywhere with him, introducing us to other Calypsonians, and inviting us to intimate gatherings, where these old guys sat around singing old Calypsos, and we just absorbed it all with our mental video cameras, treasuring these experiences that possibly no other foreigners had been exposed to.

When Lord Superior decided to produce a Carnival show with vintage calypsos, to be called the 'Vintage Kaiso Brigade', he asked us to help. Working with him, and all of the other calypsonians in the cast, has been a wonderful and rewarding experience, taking us 'backstage' in a way we never thought possible. Talk about 'immersion' in another culture!!!!!

It's funny. When we first planned to sail around the world, we dreamed of exploring rain forests and hiking up volcanoes and snorkeling in warm, clear water. We looked forward to learning about other people and other cultures. Never really thought we'd be producing a cabaret-style show in a developing nation! Few, if any, other foreigners have ever become immersed in Trinidad's culture like we have.

With Lord Superior, we produced a total of 9 shows last season and 14 shows this season, and the show was televised, and will air from now until next Carnival season. Though it was a lot of hard work, it was a very rewarding experience.

Lord Superior has now adopted me as his goddaughter. That makes it even harder to leave this island paradise. Trinidad has truly become our second home, and we have so many wonderful friends to say goodbye to. But after Carnival, it's time to wrap up some boat projects, and get ready to set sail again. This time we're really leaving the Eastern Caribbean, heading toward Central America, looking forward to exploring the islands off the coast of Venezuela, Colombia, and Panama, as well as Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and finally Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. We have the books and charts, have been reading up on where were going, and are getting so excited.

Take care, sweet friends, and write to us about your lives and what's new, we miss you very much....love always, Ami and Rick