The final port on our cruise was a trip down memory lane for Myney and Orlando. More than 30 years ago, Myney met Mary on her first visit to Tobago, and they’ve been friends ever since. In preparing Anastasia for what was going to happen, Orlando told her she was going to meet a queen who was also her Aunt Mary. So, Anastasia called her "Queen Aunt Mary" the whole day.
Mary met us at the port terminal with hugs and a quick dart to the car as it was looking like rain.
Our first stop was a visit to the kids who had all assembled at the family business. As we pulled up to the parking lot, Orlando was drawn immediately to this sign:
When we got inside, it was clear the whole family had been waiting for us. Juliet, Rachel, and Philip were there with Juliet’s two boys, Matthew and Edward, who had been kept home from school for the morning so they could get to meet “Aunt Myney”. When the gifts came out, there was real excitement.
The boys took Anastasia on an adventure around the distribution center. Orlando and I never did see where she went, but when they came back they were the best of buddies. She was very excited to show Matthew her favorite game on the iPhone.
Meanwhile, the grown-ups were busy catching up. Orlando hasn’t seen them since he was about 8, but we all connected quickly. Orlando and Philip talked beer, Juliet and I chatted about life and school and kids. Myney, Mary and Rachel caught up on the the who’s who of Tobago and what’s happening in each other’s lives.
Before heading on to the rest of our day, we all posed for a picture in the store.
Our next stop was Mary’s house, for a drink a few more gifts. Orlando particularly loved that we could see the ship from her living room window, a view that came in handy when Mary’s husband Miles worked as a ship’s agent years ago. Anastasia’s favorite part, predictably, was the visit with the dogs and Mary’s parrot.
We left Mary’s heading for Sybil and “Bago” Bob’s old house, the place Myney and Pietr spent many evenings with friends during their visits the island. Though the house is kept locked, we were invited to go around the back to see the living room.
Then it was off to Black Rock and Chip Chip, the house that served as their base of operations during their visits to the island. This photo with black rock in the background is the only picture that Orlando felt was truly needed to make the trip worth while.
Next on the plan was Pigeon Point, a very calm place to swim. Unfortunately, the weather on this particular day was pretty rough, between the wind and the rain, swimming was pretty much out of the question. Anastasia and I got out for a short walk on the beach, and a quick romp on the little playground there.
After a very busy morning, it was time for lunch at one of Mary's favorite restaurants, Kariwak. The meal was lovely, the outdoor dining room was super relaxing and the cocktails yummy. We were all enchanted by the sugar birds that kept trying to take sips of my drink.
Lunch ended late, and Anastasia was running on fumes by that point. She fell asleep in the car, so I waited with her while the others went shopping for souvenirs. Then it was time to say goodbye to Mary. Not sure when we'll get back to Tobago, but I was very happy to finally get to put pictures to all the places that I've been hearing stories about for years now.
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