Are you here yet? We are a few hours away from the greatest show in the world, Trinidad Carnival 2015 Bare, sun-kissed skin, adorned with feathers and glitter. High heels and wild, jeweled bikinis. Booty-popping, drinking and dancing. Loud music and boisterous laughter. These are all the ingredients that mix together to make the greatest party in the world called ‘Trinidad Carnival’.

[youtube id=”rN1HIm9yfWk” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Rio step aside! This celebration rivals anything that the Caribbean has to offer. Imagine streets bulging with elaborate costumes that pop with color and bling. Headdresses with beading, jewels and plumes are balanced as dancers pump and shake, making their hips look like they are filled with ball bearings. Popular costumes are made to look like exotic princesses, warriors and kings of the Caribbean. And the people of Trinidad know how to wear these skimpy creations, too! Very pretty girls and men with bodies to die for advertise each Carnival band. It is always hard to choose which band to play and get in your sections. People will spend huge sums of money to purchase these Carnival costumes, way more than on any other celebrations combined.Pride goes into the making of these and some families have made the costumes for generations.

Time stops still for two weeks before Trinidad Carnival. The feteing is on a high and so many popular places to take your posse and have a good “lime”. And if you do not know what is “liming” well just ask Queen Latifah. There are so many fetes to choose from Army Brass to Chutney Music. And if that was not enough check Momentum and Soca Monarch. Panorama competitions are held to highlight the steeldrums, the national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago. When you come for Trinidad Carnival, you forget yourself and your worries. You forget everything and all you concentrate on is keeping up…liming and having a good time. For the street party, Trinidad Carnival is about to take place. .

[youtube id=”kBMdyUU3gnY” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

Be ready to step into the party. There is no way to avoid it as the whole country comes alive. Bands gather crowds as they sing popular hits. This street party is normally filled with people of all ages and sizes. Some looking good and not so good. But who cares? It is Trinidad Carnival. We are here to party and have a good time. You maybe tired and want to rest. But the music is so rhythmic and pulsating; you just have to keep on dancing. When you are dancing to the sweet rhythm, someone will hand you a cold Carib beer, you savour the taste and think you are in heaven. But then comes the feasting part of Trinidad Carnival. Visitors enjoy a variety of hot, peppery foods like roti, doubles, bake and shark, Pelau, a chicken or beef, rice and vegetable combo is very popular served with chutney

[youtube id=”xXZzKyTBOZo” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”no”]

The Carnival kicks off with Monday JOuvert J’ouvert (pronounced “Jou-vay”) is derived from French patois and means ‘daybreak’. Jouvert marks the official start of the two day Trinidad carnival celebrations. It formally begins at 4:00 a.m. on Carnival Monday. This is a fun mas where you purchase a costume and realize that it is a short pants and some mud to paint your body. You have breakfast while dancing washed down with my original Carnival tea – Carib.

Right after J’Ouvert, there is an explosion of creativity, music, revelry and colour as thousands of masqueraders take to the stage. The flood gates are opened and suddenly there is this complete euphoria, abandonment and magnificent display of the street party, Trinidad Carnival. Music of Soca and Calypso fill the air with high energy beats, magical rhythms that have men and women dancing in throngs.

With its numerous masquerade bands, outstanding costumes, pulsating music and unparalleled stamina for this street party, Trinidad’s Carnival is often described as the greatest show on earth. It is a time for abandonment as you release all.

Come and join the street party…I am waiting for you to get here and so is our Soca Monarch 2015 Machel Montano

[youtube id=”xBnXCEvEMtM” align=”center” mode=”normal” autoplay=”yes”]