Circular No 878

Newsletter for alumni of The Abbey School, Mt. St. Benedict, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

Caracas, 1 of September 2018 No. 878

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Dear Friends,

Emails follow.

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First, writer Lawrence Scott on Trinidad: carnival, calypso and ecotourism

Why I love …Trinidad and Tobago holidays

Trinidad’s rich culture and lush interior rival the island’s beaches when it comes to luring visitors, says the prize-winning author.

Interview by Gemma Bowes

Fri 24 Apr 2015 11.30 BST

Last modified on Thu 2 Aug 2018 19.42 BST

Just coastin’ … Trinidad’s culture, food and history make it a major draw, but the beaches, like this one at Maracas Bay, can’t be overlooked

Trinidad feels very much part of South America compared with other Caribbean islands. Look out to sea from the capital, Port of Spain, and the highest mountains you can see are in Venezuela. Trinidad’s Northern Range mountains are actually a continuation of the coastal foothills of the Andes.

I grew up on a sugar estate in the south, near San Fernando, where my father was the manager for Tate & Lyle. It’s a funny thing, but in the same way people romanticise the mining industry in the UK, even though it had terrible effects on their health, people here miss the sugar. It was back-breaking work, but the undulating fields of cane were absolutely beautiful. Now the island is more industrialised – it’s oil and petrochemicals – sugar has gone and the landscapes can look bare.

I like the old part of Port of Spain, with its wonderful old colonial-style houses. Some are now restaurants and clubs, especially on The Avenue, where people hang out on the weekend. The Verandah serves cuisine which is a mix of the cultures of Trinidad: French, India, African, French and Spanish. The northern part of the city is very pretty; it used to be called the “belle de Antilles”, and has a beautiful inland harbour, surrounded by hills.

Trinidad isn’t making a massive effort for tourists. Our sister island of Tobago is more tourist-focused, with typical Caribbean beaches, unlike Trinidad. Here, the beaches are deserted and there aren’t many hotels. But Trinidad is much more interesting culturally.

I go to the Hot Shop in Port of Spain to get my roti. Trinidad is a mixture of African and Indian, descendants of the East Indian estate workers who came in the 19th century. Their cuisine is the cuisine of the island. On the beaches you get bake and shark, a Trinidadian street food dish, though they make it with regular fish these days.

“Oh God, I hope they don’t want to go to the pitch lake!” is what we think when friends come to visit. It’s a rare geological feature that looks like a gigantic unused car park. You can get a guide to explain it and it can be ... interesting – but not after you’ve been several times!

Ecotourism is good here. Oilbirds are like bats, they cluster in the caves and are blind. You can take trips to see them, and toucans, monkeys and lots of birds while staying at an incredible place called Asa Wright Nature Centre – named after the Icelandic woman who donated her old cocoa estate, with old chalets to stay in, for conservation.

Trinidad is rich in fauna, much of which it shares with South America. It’s a popular destination for birdwatchers

What I love about carnival, is the j’ouvert, the start, very early in the morning, about 4am, the Monday before Shrove Tuesday. You chip down the road, almost like a little dance, following your favourite steel band; people are coming out of parties or some set their alarm. Most people here are not spectators, they’re dressed up and taking part.

Every pocket of the island has its own steel band and there are panyards all over, where they practise. The best time to visit one is before carnival but they operate out of carnival time now too, and have bars. Desperadoes is a good one, and Invaders and All Stars.

We’re losing the satire element of calypso music. The lyrics were once about politics and local gossip, and were banned in colonial times. Now it’s all about soca, more about the tempo.

A lot of people stay at the Hilton, called the upsidedown hotel because you come in to the foyer at the top and go down to your rooms, which are built into the side of the cliff. There are nicer, smaller hotels tucked away in the backstreets of Port of Spain. The Normandie is very nice, and L’Orchidee is a small boutique place. In central Trinidad, near Talparo, is an old citrus estate, Hacienda Jacana, which has wood chalets around a lake, with edges clogged with water lilies where the jacana bird lives.

Hacienda Jacana is an old citrus estate offering accommodation in chalets around a lake

Island hopping is not cheap in the Caribbean, but Trinidadians like to travel to Tobago as it’s a home from home, nearby but different. They like how organised tourism is in Barbados, and they visit Grenada too. Margarita, an island off Venezuela, is popular, and they’ll go to Caracas to shop. You can catch a boat to eastern Venezuela from Port of Spain but it’s rough travel. The wealthy ones fly up to Miami.

Two major artists, Peter Doig and Chris Ofili have been resident in Port of Spain for at least the past 10 years. The visual arts have developed a lot and little galleries (like Soft Box Studios) have opened.

Trinidad isn’t massively dangerous but you have to be aware. My friends once arrived at a beach house on the north-east coast to find a dead dog on the patio, with his throat slit. They couldn’t work out why that had happened. It wasn’t their house, they were just renting it. I resurrected that incident for one of my stories, A Dog Is Buried.

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From: "Anthony Seheult" <a.seheult@worldnet.att.net>

Date:19 Jun 15:24 (PDT)

Dear Ladislao,

I do not know of any other Anthony Seheult, especially working for BWIA.

Are you sure the first name was Anthony?

Mac is my older brother and lives in Houston.

Peter is my younger brother and he is currently working in Nigeria.

His children live in Naples, Florida, and we see them frequently.

As far as I know, Mac, Peter, and I were the only three Seheult´s at the Mount at that time.    I'll search for old pictures and try and email them to you in the coming week. 

I am sure I have some recent ones.

Tony Seheult

----- Original Message ------------------------------

From: "Ladislao kertesz" <kertesz11@icqmail.com>

Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2004 5:49 PM

Dear Tony

Thank you for the resume and welcome.

Also there was an Anthony Seheult supposed to have graduated in 1963, he is a reservation agent for BWIA.

I have met him in TT, he is a friend of Graham Gonsalves of the Living Waters Group.

Did you know him?.

And (Mac) James Seheult who graduated with me in 1960, and currently in USA at KELCO.

Please straighten this out for me!!!.

There is a Peter Seheult in the list but no other information.

Yes, the years have passed, but are good to remember the good old days.

Have you any information that I may use for the circular??, old photos? .

Recent photos?

God Bless

Ladislao

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On Sat, 19 Jun 2004 13:32:34 -0400, "Anthony Seheult" wrote:

Dear Ladislao,

Class of 1964.   Classmates included Stuart Henderson, Geoffrey Herrera, Humphrey Hokoon, Bernard D'Abadie, Michael Azar, ? O'Connor, David D'Verteuil, just to mention a few.

My wife and I just celebrated our 33rd wedding anniversary yesterday, June 18th. 

We are here in Tampa, with our two daughters and two of our four granddaughters. 

Our son Joe lives in North Carolina and also has two daughters.

Eight years ago we took a trip back to Trinidad and spent an afternoon at the Mount. 

We visited with Fr. Augustine who at that time was an avid cook, and gave us samples of his (famous) guava jelly.  I have not had any better!

His hobby was preparing jellies and jams from all the various fruits of the island.

I was also in the scouts in the Parrots Patrol and I believe our patrol leader was David D'Verteuil, but can't be too sure.

Hell, it's been forty years!

On a personal note, did you ever play tennis?  And what year did you leave the Mount?  I left in 1964 to attend St. Benedict's College in Atchison, Kansas, graduating from there in 1968 with a degree in Secondary Education, and taught school and coached track and basketball in Kansas City, Kansas for seven years.

Looking forward to hearing from you.  Enjoy your newsletters.

Tony Seheult

4324 S. Hubert Ave.

Tampa, FL   33611

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WhatsApp:

03-03-2017 Fr. Imash: Thank you Papa God for the gift of my life and for this new day. Teach me how to respond to your generosity O God, even when your timing doesn't coincide with my own, when silence is your response to my request. Humble me Father, that I may always be appreciative of what I have, and never look with envy or resentment on the achievements of my family, friends or coworkers, but instead be truly happy for them. And when our time on this earth is over O God, may we rejoice with you, the giver of all gifts.

05-03-2017 Cantore Oscar: I do not believe in chain letters and that neither that God wrote it ..Even The catholic church does not believe in chain letters

06-03-2017 Charles Neil: I also hate these chain letters, it also get my blood boiling

06-03-2017 Berment Joseph: You mean chain up messages?

06-03-2017 Kenny Azizul: Hey Neil I have a chain letter to send u

06-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Take time to remember that your heavenly Father loves you, and that His blessings and supply are more than enough for you. Hear Him say to you, "Child, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours"

06-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Amen..

06-03-2017 Coscarart Salvador: amen

06-03-2017 Ibarra Frank: Salvador cómo te sientes?

06-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: RIP Chris Knowles and Fr Greene. RIP Moffie Villafana and Nigel all in a straight line 6: 12 : 18

06-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Damn.... they are in a better place

06-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: RIP Farouk Bhopa

06-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: What, another one? When did he pass? He's right behind you

06-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Bhopal 2016 massive heart attack on the golf course a very slim guy. God in control

06-03-2017 22:54:55: M Zanelli Enrique: Young guys.... yeah, its gods will

06-03-2017 Ladislao: And you do not remember the names of the UNKNOWNS?

06-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Winston pls fill out names of the unknowns

06-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Aziz kindly advise 16= Krishna Toolsie 17 = Wing Sing.  Ramsahai Winston 99: Neal can you also verify. Allen Or Ian .Can.You recall.3. RIP Micheal Laughlin

07-03-2017 Kenny Azizul: I think 3 is one of the Penny ask Skippy

07-03-2017 07:59:36: Ladislao: Is it wing sing ir wing hing?

07-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Stand to be corrected. They had owned a  supermarket on Sutton St San Fernando

07-03-2017 Allen Keith: Gean Williams  Moonilal Maharaj  Hinkson.

07-03-2017 Ladislao: Do you have the number on the photo for the names

07-03-2017 Allen Keith: 17. 15. 3

08-03-2017 Charles Neil: Younger brother to Peter ?. None of the penny's is in that picture

08-03-2017 Coscarart Salvador: Happy late mardigrass.

08-03-2017 Gyuris Attila: Ya estás trabajando,  Salvador?  Tan pronto?

11-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Fwd to moffie

11-03-2017 Kenny Azizul: Nice how can I meet this young lady to give her the milk shake

12-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Con Frank Ibarra en Cap Cana

12-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Frank from Santo Domingo

12-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Yes.... we are here

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Kiko, Frank como estan, q bueno q pudieron reunirse

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Es pedro de Florida

12-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Hablando de ti en estos momentos...coño tenemos q vernos todos

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Has dicho la verdad. Como la estan pasando grandes carajos

12-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: Send  a pic of the resort lots of beautiful people

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: You mean women

12-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Pedro...saludos...como estas???..... como anda todo???......

12-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Pedro tenemos que poner fecha y sitio

12-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Kiko..Frank...espero la esteen pasando bien....grandes carajos....

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Bien EDGAR sigues en Maturin?

12-03-2017 Zanelli Enrique: Lluego mandamos fotos

12-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Eso ew correcto...en los momentos estoy de visita en casa paterna en el tigre...con mama y mi hermana

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Si kiko otro dia hablamos , por ahora gozen tu y Frank

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Dale mis saludos EDGAR

12-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Seguro siempre preguntan por ti y Salvador....cuidate mucho y estamos en contacto....

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Ok

12-03-2017 Coscarart Salvador: Disfruten y se toman una cervecita bien fria

12-03-2017 The Zanellis and Ibarras

12-03-2017 Alfredo Montiel Bezara: Excelente ! Qué maravilla verlos nuevamente..... El Embajador se llama Enrique Zanelli !!!  Un abrazo a todos !! 👍🍻

12-03-2017 Coscarart Pedro: Beautiful pictures my friends

12-03-2017 Moffie Edgar: Y pensar que carnaval ya paso que viejos tiempos recuerdan el queens park savana y otros???... que lo disfruten mis hermanos....

12-03-2017 Coscarart Salvador: Muy bonita la foto. Dos Abbey Boys together again after 45 years

12-03-2017 Ramsahai Winston 99: The men spoil the pictures too much belly 

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EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz,  kertesz11@yahoo.com,  if you would like to be in the circular’s mailing list or any old boy that you would like to include.

DONATIONS ARE NEEDED, for the Circular´s wellbeing. 52 usd per year.

It covers the making of the weekly Newsletter, to buy paper, make copies, printers ink, phone calls, etc. and if some is leftover for the Editor´s upkeep.

Advantage, you would be included in the direct mailing list for the issues published, as soon as they are published.

EDITED by Ladislao Kertesz. ladislaokertesz@hotmail.com, is the email address for any donation through ZELLE at Bank of America.

Help me get to the 1000 issue.

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Photos:

53MBS0016ABBEY, By Marie Boisserie

13LK2667FBASE, Alfredo Seaforth

69SC0212AQUALADS, Lots of unknowns

17LK0111FBUNKNOWNS,  Two unknowns