Beyond The Lighthouse Tours

16/05/2022

The Central Bank of T&T's museum is open for tours once again.

The Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago joins the global community in the commemoration of International Museum Day 2022 and announces the reopening of its Museum on Wednesday 18 May, 2022. Our opening hours are on Wednesdays to Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Book a tour and experience the featured exhibition, entitled, “TRANSITION: The Journey to Polymer Banknotes”, and much more. Advanced bookings are encouraged. Call (868) 621-2288 ext. 2400/2737, (868) 235-2288 or email [email protected]. All COVID-19 protocols will be in effect.

Follow the Central Bank Museum on Instagram , to keep abreast of all the current and upcoming activities.

06/10/2021

I love seeing the old maps of Port of Spain!
You can see how it grew and changed over the centuries.

Fun fact here; Chacon Street is the only street whose name was not changed under British rule!

Do you notice how the land area expanded from Marine Square (Independence Sq) to how it is today?

05/10/2021

I ❤️ cocoa houses!

Driving through country areas in Trinidad I enjoy glimpsing into our past when I see old cocoa houses. There's something traditionally romantic about them.

Have you ever seen a cocoa house being used?

30/09/2021

🥇 How well do you know Trinidad´s first capital?

+ It was the first major settlement in Trinidad set up by the Spanish colonisers.
+ It has the oldest park in Trinidad.
+ It was raided by the English, the Dutch, slave uprising; virtually everyone.
+ The official capitulation of the island by Spain to England was signed off in St. Joseph

What else do you know about St. Joseph? Share in the comments below.

28/09/2021

🤔 About Trinidad's 8 county names...

4 of our 8 counties are named after the patron saints of countries within the United Kingdom?
St. Andrew - Scotland
St. David - Wales
St. George - England
St. Patrick - Northern Ireland

County Victoria was named after the former Queen of British Empire.

The other 3 counties; Caroni, Mayaro and Nariva are Amerindian names.

These county names were made official in 1927.

26/09/2021

Trinidad colonial history fun fact:

The streets off Colville Street in Woodbrook ( Baden-Powell, McDonald, Kitchener, etc.) are named after British Generals who fought in the Boer Wars in South Africa, which eventually led to the establishment of the apartheid system in that country.

Do you know the history of other street names in Woodbrook?

24/09/2021

Why do we celebrate Republic Day on the "wrong" day? 😲

Trinidad & Tobago became a Republic on 01st August 1976! Yes, 01st August!

We celebrate it on 24th September because our Parliament met for the very first time under our very own brand spanking new Republican Constitution in 1976!

Happy Republic Day to the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago! 🇹🇹

23/09/2021

The TTRA (T&T Revenue Authority) is a very hot topic right now in Trinidad & Tobago. So i figured it would be a good time to highlight a forgotten form or revenue collection from the populace which used to exist: a toll gate!

Yes, Trinidad had toll gates where cart owners would have to pay to enter Port of Spain and San Fernando in the mid-1800s! 🤯

Did you know that Trinidad once had toll gates? Did you also know there's one located on the National Museum's compound?

20/09/2021

The Red House was NOT the first building in Port of Spain to be called that! 😲

There was a North Block and a South Block pair of buildings which had an overhead walkway joining the two of them in the Red House's present location. At the time these buildings housed government administrative offices and they were painted red in 1897 in honour of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and were called "Red House".

During the water riots of 1903 the buildings were destroyed by fire.

A new building was constructed and completed (painted in red) in 1906 and it inherited the name "Red House" in honour of the buildings it replaced.

Are you looking forward to the restarting of tours at the Red House?

16/09/2021

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.” – Bern Williams

Sunset location: Chupara Bay, North Coast, Trinidad.

Where is your favourite sunset spot?

15/09/2021

What makes T&T's capital city name unique? 🤔

Port of Spain is the only capital city in the world which carries the name of an entirely different country! 😲

Do you know any other fun facts about T&T?

12/09/2021

Do you know about downtown Port of Spain's very colourful history, including a park's name being changed out of bad mind?

We'll be offering walking tours of downtown Port of Spain soon where you'll hear more about this city!

Please share.

08/09/2021

Is this the perfect day for a road trip?

The weather allowed for a picture perfect road trip to Mayaro recently. Look at that Caribbean sky! 😍

Where was the last place you road tripped to?

07/09/2021

The corbeau is a very regal and majestic bird.

Here are some fun facts about this very interesting bird;

1⃣ The word "corbeau" is actually French for raven.
2⃣ They are also known as the black vulture, turkey vulture or carrion crow.
3⃣ They are protected under the Conservation of Wildlife Act so it's illegal to kill them.
4⃣ They help humans stay healthy when they eat animal carcasses.

Do you know any other corbeau facts?

05/09/2021

Who was this woman?

She composed Trinidad & Tobago's Independence Pledge; "I Solemnly Pledge to Dedicate My Life..."
She also composed our National Song: "God Bless Our Nation".

I believe if each one of us had at least half of the patriotism that Ms Padmore had, Trinidad & Tobago would be a much better place.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

01/09/2021

Red House fun fact;

The current seat of T&T's Parliament was originally 2 buildings, with Prince Street running between its North and South blocks! They were opened in 1848 thus making them / it 173 years old this year.

Who has visited the Red House since it reopened?

31/08/2021

🗣 We have rioted in it, celebrated in it, it used to be known as the Place of the Souls, had a church on it, had an entire village on it, had a river run through it, it has a fountain which was originally located elsewhere, and so much more happened in what is known as Woodford Square! ; so named in 1917 after a former Governor of the same name.

🤓 Fun fact; Woodford Square was called Brunswick Square up to 1917. It was given this name around 1816 in honour of the English Monarchy which at the time were from the House of Brunswick in Germany (England and Germany had strong regal family ties in those days).

🤔 Why was it changed to Woodford Square in 1917? The family ties that bind fell apart when Germany and England went to war during World War 1 (1914 - 1918) as enemies, and since Trinidad was still a British colony that square's German name had to change!

Share your memories of Woodford Square in the comments

30/08/2021

🇬🇧 As 11:59 pm approached on Thursday 30th August 1962, the Union Jack was lowered in Trinidad & Tobago as our flag for the last time.

🇹🇹 At 12:00 am on Friday 31st August 1962 Trinidad, and by extension Tobago, was returned to the state that it was in up to Wednesday 31st July 1498 (523 years ago); a land which was no longer under colonial rule, and gained a sister along the way to become one nation.

27/08/2021

Who doesn't like cemeteries?

The 'star' of this cemetery is Amelia Tripp's (Edgar Tripp's wife) burial spot (the only marked spot in this cemetery; the crosses are all unmarked and randomly strewn about). This area is what's left of St. Chad's church in Tucker Valley, Chaguaramas in what was once known as Mt. Pleasant Village. Edgar Tripp, by the way, was the person who led the effort to bring electricity to Port of Spain in 1895.

Do you have a favourite cemetery? Or are you scared of cemeteries? 👻

25/08/2021

5 Facts about Our Lady of Montserrat R.C. Church in Tortuga 🤓

1) Completed in 1878
2) One of the oldest wooden churches in Trinidad
3) Home of a wooden statute of a Black Madonna & Child with mysterious origins.
4) The area was named after the Montserrat Mountain in Spain which also has a church that houses a Black Madonna with Child.
5) Has an amazing view over the rolling Mntserrat Hills & Gulf of Paria.

Share the knowledge

24/08/2021

Have you ever driven through the rolling hills of Gran Couva / Tortuga in Central Trinidad?

Have you ever visited this part of Trinidad?

18/08/2021

Fun Fact about Cipriani Boulevard;

Cipriani Boulvard is named after Joseph Emmanuel Cipriani. He was Mayor of Port of Spain between 1875 and 1882 and played an important role in bringing electricity to Port of Spain. He was Capt. Arthur Andrew Cipriani's uncle.

17/08/2021

Fun Fact About Electricity in Port of Spain:

If then councillor, Mzumbo Lazare had his way, Port of Spain could have had its electricity cables running underground since 1894!
He was, however, told by Edgar Tripp (the person who lit up Port of Spain with electric power in 1895) and his team that much of the electrical pole infrastructure was already laid down and it would be too expensive to restart.

How different do you think Port of Spain would have looked if Mr Lazare's suggestion was applied?

16/08/2021

Fun Fact!

In 1895, the property on which these 4 landmark stacks will soon cease to exist (they went up in 1961), was known as Shine's Pasture and was located on what was then the Ariapita Estate. Up to 2016, when it was decommissioned, it generated power for Port of Spain for 121 years.

How will people find Colville Street after the stacks are gone? 😲😁

14/08/2021

Do you know which is the shortest street in Port of Spain? 🤔

It's a street called, Harvey Street and it's only 50m long! 🤯

It's located on the left side of Duncan Street (heading north), between South Quay and Independence Sq. South.📍

Ever been to Harvey Street, or even know how to find it?

11/08/2021

"There are no wrong turnings. Only paths we had not known we were meant to walk." — Guy Gavriel Kay

08/08/2021

Did you know there is a very long concrete mural in Port of Spain's City Hall?

It was done by well known Trini artist Carlisle Chang and he named it Conquerabia, after the Amerindian village which was said to have been located in the area where City Hall stands.

What I find interesting about the mural is the inclusion of many aspects of Trini life and culture, starting with the First Peoples and moving though to today's multi-religious society of Trinidad & Tobago.

Have you seen the mural? What are your thoughts about it?

07/08/2021

I love trains and I wish that Trinidad didn't end its rail service in 1968. We only have memories and stories of our former train service, some of which are actually still visible such as this former train station with the inscription TGR 1910 at the top of it. If you look closely you'll see it. 🚂

I stumbled across this building while walking along Railway Road in Couva, so I'm assuming that the road itself is the path of the former rail tracks! 😲

Can anyone say if Railway Road in Couva is where the train line used to run?

04/08/2021

T&T's War Memorial Cenotaph.

On 28th June 1924 (97 years ago) the cenotaph in Memorial Park was unveiled to the public.

Historical fun fact: On 01st May 1924 then Governor, His Excellency Brigadier-General Sir Samuel Herbert Wilson, placed in the base of the cenotaph a sealed bottle with documents relating to the history of the Memorial as well as copies of local newspapers and current coins of the realm. 😲

Do you think it's still buried there? 🤔

01/08/2021

The spot where the Emancipation Proclamation was read on 01st August 1834 is where the current Treasury Building stands.

Full emancipation came 4 years later on 01st August 1838.

On 01st August 1985, T&T became the first country in the world to declare a national holiday to commemorate the abolition of slavery.

Happy Emancipation Day!