Cattle & Coca
The millions of acres of grasslands adjacent to Trinidad contain remote, hard-to-reach cattle ranches. The openness of the plains, combined with the dearth of roads, makes it almost impossible to clandestinely approach the ranches. If you visit, you normally arrive by horseback or by airplane. In either case your approach will be noted well before your arrival. Because of the remoteness of the ranches, and the fact that raising beef cattle for profit is always an iffy business, some of the ranchers found it expedient to process the leaves of coca (cocaine) plants as an added source of income.
This additional income soon became the primary revenue generated by those particular ranches. Like river-waters at flood stage, millions of dollars flowed onto the plains. The owners of some of the bigger ranches became drug lords. The United States Drug Enforcement Agency was in town to corral these bad guys. They almost never did, of course. The locals were not much inclined to be helpful because, first, the gringos (Americans) were uninvited outsiders and, second, the lords of cocaine used some of their newfound riches to build schools, bring in much needed medical supplies, contribute to the Church, and, in general, raise the standard of living in hinterland communities.
Two-Wheelers
In addition to the unexpected DEA presence, my wife and I found Trinidad intriguing in its own right. Take taxis, for instance. Women seemed to use them for the slightest excuse when shopping. Even if the distance was but a single block, and their purchases only a half-filled bag of groceries, women employed the services of taxis. The women always wore either skirts or dresses when shopping. This is worth mentioning because all the taxis were motorcycles. Sedate 125cc and 250cc bikes of Japanese manufacture. Small and economical. Between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. it was almost an hourly occurrence to see a 125cc Honda with a male driver sitting astride in front, and a beskirted woman riding sidesaddle behind him, with total disregard for holding on, while clasping one or two bags of groceries to her breast.
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Cruising the zócalo
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Motorcycles in Trinidad had a use other than as two-wheeled taxis. Young folks used them for cruising. Not cruising down a dirt road to somewhere, but cruising in town, over a prescribed route. The object was to see and to be seen. To some, this may seem like a frivolous pursuit. But I disagree. Young people have an abundance of energy. In general, they like to be active. Cruising allows an outlet for their energy, and at the same time provides social intercourse.
In the USA, cruising has recently been linked to drug and alcohol abuse. But that was not the case in Trinidad. Mostly, maybe, because the cruising took place during daylight hours. And rather than a two-way street on which one cruises down, makes a U-turn, and proceeds in the opposite direction until another U-turn is made, ad infinitum, the young motorcycle riders in Trinidad navigated around the zócalo, the plaza, the town square. Around and around and around. No speeding, no hot-rodding. One guy on a motorcycle, two guys on a motorcycle. One girl on a motorcycle, two girls on a motorcycle. During lunch hour. Smiles and words flowing between riders.
I recently read that cruising has been upgraded at Trinidad. Now, states the information, a police officer sits in a chair under a shadetree and conjures up green, yellow, and red traffic lights by touching an electric wire against one of three nails.
Is cruising frivolous? No, I think not. But it is fun. I was reminded of the innocent days in America, before drive-by shootings, freeway snipers, and killings in public schools became commonplace.
Old versus Modern
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The author & mahogany ox-cart wheels
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Trinidad was a cornucopia of contrasts. During a meeting with the president of the cattlemen’s association, tea was served in a silver teapot, on a silver tray, accompanied by a silver sugar bowl and a silver creamer. Two blocks down the street, three and a half foot diameter solid, hardwood wheels were being handmade for ox-drawn carts in the hinterlands. Another example is that sleek aircraft deliver people and merchandise to Trinidad, yet single-axle horse-drawn carts with rubber automobile tires find use in the city center.
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