Borough of Chaguanas.
near Iere, Princes Town (Republic of Trinidad and Tobago)
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Itinerary description
The Borough of Chaguanas is the largest borough in Trinidad with a population of 83,516 according to the 2011 census. Chaguanas is located in Central Trinidad approximately 18km (11 miles) from the capital city Port of Spain. Chaguanas grew in size because of the Woodford Lodge Sugar Refinery. Chaguanas can be thought of as a “bazaar town” and today is known for street shopping where shoppers from all over Trinidad come for “bargains” on anything they can conceive of. Chaguanas became a Borough in October of 1990.
Historically, Chaguanas was named for the Chaguanes Amerindian Tribe that had settled the area prior to the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797. The town grew on what was originally H.E. Robinson's Sugar Estate adjacent to the Woodford Lodge Sugar Refinery and the De Verteuil coconut and cocoa estate to the north and east.
Growth of the town was assisted with the construction of the Trinidad Government Railway. The U.S. Military built Princess Margaret Highway during World War II. The Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway connected Chaguanas to San Fernando.
Arguably, Chaguanas is home to the largest Indo-Trinidadian population in Trinidad. Chaguanas is home to the Divali Nagar Site. This is a major attraction for local and foreign tourists just before and after the Hindu festival of Divali. Chaguanas is also the birthplace of the Nobel Prize winning author V.S. Naipaul. His place of birth called “Lion House” is still kept and maintained as a tourist attraction in Chaguanas. It is thought that this is the model for “Hanuman House” in Naipaul’s book “A House for Mr. Biswas” with Chaguanas being the model for “Aruacas.”
Source: Wikipedia (mostly).
Historically, Chaguanas was named for the Chaguanes Amerindian Tribe that had settled the area prior to the British conquest of Trinidad in 1797. The town grew on what was originally H.E. Robinson's Sugar Estate adjacent to the Woodford Lodge Sugar Refinery and the De Verteuil coconut and cocoa estate to the north and east.
Growth of the town was assisted with the construction of the Trinidad Government Railway. The U.S. Military built Princess Margaret Highway during World War II. The Sir Solomon Hochoy Highway connected Chaguanas to San Fernando.
Arguably, Chaguanas is home to the largest Indo-Trinidadian population in Trinidad. Chaguanas is home to the Divali Nagar Site. This is a major attraction for local and foreign tourists just before and after the Hindu festival of Divali. Chaguanas is also the birthplace of the Nobel Prize winning author V.S. Naipaul. His place of birth called “Lion House” is still kept and maintained as a tourist attraction in Chaguanas. It is thought that this is the model for “Hanuman House” in Naipaul’s book “A House for Mr. Biswas” with Chaguanas being the model for “Aruacas.”
Source: Wikipedia (mostly).
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Chaguanas was just alright. It was very chaotic with hoardes of people along the Main Road coupled with a lot of very irate and impatient drivers...