Gated Communities!!

The photo above is related to Urban Geography as it shows gated communities in Port of Spain. According to an article by Fernando Luiz Lara, people are more enticed to live in gated communities. This may be due to the increased amount of security and aesthetic beauty within and around those areas. The cost of a house within a gated community is much higher than one on the outside as there are much more services available to those within the enclosed community. The more wealthy people are seen to live within these communities and as a result cause fragmentation within the area. This blog is related to art as alot of work goes into the construction of these communities. Landscape techniques are used to allow for the proper and organised planting of flowers and other vegetation in and around the area. To encourage people to buy the houses or apartments in these areas, you would have to make them want to live there. One way of doing so is by making the area more beautiful to live in. The aesthetic beauty here will cause a pulling effect on the people who view the area and as a result they would want to know more about the place and may eventually buy their spot in the community. 

As i was not able to get a picture of inside the community to show the beauty due to the high security, here is a very silly video that entails what a gated community has in it. It shows how different it may look from the neighbouring areas as well as the different type of people that live there! It's guaranteed to inform you as well as make you laugh!! 

Reference: LARA, Fernando. “New (sub)Urbanism, Old Inequalities: the growth of gated communities in Brazil”, Journal of Urban Design, 16/3, 2011, pp. 369-380

Olympic Medalists!!

This blog goes out to all of our Olympic medalists!! The above photo was taken at The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago which is located in Port of Spain opposite the Brian Lara Promenade near the Hyatt Hotel. Here art is represented in sporting form. This blog will be related to my post on the Brian Lara promenade. The myriad of accomplishment that Trinidad and Tobago has attained over the years has attracted tourists from all over the world! The location of this artistic piece stands out bright and highlights all of our Olympic Medalists from Trinidad. Tourists who come to visit Trinidad will see the great success that this little country has achieved. From the record breaking Brian Lara to the most recent Olympic gold medalist, Keshorn Walcott. This representation shows all of the Olympic Medalists dating as far back as 1948. Urban geography is strongly related to this city as there are so many different things that affect the formation of the city such as it’s major centers of attraction. All the different sites act like a magnet for urban development and affect the city in many ways thus attracting people and consequently more services for the people.

Here is a closer view for those interested in seeing all the Olympic medalists from our country!

Below is a video to show when Keshorn Walcott won the Olympic Gold Medal!

Reference: “Keshorn Walcott. T&T Sport Archives – Trinidad & Tobago Sporting Archives. http://www.sportarchivestt.com/athletes/kwalcott/ (accessed March 24, 2013).

The Brian Lara Promenade!

This picture was taken at the Brian Lara Promenade in Port of Spain. As seen, artistry is publicized here. The Brian Lara Promenade acts as a main attraction for tourists all over the world, especially those take interest in cricket. Brian Lara is one of the most infamous cricketers in Trinidad and Tobago’s history. He was born in 1969, and also carries nicknames like “The Prince of Trinidad" and “The Prince of Port of Spain,” which goes to show the love that the island and its capital city have for their record-breaking batsman. The restoration of Independence Square to its former glory has signified the revival of Port of Spain to an extent which has far exceeded the expectations of those involved. The Promenade is the first Business Improvement District (BID) in the country, and other municipalities such as San Fernando and Chaguanas, have expressed a desire to create similar BIDs, having witnessed its spectacular success. Many activities are conducted on the Promenade including entertainment events celebrating different national festivals and exhibitions. One of the most popular event held here is Jouvert and Carnival. This as a result appeals to an increasing amount of urban tourism within the city that can greatly affect the types of businesses that occur in the area. Due to the effect of the Promenade and it’s great force of attraction on people, there is an abundance of food places located very near the area as well as people of the informal sector selling snacks and beverages. It is estimated that over 127, 000 people cross the Promenade on any given day.

Below is a video of Brian Lara breaking his own world record once again and making history!!

Here is another video just to show the massive amount of people that the Promenade attracts to certain events.

Reference: “The National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.” National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago. http://www.natt.gov.tt (accessed March 17, 2013).