and while the lads are strolling around asia i was on a mission in the caribbean...











unfortunately i had some problems with my camera (it fell in the water at pirates bay) so i can post my blogs only now.















it has been a truly amazing experience and of course i didnt miss the chance to enjoy the white sandy beaches on the several diffferent islands i´ve been visiting...however apart of all the cliches about palm trees and cocktails on the beach i also kept my eyes wide open for some interesting cultural events surrounding me.












the one that striked me the most, maybe because of the displacement contrast, was „a night at the opera“, an event under the distinguished patronage of his excellence the governor-general sir daniel williams of grenada and outfashionably sponsored by several corporate establishments on the island.- when a girl went on stage before the break to introduce the sexiest mobile phone in history i couldn't help bursting into a big smile, if not laugh-.

but hey, to hear some quality opera on a caribbean island is something hard to forget, especially if one takes into account that all the performers were locals and had to learn by heart sections of german, italian and french opera masterpieces such as mozart´s „don giovanni & le nozze di figaro“, verdi´s „la traviata“, puccini´s „la boheme“, bizet´s „carmen“ and many more...

it was an interesting project combining the efforts to fund the restauration of theatres and churches after the impact of hurricane ivan (2004) which destroyed many a building and left most people without a roof, and an attempt to revive and bring a higher niveu to the art scene in grenada.

what i found most incredible was the reaction of the audience, a mix of international diplomats, some representatives of grenada´s high society and government officials plus friends and family of the performers. everyone was kind of stiff at the beginning until the interval when delicious fingerfood and wine was served...it goes without saying that the second part was much more lively and everyone was clapping and whistling...almost singing along...and the room was suddenly filled with a true caribbean vibe...
(so for all those that thought the caribbean were all about relaxing on exotic beaches, soca parties and rastas smoking all day here you have something more to think about)

* i have to thank hereby my very good friend Jomo Kirton (one of the incredible singers at the opera who also gave us a fantastic interpretation of le „nozze di figaro“ in german) and Tales & Cheryl for the very interesting chats about world politics and for letting us stay in their beautiful house on top of Mt.moritz overlooking the stunnning bay of St.georges.


another caribbean wide phenomenon which is taking over everyones attention during this period is cricket...yes, the world cup is back!





games started in jamaica some weeks ago and are now cruising from island to island...they will be soon reaching Grenada as well.






for the occasion the Chinese government has kindly sponsored Grenada with a brand new stadium. well there have been some controversies surrounding this project, the funniest one, without wanting to be unrespectful to Platoon´s new friends in China, was when in occasion of the grand opening of the stadium someone made a big embarassing mistake and instead of playing the chinese national anthem played the taiwanese one, and nobody would have noticed if it wasnt for the chinese represantives who had been seen leaving the stadium totally outraged... after the due excuses it all resolved in big smiles...mistakes can happen.






the other side of the story is perhaps more gruesome...it´s about the whale hunting trade...
it seems like it will be allowed again around several caribbean islands including Grenada...and the stadium was somehow a diplomatic gift for easing this process again. however the world cup is coming soon...and the road works around the stadium are still in progress...busy bees are working restless all day long....will they make it on time? ...we´ll see.




and here a little container shop near paradise beach on carriacou, soon or later we will have a little Patoon container shop as well... for all of you people desperately wanting our Platoon flackjacket vests and m-51 trousers.































not all of the villages are tropical paradises....there is also a harsh reality of poverty....
















here we are at grenville beach were many rastas are squatting and liming away. (liming being the art of hanging around doing basically a zenlike nothing) the same night we went to some underground party in a ghetto like area called paradise...the club was called „saltfish hole“ another slang name for the most sought after hole on the planet.... ragga beatz were buzzing in the air, the walls of this wooden bungalow were completely shaking, inside everyone was wining (it´s a very sexual dance were the woman shakes her back at the men behind her....but it´s a cultural thing,believe me you can even do it with friends...so if you ever get over there don´t be shy and try it out!!!)





...well, everyone tried to discourage us to enter but nothing can stop a platoony from partying especially if the beatz are fat and the booze is flowing choka choka...















back to tobago we headed to charlotteville....a small cosy fishermen town with a history of piracy and a taste for simple good things.




there you can find incredible fresh tuna and mahi mahi, a sort of dolphine, but no worries it´s nothing like the one we all know...wich are exquisite when cooked by geil (a local restaurant owner who is also a very good friend of the wider Platoon family) or by the rastaman in pirates beach...philosophising away with rasta sculpture artist Hollace i had the chance to meet some local people out of their selling times (they really do annoy you sometimes with their sneaky selling tactics). there i met azi, a local mc who hooked me up with some cool music and promised he would be keeping in touch...so if anyone out there is looking for a good mc with that particular west indies accent for some samples on your recordings you are more then welcome to contact me....















and here a little curiosity... near little tobago -an island exclusively inhabitated by birds- you will find another small little isle with this only house...and the only inhabitant here is the writer of all the james bond stories...i really wonder what is under the house...i wouldnt be surprised to find some high tech laboratory or something like that...










So... PLATOON.mission caribbean is finally complete!
im back in the container ready for new challenges....and believe me there is no better place then back here in the Platoon headquarters to find new projects for cultural development!!!













Fist to Fist to all platoonies
especially to you guys over there in asia....
thank you so much for letting me go for this amazing experience.




Jah...Pastafarai!!!