myTobago – your questions, review and comment about Tobago

Unfortunately i feel obligated to contribute a review of my former favourite bar.
Well, it WAS my favourite liming spot in Tobago, but this is not so anymore.

Some months ago Bob and Shirley Cooke, the owners of the establishment, decided to sub-lease
the place. They seemed to be tired of running it and Shirley apparently felt offended by some locals,
who blamed her for running a bar only for tourists and (white) ex-pats.

Well, locals, your voice was heard. Bevon, the new "bossman" behind the counter seems to make
sure he will never be blamed for that.
My 3 visits since were significantly shorter than usual, the prices for drinks had gone up significantly and
there was no food been served.

On Easter Sunday afternoon, by 3 pm, i passed the establishment, on my way back from the beach, almost
getting blown away by dancehall music with unbearable lyrics, and a look at the patrons present did not invite me to take a drink there at all. Sorry i have a problem being sized-up by drunk low-lives and being a security conscious (mostly) Trinidad resident tells me not to go there to stay out of trouble.

What a shame ... it is (was?) such a nice place to have a beer and a lime.

All the same, I will check it out when I next go.

I hope Bob and Shirley are OK ... please pass my regards to them if anyone knows where they are ... they will remember me as the one with a smile that eventually got his Carib Jug (after 2 years of asking !!)

I still have their business card in a prominent place.

Regards

Shirley and Bob are ok, i run into them from time to time or we take a drink by Capt. Steven (Colours).
I will pass your regards, no problem.

And yes, i will keep you posted what is going on at Bago's, it can't be true that this nice spot deteriorates
to a rum shop.

It's such a shame to hear about the deterioration of Bago bar,I used to go quite a bit when in Tobago and thought Bob and Shirley were doing a good job of running it.

I drove past a few times when I was there at the end of Feb but didn't stop for the same reasons as have already been described above.

Shame.

There you go... The reason we liked Bago's was BECAUSE there weren't many tourists and ex-pat's.

Robert,

don't get me wrong. I don't look for tourists or ex-pats to lime with. In Trinidad, where i spend most
of my life, we don't even have many of them
When i am liming somewhere i like a certain standard of behaviour of the patrons as well as an acceptable
style and audio volume of the music played.

Foreigners may not easily see or feel the difference between a ghetto style rum shop and a nice simple local bar.
The difference may be whether or not you are addressed by another patron like "Hey white man, buy me a drink nah" and whether or not you have to listen to music with gangster lyrics and plenty obscene language (mostly from Jamaika).
I admit it may be diffcult to even understand the "twang" but be aware that those jamaican "artists" get arrested off the stage, when they come to T&T and "perform" this kind of lyrics, because in T&T it is against the law !

I personally can do without any of the above.

I am happy to report that the "rum-shop" aera at Bago's Beach Bar is over and the
nuissance described above has stopped.

Bob and Shirley are back and in charge of the management again.
Also the kitchen is back in operation.

I am looking forward to visiting my favourite liming spot again during my monthly stays
in Tobago.

Andy, a really late reply but I understand what you mean.

My point was that I'd rather be at a place with as few ex-pat's as possible because - no offence to any one from England - many English I've encountered tend to expect that their way is the correct way.

As an example, I still remember this poor bar maid in Cuba that explained that there would be no more drinks because the bar was closed while the guests (from Bradford or Leeds if I remember correctly) insisted on having more drinks because that's how it worked in good old England. And this was a family in all ages that started banging on her windows, shouting abuses etc from the outside.

That said I know it might not be representative of English abroad but I've seen it far too often.

But anyhow... Glad that it's back to "normal".

... and yes... I am aware of the fact that many Swedes expect things to be run in an efficient, Swedish manner as well.

Robert,

i understand where you are coming from.
Misbehaviour of drunk patrons is generally not appreciated independant of colour, race or nationality,
but unfortunately we experience such behaviour occasionally with both locals and foreigners
(including Scandinavians )
Praise God it is more the exception, not the rule in Tobago.

And:
If you expect anything to run efficiently in Tobago, you are in the wrong spot, though.
I guess you already found out.

Well, as I think I mentioned somewhere else I'm in the hospitality industry myself and it took a lot not to go berserk while checking in.

My wife (who's Latina) just said "now, now, take it easy", you're on vacation and... Hey presto... After two days I realized I had to adapt or go crazy and I've seldom felt so relaxed after two weeks of vacation.

Well and that is what you came here for, isn't it ?

Bago's is now open Monday to Sunday and also at night.
Sarah, Trevor and "Lennox" took over the management of the night shift.
Saturday night special is Karaoke from 8 pm.
Great hospitality, i must say. You don't get thrown out by a certain hour and if there
is a nice "lime" going on, you may stay there until early hours in the morning
Food is now served lunchtime and dinner. Try the trini-indian rotis and curries or a small
dish like a sandwich. Don't come too late for dinner, better make a reservation before.
The kitchen staff may go home early, once there are no customers.
Enjoy !