Blurred Lines

Woman with parrot on her shoulder on Henry Street.

(Photo taken by Brendon Taylor, February 12, 2016)  

        Urban sprawl, which refers to the spreading of urban and suburban areas over more rural land, has blurred the boundaries between what is considered the city, the suburbs and the rural. From our own experience in Barbados, the city of Bridgetown extends from the central business district of the capital along the south-western corridor and into the southern parish of Christ Church. For this reason, there have been many debates in determining the boundaries of the city of Bridgetown. In accordance with the views of Rojas (1989), investments in transport and communication infrastructure for both Trinidad and Barbados have redefined the region (suburban and rural areas) as more than a periphery. Improving transport and communication networks has taken advantage of the small size of these countries and provided opportunities for unlimited accessibility. Therefore, the villages and small towns which comprise the region are no longer be isolated or independent of each other. Rather, there is a higher degree of networking between the city and the region. But how then do we separate the city from the region?

       One of the features of a city is the character and personality of its streets and the ability of the street to provide interesting visual experiences. When we consider visual spectacles, our minds often wander to special events such Carnival, religious celebrations and extravagant parades. However, the pedestrians of Port-of-Spain provide the streets with a memorable character on a daily basis. This was our experience which we will never forget when we encountered a woman with a living parrot on her shoulder on Henry Street in Port-of Spain. What was even more fascinating was that the parrot could speak! Unbothered by the stares of surprised on-lookers, the parrot and owner casually made their way along the street. This was our opportunity for comic relief.

       Despite our laughter, we recognized that individuals such as the lady in the photo aid us in defining and characterizing what is the city in the face of urban sprawl. Where else would you see a woman walking the streets with a parrot on her shoulder? Where else would you find the man with the guitar singing to make a living? Where else would you hear the vendor screaming "get your fruits!"?  Definitely not in a suburban or rural area. We therefore recognize these individuals as unsung heroes because they help us in identifying urban places through their activities and lifestyles.

References

Rojas, Eduardo. 1989. "Human Settlement of the Eastern Caribbean". CITIES 1: 243-258. Butterworth & Company (Publishers) Limited.