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It was in the western suburb of St James that the British landed in 1797. Legend has it that they fortified themselves with rum punch that they found here, giving themselves the courage to capture Port of Spain. The area was settled by Indian indentured labourers after emancipation, and local street names - Calcutta, Delhi and Madras - bear witness to their homesickness. Today, St James is one of the capital's most cosmopolitan districts, with residents from all the country's ethnic groups. It's a bustling place, especially at night when it becomes the prime liming spot in Port of Spain. Music blasts from cars, bars and clubs; locals dressed in clubbing gear lime alongside old men in jeans and T-shirts; and street stalls sell roti, oysters, corn soup, halal sandwiches and jerk chicken. Western Main Road , which runs through the centre of St James, is a broad thoroughfare lined with shops, bars and take-aways. It's most known, though, as the scene of the annual Muslim Hosay processions, which take place in May or June. In the weeks running up to Hosay, it is possible to watch craftsmen build the ornate minareted tombs from bamboo and coloured paper ( tadjahs ); the houses where they work have large flags planted in their yards. The task involves great financial, physical and spiritual sacrifice; the materials can cost up to TT$30,000, and the builders have to fast during daylight hours and refrain from alcohol and sexual activity for the duration. Understandably, perhaps, not many of the younger generation find the prospect appealing, and as the years pass fewer and fewer tadjahs are being built.
From TrinidadSandra says "Lovely place to see the Hosay is in St. James the best for the four days there is where my family goes for the 4 years since they have been going and they love it snd i advice you to go too"
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