A guided tour of Port-au-Prince

It took a bit of organising but we were able to make it happened. The original plan was to spend the morning at the “Bassin Bleu” and the afternoon in Jacmel but for the last 3 days, we had severed thunderstorms and rain so we had to bail out again because when it rains the bassin bleu becomes the bassin brun (brown) and it takes a few days for the water to clear and turn blue again.

So rather than spending the day here doing nothing, we asked our driver to take us on a guided tour of PaP and Pétion-Ville which he did. .

We started or day by driving up to the rural town of Damiens home of the Barbancourt distillery and domaine Barbancourt sugar cane plantation. The old distillery is not open to the public in fact the distillery is abandoned and it move downtown PaP some years ago. After that, we went further up the hill to a belvedere to take amazing photos or PaP. It was a bit hazy but we were able to see everything including the border to the Dominican Republic.

Then we drove downtown to see the Presidential Palace & the Justice building, National Archives, National Library and other government buildings that are reduces to a pile of unrecognisable rubble. We also saw the Cathedral, University of PaP and the “pénitencier” (prison) which is the only building left standing in that area. I have seen many toppled houses and buildings since I have been here but this is nothing compared to what I have seen downtown. There are not many buildings left standing. Some buildings will topple again if there is a hurricane. They are holding on by another toppled building or a single cement beam. What really impressed me downtown is the market area and businesses around it. They is good business happening in the downtown area. You can practically buy anything you want or need and there are ten of thousand people shopping in the downtown area on any given day.

You think 6 month after the earthquake reconstruction would be in full swing in Haiti. It is not! I have not seen a single building or dwelling damaged by the earthquake being rebuilt. Since I have been here, I have not seen a building being reconstructed. There is NO construction going on or any equipment anywhere. Not even at the Presidential Palace. I was told the reason being is, the current government is concentrating on the fall elections. Both the current government and opposition are using the reconstruction priorities as there election platforms.

So with that said, it was a very interesting day for me. Not only I have seen the most devastated areas of Pap but I also learned a lot about the history of PaP.

Today is my ½-way mark. Three more short weeks Kerry and I will be flying home!! Tell the girls that daddy will be there soon.

Sunday is laundry day. I promise not to write about that unless something incredible happens.

Until my next entry.