It's a lazy day, it's 30 degrees outside and sunny, some light brazilian samba is playing. I am sitting on a sofa, outside. One of my friends is playing pool with himself, two others are surfing with their laptops. Casanova is playing in the background but nobody really cares.
The road was, as usual, very folklo. I had a blast taking pictures of the local public transportation and of the guys who get on at mid-flight.
The place is gorgeous. The luscious vegetation is georgeous, the people are more laid back and less agressive then they are in PAP. I was sleeping in a guest house with no running water, but paradoxally, there was a pool in front of the guest house.
When I arrived there a 4PM, I paid a visit to my counterpart, settled down, and had some dinner (local food, of course). At 7PM I went over to Anne's. Anne is a French Canadian teacher who has lived in Haiti for several years. Coincidentally, she knew my father way back when, and is now working for this partner. So we spent 2 evenings in a row having Barbancourt rhum and chatting with our haitian colleagues.
It was great to laugh, and talk about home, and listen to her stories of the field. It was great to feel alive again, to swim in the pool at midnight, to float on my back and gaze at the Haitian night sky, counting the stars and feeling vibrantly alive.
Tomorrow, Naya and I havearranged to go back to the beach. Haiti
Too bad the country is a mess... and that it's so unsafe. Last night, two jordanian UN soldiers were killed in an ambush in downtown PAP. The ambush theory is not official yet, but it is a reasonnable one, since the 2 guys were shot right when they got out of their cars.
I'm always sad when violence that I can't understand happens. Deep down, it shatters my faith in man.
P.S. I also uploaded the last pictures I took on my Burundi Field Trip and there are some awesome shots... enjoy !
Full photoset for these last pix of Burundi is here.
The Beaver
My guest map is wonderful ! And you'd all be wonderful to post, all of you lurk mode readers!Today, I woke up late, had room service for breakfast. I will spend the afternoon lazing away before the evening starts. Tonight is jazz night, and I have been asked to sing Hotel California for the hotel guests. I am not on vacation though. This is a well deserved rest from a long week of work.
This week, I spent 2 days out of PAP and I think it has a lot to do with my mood's improvement. I went on a site visit in a place called Deschappelles. (Full photoset can be found here. )This is a partner which I visited before, and truely enjoyed going back there.The road was, as usual, very folklo. I had a blast taking pictures of the local public transportation and of the guys who get on at mid-flight.
The place is gorgeous. The luscious vegetation is georgeous, the people are more laid back and less agressive then they are in PAP. I was sleeping in a guest house with no running water, but paradoxally, there was a pool in front of the guest house.
When I arrived there a 4PM, I paid a visit to my counterpart, settled down, and had some dinner (local food, of course). At 7PM I went over to Anne's. Anne is a French Canadian teacher who has lived in Haiti for several years. Coincidentally, she knew my father way back when, and is now working for this partner. So we spent 2 evenings in a row having Barbancourt rhum and chatting with our haitian colleagues.
It was great to laugh, and talk about home, and listen to her stories of the field. It was great to feel alive again, to swim in the pool at midnight, to float on my back and gaze at the Haitian night sky, counting the stars and feeling vibrantly alive.
Tomorrow, Naya and I have
Too bad the country is a mess... and that it's so unsafe. Last night, two jordanian UN soldiers were killed in an ambush in downtown PAP. The ambush theory is not official yet, but it is a reasonnable one, since the 2 guys were shot right when they got out of their cars.
I'm always sad when violence that I can't understand happens. Deep down, it shatters my faith in man.
P.S. I also uploaded the last pictures I took on my Burundi Field Trip and there are some awesome shots... enjoy !
The Beaver
Thanks and may the winds of Fate blow your way !
2 comments:
Wow, Beav. What a mixed blessing, Dead soldiers and floating on your back at midnight.
I am glad to note the happiness in this post. You deserve it. I have not been able to access the Internet dependably for about a month. So I am a little behind on your travels but will update now. I thought at first you were in Brazil, which is a country I would like to visit some day. Although I have been told it is more dangerous than many.
You seem to go to all the most risky places there are. Have you always been the Brave heart type? Is spinach really the key to courage? Oh well, nice to see you working with a smile again, your friend, Saltwater Jim.
Thanks, Jim, for your never failing encouragements.
No, I am not brave. I do not have courage. I only respond to necessity.
My mum used to tell me that courage was acting despite fear. In my case, I do not experience fear, merely vague moments of paranoia instilled by debile security protocols.
No, unfortunately, I am not in Brazil. I am once again in Haiti, confined to a hotel room until today where I finally busted out.
How's your travelling doing? I look forward to reading you again.
Much love,
Beav'
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