The past few days have been interesting to say the least. Saturday morning began early as we had a 5-6 hour drive to Cap Haitian. The group was on our way to visit Haiti's famous Citadel (it's a fort). The ride there was bumpy to say the least and Haitian driving is nothing like American driving! In Haiti, honking occurs several times per minute to alert oncoming cars that you're rounding a bend you can't see past or to let the driver of the car in front know that you're about to pass. We arrived at the overnight location to eat a brief lunch of peanut butter on rolled tortillas and cheesey chex mix, then it was off to the mountain that held the Citadel. We drove the truck two thirds the way up the mountain before it was necessary to walk, but, for some, the sound of riding a horse to the top seemed more appealing. Now, in hindsight, a Haitian horse (which is about half the size of an American horse and much skinnier, not to mention that the saddles used were far less than comfortable especially after the 5-6 hour bumpy ride in the truck,) on an incline/decline sharper than 45 degrees seems pretty crazy, however, I was one of those brave souls determined to get the best experience I can while I'm in Haiti... I rode the horse. Two Haitian men guided each horse to the top. Once there, we were guided through the Citadel by a lovely Haitian man, Didi, who explained the history and secrets hidden in the Citadel walls (photos to come). The journey back down the mountain atop a horse was just as exhilerating as the ride up as being able to see how far down it -really- is shows you just how intimidated you should -really- be, but everyone made it safely... to the parking lot at least! Being white in Haiti is like being a celebrity in America. The Haitians with something to sell swarm before your feet hit the ground because they are all racing for the opportunity to show you their merchandise first. This is the first time we were in any kind of tourist-based area and being bombarded by vendors was nothing we had ever experienced before. The vendors that approach you in the middle of the mall are nothing compared to these people. They are -everywhere-. Anyway, on the truck ride back down the mountain, a few Haitian boys took advantage of our truck and used the back to hitch a ride and we stopped at the bottom to briefly visit the palace, which Didi also guided us through. After this, a few of us bought paintings from a vendor who had offered us a decent deal and then drove back to the mission to verifying that our dinner reservations were made. We then drove to a very high-class Haitian restaurant where we were given the option of beef, chicken, fish, or... wait for it.. goat. Again, I was one of those brave that tried goat. Believe it or not, it's pretty good :P The long day definitely took it's toll so, with our bellies full, we headed back to the mission compound for showers, prayers, and a -really- good night's rest. Then next morning, we arose rested and ready for Haitian church! We arrived at the church and, with some dismay, realized that the gate to enter was locked, but a little girl ran to get a guard who let us in with no problem and he even had a large spot cleared toward the back of the church so that we might all sit together and with little disruption. The service starts with singing. When Haitians sing, it is the most wonderful sound a person can hear. The songs might be the same we sing in the US, but their voices are filled with so much more fervor and I was filled with the Spirit and lifted so high, I bawled more than once! Then it was time for the dreaded ride back to the Mission Possible compound. Another 5-6 hours and a few stops later, we were back at last! Dinner was soon served (rice with bean paste and some sort of delicious vegetable mush with applesauce) with relaxing and casual fellowship to follow. Then (something we had all been waiting for) vendors came directly to the compound to haggle with us so that we could buy our loved ones souvenirs. Overall, the weekend was eventful and fun (save the bumpy ride) and an experience that I feel I couldn't have gotten anywhere but Haiti.
