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Category: The Caribbean

Caribbean countries

The Abundance of Art in Haiti

The Abundance of Art in Haiti

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So many art forms surrounded me everywhere I went in Haiti. Artists found inspiration all around them. Boats, waterfalls, wildlife as well as the local people were displayed on many types of materials. There were artists who carved their designs into wooden bowls and urns, depicting life on the island. Wooden items, canvas and found items like metal scraps served as surfaces for paintings. Color and vibrancy filled every piece of artwork. Other artwork came from an unlikely source. Artwork…

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Haiti Travel Diary Part 3: Traveling to the Highlands of Haiti

Haiti Travel Diary Part 3: Traveling to the Highlands of Haiti

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Getting There During my recent trip to Haiti, I took a local bus from Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, to a city called Hinche. The close quarters and lack of proper ventilation made the bus ride uncomfortable to say the least. However, the views of the countryside made it all worth it. The bus sped along, beeping almost constantly to pass slower vehicles and alert pedestrians in populated areas of its arrival. From Hinche I took a car ride to Cerca…

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Architecture in Cerca Carvajal

Architecture in Cerca Carvajal

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Cerca Carvajal is situated about 30 minutes from the city of Hinche and about 2 hours from Port-au-Prince. Houses similar to the cinder block ones found in Pétion-Ville are also found here. See my other post about the architecture there. There is a feature on some of the houses I’ve never seen before. There are windows that have no glass. They contain lattice made of cement. Screens behind them keep out insects. Other houses were made with found materials. Think of…

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Haiti Travel Diary Part 2: Cultural Differences in Haiti vs. The US

Haiti Travel Diary Part 2: Cultural Differences in Haiti vs. The US

I’ll start off with the differences I’ve experienced so far with food. My first breakfast consisted of bread and peanut butter. The peanut butter had a kick and I was told spices were added and that it was traditional Haitian peanut butter. The largest meal of the day was served around noon. This is different from the U.S. where our largest meal is served in the evening. It usually consisted of a meat (goat, chicken, fish, pork), and a starch…

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Architecture in Pétion-Ville Haiti

Architecture in Pétion-Ville Haiti

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The first thing I noticed as I entered the area of Haiti called Pétion-Ville was all the different types of architecture. Like many buildings in the Caribbean, cement and cinder block are the construction materials of choice. Visiting Puerto Rico some years ago, I was told it’s because of the large amount of termites. Homes start as grey cinder block frames with grates for windows. They transform into beautiful “stone castles” on the mountaintop. I learned that while people are…

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Haiti Travel Diary Part 1: What Is It Really Like to Travel to Haiti?

Haiti Travel Diary Part 1: What Is It Really Like to Travel to Haiti?

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Growing up in the  school system in the US, I remember hearing two things about Haiti: poverty and voodoo. I also had a lot of friends with parents what had left Haiti to come to the US. They told me horror stories of that really made me shy away from visiting the country. 6 years ago I started learning the Haitian Creole language. With all the stories I had heard, I waited a long time before making serious plans to…

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A Caribbean Island with Monkeys?

A Caribbean Island with Monkeys?

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It’s possible you’ve never even heard of the two island nation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Many people haven’t when I tell them about it. For myself, it’s the place where my great grandparents were born. The first time I visited St. Kitts and Nevis was in 2004. Unfortunately, I was only there for a few days and didn’t get to see as much as I had wanted. Of course I had to return, so in 2015 I was able…

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