Sanding

Sadly this has nothing to do with the beach. Here in Haiti the buildings are made of concrete. Pretty much the whole thing--walls, floors, ceilings. Concrete blocks put together with very rough cement. Not nicely spaced with mortar like  in the states but afterwards everything is stuccoed with a much smoother cement. Then in order to paint it you must sand it first. I don't really know the reasoning behind it--if the paint adheres better or what, but that is the next step and it s a very abhorrent job. Sand paper and cement make a terrible rasping noise that is pretty loud especially when there are multiple people on the job (which you hope there are to get it done). And the dust it makes is all encompassing and hard to breathe through. 

Right now we are preparing the new school building at repatriate. We need one classroom for sure the beginning of September (beginning of school). So I was for we would be painting and I was up for that. Went with Marty to pick up paint (then got sidetracked for some other errands) and when we finally arrived at Repatriate they decided that the room needed to be sanded (I was sure that had already been done but obviously I was wrong). Ugh. 

DR pics

The 'first' cathedral

First Metro ride for Mathanie (in the back)

Impromptu (I think) youth orchestra--they let kids picked from the crowd conduct an excerpt from Ode to Joy

Mathanie, me, Wislande at the botanical gardens

 Our crowd at the botanical gardensThe presidential palace

 the beach...

Beach day

It was also strongly suggested that we go to the beach. It was already a part of my "plan" and he said he would come with us if we left early enough. We didn't. But he did show us to the bus and send us on our way. 

It probably took as long to get to that beach from the city as it does on Haiti (about an hour). The public beach there is free (and still clean) which is a change. There were many food stalls all clumps together and then quite a wide beach. No waves as they had built a barrier out in the ocean but beautiful shallow water. I went for a walk along the beach to check it out and hadn't made it far when it started pouring. The beach is lined with hotels and they all have umbrellas out (for the sun) but they work pretty well for rain too. When it stopped I headed back to find Wislande and Mathanie but they hadn't decided on anything yet (where to sit or swim) so I went to continue my walk. 

I we then picked up by 2 hotel workers who work for the 5 star resort on the end of the strip. Said they would show me round and I could get info on specials and things. Another rainstorm came up and we waited. When we made it to their hotel it was time for them to eat and I wasn't allowed to wander by myself (really...) so I went back and it was time to swim. Spent most of the time teaching Wislande some basics for swimming-pretty difficult to kick and paddle at the same time. Also to float as I think they might really be more dense than we are. But she did well and it was fun. Then the rains came gain and looked like they weren't going to stop. We waited for a little while and decided that it wasn't worth waiting longer so we hopped on a bus for home. 

The next morning was our trip back to Haiti. Easy bus ride again except this time the movies were all in Spanish. No problems at the border other than not being in control of my passport for a part of it. That always makes me nervous. Been back for a week in the hustle and bustle of HOM, sorry I've gotten behind but last week was busy as you will soon hear. 

The middle of the week

Wednesday we went to the Botanical gardens. Beautiful place. I always find botanical gardens surprising in the middle of a city as they seem to be so big but sometimes I think they are just really well laid out. 

That night we were going to meet up with Wislande's prof (who had been our guide to the gardens) to see the night life that is so famous. And then the rains came so we ended up at the  sports bar/gambling house he goes to. It was a fun night. 

Thursday was my wandering day. I started on the metro with Wislande but got off on my own. I came up at the national theater and got trapped in its grounds as I tried to figure out where I was and where I wanted to go. I found the museum of art (3 different ones I think) and the national Library. That gave me my bearings and once I found my way out I headed toward the Zona Colonial. I saw the president's palace from outside the gate. I toured the "first Catholic Church" in the new world and was surprised by the vaulted ceilings (from the outside it looked like it would be very dark). There was a wedding rehearsal going on and I thought how strange/cool to get married in such a famous place. 

The rest of the day was wandering,

admiring architecture, and dodging the rain storms that didn't last too long (luckily). I had short smiley conversations with many different people and walked farther than I would have imagined (even though it was kind of what I had planned). I stopped for a juice at a restaurant on the water and my Mangola was wonderful. Continued walking and was really craving a coconut but found a guy selling water first. At the next corner (of course) was the coconut so I got that too. They cut the top off, pour the milk in a cup with ice and/or sugar, and then cut the coconut in half so you can eat the meat. I love it (especially that they serve it with ice). So refreshing! And a great end to my walk (I then rode the metro home). 

Still DR

The DR has been an adventure as any new place (or any place really) always is. Traveling with Mathanie has been fun. We have introduced her to escalators and metros, helped Wislande (the friend we are staying with) to discover that there are 2 lines to the metro and how to switch without having to pay or to know which direction she wants. I think I've eaten very Haitian foods which I know that I get at the guest house but these are different. 

DR still has power cuts. It might depend on the section of the city you live in (I'm not sure) but there is a rough schedule and I think it is mostly followed. The power is out about twice a day...from 9 to 12 an then again in the afternoon and usually a couple hours in the night (the hardest one for me with my desire for a fan). 

In the last 2 days we have visited malls. As most of you know I usually avoid them when I can but they are different from anything in Haiti and we wanted Mathanie to see them. And they were more American than j ever would have imagined. The clothed seem of a cheaper quality but then I think they are cheaper as well (what would I know as it has been so long but then the clothes are still expensive for people here especially). I think I made it thru the experience pretty well given that I often only last 10 min or so. But today they were shopping again. This time at a different place but I had to throw in the towel and send them off. Well actually I left earlier than they did for a Zona Colonial tour on foot. I loved being on my own (so relieved I wasn't dragging anyone with me as I took lots of detours and didn't really know where I was headed). I'll try to give more details of my day in the next post...I think this one might be too long. 

DR continues

The street from the front of the apartment. 

The DR seems quite far ahead of its neighbor. And then in many ways the same. There is a metro with the cleanest cars I've ever been in and escalators leading to them. There are still broken down cars that probably shouldn't be on the roads that take your where you need to go. Taxis and then these others that are more like the tap taps fitting 6 passengers in along a specified route. There are lanes and traffic lights that are followed more than Haiti but you can tell you aren't in the US as well...though I've not taken a taxi in a big US city so maybe that is similar...there are malls with many many shops inside-from the outside they look quite run down but are bright and shiny with some of the brightest clothing and shoes I think I've ever seen (other than on the people here). 

Yesterday we went walking thru the colonial (touristy) part of the city. Beautiful architecture with a pedestrian street full of shops (not all open on a Sunday). I think we made it to the cathedral of Columbus but will have to return to go inside. Then a walk down the Malecon where the big hotels, bright lights and casinos are. 

I'm back at the apartment, sitting on the porch and listening to the neighborhood noises. It is really alive here. From the Creole coming from behind me to the Spanish I'm hearing all around from children and adults. The birds chirping as they fly erratically in the sky. The cars and motos passing by on the street. I feel more in it even with less common language. 

To the Dominican!

So after being a month and a couple of days late to "renew" my Haitian visa I have finally left the country. I have been thinking about heading to the other side of the island but really just didn't want to go on my own. 

That scares me some as a lot of what I do is on my own and I like that part of me (usually). 

Anyway, Mathanie was able to get the time off and also wanted to go, she knows someone in Santo Domingo, and it was time. We bought our tickets and were told to return Saturday morning at 8 am. The team that had been here went to the airport at 7 so I rode with them and ten continued on to pick Mathanie up an go to the bus. When we arrived there was no bus, the office wasn't open and there was only one other person there ...this didn't look promising. Another man arrived and assured us that the office would open and then the bus would come. Good thing he was right because our ride left then. 

The office opened 15min late and the bus arrived about 45 min after that. On the bus there weren't two seats next to each other so we split up (obvious move). And I slept. I awoke before the border to a very different landscape. Desert like almost moon scape with white rock/cliffs and water out the left window that we were so close to that I thought we were driving on/thru it at first. 

They took care of getting us out of Haiti and then they handed out the passports...except for ours. I didn't understand the announcement and so wasn't worried about it but Mathanie was not happy with the events. We found the lady and asked and she found them in the bottom of her bag-all the ones that had gotten on the bus with us (7). Stamped into the Dominican, unloaded our bags for a security check, then back on the bus with lunch (rice,beans, chicken) and a movie. Joyful noise with Dolly Parton and Queen Latifa then Parker with Jason Statham. I slept thru the second (I watched it last week). And then we were in Santo Domingo-a real city with lights and big roads and it felt like I remember feeling when Ute and I drove into Harrare in Zimbabwe. We then had to wait a couple hours for Mathanie's friend to come get us as she was sure we wouldn't arrive until later but it worked out as we made friends with a guy who sells minutes for phones even though we all had a hard time understanding each other. Then pico pollo (fried chicken) for dinner and now it is time for bed.