Crapola!

Me lost my iPhone! DOH! I'm less bitter about it now. We found some music on an "old" hard-drive and we're listening to it now. Ah well.

Go figure! I had it with me for three weeks in Haiti and when I'm back here, I go and loose it!

Bummer!

;-) LIL

Written in the air, Posted whenever I’ll be back on the ground

Holey moley, batman! What a crazy airport! Man! We arrived at the airport in the bullet-proof vehicle. We passed a couple of doors and at one, people were lining up to jam themselves through the doorway. We kept driving by. Fiouf! Poor schmucks, I thought. Then the driver turned around. I started getting a sick feeling in my stomach. Wouldn't you know it, he stopped right in front where the poor schmucks were jamming themselves in the doorway. Ah crap! Guess that makes me a schmuck too. ;-)

I drove up to the airport with a colleague of mine that I met at the embassy. Let me tell ya, good thing Ryan was there. He was able to tell a guard that we work at the canadian embassy and wow, did that ever work! We were able to bypass to the front of the xray machine for our luggage then we were again able to bypass the rest of the line to check our baggages and obtain our tickets. We were then brought to the customs officer (at least, I think its customs, you know, where they stamp your passports?). Then, as the guard was to bypass us to the front of the lineup for the secure area, Ryan asked where was the duty free shop (thank god, I was forgetting this throughout the brouhaha). We parted with our guard friend and proceeded to the duty-free shops (but first, we enjoyed a cold Prestige at the bar). God, it was good! There is no air-conditioning in the airport and it was hot as heck!

I was able to buy some more souvenirs and also a bottle of 5 star Rhum. Do not worry my rhum drinking friends, you will be invited at our house so that we can savour it together. ;-) After all the work it was to get it (I was able to buy some additional 40$ CDN of Gourdes from a colleague of mine, that really helped!), we'll hold on to that bottle. When we'll open the bottle, we'll let you know. By this I don't mean that we'll call to brag (that would be just too cruel). ;-)

Then, it was back downstairs and in-line to enter the secure zone. Fifteen minutes later (about) we were through and making our way to board the plane. And crapola, that's when the lightning started! Ah well.

I have to say that, executive class, is MUCHOS NICE! Stéphanie, you were right! This pod is so cool! I have 7 different buttons just to adjust my seat! There is a footrest (which, thanks to my short legs, I cannot reach... or barely reach if I stretch back into the seat. But, not to worry, there is a little button that will lift my feet up! Neat-O! Exploring the little pod, I found there is a remote control for the entertainment system, a really nice stow-away table, good headphones (with a set of disposable foams to protect my ears). And, last, but very not least, it even has a barf bag! Hmmm, let's hope I don't have to use it. ;-)

The stewardess are really nice! As I was sitting down, I was offered a glass of water and god, that was good! Then, after we took off (an hour late, thanks to the lighting storm), they came around with hot towels and god, that DID feel good! Then, they offered me a pillow and then a blanket! I'll have to try this pod in the sleeping position!

As I am writing this, one of the stewardess is approaching my pod offering drinks. Hold on, its my turn. "Quelque chose à boire Monsieur?" God, this is nice! “Hmmm”, I reply, “Ques’que vous avez?”. “On a de tout monsieur.” Oh, I LIKE that! “Une Heineken s.v.p.”. Oh, and its cold too! Aaaahhh, that's good! Oh look, she gave me assorted nuts to go with it! Hmmm, cashews!

We had lots of turbulence at take-off because of the lighting-storm, but we soon got through it (not soon enough for moi). Today was hectic, as it was my last day, but everything went well. You know, if I have the chance, I'm pretty sure I'd come back to Haiti Darn those cachews are good! 

Oh, sorry, dear reader, I had to put you (the laptop) away. Food, was served! Had a nice salad with balsamic vinegar, some Pasta filled with cheese (served with a Chilian red wine) and followed by a cheese-cake desert. Mmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm. With the tray occupied, I decided to take a peek at the movies!

Hey, check this out, the head-phones are noise canceling! Nice! Iron Man 2! And darn, the headphones are not working correctly...the sound is crappy. “Oh mademoiselle!” HA! Got to love it! Okay, I think I’m decided, we’ll be flying executive to our posting next year. The girls have to experience this! With a new pair of headphones, I can now enjoy the movie. “D’autre vin monsieur?” “Oui, s.v.p.” Haaaaaaaa...... “Un café?” “S.V.P., merci!” Muchos nice!

Okay, I’m watching the movie now. I’ll be back later. This is neat, its like taking you with me! I love this blogging stuff!

Okay, okay, its not the same as taking you with me, but hey, I feel closer to you guys, so this helps. The rest of the flight went alright. I was able to savor another Heinekein, but, sadly, did not get to catch the ending of Iron Man II. Definitely have to rent it, its awesome! I sent a quick text to Stéphanie to let her know that the plane landed and then, before you know it, I was at the customs offier. “Quelque chose Β déclarer?” I had checked the box indicating that I was bringing back more than 1.14L of alcohol (I have 2 bottles of 750ml of rhum. “Oui, j’ai 2 bouteilles de rhum.” “Barbancourt?”, he asks. “Oui, monsieur!” No problem. My buddy Luc (who works at CBSA says: “It pays to declare.” And it did! After this, I was the carrousel waiting for the luggage. Called Stéphanie and spoke to her and Mélo quickly. God, that was nice! They sounded CLOSER, like, not half a world away!

Once I got my luggage, I proceed to find the hotel. The airport being what it is, I had to walk a ways, but it was okay. The room was nice, the bed super comfy and the pillows too. At 6h30, the sun shining straight in my eyes woke me. But that’s okay. Got everything ready and was out of the room by 8h00.

I was not able to self-register for my boarding pass, so I had to wait to get my ticket and check my luggage. Darn it, almost not enough time to get some Tim Hortons. Should I risk it? I could most likely make it, but ah well, I’ll have some in Ottawa.

I proceeded to the security check and then, after more walking and walking and walking, arrived at my gate (A21). As I was writing this last bit down, got a call from Stéphanie. God, I can’t wait to see her and the girls! Now, all I have to do is wait a little bit more, and I’ll be on my way home. I’ll post this whenever I get home (and have some free time). ;-) It was nice having you along for the ride! Now that I’ll be home, I’ll update the blog with more pictures and post a link for a web album of the pictures I took in Haiti.

What an experience. I’m glad I went, it really taught me a lot!

Ciao people!

;-) LIL

Off I go!

Well, that's it! This is my last post from Haiti. I'll be posting some more when I'm back home, but from Haiti, this is moi, signing off! Woohoo!

See you all soon (and yes, I am knocking on wood).

;-) LIL

This is my last evening in Haiti

I can't believe three weeks have (almost) gone by already! Me heading back home tomorrow! As if you didn't know. ;-) Tonight, we are having a Pot-Luck at Luc's apartment. Me will be bringing some rice, some sausages, juice and beer (of course).

You know, I was thinking today, if ever the opportunity would present itself again, would I come back to Haiti? To that, I have to say, Absolutely (with a capital A). I hate being away from my family, but the work is really interesting and the people are great. This has really opened my eyes! I mean, Haiti is a 4 hours flight from Montreal. Things are so different here, its like being in another world!

Okay, me got to get cooking (literally). I'll see if I can post a picture of the pot-luck later.

Ciao people!

;-) LIL

Hellboy II

You know, that movie is much better when you have some alcohol in you! ;-) All kidding aside, just finished watching Hellboy II over at Luc's apartment. Man, I can't believe that I'm going home in a couple of days. I mean that in a good way, of course. ;-) I can't wait to be back with my girls, at home. As I was saying earlier, I'll still miss the guys here, but man, o, man, will it be good to be back home!

I'm running low on moula, so its perfecto that I'm heading home. If it wouldn't have been for my "bullet-proof" event (yeah, you know what I mean, I still think that "bullet-proof" is a better tittle), I'd be laughing. Now, being 90$ short, I have to make sure I have enough to last me throughout my stay. Tomorrow is the pot-luck, and I want to be able to contribute in a significant way. Ah well... ;-)

Still, as much as this has been a life experience, I cannot wait to be back home. I can't wait to have a glass of rhum with the family (by this, I mean my wife, my brothers (if my little brother is still in town, I hope I don't miss him before he goes back up north), brother-in-law, and cousins-in-law...yeah, you know who you are) and tell tall tales of my friends over there/here (depending on how you look at it).

For you who keep track, I hadn't posted anything yesterday cuz I was a little bit bummed. Haiti has its good and bad days (or, I should say, I have my good days and bad days in Haiti). I just can't wait to be home.

Hey, I just learned earlier that my little brother and his kids will be in Ottawa/Gatineau this evening! I hope I get to see them before they leave! Stéphane, Kari-Anne, Justin, a big hello to you all from Haiti!

Anyways, me got to go to bed. Love you guys and talk to you all soon!

Ciao!

;-) LIL

A couple of days to go

Woohoo! Me got just a few days to go! Thursday evening, me will be flying back home! That is two nighty-nights and then me will be back in Canada. I'll miss my new friends, but man its going to be good to be back home!

Later, me, Gurmit and Luc have a man-date. We'll have supper, some wine and watch a movie too!

;-) LIL

My Haitian shirts

I had not posted a picture of my custom made Haitian shirts, so here is one now. As you can see,  I have a light-blue, dark-blue, white and dark green shirt. They are just perfect. The tailor really did good work and it was a deal! Four custom made shirts for 12$ US each.

Muchos Nice!


;-) LIL

Commen Y'em La Viiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Well, that is what I think the woman is crying out-loud EVERY FREAKING MORNING! I'm sure my translation is not correct (and I got an audio recording to boot), but this is the calling of a woman that sell's bread and to let her customers know that she is there, she lets out her call. Its really beautifull when you get past the "You gotta be kiddin' me...what time is it? 5:25AM?" It almost makes me want to start having a passion for bread of my own and start selling bread outside her window at 3:25AM! What would be my rallying call? "Commen Y'em Dormiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrr!" Yep, that would work! Ah, who am I kidding, she is probably up at that time and cooking the frigging bread! Ah well.

Honnestly, if it wasn't for the time, I would have no problems with it at all. The story goes that she found that her passion for life is baking bread and selling it fresh. Her passion has become her rallying cry. I just wish she wouldn't be selling bread so early and please, not right outside my bedroom window. If my bedroom window was on the other side of the building, I'd be fine (okay, I would have to put up with the constant drone of the generator, which is to provide electricity in emergency situations, but which is running almost ALL THE TIME), but you know, one can put up with that (at least, I think). But nooooooo, my bedroom window has to give unto the alley that is behind the Batiment Bleu and that is where our passionate bread seller has early clients ready to buy her bread in the morning OF EVERY SINGLE DAY! I mean, come on, we're Sunday today! Didn't God even rest on this day? They are a catholic people, they should know this! Ah well... ;-)

Okay, that's my rant for this morning. ;-)

;-) LIL

Club Indigo

Well, today, we went to Club Indigo! Club Indigo is a former Club Med. It took us about 2 hours to get there, but the drive was worth it. Outside of town, they are rebuilding the roads to facilitate people moving out into the country (they are trying to get people to move out of PaP). It was nice. Not nice nice, like I imagine a club med would be, it was nice, run-down nice. It stopped being a Club Med 10 years ago and it kinda shows. They have a website: http://www.clubindigo.net/club-indigo-hotel-haiti.php?langue=fr


Don't get me wrong, it was still lovely, until the garbage started floating in. But, that was just before we left, so not bad. I have some really nice pictures! (Not of the garbage). This was a guys-only outing and the 6 of us had a really nice time. The day was just beautiful, the water was so freaking warm! (I didn't think it could be so warm!) I thought it would be a bit cooler like when we went to Trinidad & Tobago. Me and the guys swam out to a floating dock (good thing that salty water is more buoyant, me floating easier was a good thing)! The food was okay, but definitely not great. But, the beer was cold and it was super nice sitting in the shade on the beach.
One of the guys found a sea urchin and we have great pictures of that (good thing we didn't step on it).

On our way back we saw 2 separate funeral processions. I wish the funeral processions were done like this in Canada. First, there was the live band leading the way. Right behind it was the hearse and directly behind it, the family walking as the procession went slowly on its way to the cemetery. The 2nd funeral procession that we saw was in another village but it had the same configuration.

We were all tired on the way back, but we had a great time! Getting in the shower felt so good when I got back to the apartment! When I'll talk to the girls, I'll be just golden.

;-) LIL

Shopping!

Ahhhh, today was my last half-day of work (we work half-days on fridays). Ah well, that was nice while it lasted. ;-) Today, we finished at 12:30PM. A group of us had reserved a driver and we made our way to our first pit-stop: Épidor. I was told by my collegues that I should try the steak sandwhich there, so I did. It was pretty good! It is done on a fresh baguette and is filled with steak, oinions, green peppers and ouey-gouey cheese. Mi-uuuuuummm!

Tte "newbies" that had arrived this week wondered why they were so hungry and that since around 11:30AM... Turns out that Haiti is in the same time-zone as Ottawa/Gatineau but they do not observe the daylight-savings time. Once our bellies were full we proceeded to our next pit-stop: Pecco's (hmmm, I might be getting the name wrong, but that's how I understood it). Pecco's is a government run shop where you can buy souvenirs. I found some nice items to bring back (and they put everything in a nice bamboo bag, neat-o!).

We then proceeded to le Carré St-Pierre where alot of artists sell their artwork. I was fine until I bought my first paining, then I got swarmed! "Monsieur, monsieur, regarder ceci...s.v.p monsieur, je suis fauché." Once I had bought the paining I wanted, I asked if any were selling wooden items. One said no, but his friend does. Not 5 minutes later, I was surrounded by merchants trying to shove their carvings into my hands. I then found the items I wanted, putchased them, and then the swarm grew bigger! Man! I walked back to the vehicle and put the items I purchased in the trunk while still more merchants were trying to sell me items from keychains to paintings (again, even I had told them I was done). Ah well. What really got to me is when an old woman came to beg me for 1 dollar. She pointed to her gray hair and said she was hungry. Man, that tore at my heart. I wanted to give her some money, but I could see other beggers just waiting to see what I would do.

Back in the vehicle and we had one more pit-stop: Big Star supermarket. I didn't have to buy any groceries, so I just hung about for a while then went back to sit with the driver in the vehicle. I passed the time watching a street fed chicken as it kept dodging people and cars as it pecked at morsels.

And then, me was back in me's apartment. ;-) Tomorrow morning, we are leaving for Club Indigo! Woohoo! It is a former club med and supposedly the beach is beautiful! Can't wait to see that!

Ciao!

;-) LIL

2nd Pot-Luck

Yesterday was our second pot-luck dinner. Well, there's actually been more than 2 pot-luck dinners, but only 2 since I've arrived. Luc was the host and we had a blast! I have to say that my cheese platter was quite a hit. Yeah for moi! Its funny, I think we all had the same reaction when Shana-Lise brought her platter of cheese the week before. We all went like "Huh? CHEESE!". Before you knew it, that platter was GONE! So, I purposely ignored the prices when I bought the cheeses, and it turned out great! ;-)

You know they say great minds think alike? Well, towards the end of the evening we start talking movies. Then, Mike says: "You know, the best movie ever is Highlander!" Oh my freaking god! That is MY favorite movie of all time! That was just awesome!

That is also what I want next Wednesday, a pot-luck dinner. I have one week left! At this time next week, I should be on the plane on my way home. Woohoo!

;-) LIL

Bullet-proof

How's that for the title of this post? It was either "Bullet-proof" or "Ear infection". I definitely think that Bullet-proof is more catchy, so decided to go with that instead! ;-)

I woke up this morning with an ear infection. I was suspecting it was such yesterday, but I was hoping it would just pass. Not so. Soooo, went to see the nurse at the embassy this morning and she confirmed my suspicions. Bummer! She was able to book me an appointment with a doctor at 14h00 today. Not bad! The only concern was that the clinic is located downtown. In order to get there, we had to ride in the bullet-proof vehicle. The doors are really heavy! Takes more muscle power to open and close them. We also had a body guard. Neat-O! The ride was okay and before you knew it, I was at the clinic. The body guard escorted me inside and kept watch outside the door. The doctor was seeing a patient when I got there, but as soon as she was done, she started calling out another patient's name, then she saw me and she took me right away. I felt bad for the people that were waiting. "Hmmmm", she observed, "Vous avez bien une bonne Otite.". Is there such a thing as a good ear infection? What would be a bad ear infection? One has to wonder. Or maybe, better not. Ah well. My exam was soon done and I was 2000 Gourdes lighter (equivalent to 50$). The bodyguard and I headed back to the vehicle and soon we were in front of a pharmacy. Hmmmm, this was new...not like any pharmacy I ever saw. Ah well. I left the pharmacy with my meds and again, I was lighter but by "only" 40$ this time.

The driver brought us back to the embassy where I was able to take my first dose right away. One of my colleague asked: "Did you check the expiry date?" Oh crap, I hadn't! But, turns out they were okay. Will remember that for next time, cuz I'm sure something like this will happen again. When I opened the packet, I saw a note that indicated that the medication should never be stored in a temperature above 25 degrees Celsius. Hmmmm... Call me a liar, but I'm pretty sure there are good chances that the package was stored at higher temperatures than indicated. Sigh...

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly (I had returned at 15h05) and then, I was back at my apartment.

Tonight, we have the pot-luck in Luc's apartment. This time around, I'm bringing a platter of cheese! I picked up 5 different kind of cheeses yesterday and will got and prepare them now.

Tourlou!

;-) LIL

DOH! No beer for you!

We missed the closure of the corner store by 2 minutes!!! Crapola! It will have to be tomorrow. Ah well. ;-) We went by another store, Big Star, but alas, they do not take empties (the beer costs less when you return the empties, but not at every store). Even going to the groceries is an experience. First, you have to find a place to park. Luckily, there are young helpers that will direct you to a spot (for a fee that you will pay later) and they will hold an umbrella over your head (cuz it was raining) and even keep an eye on your car -- "Je suis ici.", says the young man. Okay, sure, but you are talking to the wrong fellow, we're in Mike's vehicle.

The same young men await your return and offer their help, once again to load your items in the car. And then, even though Mike paid the lead young man and his helper, the other helper is asking moi for moula! I hop in the truck and close the door, but still he stands there knocking on the window. Even as we drive away, he tries to keep up a little. Man, I have to give it to them, (metaphorically speaking), they do not give up easily!

So I'm back at the appartment. Beerless, you would say, but AHA! Good thing I had bought some beer earlier during my grocery shopping! All is not lost!

;-) LIL

Good day

Today was nice. Not that its not nice the other days, but today was just nice. I guess its just me that is more comfortable. Things were just flowing at work. It was busy, but it was not crazy. It really gives me a taste of what my job will be like when we go out on posting next year. It reminded me of my old job at PSLRB. Ah, good times. ;-)

Tonight, I went to do some groceries with some of my collegues. We had to wait 45 minutes for the driver to get here. That's time I'll never see again. Ah well...

Yesterday, we weren't able to do a beer run, so we'll try for that tonight. Bought some cheeses, crackers and wine for tomorrow's pot-luck. That will be fun!

;-) LIL

Driving in Haiti

I am so glad that I've had the experience of driving in PaP/Haiti (okay, okay, its not me doing the driving, I should say being driven, but that sounds too, I don't know... too... see, words fail me, ah well). Okay, so, here is what I've learned so far:

• A car horn (un klaxon en français) is absolutely necessary. If you do not have one, your vehicle is not fit to be on the road. A toot of the horn can have many, many significances. It can just mean "Hey!", or "I'm about to pass you", or "I just passed you", or "I let you pass me, you idiot", or, "Careful!", or "I'm about to turn in your direction", or "Go ahead.", or "Lookout, I'm here about to take this sharp turn uphill, if you are coming downhill fast, lookout for me!", last but not least, it can mean "Hey, I'm here, open the gate!".
• Sidewalks are really meant for parking your vehicle, not for walking.
• Lanes are totally optional.
• Priority? Everyone has priority at the same time!
• Cutting off someone really takes a new meaning here. Its almost like a game of chicken.
• Motor-bikes are used to slalom between moving cars. I think its a national sport.
• Its okay to leave your car to rot on the side of the street, hey, it adds decor!
• If you are a transport truck, and your truck breaks down, its okay to leave your load smack in the middle of the highway without any warning signs.
• If you are a shop owner, build a speed-bump in front of your commerce, you force people to slow down and they will be more likely to buy something from you!
• Seat belts are for sissys!
• Same goes for helmets!
• You can easily fit 15 to 17 people in the trunk of a little Nissan or Datsun pickup (hey, over here its called a Tap-Tap, and its part of the public transportation system.
• You are not a real driver unless you have more than one fender bender on your car. By the looks of it, Haitians are pro drivers!
• Any Haitian would beat you in a game of Frogger. Here, its completely natural for a pedestrian to cross the street during heavy traffic.
• Sidewalks are a great place not only to park your car, but you can leave your garbage and set up shop as well. Who knew?
• The black smoke being emitted by the vehicles is totally irrelevant.
• And, last but not least, if you are to be doing slalom with your motorcycle, why not do it with the whole family riding along with you on the bike!

These experiences are preparing me to be a better driver once I come back home.

P.S. These comments are made in jest. They are only meant to bring a smile to someone's lips. If you find this post offensive, let me know and I'll take it down promptly.

;-) LIL

What a small world...

You know, if you've ever lost touch with someone from your high-school years, all you have to do is to send your spouse to Haiti and he/she will magically meet up with that person! ;-) Tada! Honnestly, this is so unexpected, that it was just surprising. Yesterday, I had uploaded some photos to Picasa so that Stéphanie and the girls could see what I have seen here in Haiti. On one picture, there's all my fellow residents from the Batiment Bleu. As I'm naming all of them, Stéphanie picks up on the name of one of my collegues. She then gives me her last name! Ha! She has not seen this person since high-school and now I meet her in Haiti. The world really IS a small space! Ah well...

Tonight, its BBQ at Mike's place again. We'll probably do a beer run at the "Libanais". Its a corner store not far from here. I keep wondering why someone would move from Libanon to establish themselves in PaP/Haiti? The world is a mysterious place!

;-) LIL

Laundry day...

Today was laundry day. Laundry that I do myself that is. Did I tell you that I'm living in a magical apartment? Yep, its magic. See, the thing is, with magic, things happen by themselves. I come "home" and the dishes not only washed themselves, but they put themselves away! Neat huh? Same for the laundry. Since my arrival, I was putting my laundry in a pile to wash it on the weekend. One day, a box appeared next to my clothes. The next day, my clothes where in the box. The day after, my clothes left the box, and appeared in the drawers of the closet, washed and pressed. Neat-O! Although I would have preferred that magic would not have cleaned my underwear... that is why I resorted to doing it myself today. ;-)

Once I started the laundry, I went to have breakfast at Luc's. I then sent some pictures to the girls, went swimming in the pool and then did some light reading. Earlier, Luc invited me for supper and a movie so that will be my evening. Cool.

Man, it is just pouring outside now! Another night, another thunderstorm! I have not seen so many thunderstorms in a row ever!

Hey, you know the saying, "It's a small world?", we'll, I'll blog about that tomorrow. I'll see if I can edit some of my older posts to add pictures. That is, if the internet doesn't die on moi.

Ciao for now!

;-) LIL

Le Bassin Bleu (qui était plutôt vert)

Salut!

I am back in the appartment in one piece after a very memorable trip! Me and five of my collegues went to visit Le Bassin Bleu (I linked to the website in my previous post). It took us about 3.5 hours each way (actually, coming back was longer, but I'll explain that later). The road to get there took us through the Red Zone of PaP. The Red Zone are areas where we cannot travel to for security reasons. If we are to drive through a red zone, then we need an armored vehicle as our escort. Once we leave the red zone, the escort turns around. There was not allot of traffic this morning, so this went smoothly.

Once we were out of Pap, we soon took the mountain road. The views were breathtaking! Only problem, I have vertigo. I was fine for a long time, but then I started having motion sickness (because of the rocking back and forth of the vehicule) and then the vertigo set it. Ah well. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths and that helped.

The Bassin Bleu is about 12 KM out of the city of Jacmel (that is where our current Governor General, Michaelle Jean was born). The road to get to Bassin Bleu was somewhat rough... okay, extremely rough! But, we made it in one piece. The Bassin was beautiful, but my vertigo got the best of me once again and I did not proceed to the third bassin and stayed back with two of my colleagues who did not proceed as well. We basically had to hug a tree on the side of a cliff to continue on and that is where I put on the brakes! Ah well. I still have amazing pictures of the 1st and 2nd bassin and will post these later (maybe when I'm back in Canada, the bandwidth here is terrible).

When we got back to base camp, our driver, the guys that got there before us, and the locals were busy changing a tire on our Land Rover. It took a while cuz some screws were seized that were holding the spare under the vehicle, I think, but they got the job done. Once this was done, we proceeded to return to PaP! I managed to buy a few gifts for the girls at the souvenir shop there.

The drive back was more interesting that the drive out. First, I did not have vertigo and almost no motion sickness. Second, when we got to the outskirts of PaP, there was a huge traffic jam! Think of the worse traffic jam you've been in and multiply it by a factor of your choice. ;-) We were very lucky that our escort vehicle has police horns. You know that blaring sound police cars make when they want you to move out of the way? Well, with the help of this and some amazing driving skills from our driver, we were able to get out of the Red Zone fast! Ussman (our driver), you did a fantastic job!

Before you knew it, we were back at the Batiment Bleu. I've got more stuff to blog about, but I'll leave that for tomorrow. J'vous aiment les cocottes!

;-) LIL

Aaaahh, La Souvenance

Power came back this morning at around 07h15, just as I was about to walk out the door to go to work. Ah, wouldn't you know it. Ah well. At least, I got to take the food that I had transferred to the freezer last night and put it back in the fridge. The night was not so terribly hot (knock on wood). Today, was another half-day friday (I could really get used to those)! The day goes by so quick!

Now, I have to talk about the restaurant we went to last night. It is called La Souvenance and oh my god, was it ever amazing! It is a French upper-class restaurant. Not only is the atmosphere incredible, the food was just amazing! I could not believe that I was in Haiti! I had a Cappacio (I think that is what its called) au boeuf (Mmmm, mmmmm, mmmmm) for starters and then had a Steak au poivre dans une sauce au cognac. How was it, you might ask? I can honnestly say that, in the restaurants that I have visited, this is way up there, if its not on top of my best ever restaurants!!! The meal cost me the equivalent of 52$ US (with 2 beers and tip included). Anywhere else, this would easily be a +100$ meal. It was just awesome!

So, this is my 2nd weekend in Haiti. Yesterday, it was one week that I was in Haiti. Tonight, I"m supposed to go watch a movie over at Mike's apartment and then tomorrow, 6 of us are going to the town of Jacmel (3.5 hours drive) and hopefully if it doesn't rain, we'll stop by the Bassin bleu: http://www.bassin-bleu.com/.

;-) LIL

In the dark

Well, it had to happen. We are out of electricity and the diesel generator died. The electrician said that it won't be fixed until morning. Its going to be a long night! Currently, we are operating on emergency-emergency power (running on the charge that is left in the batteries. Good thing that the router has its own UPS, this won't last long.

Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the meal we had for supper tonight.

Sleep tight everyone.

;-) LIL

Pot-Luck

Well, tonight we had the pot-luck in Marou and Madeleine's Penthouse. Okay, I take it back, it is not only an appartment with 2 bedrooms that just happens to sit on the top floor, it is a nice place. We had a blast! The food was great AND the company was great. I spoke quickly to the girls. God, I miss them! Stephanie, Melodie, Cadence, I love you so much!

Okay, I got to end it there.

;-) LIL

Salut tout le monde!

You know, I have not written about the ride itself to and from work everyday, so I'll write something about it now. I used to complain about the road condition back home, especially during spring, when it is the multiplication of the potholes, but I'll be more tolerant now. I promise!

The roads (when there are roads) are in such bad condition, it is not even laughable. I get a little bit of sea-sickness everyday from rocking back and forth in the car! I kid you not! On our trek from the appartment to the embassy, one part of the road is just gone! I tried taking a short film with the camera, but it bounces so much that it is hopeless to try to capture it on video. Also, the pedestrians are allot more bold here than back in Canada! I can't believe there are not deadly accidents everyday! Pedestrians basically throw themselves in front of moving vehicles and get away with their lives! If somebody would try that maneuver back home, he/she would be a pancake on the pavement in no time!

Hey, if you are reading this, post a comment. I'm curious to see who's out there. ;-) Seriously, I find this day hard! Ah well, its almost over and tomorrow they'll be a brand new day to set things right. ;-) (How's that for being optimistic).

Tonight, we had another BBQ at Mike's and tomorrow night, we are having a potluck dinner in the penthouse! ;-) Okay, its called a penthouse by name, but its just a two bedroom appartment instead of a one bedroom. Anyways, since I don't cook, my contribution will be booze. I'll bring over some beers and a couple of bottles of wine.

The internet connection is so sporadic! Aaarrrgghhhh!!! Okay, that't it for tonight. (What I've been doing most nights is writing this in notepad and then pasting it online when the connection is back).

While I'm in Haiti, you can always write to my work e-mail or drop me a line at louisgaulin@gmail.com.

Ciao!

;-) LIL

Luc's summer in Haiti...

When you have a moment, check out this blog:

http://lucinhaiti.blogspot.com/

This is the blog of my collegue Luc. He's already been here for three weeks and he's got three more weeks to go. He's got an FAQ on his site that might answer some of the questions you have about Haiti and PaP (Port-au-Prince).

;-) LIL

Haitian shirts

Well, tonight, just before the BBQ at Mikes, the tailor showed up. Now, you know I'm not great on shopping. Imagine, instead of you going to the store, how about the "store" coming to you! I could not pass the opportunity up! I asked the tailor for 4 shirts. They should be here for this friday. Which means, they'll most likely be here by next friday. ;-) I can't wait to see them!

The BBQ was great! Some steaks, hot dogs and vegetables (and, of course, beer)! ;-) Mike, like I mentioned, is a Military Police. Since he's been here (three weeks), he has lost 15 lbs by limiting his carbs (similar to Atkins, I guess).

Oh, one last thing. Look up the following coordinates on Google maps:

18.502503,-72.282029


When you zoom in, you'll see where I'm currently living while in Haiti. The building I'm in is the grey rectangle you see on the map. The building to the right is where the pool is (the pool is on top of the building).


;-) LIL

Another day, another 38.5 Gourdes (1 Canadian dollar is equal to 38.5 Haitian Gourdes)

What a day! I'll begin where my day began and that is at around 5h00 this morning. Between the roosters calling out to the rising sun and a dog somewhere which kept barking and barking and barking and barking... (come to think of it, he was probably barking at the roosters to get them to shut up!) Alas, it did not work, the poor creature, and me, had to endure.

I wondered, half-sleepily, how come this morning was different than then other mornings since my arrival. I quickly realized that I had not turned on the air conditioning unit in my room (it was not terribly hot). Now I realize that it servers a double purpose...it is not only conditioning air, but it is also a white-noise generator. Got to remember to turn it on tonight!

The interesting item of note this morning, as me and my collegue Marou were shuttling our way to work, was a completely naked fellow walking on the sidewalk. Of bold steps, he marched, his equipment flapping in the wind. What I think bothered me the most was not the naked guy himself, but everybody else's lack of reaction.

I mentioned this at work and my collegues just said "Oh, yeah, the naked guy..." At this, Marou said "What?" She was looking elsewhere at the time and completely missed the scene. Ah well. ;-)

Oh, there goes the barking again! Maybe the dog is barking at the generator that is currently running to power this building. The building (and the neighbourhood) looses power several times a day. We do not notice any loss of power since the generator kicks in automatically, but when it runs, it is a constant drone.

Anyway, the day went fine, and before you know it, I was back "home" and writing this entry. I will have more later, but for now, I have a BBQ waiting for moi (Mike, the MP is a great BBQ cook).

;-) LIL

A sobering thought

Yesterday, when we saw some of the devastation of the city of Port-au-Prince and Pieton-ville, a very sobering statistic was mentioned. I confirmed this number this morning and it put things really into perspective for me.

Between 250 000 and 300 000 people died in the earthquake that struck Haiti in January of 2010. This is the entire population of Gatineau (from Aylmer to Buckingham). Think about it... The equivalent in numbers of the entire population of Gatineau...gone. That's all I have to say on that.

;-( LIL

Afterthought

You know, it just occurred to me that I should hang on to the military rations - one never know - so I'll refrain from pillaging them and hold on to them, JUST IN CASE! ;-) And yes, I am knocking on wood, just to be safe.

If you wonder how was the pasta, well, it was a little bit off. Still eatable, but the taste is not quite there. Maybe I'll fill in the survey sheet that was included with it and submit it, just in case someone takes these into account. ;-)

;-) LIL

Military Rations - Written Saturday PM, posted Sunday AM

Hmmm, tonight (Saturday), for supper, I opened one of the two military rations that was given to me in my welcome kit. I'm sure you are wondering exactly what is contained within a military ration. Well, you'll be glad of this post then.

Here is a picture of the military ration that I opened "Supper menu No. 6 - Cheese Tortellini with Alfredo Sauce"

Here is a list of the items (starting from upper left):

- A box of sliced Pears

- A box of cheese tortellini with alfredo sauce

- A piece of bread, sealed (with a warning to not eat the desiccan packet, good to know)

- A peach juice sport drink (in powder form)

- A packet of raspberry jam

- A packet of peanut butter.

- A packet of Tabasco sauce

- Some pepper

- Some salt

- Two gums

- A mint chocolate chip candy

- Two packet of instant coffee

- Two packet of sugar

- Two packets of coffee whitener

- A napkin (very important, one must always remember their manners)

- One mixing sac (to mix either your juice or coffee)

- A survey sheet to indicate your level of satisfaction (hopefully, someone is listening)

- A package of bear paws snack (peanut free, can't risk allergies)

- One cup-a-soup package

- A towelette

- A pack of matches

- One spoon

Well, there you have it folks! You always wanted to know (okay, okay, maybe you've never wanted to know, ah well). For now, I'll sit back and enjoy a not-so-bad cup of coffee.

;-) LIL