Viewed from a distance, Port-au-Prince seems a pleasant and mellow Caribbean port city: Once one is out on the streets though, the fact that all is not well in Port-au-Prince soon becomes apparent. And the January 12, 2010 earthquake only served to push Haiti closer to the top of the Failed States Index… Destruction, dysfunction … Continue reading
It’s interesting walking on the same streets that were once strolled by Christopher Columbus and Sir Francis Drake… On the edge of this square is the oldest cathedral in the Americas (consecrated in 1521). Continue reading
Moldova can get very cold. This picture below is of the ice on the front of our rental car after some time spent in freezing rain – not the easiest driving conditions. And this was in November, so I imagine winter conditions are even more sporty: However, with the weather taken out of the equation, … Continue reading
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Continue reading
Visiting a cemetery may sound rather dull to some of you, but nothing is in Haiti… The Grand Cemetery of Port-au-Prince (or Grand Cimetiere De Port-au-Prince in French) is a vast necropolis of raised tombs that sprawls across a large section of the downtown area: We were told by the Haitians that the Grand Cemetery … Continue reading
Over the past few years, visiting the Salton Sea took on an urgency of almost religious significance for me. Yeah, I loved the movie, The Salton Sea, but this only served to strengthen my desire to visit the Salton Sea. It did not create this desire in the first place. My passion to visit was … Continue reading
Remember those luxury SUVs I described pushing their way through Petionville? Well, the homes of their occupants are mostly found along the route to Kenscoff: Kenscoff itself is more laid back and off the beaten track. However, at nearly 6,000 feet of elevation, its cool mountain air does sometimes attract residents of Petionville and Port-au-Prince. … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 