Haiti 2012: Port-Au-Prince and Leogone

[dogsdayindurham]

I had a chance to go to Haiti for 2 weeks for work / grad school research. It was my first time to Haiti and I was really awestruck by the disparity in infrastructure to what I had seen in other parts of the world. Folks were very friendly and upbeat despite the arduous living conditions. My team stayed on a compound that housed a church, medical clinic, and k through 6 school. There was live in staff that were mostly Haitian and several expats that help run the guest house for visiting medical teams and volunteer groups.

A neat thing for me was the large number of Toyota running around, I saw everything from FJ40 to the new 200 series. The roads at least in PaP are in pretty bad condition; while a 4x4 isn't necessary it certainly helps. I won't complain about pot holes stateside anymore.

UN Patrol in Port-Au-Prince. I think the water truck they were with had a flat so they were changing a tire.


From what I could tell a lot of Brazilian and Chilean troops. Also saw a number of UN troops from Japan / S Korea. The Sri Lanka's have largely pulled out.

A not totally bling out "tap tap", the Haitian version of a taxi. Basically any vehicle mostly old pick up trucks with sagging leaf springs act as taxis. You basically wave one down and to have them stop tap on the truck to get on / get off. Only a couple of gourdes for a short trip. (About 40 gourdes per 1 USD).


Neat UN truck with machine gun nest. Used to help maintain traffic order at this crazy intersection. Sometimes it's man and other times it's not, lol. Note guy doing a # on the truck. Kind of shows what he thinks of the UN, lol.


This road looks semi impassable but the stream isn't that deep. Wouldn't be bad in a 4x4; but in our Toyota Van can be a little tricky.


Most international aid groups used the 70/75 series LC. Very sweet looking ride and the smaller size helps navigate the crowded traffic in PaP.


A Toyota Previa fording a flooded street on the way to Leogone.


Market on the outskirts of PaP.


UN Nissan Patrol also a popular vehicle for NGO / governmental agencies; but not as frequently seen as the TLC.




Beginning of the VIP Convoy a 70/75 series. Haitian Police on motorbikes blocked traffic for like 10 minutes in both directions so they could pass through. Not sure who it was; maybe President Martelli?


Black 200 series w/ blacked out windows and hidden lights


Armed Jeep in the convoy. Sadly the Haitian Police usually are always in body armor / heavily armed.


Presidential Palace Ruins




The international game, lol.


At the airport in PaP, UN used a lot of non tracked vehicles. HUMVEEs were popular.


Nice red 60 series in the airport parking lot in PaP.


Hotel Olofsson Crest of Arms, famous place good food (salad was safe to eat and had clean ice / drinking water).


Not quite Autozone; but it got the job done. Battery in the Toyota van that we were using died so we had to get a new one. Borrow a battery from the local preachers toyota truck to go get a new one. Not a bad price for a new lead acid battery around 120 bucks for a AC Delco.


Another UN Humvee, with Japanese contingent.


In the same convoy as above with more UN troops.


More Brazilian UN Troops

[dogsdayindurham]

Tail shot of 70/75 series on the way back down from Petionville. This area was really hard hit by the earthquake but folks that lived there were really wealthy so they rebuilt quickly. Say a Porche Cayenne SUV, a lot of mansions with gated entrance / armed guard. Weird that just down the hill are folks still living in tent villages. Maybe 15 to 20 minutes outside PaP is a major area hit by cholera.


100 series with ARB front / rear bumpers. Sorry didn't get a great shot (using my droid bionic). Next time I go will try and have a better camera. Need a faster reaction time to not miss the action when I'm in the vehicle. Will also windex the windows before so no annoying dirt specs / glare lol. I usually had to stealth take pictures as most folks don't like their picture being taken. Also for security had to keep the windows up.


Red Cross / Red Crescent 70/75 series w/ snorkel


Prado 105 series (also a popular ride). They call it a Prado LC


UN Riot Truck. This one was not as heavily armed as the second one I saw just before a riot started. The authorities had to close off the highway to Leogone (burning tires, buses across the road). My adrenaline was pumping as we tried to turn around but couldnt make it over the nearly 1 ft high curb in the toyota van. So we can to get all the way to the road block and there was enough road to make a u-turn. Sucks I didn't have my phone handy.


Dusty roads on the way to Leogone.


Demonstrations just across from the presidential palace


Security in front of the presidential palace (Nissan Patrol, LC)


Prado in the parking lot.

[dogsdayindurham]

Overall a very neat experience. Will probably go back for 1 to 2 more trips before the end of the year. I felt pretty safe; but couldnt leave the compound during they day without a Haitian guide. Also after 5 or 6 pm had to stay in the compound we were staying at. No night time exploring. Not AC for 2 weeks wasn't fun, had heat index of 105+ F the first week I was there. But the place I stayed had running water, reverse osmosis drinking water, and electricity for 20+ hrs a day.

Oh, the vehicle I did most of my traveling in was a manual Toyota Hiace Van complete with front and rear bull guards. The in country coordinator was a pretty awesome and did a lot of the driving. The van did very well; but could have used a couple extra inches of ground clearance due to some really odd size speed bumps near the compound. I didn't get to do a lot of exploring on my own; but basically when we were done with clinic in the morning, I would try to tag along with her and help out on any errands that she needed to run.

Will try and upload more pictures and fill out the captions a bit more.

[hakalugi]

yikes. does make you appreciate what we have and take for granted. stay safe.

[Christian P.]

thanks for posting this - my friend is doing business over there right now (earthquake retrofit) and I am dying to join him for a short trip!

[discotdi]

Looks like the whole country needs to be bulldozed and then make a fresh start. Of course the guy pissing on the UN truck speaks volumes I think.

[Martinjmpr]

Seems like not a lot has changed in Haiti since I got to spend 6 months there in 94-95 when Uncle Sam was my employer.

Sad. It's a beautiful tropical country but it's beyond broken. BTW if you think the roads in PaP are bad you should see what they're like up around St. Marc and Gonaives.

[TJK]

I run a 501C3 that works in Haiti. Am always fascinated by the vehicles as well.

Haiti is considered a "tertiary" market for Toyota. Lots of leftovers end up in Haiti. Probably the same way for other vehicle manufacturers as well.

Mesi anpil.

TJK

[dogsdayindurham]

Captions to come later.

[dogsdayindurham]