nowdrawnbyboth thebeautiful landscapeand theheart-
felthospitality thatendure inhope— the transformation
is undeniable. The elephant-ear-size leaves that are
spreading outside of my room reflect the beauty of a
nation toooftenheadlinedas thepoorest country in the
Americas.Theview through the telescopeonmybalcony
at theHabitation JouissantHôtel stretches all theway
fromCap-Haïtien to theCitadelle.Today, the largest for-
tress intheAmericas isshrouded inclouds.Notpromising,
tobesure, but this is the tropics.Rain isalwaysexpected
here but often fleeting. I’ve come toCap-Haïtien (a city
not far fromwhere Christopher Columbus landed on
ChristmasEve in1492) to immersemyself in thecultural
heritageof theworld’s firstblackrepublic (after theU.S.,
the second independentnation in theNewWorld).
I settle into awell-used4WD and greetmydriver, Dan
Joseph.He’splacedafreshpineapplebetweenustoserveas
anair freshener. IglimpsethenoteworthyFrenchColonial
architecturewhenwe round the cathedral square ina city
oncecalled theParisof theAntilles. It’sunwise toestimate
our travel time toMilot, thegateway town to theNational
History Park that includes theCitadelle Laferrière, the
Palais Sans Souci and theSitedesRamiers.Wenegotiate
hubcap-highmudpuddlesaswepassclustersofchildren in
immaculateschooluniformsandwomenbalancingbaskets
offreshbreadontheirheads.Oncewe’reontheoccasionally
crumblingnationalhighway,wepassbyplushgreenfieldsof
corn,plantains,sugarcaneandoranges.Wepullovertomake
72
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AMERICANWAY
Mistmorphs into
drizzle this
morning.AsI tie
myhikingshoes,
thedrizzleclatters
intoadownpour.
Today ismyonly
day toget to the top
of theCitadelle
Laferrière. I’ve
longed tostand
on thewallsof
Haiti’sonly
UNESCOWorld
HeritageSitesince
Ivolunteered in
thisCaribbean
nation in2000.
Back then, Iwas
looking through the
lensofwidespread
poverty.Though
thathasn’treally
disappeared, I’m
