Haiti Club Visits Leg # 1

Good morning all!

Well, no real change in our travel luck. We left Nassau at 8:00AM Monday to Miami and then off to Haiti, Port Au Prince from there. We arrived pretty much on time, but all three bags did not arrive. My thinking went to how I would smell after two weeks in what became my favorite clothes. Its not like I can find clothes my size here.

We had a great lunch at a very quaint Belgian place with ADG Nessim and then off to the Hotel Montana. Unfortunately they did not have reservations for us and we were only able to give us a room for 1 night! Another challenge! I anxiously await the outcome of this today. Sleeping in a Park in Port Au prince is not high on my “Wish I could do list”. I guess Carla’s cast may come in handy as a personal protection device! By the way she is making out alright traveling with it, although it bothers her on hills and rough terrain which describe the streets and roads here quite well.

We met with the Rotary Club of Port Au Prince last night. It was a very quiet and nice event and they treated us like royalty. The club is the first in Haiti, 1962 with 23 members and meets at the El Rancho Hotel. The membership target for this year is 28 so a Net plus 5. Great job on their part.

Traveling from the Montana to the El rancho was a special event. There were approximately 200 UN armed Troops surrounding the hotel and it seemed half as many vehicles, Hummers, Jeeps and other war type stuff. Apparently there was a meeting of foreign ministers going on. If they had saved the manpower and fuel from last nights visit, they probably could have supplied Power to half of the city, but I guess first things first.

Interestingly the main Capital City has no power a lot of the time and all big businesses, Hotels, banks, supermarkets have generators that they run more often than not. They also import water by the tanker. You can imagine the cost of doing business. I guess that explains why the hotel room at the Montana is $198.00 US per night and Atlantis is going to be around $160.00 for our District Conference.

We are meeting with the club boards today and have a meeting this evening with the Petionville Club.

I have included a couple of pictures from last night. Internet access will be very limited over the next 2 weeks so updates will be sporadic. I will do my best to keep you up to speed.


Sorry, I am having a problem sending the pictures. I will try later.