Beyond the mountains, there are mountains.

It rained most of the night, but that didn't change our plans to hike early in the morning. We left at 6 a.m., just in time to catch the sunrise as we started our ascent.

The altitude is much higher here than in Pittsburgh, so I was wheezing when we first set out, but I adjusted faster than I anticipated. The hike up was almost vertical through thick vegetation. It took about half an hour to get to the summit.

What a view! Oh my goodness. Haiti might beat Croatia for the most beautiful country I've been in. We spent another half hour or so on the mountaintop taking pictures and just admiring the view. A few of the kids came with us, so we got pictures with them too. I Lion Kinged the littlest girl. She didn't appreciate the reference, but she laughed and laughed when I held her up like Rafiki with Simba.

To the top, Johnny!
Photo by Haiti H2O.

The trip down was longer and more level than the one up. We passed many locals, either on their way to their gardens in the mountains or leading animals (we even saw hummingbirds!) Round trip, the hike took about two hours and was gorgeous every step of the way. It was also punctuated by Michael's animal noises. He can sound exactly like a goat, pig, sheep, chicken, donkey, horse, cricket, dog - any animal we encounter. It was amusing to point to every animal we crossed and immediately get a vocal response from Michael. He's uncanny.

Breakfast was ready when we returned, which meant more of that phenomenal Haitian coffee and spamghetti. Then we packed and said our goodbyes to our friends in Plain Matin.

Next stop was the house at Les Cayes, where we all dropped our bags and changed into bathing suits, then drove about half an hour to the beach at Port-Salut on the west coast. Because I get seasick in the sea (even just standing there. I know, I'm pathetic.), I got in the water just long enough to try it and cool off a bit (it's much warmer here than in the mountains). Then I discovered there are hermit crabs all over the sand. I showed one to Orlean, but she was not nearly as delighted as I am.

Now I'm sitting on the beach under a palm tree, toes in the sand, drinking Prestige (the best-selling beer in Haiti) and enjoying the sights and sounds of the Caribbean Sea while a stray dog sleeps to my left. Vendors keep coming right up to my beach chair and trying to sell me straw hats decorated with Haitian flags and/or the name "Port-Salut." There are so many rowboats lined up on shore and I kind of want to take one, but I don't know if they're public access or if that would be commandeering a vessel. I guess I'll just hang out here and wait for the lobster to finish cooking. Not a bad way to begin the end of my time in Haiti!

Me, Olivia and Kristen at Port-Salut, Sud, Haiti.
Photo by Sandy M.