While on my visit to Haiti the two transportation systems I used the most were the Tap-tap buses and the motor bikes. The Tap-tap didn't require any negotiations with the driver. The prices are all set. The motorbikes however, required some negotiating to get to your destination. The motor bikes are the fastest means of transportation because they can move through traffic quickly.
Tap-Tap buses
The Haitian Tap- tap buses are usually around $15GUD. These Tap-tap buses are the modern day taxi services that take you anywhere. They are located in several locations throughout cities such as Petionville and Port-au-Prince. All the Tap-taps have specified routes that they take. When passengers hop on the Tap-tap buses, everyone on the Tap-tap greets the newcomer by saying "bonjour," " bonsoir," or "bon nuit," depending on the time of day. When you want to get off at your stop, you hit the glass behind the driver so the driver knows to stop. If you are sitting at the end of the Tap-tap bus, any one of the passengers will hit the glass for you and the driver will stop. Once you get off at your stop, you pay the driver.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes or “moto” are other means of transportation in Haiti. They are more expensive than the Tap-tap, but they get you to your destination quicker. Motorbikes are found in the same areas as Tap-tap buses. The motorbike drivers travel in packs. They all know each other. Its a form of safety. All the prices can be negotiated Locals usually use the same person for traveling on motorbikes because the locals want to build a relationship and set a firm price. It's always good to go with the same motorbike driver in case an emergency situation.
El Conde
If you are a tourist in Santo Domingo such as myself. The Typical tourist spot is located in the Conde or El Conde, it starts on the intersection of Calle Palo Hincado and continues down to the Harbor. This one street goes down a little more than 2 miles, you can find hotels, hostels, restaurants, tourist gift shops, cellphone stores, massage, paintings, barbershops, bars, clubs, historic sites, and street performers. El Conde is a one stop shop to everything you need.
Chinatown or Barrio Chino
Chinatown or Barrio Chino is your other option to shopping in Santo Domingo. If you are feeling a little more adventurous and want to practice your bargaining skills, Barrio Chino is the place for you. You can either walk to Barrio Chino, take the bus, or a taxi. Walking takes about 15 minutes from El Conde, take Av.Mella. Make sure you get a map if its your first time. Like El Conde, you can find everything you want in Barrio Chino but for a cheaper price. Just make sure you check the quality before purchasing. In that same area, you will find alleyways of people selling and doing hair, sugarcane, and different types street foods.
Thrift shops and stores around Barrio Chino
Intersections such as Ravelo and Juana Saltitopa, Ave. Jose Marti, and nearby streets a filled with street vendors selling jeans, fruits, sandals, jeans, CD's, movies, belts, shoes, shirts and anything else you could think of. Similar to Barrio Chino, they are very cheap and you can bargain with the vendors to get a better prices. The place is usually packed with tourists and locals looking for great deals.
The Malls
The Mega malls are also a great place to shop. If you don’t like to bargain, these places are great to walk around and enjoy the Air conditioned environment. The malls offer local and international products.
Since I was staying at the Conde on Calle Palo Hincado, some friends and I took the bus on Av. Bolivar and Uruguay to San Jose de Ocoa. The first bus comes at 7am and is marked Ocoa on the back of the van. The trip is about $250 pesos and takes about 1.5hrs to 2hrs depending on the traffic. You can take the bus in several different areas, just ask the nearest taxi or hotel for information and they will know. One thing to note is they don’t except foreign money on the bus because it costs them to exchange it. Bring extra DOP if necessary. Along the way to San Jose De Ocoa, the bus makes several stops. As you wait for the bus and while at each station, people will be selling food and drinks in case you are hungry. Its part of the business, everyone has to make money. The bus has AC, a driver and another worker that collects the cash and yells out bus to Ocoa at each station we stopped. The seats are comfortable and the bus is clean. As the bus gets closer to San Jose de Ocoa, it gets a little cramped. Make sure you don't sit on the hump or else you will get cramps.
I enjoyed the bus ride to Ocoa because it was scenic. It gave me the opportunity to see different parts of Santo Domingo and the nearby towns or villages in route to San Jose De Ocoa. Once you get closer to the mountains, the scenery is beautiful. As we changed elevation, you will see the beautiful landscapes that make up the Dominican Republic. At the time that we were heading to San Jose de Ocoa, they were rebuilding the roads on the mountains. It was explained to me that during the hurricane seasons or earthquakes, the road gets ruined and its hard for them to reach San Jose de Ocoa and other villages in the area. They are rebuilding the roads to make it easier to reach San Jose de Ocoa and the other small villages in times of emergency.
A lot of my traveling is done on my own whether it be international or domestic. People always ask me how do I it and I tell them it's easy. Here are a few steps that you can take to be comfortable with traveling by yourself.
If you are traveling in a country where the primary language is not fluent to you, take a few weeks or a month to familiarize yourself with the basics, like hello, direction, ordering food or room accommodation. Think about the conversations you have everyday.
If you are using a program or dictionary to learn a foreign language and you can't find someone to practice with, practice with yourself. Talk to yourself, everyone does it anyway. Whether it's mentally thinking the words or verbally saying them.
To get comfortable with the idea of traveling alone, start out by going to see a movie by yourself. This will help you start to lose the feeling of insecurity. Don't worry about what people are saying about you. Once you've seen a few movies, the next step is going to dinner by yourself a few times and enjoying your own company. This will add a whole new level of self-identity and self-worth to your life. If you can handle that, go to a bar, club, or lounge. Ask people to dance, talk to strangers, see how that makes you feel. At this point you should be very secure with yourself.
The first two or three nights of my trips I always stay in hostels. They are cheap and usually as good as some hotels. If it's your first time using a hostel, make sure you book one that's highly rated. The benefit of staying at a hostel is you will meet lots of people traveling alone or with a group. If you notice them speaking the same language as you, just chat with them. The fact that you both are travelers gives you something in common. Hostels are a great way to make friends. I've had some of my greatest travel experiences with people who I've met staying at hostels.
Get a GSM phone that's unlocked and buy a sim-card so you can have a local number. This is great because it makes you more accessible and you can contact people who you meet without worrying about overseas charges.
Don't walk around with large sums of money. It's always good to carry just enough money to do what it is you came to do. Have an international debit or credit card that doesn't have foreign exchange fee's. There are plenty of them. Always keep a separate bank account with small dollar amounts just in case.
Go to tourist markets and observe what's going on. Look at the interactions between the foreigners and locals. Don't buy anything. Get an idea of the environment. Let your senses take over and enjoy where you are. Take mental notes of the prices. Learn to bargain and learn to walk away from a deal.
Talk to strangers but use common sense. Talk to people who you notice speaks the same language as you.
Bring a camera, notepad, computer, extra batteries, and external hard drive to save all your pictures. A great app and software to download is Dropbox because you can save your files and share them with anyone who uses it anywhere in the world. If your computer crashes and you've already saved your files on Dropbox, you will be able to reach them.
Once you are done with the tourists locations, visit non tourist places to get a feel for the real culture. Get a feel for the people who live there and who are not in the resort areas. See what day-to-day life is. This is all part of investing yourself in the culture. You will see that it makes you a better traveler because you are strengthening skills you already have.
Invest yourself in the culture. Don't eat or go to places that you would normally go to at home. Locals love it when you make an effort to try their food and speak the language. Remember you are on vacation but more importantly a cultural experience to find out more about yourself. So eat what the locals eat. A fellow traveler by name of Shaahidah also said that traveling alone also gives you a sense of inner peace and good time to meditate.
Be grateful that you have the opportunity to travel. Some people never get that chance. Your experiences are your own, no one will ever appreciate them as much as you. Once you've down enough traveling and investing yourself in the culture, traveling will become addicting and you won't even care that you are traveling alone. At this point, you will have met some incredible people who made your experience worthwhile.
I remember getting my first passport stamp from my first international experience. It was my first trip to Singapore. I stared at the book for a few minutes taking it all in. Excited that I arrived. Since then, I've been excited to get stamps in my passport. I remember being so disappointed when I drove to Canada and they wouldn't stamp the passport. I begged and pleaded but they wouldn't do it. If you've received stamps in your passport, you know the feeling. But for those of you don't know the feeling, let me try to explain the addiction. Passport stamps are great because it proves that you've been somewhere. The passport and the stamps is the history of your travel life. Each stamp has its own unique story. It's a conversation piece. Stamps are cool to look at. After you get your first stamp, you get a strong urge to want more. Sometimes I open up my book and I stare at it and reminisce about what I did on that trip and the people that I've met along the way. The stamps are tangible histories that you cherish for life and always keep with you. It's my personal goal to collect a new stamp every year.
okvaca.com
When I first arrived in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, I heard cars beeping everywhere. Living in the states the last several years, beeping the horn only means bad things like road rage and curse words. However, in Haiti and in the Dominican Republic, it's more of a friendly beep. It calls for attention that the driver is coming close to an intersection or around the corner. It's more of a “I'm coming through” watch out. In major cities such as Port-au-Prince, Petionville, and Santo Domingo, there are few stop signs in the area. So people honk their horns a lot. Signaling to change lanes seems more like an afterthought. If a car is driving to slow, the driver will beep their horn to let them know that they are going to pass them on the right or left shoulders. In the United States, when a car is driving slow, people usually drive up close behind them, flash the high beams, or drive past them real fast and flip up the middle finger. Its more of a disrespect when people beep in the United States like “Beep” “Get the freak out of my way you idiot.” One thing I’ve noticed between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is that drivers in the Dominican Republic pay more attention to pedestrians. If you get hit in Haiti, its your fault for not paying attention.
You can book the bus either by internet or person. I suggest you do it in person if possible. Book your tip in advance. Only tickets purchased in advance are guaranteed a spot on the bus. The staff speaks good enough English to help you with your transaction. For a directory of buses and other services in Haiti, use FlashHaiti.com
Key things you need to know. If you want to read my experience go further down.
1. Price of ticket is $40 and $30 tax for single trip
2. Price for round trip ticket is $65-70USD and $30 tax
3. They provide food on the bus
4. The Bus arrives between 6-7hrs depending on traffic
5. You will not get world class service but service none the less
6. The morning shift workers will carry your bags to the bus and you do not have to tip, these guys will be wearing red shirts
7. The bus is clean and up to date, no wifi, but has a car charger, toilet, and AC
8. One of the Terra Bus workers exchanges money to Dominican DOP if you require it
9. No ATM at the border so bring cash in case you want to purchase anything
10. They provide immigration/customs cards to fill out for when you get to the DR border and they handle your immigration paper (green paper) from when you entered Haiti
While visiting family in Petionville, I decided to take a vacation in Santo Domingo. Depending on the company, the first bust leaves at 8am and the 2nd bus leaves at 10pm. I decided to use Terra Buses services to get me to Santo Domingo. After we left Petionville, the bus stops at another Terra bus station where the passengers are going through the same process that you went through this morning. These passengers will be added to your bus. While at the station you could use the restroom and buy something to eat and enjoy the nice weather. Please note that the bus does provide food service for you. Around noon they served rice and beans, griyo (pork), and salad, and either water or soda to drink.The Terra bus arrived at the DR/Haiti border immigration around 4.5hrs 12:30pm) after our departure from Petionville. The place looks underdeveloped and unmanaged. Its made up of 3 construction type buildings. Basically an open layout, where anyone could come in and out regardless or not if they are crossing the border. The employees who are traveling with us did not explain what was going on, all they did was give us our passport and told us to get outside. Using common sense, we walked over to the immigration line that said enter and handed the man our passport and the immigration/customs card and received a stamp. As you are doing this, you are bombarded by Dominicans and Haitians who work the area. They are selling drinks, sim cards, chargers, candy, and services to take your bag to the checkout counter. The problem with this whole situation is the employees are dressed like the hustlers working the area, you can't tell who is trying to help or hustle you. It's a huge mess of people just walking around and talking in your ear. Unless you are not capable of doing so, I suggest you carry your own luggage to and from the bus because the staff at Terra bus will not help you. If you are strapped for cash, you might want to change some of your Haitian Gourde to Dominican Pesos, they give you within 10 pesos of the actual exchange rate. If you haven’t been to the Dominican Republic and didn’t plan ahead, I suggest you exchange a small amount of cash. As we were leaving, I expected the Terra bus to do a headcount of passengers, they failed to do so. On top of that we received additional passengers.
One thing that I've learned from traveling is that everyone has a hustle (making money). If you are a farmer, you better be a great seller, and negotiator in order to get your produce to the masses. All the streets are packed with people trying to sell goods to local citizens or foreigners. It's a way of living. If you've ever seen the movie “slum dog millionaire” you will get a good understanding of the hustle that I am referring to. If you are a seasoned traveler, you will understand what I am referring to.
Streets are filled with moms displaying their kids to foreigners in order to get pocket change, hoping that the kids make the foreigners feel guilty about what they are seeing. Meat is being sold on every corner on a grill, or meat on a stick. As you walk up random streets to Kabwa you will notice, people on the side of the road with ice boxes, selling beer and other drinks. Fruit stands are everywhere, people are balancing water, meat, soda, cell phones, on their head. It's a balancing skill that they've developed and mastered since being a kid. Passed down from family member to family member.
Kids on motorbikes are providing rides to locals and foreigners alike for a few US dollars. One thing I've learned is at night, in busy areas, it better to take a motorbike than it is to get in a taxi. Of course this changes by location but from what I've seen, you travel faster through motorbikes because they can escape the traffic.
When your stopped at the traffic light some old man or young person is trying to clean your car window or knocking at the door hoping to get some loose change to help them make it through the day.
But one of the downfalls of that hustle to maintain is prostitution, young females/males, either by choice or by threats, are thrown into this dangerous world. Giving up their body to make a few dollars. Money either goes to a pimp or to serve their family. By the time they are in their late thirties, they've been with hundreds and sometimes thousands of customers. Its a never ending cycle, you will find prostitution, especially the illegal ones, in almost every corner of the globe. Because its a huge money maker, I seriously doubt it will ever end.
One thing I implore you is to recognize when you are being hustled yourself. Take precautions to protect yourself and enjoy your next trip.
The village of Kabwa is located on the outskirts of the capital city. It overlooks Petionville, Marlique, and other areas. A lot of the people living there are my relatives. It's where my mother is from and currently resides. The people are known as the people from the mountains. I haven’t been there in over 20yrs just to give you some background information. Driving up to Kabwa, you either need a Truck or SUV with 4 wheel drive or a motorbike/dirt bike. Part of the roads are paved on the way up and the majority of it is dirt and rocks that formed into a road as trucks and local villagers walk down to the city. There's no guardrail to keep you from falling off the edge. Speeding is not advised. If you walk the path, you better adjust your body weight accordingly or else you will feel pain. Walking to the city takes about an hour.
Overlooking the capital
With that being said, the area is very beautiful and well maintained. Deforestation doesn't seem to be a problem. Which each step that you take, you will be amazed by the view of the city, the ocean, and the mountains across the way. As I walked through the path, I just wanted to take a moment and take it all in. I wondered if the villagers even bothered to take notice of the beauty in front of them anymore. After awhile, they probably get used to seeing it and it becomes mundane. With me seeing it for the first time, I stopped and take it all in. I take a few pictures and move on.
in Kabwa, Haiti
Homes are build all over these mountains. They are mostly made of concrete and stone from the neighboring rocks. Goats are walking around freely, dogs, cats, chickens, cows, all taking the same path or stopping by to eat. Farmers were tending to their flock and their land, growing corn, and whatever else they needed to get by. Some of the homes had outhouses a few minutes away, some were connected, the roofs were made from metal and wood, others were made from cement. There was no need for carpet or wood floors. Just cement, easier to clean and didn't deteriorate as fast over time.
The people were humble and welcoming. Everyone knew each other in this small community. Neighboring houses were build only a few meters from each other and some hundreds of yards away. They welcomed me back into their community as if I had never left. As each person came by, they all greeted me and introduced themselves as my cousin or a family friend. It was great to be around family. My mother made me go from neighbor to neighbor introducing myself. Some of them told me stories of my father and other family members. Some of the best stories I've ever heard.
Cooking in this area was done through wood burning outside of the house. This is something that the people in this community, my relatives, have mastered and passed down from family to family. My mother had a gas stove that she only used for emergencies. All sorts of fruits bore from the trees which the people ate and sold down in the city. When people cooked, they ate every last drop, there were no left overs to keep in the fridge for the next day because there was no fridge. To many blackouts happened in this part of the country. The hustle and bustle of the big city took all of the power. Things like fridges, HD television, and the internet, mostly resided in the city limits. The blackouts prevented the people of Kabwa from heavily relying on such things, so they created and maintained alternative methods, such as gas lamps, battery operated flashlights, to help them see through the dark nights.Amazingly, cellphone reception was great in the area. I can't even get my network to work in my suburban neighborhood in the States.
Life here was much simpler and I enjoyed the escape from technology driven world. I didn’t have to check my Facebook, email, text messages like my life depended on it. I was back to using things that were necessary. But I couldn't help but think if the people were happy the way they were or thus just learned to maintain. I was visiting, so of course I could maintain this lifestyle for a week and possibly a few months. I don't know if I could do it for years. There was a constant struggle in my head. Should I feel guilty about missing the advancements that the U.S had to offer, should I strive to get these items here to make my vacation more comfortable. I chose to shut up and live the way my mother and my other family members have lived for more than half a century. I started to get used to the lifestyle, eating what they grew, and only using the things you need. Buckets were used to hold water, cups were used to poor water on your body to bath, empty cans, sacks of rice, were further used to carry additional loads. Laundry was done outside by hand, with boiled water and cold water, and hung up to dry with the sunlight.
Meanwhile, I was wondering, why haven’t the roads been paved to make it easier for the villagers to walk to and from the city, why haven't they maintained the conditions of the homes they build. My family owns a lot of land, more so than I could imagine. I kept wondering what will happen to the future of the land, will foreigners come and take it over, or with the continuing overcrowding of the cities, will the government find a way to seize the property and claim it as their own. Countless times in history we have seen this happen, greedy officials and greedy foreign investors plotting to take the land from the people living their and not paying them the value of that land.
If you are ever in Haiti, do visit kabwa and see what it has to offer. I guarantee you will be amazed by the view, the people, and the pristine condition of the land. For the price of
$10-25 Haitian Gud, less than $1usd you could get a ride to the mountain top. As progress continues in the inner city, Kabwa and nearby villages will become hot spots for tourists and citizens of this great country to escape the city life and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the mountains.
I haven’t been back to Haiti since I was 6yrs old. So everything I remember about the country to this point were from the view of a 6yr old. When I left it was 1993. Leaving behind my brothers, sisters, mother, cousins, nearly ¾ of my family so I could have a better life in the United States. Throughout those times and there after, Haiti was in a lot of turmoil, natural disasters, coup d' tat, you name it and Haiti has been through it and despite all of that, the people remain strong. A few years ago, the earthquake happened and suddenly the world knew Haiti again, every country in the world raised money to help the people of this great nation recover. I believe it was over a billion dollars. Exchange that to the Haitian Gud and that’s a whole lot of money to change the face of this country to move it to the next 3 centuries. As I the plane touched down, I didn't arrive with any expectations but to see my family.
Toussaint Louverture
After passing through immigration and collecting my bags, I went outside to the embracing arms of my brother and cousins. Considering how hot it was outside, I was surprised to see people wearing jeans and boots. Taxi cabs official and unofficial were trying to give passengers rides to their destinations. From where we were standing at the airport, you could see the mountains into the distance with homes overlooking the city. It was beautiful. The photographer in me wanted to take some pictures overlooking the city. Trucks and SUV's were everywhere, you name a brand and they had it. We walked to our truck, I hopped in the back and pulled out my camera to take pictures. My cousin who was from the states started describing the changes that were made. As we took the back roads to Marlique and Kabwa he pointed out the abundance of huts that’s the people affected by the earthquake lived in. At this point its been several years since the earthquake and these people still did not have their original homes. People were covered in dirt and just hanging around the side of the road watching cars drive by. Each hut or shelter was located right next to another hut, so privacy was at a minimum. But I’m guessing that was the least of the problems.
Okvaca-Haiti Street Vendors
As we drove up the dirt roads, it quickly became apparent why everyone drove trucks as apposed to small four door vehicles, everywhere we drove was a hill that required 4 wheel drive. In a few minutes of driving around Port-au Prince, I've seen more suv's and trucks then I have in the states. If you've been to the USA, you know people love their big body vehicles. I remember all the commercials of trucks and Suv's showing them overhauling big tools, and driving on dirt roads, and just doing things that trucks were made for, but most people who owned these things never did. But out here in Haiti, these trucks were doing exactly what the commercials depicted.
Dirt roads of Haiti
At this point it was around 2pm and school kids were everywhere dressed in uniform, carrying books, laughing, buying food and beverages from local food vendors. I felt bad because the dirt from the trucks created a dust bowl that covered the kids clothing. After a few trucks drove by I suppose it was time to wash your clothes and take a shower. The dirt mixed with the heat and sweat did not make for a good day to day experience. But I guess they learned to deal with it. Driving further up into the mountains you focus less on the details in front of you and try to capture the view of the city from the mountains. Most of the homes were not painted so they were the original color of the concrete, each home looking identical. We drove past street vendors, police, poor, rich, and people of all races.
With my cousin serving as the tour guide, he pointed out house of former dictator Devouile, the home of the current president, officials from Venezuela. As you can imagine, the roads were a whole lot cleaner and paved with nicely laid out bricks or blacktop cement. These house were painted and each one designed differently, architectural masterpieces. My cousin explained that it was always this way, the current President, former world renowned musician Michel Martelly “Sweet Micky” was making a strong effort to provide bridges, paved roads with proper drainage, and garbage collectors. Trash collectors were badly needed because people just threw out their garbage where they saw fit. Overall, I thought Haiti was changing for the better.
Motorbikes
Motorbikes or “moto” are other means of transportation in Haiti. They are more expensive than the Tap-tap, but they get you to your destination quicker. Motorbikes are found in the same areas as Tap-tap buses. The motorbike drivers travel in packs. They all know each other. Its a form of safety. All the prices can be negotiated Locals usually use the same person for traveling on motorbikes because the locals want to build a relationship and set a firm price. It's always good to go with the same motorbike driver in case an emergency situation.
