The Natural Splendor of Haiti

When I traveled to Haiti for the first time, I expected to be moved. For centuries, the island was called the "Pearl of the Caribbean" and the waterfalls and rolling, emerald mountains that prompted Tainos to name the paradise Ayiti, which means mountainous land. was just one of the reasons. But I didn't even consider this. I expected to be thrilled because as the world's first Black Republic, Haiti represents the pride of Black people. Haitians dared to snatch their freedom back from a European power and its entrenched system of slavery and injustice. Despite decades of contemporary oppression and natural disaster, Haitian pride and spirit remain intact. That's what I came to experience. But I was blown away because it's not just the Haitian people and culture that are beautiful but the land itself. There were so many aspects of  Haiti that mesmerized me, my instagram is already overloaded with them. So I thought that I would start with the landscape first. The island's hallmarks are the many mountains and hills, as you can see from the photo above.

Historic ruins almost blend into the landscape so that there is an ancient, reverent vibe to the island. That's Sans Souci Palace above and I'll be discussing the significance of  landmarks like this in future posts.

Haiti is also very green, trees, plants and parks like these are all over the island.

In bustling Port Au Prince, the scene is more urban but there are still parks and trees to remind you that Haiti's natural beauty takes many forms.