Don't forget the sunscreen!

The fence that surrounds Labadee Beach.
(Beth took this photo)

The last attraction that the area around Cap-Haitian boasts is the beach, specifically Labadee beach.  Large cruise ships anchor here and a private beach has been built up into a tourist paradise.  There has been a lot of controversy over this.  Royal Caribbean Cruise line rents the beach from the government and has blocked it off from the public.  Only people who are employed by the cruise line or who are vacationers are allowed on the land.  Folks are not allowed to leave to experience the Haiti  that lies beyond the fence surrounding the beach.  Royal Caribbean has a deal with the government until 2050.  The cruise line agreed to pay the government of Haiti $10 US for every tourist who steps foot on the beach and they have invested millions of dollars into the development of the beach.  Although they employ many people as well as sell their art from the village of Labadie (name was changed to make it easier for tourists to spell), the village still struggles with electricity and the condition of the roads to Labadee are poor.  Royal Caribbean has provided some assistance for local education and after the earthquake, the cruise line gave $1 million of aid and helped transport supplies to Haiti.

Our first view.  (Beth's photos)

We stayed at a smaller beach near Labadie village called Belly Beach.  Our beach was open to the public.  The hotel itself was pretty empty, but tons of people, both Haitians as well as crew members from the ship with their days off were there to enjoy the beach, eat and relax.  We spent most of the day swimming, snorkeling and doing various other beach activities.  In the evenings, we went into the village for food and to walk around.  There was such a strong juxtaposition between sitting by the water in the town with kids asking for money and food and then seeing the huge, shiny cruise ship with tons of passengers shuffling too and fro.

It was great to be on the beach for a few days, but it always felt a little strange to see so much tourism.  It was like seeing a world within a world.  On the inside were jet-skis, water adventures, the longest zipline above water, beach cabanas and frozen beverages.  Outside was poverty, hunger and need.  It was odd to think about how closed off Haiti was from Labadee and how the vacationers were closed off from the people and the surrounding culture.  Even though our beach was "open" to the public, it was still really only open to the select - the wealthiest Haitians and us.  Although I still haven't really been able to put my finger on the feeling I was having throughout the trip, I think the best word is disconnect.  As soon as we got on the first tap-tap to take us back to Gros Morne, it was like stepping back into reality.

Among the group, we have tons of pictures.  It was hard to choose so here's a bunch.  I actually didn't take that many pictures (classic Katie).  This first half are from Beth and the rest are mine.

Labadee beach.

Attempt 1.  Fail. 

Our last supper!  Fish (it was fantastic), rice, banans and pikliz.

Fish always tastes better when you're on the water!!

Our failed jumping attempt.  We tried a few times and never got it.

I have a picture like this from every ocean I've been to.  Although it's still the Atlantic, it felt and looked so different than the Atlantic I'm used to, I took a picture anyway.

One of my favorites!

It's kind of hard to see, but directly under the sun is the village of Labadie.  Behind the farther rock point was our beach.  We had to take the water version of a tap-tap to and from the village to our hotel and then to get back to where we would get a tap-tap back to Cap-Haitian.

Belly Beach

Some of the water taxis.

We saw tons of these!

One of the meals we found.  This was a restaurant that was still under construction.  They initially gave us a price that was way too much for us and then said they had no food and then finally gave us leftovers (who knows where they came from).  They actually weren't that bad as long as you didn't question their origin.

It's hard to tell, but that's actually American TV – Jimmy Fallon (special guest Daniel Radcliff) in English!

Elisa took this.