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Cap-Haitian - Haiti Observer Blog

Cap-Haitian, Haiti Observer Blog. Read the following articles about Cap-Haitian


 

Cap-Haitian, an overview of the City and its shape

Haiti got its name from the Arawak word meaning 'mountainous land', and the soaring, monolithic mountains, green and dotted by an assortment of trees, with very few visible settlements to interrupt nature's design on display in Cap Haitian, give credence to this moniker. However, Cap Haitian's man-made beauty also comes in the form of the streets and buildings where life abounds. Bustling towns, almost certainly overpopulated but opposingly free of traffic, pulse with a vibrant life-blood, set at the foot of these majestic hills which first met Christopher Columbus and his crew aboard the Santa Maria in 1492.

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The city of Cap-Haitian and its long History

Columbus' Santa Maria ran into a coral reef in 1492 and still, supposedly, lays there today, as much a ruin as the once-great city that was Cap Haitian.

The Spanish crew ultimately decided to settle in Santo Domingo in what is now the Dominican Republic, leaving Cap Haitian to the pirates who would influence its first name, Cabo Francés. The French revolution would inspire one in Haiti as well, as the 'freedom and liberty' so valiantly touted by the French masters about the French in France told of an unbearable hypocrisy to the African-descended slaves in Haiti. A 13 year war began and ended near Cabo Francés, with the resulting independence of the enslaved and the country of Haiti. Proudly, they renamed the cape Cap-Haitien after naming their country Haiti, considering it, the site of the most important struggles, the birthplace of their independence.

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The Ruins of Fort Picolet near Cap-Haitian

In 1736, Mr. Larnage began the construction on Fort Picolet as a means of maintaining France's stronghold on the Haitian colony. With the Spanish realm so close at hand in neighboring Dominican Republic, the fort to the west of Cap-Haitien was an important means of keeping the French realm intact against the threat of invaders. When construction finished in 1741, the fort was a grey profusion, sticking out from the side of a rocky promontory, with walls seemingly un-scalable for their height and the danger they presented hanging over the cliff's edge and being out into sea. Atop their walls was a phalanx of cannons, trained and ready for any impending attack, and the steep steps, descending dangerously in most points were a further deterrent to those who would seek invasion.

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Cormier Plage near Cap-Haitian

The vast and beautiful Atlantic Ocean greets you on one side with a pristine, unpolluted beach to beckon you into its shallows. On the other side is a teeming, voluminous botanical garden, overflowing with exotic plants, flowers and trees. One of 34 copious, airy guest rooms opens up to you; modestly elegant furnishings and perks like a spacious bathroom, free Wi-Fi and air conditioning make you already glad you came. Then comes the clincher... a walk-out balcony facing the sea and garden that had been beckoning to you since you first arrived.

This is the type of magic the Cormier Plage Hotel and Resort enlists to give its patrons a most wonderful stay. Located so advantageously, it could almost be called the cynosure of Haiti's north coast, Cormier Plage could easily be used as the starting point for a drove of other vacations in nearby Labadee, Cap-Haitien, Amiga Island and more.

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Belly Beach AKA, Coco Beach near Labadee and Cap-Haitian

Belly Beach, also known as Coco Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in Haiti and over years, it has grown into a popular tourist destination. Located near Labadee and Cap-Haitian, it is a perfect sojourn for escapism from the busy urban life. Amidst the exotic beauty of the white sand, blue waters and the hovering greeneries, the Belly Beach is a beautiful little cove that offers various water sports and scores of other entertainments for the tourists.

Remote and almost virgin, the Belly Beach offers gorgeous clear waters and is a port for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. A tropical paradise, the Coco Beach is also known for its beautiful weather and an array of coconut trees surrounding the beach like an impregnable fortress. It is perfect for those who want their imaginations to run wild without being disturbed.

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North Signature Dish - Poul ak Nwa - Chicken with Cashews

What you will need to make Poul ak Nwa - Chicken with Cashews
:
• 6 Chicken pieces (Three thighs and three legs preferably)
• 1 tbsp. of Tomato Paste
• 1 Lime
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 4 tbsp. parsley
• 4 tbsp. garlic
• 4 tbsp. thyme
• 4 tbsp. scallions
• Salt (to taste)
• 4 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 cup of cashews (raw)
• 2 tbsp. of Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp. of black pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion (red or white)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chicken bouillon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. of chopped hot pepper (optional)

What you should do:
1) Juice the lime and set juice aside.
2) Clean chicken pieces with the squeezed lime then rinse in cold water and use paper towel to pat the pieces dry.
3) Combine chicken and parsley, black pepper, garlic, thyme, onion powder, scallions, reserved lemon juice, salt and pepper, then marinate for two hours (preferably overnight).
4) In a heavy pot, add chicken and let stew on medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Boil cashews in a separate pot in water until cooked halfway. Drain and set water aside as well as cashews.
6) Empty pot of chicken and its juices, then add oil and tomato paste to the pot while stirring. Cook tomato paste for a few minutes and add chicken to be browned all around, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
7) Add tomatoes, bouillon, onions and hot pepper. Cook for five minutes then stir in cashews, adding water from cashews as necessary.
8) Cook for a half hour or until chicken and cashews are cooked. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

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Sunrise Airways to Bring More Tourism to Haiti

Cap Haitien is about to get an uptick in tourism this summer. Sunrise Airways, a new airliner, has submitted an application to Turk and Caicos Islands (TCI) Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) to ferry passengers between Providenciales and Cap Haitien International Airports (IA).

Sunrise Airways' application must be made public to permit competing air-passenger carriers to make objections. If objections are made, a hearing will be held to determine their validity. The outcome of the hearing will be the deciding factor to either approve or refuse the air carrier an operating license. If no one raises objections, the application will proceed through the review process and sign-offs more quickly. TCI ATLA Director, Tom Swann, has reported to the news media he is not aware of any objections to Sunrise Airways' planned service route.

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Christian University of North Haiti - Universite Chretienne du Nord d'Haiti (UCNH)

The Christian University of North Haiti aims to prepare people for better Christian lives. They offer scholarships and are uniquely placed to give aid to those in the country outside the scope of a tertiary education because of their lack of proximity to the cities which house contemporary universities. The school offers a four-year tertiary education from its Limbe location in northern Haiti, near Cap Haitian, going for a rate that is attainable for the poorer set in the more rural environs.

The endeavor began in 1947, when missionaries obtained the location from the owners of a rubber plantation and started a seminary camp which averaged fifteen students a year. That number rose exponentially and today, hundreds of students are enrolled at UCNH.

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Father of Cap-Haitian Football, Paul Calixte - Dead

In high-school sports, no one is more revered, respected, and loved than Paul Calixte. Born to a privileged family in Cap-Haitien, he studied at Les Freres de l'Instruction Chretienne Grade School and graduated from College Notre Dame High School. After his studies, he remained as an instructor at College Notre Dame. He won his first of five football championships in 1972 that encouraged him to form the Football Inter-Club Association.

As a coach Paul Calixte believes in developing well-rounded personalities. He places just as much emphasis on grades as he does on winning a game. For half-a-century he has taught in high schools in Haiti and mentored scores of students through the thorny teen years.

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Alexandre Lerouge - Cap-Haitian

Alexandre Lerouge, an outspoken school teacher of 62 years old from Cap-Haitian's northern town, became an opposition leader popularly elected under Duvalier dictatorship regime. Alexandre Lerouge had been repeatedly opposing soaring inflation and official corruption during his election campaigns. A Haitian businessman said, after the Feb 11, 1979 victory of Alexandre Lerouge that first time throughout the Duvalier regime did the government backed down and in case Alexandre did not win the election, the angry crowd would have burned down the entire Cap-Haitian into ashes.

It was reported that prior to the election, incendiary devices and Molotov cocktails were readied in large scale in Cap-Haitian before the election kicked off. This was a fallback measure for the Cap-Haitian people in case the government decided to interfere with the election. The Duvalier regime used to hold an election every 6 years which rubber-stamped the instructions of the President for Life, Jean-Claude Duvalier. However, nothing really changed and the liberalization by the Baby Doc was actually a ploy to increase the inflow of foreign aid that never led to any kind of substantial changes.

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