Haiti is a poverty-stricken land of urban overpopulation, bared hillsides and a people suffering the injuries of civil strife & oppression. It is as well a vibrant country of colourful art, wonderful music, cloud forests & an intensely spiritual people whose humor & passion are legendary.

Haiti's clime is generally hot and humid, & temperatures vary more over the course of a day than from season to season. Highs are usually around 30°C (85°F), while night time lows can reach 20°C (65°F) and drop markedly at higher elevations. The rainy season varies: along the northerly coast, it runs from Oct to May, while the southerly claw can expect rain from May to October.

Port-au-Prince

Gingerbread trim and a view of the harbour are about all Port-au-Prince has in common with other Caribbean capitals. It's jammed with people soldiership on amidst rundown buildings, open sewers, bright coloured murals and taptaps, public buses emblazoned sustaining fine art and Creole sayings.

Much of the activity is focused on the Marche de Fer (the Iron Market), a 19th-century iron and tin mixture of Parisian class and African style. It's pandemonium inside, packed with stalls, vendors & piles of fruit, baskets, soap, religious totems & toys. It's hot, noisy and overwhelming.