 Photo Credit: Canadian Embassy in Haiti By: Ford Pierre
The Palace of the Belle River, or Palace of 365 Doors is among the most beautiful tourist sites in Haiti, a true masterpiece of art and culture. architecture, whose fame is based on its splendor and in particular its 365 doors. In reality, around two centuries old, this fascinating building, close to the Artibonite river, remains a source of curiosity with its beautiful, ingenious but above all unusual structure. In this article you will discover some details that you do not know about this magnificent royal castle, the darling of the commune of Petite rivière de l'Artibonite. Historical Background of the Palace of 365 Doors in Haiti The “Belle Rivière Palace”, better known as the “365-door palace”, is located precisely in Petite Rivière de l'Artibonite, built during the reign of King Henri Christophe, in order to better establish his kingdom on the entire extent of the greater northern region of Haiti, particularly in the department of Artibonite. This building was built between the years 1816 and 1820, by a French architect named Louis Dupeyrac, to serve as a residence for Henri 1er, nicknamed "king builder" according to history, because of his many constructions during his period of governance of the northern part of Haiti, divided at the time after the assassination of the father of Haitian independence, Jean Jacques Dessalines. Construction of the Haitian Belle-Rivière palace Its construction started in 1816, but was still under construction during the fall of the kingdom of the North, in October 1820, the Belle-Rivière palace, which should have been composed of several levels, unfortunately remained unfinished. On the other hand, in terms of importance, this palace is the second after that of Sans Souci, on the list of nine built by Christophe. It should be noted that the Palais de la Belle-Rivière had already undergone major restoration and completion work as part of an intervention that was made under the presidency of Sténio Vincent, in April 1932. According to the 'ISPAN, the building has a rectangular plan 68 meters long and 11 meters wide. Its walls are made of stone masonry and clay bricks, bound by a lime mortar. On its west facade is attached a vast rotunda, 12 meters in diameter. The east facade, rear, is distinguished in its axis by a projection surmounted by a reinforced concrete pediment, added during the intervention of 1932. At the same time, it was decided to provide the roof with a sheet metal cover. corrugated supported by a wooden frame. The structure of the palace, then in ruins, was consolidated, its walls coated with cement plaster and its numerous openings fitted with wooden shutters. About 82 years later, under the presidency of Michel Joseph Martelly, a second rehabilitation of this monument was carried out by the National Heritage Preservation Institute (ISPAN). This restoration and exterior development work took place under the direction of the Haitian architect Philippe Châtelain. Contrary to what we believed, the palace with 365 doors does not really have 365 doors. Indeed, King Henry had the project to build this building with several levels and a total of 365 doors, but he could not achieve this goal. So the building is so called, because of its many openings. Classified as National Heritage of the Republic of Haiti by a presidential decree published on August 23, 1995, it is a place of memory symbolizing a glorious past of the Haitian people.
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 Photo credit: Viator
By: Ford Pierre A military building of indisputable beauty, the Citadelle Laferrière is an architectural marvel among the countless attractive sites abounding in the Caribbean. Indeed, from a height of 914 meters above sea level, it has dominated the entire city of Cape Town and eastern Cuba for two centuries. For a better experience, fasten your seat belts, because this article offers you a short tour of Haiti, more precisely in the North department, to show you around this gigantic fortress, one of the largest and most beautiful on the American continent. Where is Citadelle Laferrière, Haiti, located? Located in Milot, at the top of the Bonnet à l'Évêque, at the southern end of a ridge, is the Citadelle Laferrière, also called Citadelle Henri. It is a majestic military fortification, built the day after the proclamation of Haiti's independence, under the orders of King Henry Christophe, with the aim of defending the northern part of the island against any possible return of French settlers. At that time, Haiti's independence was still fragile, it was necessary to preserve this hard-won freedom. Architectural details of Haiti's Citadelle Laferrière Erected at more than 900 meters above sea level and extending over an area of approximately 10,000 square meters, with walls that rise up to 130 feet in height and more than 5 meters in thickness, it has the capacity to accommodate between 2000 and 5000 men. It composes with Fort Ramier which is in the center of the plateau, the largest arsenal of the time, with cannons of all kinds, two hundred balls and other artillery pieces. Throughout its structure, the Citadel gives off an impression of strength and power, which illustrates well the defensive role it played in post-colonial times. Equipped with bakery ovens, but also very large cisterns to store water and also warehouses to store food for a period of one year for 5,000 soldiers, its structure makes it possible to collect rainwater in order to to redistribute it for the services of the fort, the food of the palace Sans Souci and the inhabitants of the region. How long did it take to construct the Citadelle Laferrière? Inaugurated 18 years after independence, its construction lasted fourteen years and required more than 20,000 workers, while 2,000 of them would have lost their lives on the job. What is even more interesting is that the blood of the latter, with a mixture of animal blood, molasses, sand, clay to name a few, would constitute the mortar of this monument, which still explains its solidity, according to the opinion of the guides. Despite its solidity, part of the Citadel was damaged in 1842, following a powerful earthquake that seriously shook the town of Milot. Fortunately, thanks to the National Heritage Preservation Institute (ISPAN), reconstruction work has been carried out to safeguard this imposing building. UNESCO made it a world heritage site in 1982. Explore more pictures we've taken through the years of the inside and surroundings of Citadelle Laferrière here. Why is Citadelle Laferrière important? Finally, even two centuries later, the Citadelle Laferrière continues to tell the story. It is synonymous with resistance and resilience. This site is much more than a touristic importance for the Haitian people, it is a living witness of its past greatness. It has become today the symbol of pride of an entire nation. Check out more pictures of Citadelle Laferrière and the surrounding area of Cap-Haïtien on our blog.
What are your favorite memories or places in Haiti?
 Photo credit: Trip Advisor By: Ford Pierre One of the most beautiful tourist sites in the country of Haiti is located in the center of the capital (Port-au-Prince), Champ de Mars is a fairly pleasant space that can be used for meetings with friends, family walks and other activities that can help you relax. Located near the Presidential Palace partly destroyed by the 2010 earthquake and the 2004 Tour, there is the statue of Jean Jacques Dessalines (Icon of the country's independence), the Marron Inconnu (famous sculpture by Albert Mangones), the statue of Alexandre Pétion, the standing statue of Toussaint Louverture, the statue of Henri Christophe on his horse, the Museum of the Haitian National Pantheon (Mupanah) and its flamboyant gardens, as well as artistic exhibitions around the streets and other wonders of the construction of the beginning of the century transformed into a Creole museum and antique shops. All this is to say that in addition to being an admirable place, Champ de Mars is a place full of history. Let's discover together in this article the history of this beautiful place.  Photo credit: Gilbert Mervilus From Idea to Conception The idea of the Champ de Mars development project dates back to 1907 under the chairmanship of Nord Alexis. A contract for the construction of a large-scale public park which provided for the construction of a central roundabout around the statue of Jean Jacques Dessalines from which five large avenues will start was signed by Pétion Pierre-André, the Secretary of State of the interior at the time and Mr. Victor Gentil. The contract implied that demarcated spaces were to be lined with public gardens with benches adorned with flowers. A bandstand will also be set up as well as a metal stand. Due to the scale of the project, its implementation stretched over several years. It was only on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of independence, more precisely in 1954 under the presidency of Paul Eugene Magloire that this place was built. The space consists of a series of public squares divided by large boulevards. Its last conception which dated from 1999 when it was rebuilt to celebrate the city's 250th anniversary was heavily affected by the 2010 earthquake. The area was fenced off for a period after. For much of Port-au-Prince's history, the Champ de Mars was used for military parades, until 1912 when it was transformed into a hippodrome with wrought-iron bleachers facing the National Palace.  Photo credit: Visit Haiti Current Situation of Champ de Mars
As a reminder, Champ de Mars was originally a place of homage to the heroes of Independence and a space for relaxation. Yet nowadays, we see that it is no longer what it once was or what it should be. The largest public square in the country has become a profane place where all the social routs occur. By the greatest surprise, the different squares of the Champ de Mars have become the place of all activities, except those for which they were designed. All the buildings have almost lost all their charm of yesteryear. To learn more about interesting Haitian landmarks, check out tourism in Haiti.  When I met my husband Endy (then-boyfriend), he would tell me all about Haiti. He would tell me stories about growing up with his siblings, his best friends. He would tell me about the journeys they had to get to school, the funny stories of dressing up in their parents clothes and the soccer games they played on the roof of their house. He would tell me how beautiful "The Real Haiti" was. I mostly just listened, and quietly doubted that a place I always heard was a "third world country," could be beautiful. What? You're going to Haiti on vacation!? It took years of convincing to plan a trip to Haiti...7 years actually! Endy planned everything for our 10 day adventure. Although I was excited, my worried mind kept playing questions over in my head like, "what if we can't find water to drink?" and "what if we get TB or yellow fever?" As I type these ridiculous things (that I never actually said out loud), I can't even believe I thought such judgmental things about a place I'd end up falling in love with! As an innocent Italian-American, red-headed, 28-year-old, I really had no clue what Haiti was really like. I had no clue that visiting Haiti would change my life. As our vacation plans neared, I secretly wanted to back out or hoped for some reason we weren't going to end up going (sad, but true). The time came and we flew from Florida to Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. My life was forever changed and my eyes and heart were opened like they had never been before. For more of an in depth look about what I saw and experienced, read my blog about things I noticed while in Haiti. Before my first trip, my husband encouraged me to start a blog about Haiti to share what we saw. I wasn't fully on board with the idea, but I did. When I was there and then returned home is when I started blogging about all-things-Haitian and really fell in love with the idea of blogging. I embraced the culture and through my experiences, I had to share all of the amazing things that were so new to me. Since I started The Real Haiti, Endy and I got married and have two little boys now! Although we don't get to travel to Haiti as much anymore (adulting too much), promoting the Haitian culture, food, people and life in Haiti is still my passion! I couldn't find one place online with resources for teaching kids about Haiti and Haitian Creole so I created my own for my boys and am sharing it with you! The Real Haiti has a kids section (there's also a tab above) where you can find a variety of resources to teach your kids or students about Haiti
What's new with The Real Haiti After developing a variety of digital resources about Haiti that focus on cultural education and celebration, we evolved into a membership style resource center called The Real Haiti Academy. You can now enjoy the option of a "pay what you can" model starting at $0. You have the option to pay $0, $15, $25, $50 or $99. No matter how much you pay, you will be getting the same access to the membership with all of the digital resources. As a member of TRHA, you’ll connect with a community of Haiti lovers who are passionate about keeping the Haitian culture alive. Be proud of your (or your family's) heritage. Encourage multicultural diversity as you're raising your children at home and in your community. Find out exactly what's included in The Real Haiti Academy. In this time of uncertainty, one thing I am certain about is that I am not in control of anything. God is in control. I have been given a God-given talent and passion to develop this website and these resources. This is how I am sharing with my digital community who has supported The Real Haiti in one way or another. "My family and I love exploring, learning about and celebrating our Haitian heritage through The Real Haiti Academy. Our 9-month old son loves the songs, videos & virtual field trip - and the resources keep coming. We're looking forward to using more of the resources as he grows. It's even been fun for my husband to have Creole resources (rather than French). Such an awesome tool! - Kara Jeudy While all of this started as a fear of Haiti, then a love for Haiti, it's now my business and a huge part of my life. I am so grateful for all of you for following my page for all of these years. Lastly, thank you always for your encouragement! Happy anniversary of The Real Haiti blog and business. Mesi anpil!!!
If you're new to The Real Haiti, sign up below to subscribe to the blog! Blog post updated 7/26/20 - eight year anniversary of The Real Haiti as a business. Haitian food is a huge part of the Haitian culture. Eating is always an amazing experience in Haiti, not only because everything is delicious, but because they are so many non-traditional ways of getting food. When I sat down and thought about my food experiences in Haiti, I realized how much fun eating Haitian food is! Here are some of my favorites... Coconut {kokoye} cut the top off and drink from it Almond {zanmann} pick it from the tree, smash it with a rock to open it and enjoy Seafood {manje ki fèt ak bèt lanmè} caught fresh whenever you want Watermelon {melon dlo} from the side of the road stand Sugar cane {kann} from the market {mache} Vegetable markets {mache} or snack stands at the beach Grocery stores like Giant Supermarket {makèt} Sweet treats at the beach {plaj} boardwalk Haitian sweet treats tablèt pistach, dous tablèt + kokoye Make your own kitchen with a gas stove {founo} when there's no electricity Just like traveling to any new place, learning about the food and trying new things is so much fun! September is Haitian Gastronomy month! Haiti is known for it's hospitality and delicious food. I have been lucky enough to experience preparing, cooking and serving Haitian food at special events in Haiti. Here are some of the shots. Behind the scenes with Haitian chefs  In 2013, we had the pleasure of going behind the scenes with Chef Alain Lemaire and the other visiting and local chefs for Gout et Saveurs Lakay, Haiti's food, wine and spirits festival. VIDEOGRAPHY: Diana Pierre-Louis of The Real Haiti & James Lapierre of Lapierre Film VIDEO EDITING: Diana Pierre-Louis of The Real Haiti PHOTOGRAPHY: Fedno Lubin VOICEOVER: Joel Trimble of La Bonne Nouvelle MUSIC: TiCorn & Haitian Toubadou 2018 is the 8th year of Gout et Saveurs Lakay from September 27 - 30 - more info here. The video below has nothing to do with my experiences, but it's funny and true! Fort Jacques is tucked up and away in the beautiful mountains of Kenscoff near Pétionville and Port-au-Prince. The drive to the historical area is super easy compared to some other rugged locations we've visited. From the top, you can see the bay of Port-au-Prince...what a beautiful view! There are two forts named after Alexandre in honor of General Alexandre Pétion and Jacques in honor of Jean-Jacques Dessalines. We only visited Fort Jacques, which is restored and kept maintained, however Fort Alexandre (east of Fort Jacques) is not. Every May 18 (Haitian flag day), there's a celebration with music and fun. It's definitely worth the view! Oh, and DO NOT MISS the outdoor griot spot in Kenscoff...it's the best! 
Can you imagine seeing the video promo below on Haiti on TV today? It was 1983 and this video was produced for American Express to promote travel to Haiti! I see more things that have remained the same in Haiti than have changed.
Similarities and differences between Haiti in 1983 and today What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:
What hasn't changed in Haiti since 1983:
After reading through all of these similarities and differences, you must be even more curious about travelling to Haiti! I promise it will be a trip of a lifetime. Go explore and see The Real Haiti! If you've been to Haiti, drop a comment below on what you noticed that was the same as 1983! Some think it's a shithole, others know it's not!These absolutely stunning photos were shot in northern Haiti by Photographer Hunter Kittrell. Thank you so much for sharing with us for our blog. He is doing a phenomenal job on showing the other side of Haiti. Beautiful work! Please follow Hunter on Instagram at hunter.kittrell. His website is http://www.hunterkittrellphoto.com.          Rewind to 2004 when I started dating Endy (who is now my husband). He brought 2 friends with him the first time to meet my parents because he was nervous. While my mom cooked an Italian feast, my dad played cards with the guys. It all went very well and my parents were very supportive of our relationship, thank god. This wasn't a bad first-encounter, but shortly after that we experienced something that would forever make us stronger. The rest of my extended family weren't so welcoming of Endy. They told me to "be careful" and that "you will have social problems in an interracial relationship." It was a big deal that scarred me for years. Endy just reminded me of their ignorance and to only worry about what we felt and what my parents thought. (Thank you Endy for not running away as fast as you could, lol). In 2009 (pre-Haiti earthquake), Endy and I were eating a feast at my parents house (a common thing!) and my dad started telling us about a friend who had a blog about rating/reviewing different golf courses around the world. We got to talking and Endy mentioned Haiti and how he wanted to tell people about the other side that he (heard) about and experienced some of as a kid growing up there. He said, "I just want people to know about The Real Haiti." This is how the blog was born. We took our first major trip to Haiti as tourists in 2010. We visited 4 hotels on that trip and reviewed them and our experiences on the blog. Kibo blan an ye? Fast forward to today, my dad took his first trip to Haiti with Endy for vacation and had a blast. All of the pictures below were taken by my dad. Here are some of his experiences…and I quote him… While he experienced Haiti outside of a hotel at a family members house, he got to take Haitian showers, eat home cooked meals everyday and also see parts of Port-au-Prince as they ran daily errands. He and Endy walked up and down mountains where he saw a rock mine and people washing their clothes in the river.
He expected a lot of the scenes of PAP to look the way they did (thanks to cable news), but couldn't believe the other side of Haiti that is not shown in the media. Most shocking thing he experienced: Caribbean Supermarket in Petionville. He mentioned the workers uniforms nicely pressed and buttoned up with smiles on their faces. He was also shocked at the school kids walking to school looking fresh with pressed uniforms. These are just some of the things he shared with me over a few hours of chatting. He even said, "next time I go to Haiti…"… Lakay se lakay! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Annie Byas/Jihan Antoine TaDaGroupInc@gmail.com 516.808.3487 www.thetadagroup.com TRAVEL JOURNAL AND COOK BOOK FROM CHEF AND CULINARY CURATOR DELECTABLE FOOD ART WITH ORIGINAL HAITIAN RECIPES FOR THE AMERICAN FAMILY HAITI UNCOVERED BOOK REVEALED (September 16th, 2014—New York, NEW YORK) Foreword by New York Times bestselling author Edwidge Danticat, HAITI UNCOVERED: A Regional Adventure into the Art of Haitian Cuisine by Chef Nadege Fleurimond, is a culinary coffee table book that embraces every region and tradition of Haiti. HAITI UNCOVERED will delve into the art of Haitian Cuisine and will bring into focus the beauty of Haiti through its diverse culinary traditions while offering to Haitians and non-Haitians an opportunity to explore and learn. The beautifully bound and illustrated, hard cover book, slated to be released on November 18th 2014, will present and represent the dishes, recipes and cooking traditions, from all the 10 geographical Departments. Fleurimond traveled through multiple cities in Haiti such as Port-Au-Prince, Jacmel, Gonaives, and Cap Haitien among others to absorb and discover the nuances that are inherit in the rich and diverse culture of Haiti. One of the ways to learn about any background that is often unknown is to get to know it one on one, breaking bread, and learn about the culture through one of the most social and yet intimate way...the food. Fleurimond showcased that through her journey in the diverse provinces of her own country and to find a bit of you through her culinary journey. Manje ya pare" Food is ready! “Haiti Uncovered: A Regional Adventure into the Art of Haitian Cuisine is a book that will present an accurate depiction of Haiti's culinary art. Beyond the food, the book will present the reader with a very realistic view of Haitian culture and society through pictures and historical information. This is not just a Recipe book, but rather a look at Haitian culture through a food inspired lens. In essence, this is your chance to rediscover Haiti and to present her in a different light,” said Nadege Fleurimond. The HAITI UNCOVERED cook book will be on pre-sale from $59.99 on August 18th until September 20th This self-published Haitian cook book was developed and created in part with funds raised from Indiegogo campaign created by Nadege Fleurimond with support not only from her friends and family, but from a cross section of individuals with interests in food, culture and history. Fleurimond set goals to produce this culinary memoir by any means to uncover and rediscover the traditional aspects of Haitian cuisine and introduce a contemporary method to enjoying Caribbean food at its best. For interview or feature consideration with Chef Nadege Fleurimond please contact tadagroupinc@gmail.com and visit www.nadegefleurimond.com for more information. About the author: Nadege Fleurimond is the owner of Fleurimond Catering Inc. Utilizing her Haitian culinary background, Fleurimond pulls in world flavors from Asian, Latin American and European Cuisines. She has catered for Ann-Hauser Busch, Paul Weiss, NYC Hall, BET, and The Colbert Report, Dr. Mehmet Oz, Vivica Fox, etc. With varying interests in business, government, & social issues, Nadege graduated with a degree in Political Science from Columbia University. Nadege has been quoted in the New York Times, has appeared on the national television show Chopped on the Food Network, and has been a Food columnist for the Haitian Times Newspaper since 2008. She is also the recipient of the New York Media Alliance’s Ethnic Press Fellowship for 2010 covering the education beat. She also is the recipient of the 2011 Feet in Two Worlds Food Writers Fellowship, which has garnered many awards. The TaDa Group Inc. is a boutique firm that prides on developing personal, highly collaborative relationships with individuals trying to pursue a successful career within every realm. They work with their client's strengths and special talents to customize smart, strategic, and innovative campaigns that will place clients in a position to catapult to greater heights. Their efforts generate increased traffic from viewers; heighten reputations, high-value speaking opportunities, and priceless media contacts and relationships that clients can continue to build on. # # # # |
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