Capiat is a mountain village scraping the clouds above Montrouis, Haiti. It's perched on an icy spring that bubbles like crystal, irrigating acres of vegetables and breadfruit trees.
Last Thursday, I made the 4-hour hike with a team of missionaries from Alabama. It was strenuous, but breathtaking.
Here's a photo blog of our journey up the mountains and into the mountain oasis.
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| It was perfect weather for a hike. We left at 10:30 am, as tropical storm Emily threatened to thrash Haiti's southern coast with heavy rainfall. |
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| The sky in Montrouis was a delicious blue. We set out on a road steep road leading to Capiat. |
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| Horses, donkeys and goats graze nearby, with no owners in sight. As I panted with the ascent, I fought the urge to try my luck at bareback riding. |
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| After 45 minutes of hiking, we made it past the first village and onto a bridge with an amazing view. One of the missionary women took my photo -- hope you're happy, Ma! |
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Taking photos was an excellent way to chug water and catch our breath. The road took a sharp turn skyward after this point, the most tedious part of the hike.
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| As we climbed higher into the mountains, the coast reappeared and shimmered behind towering palms. |
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| We reached some farmland on the outskirts of Capiat. My Keens were muddy and kept sliding off my feet as the road narrowed into a rough trail. |
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| Nearing the summit, we walk through more irrigated farms and a new perspective on Haiti's coast. |
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| We reached Capiat. Families gather along the cement constructed waterways directing the fresh water spring down the mountain. |
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| Men and women gathered to wash clothing, bathe and socialize under breadfruit trees. |
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| Children from Capiat poured out of the village to stare at our team of blancs and Canaan kids. |
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| Whitney (left), me (center) and Rebecca, part of the Birmingham missionary group, cool off in the deliciously frigid mountain water. |
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| The missionary women visiting Canaan posed before some of us (daringly) submerged ourselves in the icy oasis. |
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| I was incredibly happy to have made it. Capiat mean't that the the rest was downhill from here... |
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| The sky was getting dark and it started sprinkling. We decided to leave, fearing tropical storm Emily was finally done brooding in the ocean below Haiti. |
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| We passed more horses and donkeys tied up next to the road, while little kids peeked out of small houses and called out for candy. |
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| I was amazed at this donkey, weighed down but walking ahead of his master. Most of the time, I see donkeys refusing to budge while their owners whip them on the side of the road. |
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| It was a relief following the road downhill after a strenuous ascent. |
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| The rusting roof of a house peeks out from behind a cornfield. |
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| A tiny house is engulfed by the mountains. |
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| From the mountains, we could see the tip of Gonave Island. |
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| A stunning photo of the coast and the dazzling water of the Saint Marc Channel. |
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| As we neared Canaan, more horses munched. As I once again considered a bareback ride to carry my tired body home, a man popped out of the bushes and startled me. |
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| All signs of a storm disappeared, and in the last leg of the hike, we were able to see the distant Massif de la Selle (left) and Gonave Island (right) on the horizon. |
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| As the Canaan kids and fellow missionaries made it back to Canaan in Montrouis, it felt amazing to be alive and exploring this beautiful country. |
Thanks for hiking with me!
