Day one - Labadee, Haiti.

After two nights at sea, Labadee was the first port of call. We had spend our sea days sipping cocktails by the pool, had fun playing some Blackjack in the casino and ate ourselves into oblivion -something that I would never do again;)- so, frankly, I had forgotten that we were actually sailing towards Haiti. At six in the morning, Jan woke me up shouting from the balcony. I dragged myself out of bed, completely annoyed and frustrated because, in the end, I was on vacation, so I was planning to catch up on my sleep. Little did I know that out there, on the balcony, the most beautiful view I had seen up to that point, was unravelling itself...the breathtaking Haitian coast. Imposing hills completely covered in vegetation sinking into the turquoise Caribbean sea, small yachts and boats peacefully drifting by our monster ship, framed by the clear blue sky. Jan looked at me, smiled and said 'Welcome to Haiti, baby!'...

Labadee is a destination that you will only reach while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, since it is a private resort, leased by Royal until 2050. A 55 million dollars investment, Labadee's attractions include a Haitian flea market, beaches, water parks, a roller-coaster ride and even a zip line. The place has been named after Marquis de La Badie, a Frenchman who first settled the area in the 17th century, but the spelling was changed to 'Labadee' to make it easier for English-speakers to pronounce. 
But don't let the wealth of this resort fool you into forgetting where you actually are. Behind the tall gates that separate Labadee from the rest of the island, there is immense poverty, hunger and desperation. I was sad to see thousands of tourists disembarking the ship only to splurge in the bars or lay in the sun, completely ignoring the sad truth of the island they were on. Don't get me wrong, you are, after all, on vacation  so you should relax, but please, try at least to lend a hand to the economy by purchasing something from the Flea market, the only place where you get to meet Haitians, and the only place where you will be confronted with the cruel reality. 

Here, you will find nice souvenirs, ranging from magnets, hand-crafted wooden items, masks, shirts and even numismatic collections. I had a look on Trip Advisor, only to be disappointed  with the way the flea market is described. Sure, when you spend your life in a Cadillac and have the luxury of a roof over your head, you fail to understand why Haitian vendors are so aggressive  - if you are familiar with the Turks in the bazars, this is what the terms refers to, please do not think they will grab you and force you to buy anything-. Well, it is mainly because those 5 dollars that you spend, pay for the food they will be eating this week, or  maybe it's because what you consider pocket change, for them is the mean of feeding and keeping their children healthy. We spent about an hour having a walk through the market and we have not been pushed, pulled or threatened to make any purchase. What we did see were very talented people, some of them who do lead a hard bargain, who were doing nothing but inviting you in to explore their merchandise. So, my advice is to cast your fears aside and help Haiti as much as you can, before you head over to the beach or to the bars.
I have also read that a lot of people were expecting to explore Haiti, and were disappointed by the fact that they remained secluded in Labadee, resorting to calling Royal an evil company that just wants you to spend your time on their resort, buying their own products and services. Yes, on one had, it is true...and it is called business. But then again, we did not pay for anything expect for the items we bought from the Flea market..and that money does not go into the cruise line's pockets. Not to mention that the barbecue lunch was included in the cost of the cruise. Second of all, since 1986, Royal Caribbean has brought he largest proportion of tourist revenue to Haiti, employing 300 locals, allowing 200 more to sell their products on the premises , and, most importantly, paying the Haitian government 6 dollars for every tourist. Also, after the devastating earthquake of 2010, Royal donated 1 million dollars to fund relief efforts in Haiti and used their ships to ferry relief supplies and personnel to the island. So, as far as I am concerned, they are free to make their money how they please, because, in the end, we live in a world where nothing is for free, as long as they keep up the good work of helping Haitians and bringing revenue to the island.
It is pretty easy to 'navigate' through Labadee on your own. You will dock at the pier, which makes for a great opportunity to take some very cool pictures with the ship in the background. Some photographers from the staff will be there to assist you, and you will find your photos back on the ship, the next day, along with the ones from the formal nights. 

By far, the number one reason people go to Haiti is for the beaches. The one we went to had rocks instead of sand, kinda' like in Nice, France...so a little annoying if you want to take a walk along the shore. However, we enjoyed taking some sun, and we were very lucky that we got there early and managed to book two chairs in a pretty intimate area. 

If you are an adrenaline junky, you can either surf on 'Adrenaline Beach', have a ride in the 'Dragon's Trail Rollercoaster - a single car vehicle that races down a track at 30 miles per hour and features 360 degree turns, as well as dips, waves and curves, a magnificent way to catch glimpses of the ocean-or, for the really courageous ones, there is always the chance to zip line. 

We had already booked the zip line for Jamaica, so we chose to go to Dragon's Breath Point instead. Here is how Royal Caribbean describes it, and I couldn't say it better myself 'As the water flows in and out among the rocks, you hear a "hissing" noise that sounds like "dragon's breath".  What's happening is the air is compressed in small caves under the rocks and is forced out through cracks in the rocks. It is worth the walk to hear it.'

The surrounding area is quite beautiful and you should bring a camera to snap a few photos of the beautiful vistas you will find here.

That's all about Labadee for now. We will be going back in January 2015, for a very special cruise...Next post will describe our second port of call, this time in Jamaica.