I visited Haiti in the fall of 1955. We stayed at the Ibo Lele Hotel in Petionville. At that time, as I recall, a relative of, I think, Teddy Roosevelt was the owner or manager.

We took a trip up to Cap Haitian in a DC-3 and got on mules for the climb up to the Citadel. First we stopped at San Souci. I had never been on a horse and I was sure I'd fall off the mule, but as we went along it got better. There were several local men who walked up the mountain with us, barefoot. On the way they taught me one Creole expression. In French, "the same thing" is "meme chose". They told me they said "meme bagai". Many years later in New York City when I'd get a taxi driver who I thought from his name might be Haitian, I told him the story and it always invoked a laugh.

I was there while Magloire was president. The country was poor, but not devastingly so.

I also worked for a non-profit organization which helped a women's clinic in Cite Soleil.

I have good memories of Haiti, learning to do the meringue, visiting the church with the murals, buying souvenires at the Iron Market.

That Port-au-Prince no longer exists. Very sad.