Port-au-Prince
Jimani Hosptial, on border with Haiti
Crossing into HaitiJanuary 20, 2010
It’s one year to the day I was in Washington in the freezing cold to see Barack Obama sworn in as president. I writing from the balcony of the AFP ‘bureau’ set up on the top floor of a 2 story house on Rue de la Marre in Port-au-Prince and sitting across from me is photographer Jewel Samad, who was also freezing with us a year ago at the inauguration.
I traveled with AFP Paris photo editor Benjamin Friend and Washington reporter Jordi Zamora from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince. Ben arranged a van and a driver and we set off just before 8am.
In the border town of Jimani, Dominica, we stop at a hospital that has treated 1,300 Haitians since last Wednesday. People are on mattresses lining the hallways and in every corner of the hospital. Most seem to have broken limbs and a few have had amputations. The staff is very friendly and don’t mind our intrusion. One doctor speaks English and asks about my camera, saying Nikon is the best brand.
We cross the border about 3pm Atlantic time, it takes us another 2 hours to get to Port-au-Prince. We see more damage as we get closer to the bureau, but miss the main disaster zone in the center city. I’ll see that tomorrow.
Dave, the chief reporter here, is off to find accommodations for us three new arrivals. We all brought sleeping bags since we may end up on various floors.
It’s one year to the day I was in Washington in the freezing cold to see Barack Obama sworn in as president. I writing from the balcony of the AFP ‘bureau’ set up on the top floor of a 2 story house on Rue de la Marre in Port-au-Prince and sitting across from me is photographer Jewel Samad, who was also freezing with us a year ago at the inauguration.
I traveled with AFP Paris photo editor Benjamin Friend and Washington reporter Jordi Zamora from Santo Domingo to Port-au-Prince. Ben arranged a van and a driver and we set off just before 8am.
In the border town of Jimani, Dominica, we stop at a hospital that has treated 1,300 Haitians since last Wednesday. People are on mattresses lining the hallways and in every corner of the hospital. Most seem to have broken limbs and a few have had amputations. The staff is very friendly and don’t mind our intrusion. One doctor speaks English and asks about my camera, saying Nikon is the best brand.
We cross the border about 3pm Atlantic time, it takes us another 2 hours to get to Port-au-Prince. We see more damage as we get closer to the bureau, but miss the main disaster zone in the center city. I’ll see that tomorrow.
Dave, the chief reporter here, is off to find accommodations for us three new arrivals. We all brought sleeping bags since we may end up on various floors.
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