#4394: Re: Finkel's Follies (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:PPARYSKI@aol.com

Michael Finkel, author of the NYT article on boat people, has also written an 
article on Haiti ("World Class Adventures on the Cheap") for the July/August 
National Geographic Adventure Magazine.  The article describes a trek from 
Furcy to Parc Lavisite and on to Jacmel. A decent article with great photos 
but marred by a bit of hip journalism; Finkel gets his trek "blessed" by a 
voodoo priest!  He does mention Philogen, a refugee from Petionville who has 
become a successful potato farmer in the Lavisite zone and has been a 
defender of the Park.

Hiking to Lavisite where one can stay at Winnie Atie's Hotel is still a great 
adventure, and Lavisite, in spite of deforestation and environmental 
degradation, is a world class jewel with alpine meadows, astounding views, 
exotic birds and deep caves.  Unfortunately, a new 13 m. wide paved highway 
from Kenscoff to Seguin is being built by the Presidency, a highway that will 
provide easy access to one of the few remaining pine and hardwood forests in 
Haiti and contribute to land speculation.

Paul Paryski