Heard Island is largely ice-covered, bleak and mountainous and is dominated by a large massif Big Ben and by an active volcano Mawson Peak The McDonald Islands are small, rocky and actively volcanic The islands are populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, and have been designated a nature reserve There are 4 types of penguins that are located on Heard Island
The official languages of Haiti are French and Haitian Creole Kreyòl Ayisien, which is a French-based creole language Haitian Creole is the native language of the masses, while French is the administrative language, even though only 15 % of Haitians can speak it, and only about 2% can speak it well Creole is, however, a separate language and not mutually intelligible with French, and most Haitians will not be able to understand you when spoken to in French Many Haitians are very appreciative if you take the trouble to learn a little bit of one of the official languages preferably Creole, rather than using an interpreter or expecting them to speak English Haitians working in tourist areas usually speak English well enough for conversation
You could go to visit Champs-de-Mars, once the most beautiful park in Haiti, but now covered in tents housing people made homeless by the earthquake It was a public place where people went to relax and hang out with friend or their girlfriend, before the quake It is located near the National Palace—which is not in a better condition either, as it's completely a collapsed ruin now
There is no economic activity on Heard or the McDonald Islands
Haitian cuisine is typical of Caribbean métissage - a wonderful mix of French and African sensibilities It is similar to its Spanish Caribbean neighbors yet unique in its strong presence of spices Roast goat called 'kabrit', morsels of fried pork 'griot', poultry with a Creole sauce 'poulet creole', rice with wild mushroom 'du riz jonjon' are all wonderful and tasty dishes Along the coast fish, lobster and conch are readily available Haiti has a very fine collection of fruit including guava, pineapple, mango Haiti's most prized fruit, banana, melons, breadfruit, as well as mouth watering sugarcane cut and peeled to order on the streets Restaurants in the bigger cities provide safe and delicious meals, and precautions are taken with the food and water to keep things safe However, even in resorts with purified water, it is not always safe to assume that raw vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes have been properly washed In smaller or more humble venues make sure to eat fruit and vegetables that can be skinned or peeled, drink bottled drinks only, make sure any ice is from a clean water source, and make sure any meat is well cooked
When bottled water or boiled water is not available, a freshly opened coconut provides water and electrolytes with minimal health risk
Haitian rum is well-known 'Barbancourt 5 star' is a top drawer drink 'Clairin' is the local firewater made from sugarcane that can be bought on the street, often flavored with various herbs that can be seen stuffed into the bottle 'Prestige' is the most popular beer, and is of good quality and excellent taste Also be sure to try the 'Papye' drink, a sort of papaya milk shake that is deliciously refreshing beyond words on a hot day Cremas is a tasty, creamy alcoholic beverage that is derived from coconut milk
Various caves and caverns provide a natural abundance of potential campsites, however due to the tempestuous winds and rainstorms that periodically cover the island it is advisable that any caves have their openings sheltered and supports placed inside Fires are also difficult to start in the wet climate, and so should be made in shelter eg - in the caves Be sure to ventilate the caves if you are building a fire in one Old sealing huts also provide a degree of hospitality, although do not let the Australian Government know as these are technically heritage listed Restore the huts to their original condition after use There have been in excess of 12 private expeditions to the islands since the 1970's, many of which remain unreported due to the difficulty in obtaining permission from the Australian Government
Haiti's unemployment rate is the highest in the Western Hemisphere - over 80%
