Logbook 11-April-2011 Pignon-MTCH-TJIG San Juan

 Next morning, we had a visit to the Centre where about 50 women work. With the skillfull translation from creole to francais and vice versa, we tried to understand their issues. Main problem, how , where to sell their work. We may help them, get them on the internet, and into some stores in Nassau. Ultimately, they should form a cooperative, and not be just depend on the Convent.

 Also Mo as pediatrician and Ma as psychologist gained a lot of attention. Many sick children, an just a general practitioner in town. And psychologist ... never seen in Pignon.


And children averywhere, a young country, needing education and jobs.

Flying back Pignon to cap Haitien - 11 minutes on the tach
The exit procedurs at Cap Haitien were much easier than entering, and cost "only" about 70$, mainly a departure tax for my 2 passengers. Friendly, no pain. Only hassle from the controller after take-off: rather than straight to Puerto Plata, they sent me 38 nm into the sea, to be handed off to Santo Domingo at RETAK

Republica Dominicana, only from the air ... we heard too many stories of long delays in clearances, burocracy, but could not witness it... I just woke up when they called noviembre uno cinco cinco alfa tango ... that was us!

And arriving in San Juan, 3 hours from Cap Haitien. Nice views on final approach. The cruise ships turn just a couple of 100 ft from the 09 threshold. In that case, I observed small planes landing midfield to keep 500ft over those respectable boats.

US Customs, eApis, and they had even googled my name (and were expecting a jet, not a little single-engine...). Very professional service at Tropical, one of local FBOs. Last "cheap" fuel on the trip. Recommend close by old San Juan, Hotel El Convento, in a former monastery, very stylish.