Saint-Louis du Nord in Haiti
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The powerful Atlantic Ocean is less than 2 miles away from the municipality of Saint-Louis du Nord. It’s cool and salty blue waters can be well visualized from the town, while the island which is famous for buccaneers and corsairs is in the vicinity. The shores of Tortuga Island can be seen clearly from Saint-Louis du Nord.
It is one of the few towns in the northern side, and indeed the whole of Haiti, that has paved roads. It is readily accessible from Port-de-Paix where there are buses to transport people over the 7 miles to Saint-Louis du Nord. The nearest reliable airport is the Cap Haitien International Airport which is placed 37 miles away. Port-de-Paix however has a dirt unpaved airstrip which is used by small turbo prop planes.
In this town lies a robust facility that takes care of young children who have been abandoned or those whose mothers have perished at birth. There is a home of orphans, courtesy of Northwest Haiti Christian Missions, which has its headquarters in Saint-Louis du Nord.
August 25th is a special day for this town. It is full of life as the inhabitants revel in commemorating the feast of Saint Louis Roi de France, who happens to be the patron Saint of the town. It is a beautiful occasion to attend.
The cleanliness of the town is very impressive. Unlike other parts of Haiti where litter lingers everywhere, the city of Saint-Louis du Nord is quite different. That is because the residents value self hygiene and are conscious of their environment.
A river flows close to the town, at one point giving rise to some rapids and a waterfall whose mesmerizing nature is really dependent on the weather. There are a few rocks along its course, from which the natives jump into the cool water as others watch in awe.
There is a small open market where traders come to sell their wares in Saint-Louis du Nord. It is not usually crowded. Almost anything is available in this mart, but most of the products are agricultural in nature, though chicken and clothes are common.
Though a good majority of the residents are Christian, there are a number of people who are unmoved believers of vodou. There is a vodou temple in the town with flags around it.
The climate in Saint-Louis du Nord is similar to that of other parts of Haiti. It enjoys a tropical climate, with most days being warm and sunny. April and May tend to be rainy.
