Shortly after word of the 7.0-magnitude in Haiti January 12 had spread, I was tasked to join the Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group, which was ready to go underway in less than 36 hours.
USS Carl Vinson was in the immediate area and was one of the first ships on scene. The retitled Bataan Amphibious Relief Mission, composed of USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall, and USS Fort McHenry, were on station January 18. USS Gunston Hall, conducting the Africa Partnership Station mission, diverted to provide aid as well.
During this time, I’ve had a couple opportunities to head ashore to escort news media. Many words have been said about the devastation in Haiti and many word have been said about the strength and resiliency of the Haitian people, so I’ll just add a few. Many people are displaced from their homes living in tents and shelters built by US military forces, UN forces and NGOs, but many others are living in makeshift tents built out of sheets and materials found lying around. Most Haitians are apprehensive about returning to their houses for fear of more earthquakes. Things have drastically improved and life is returning to the way it was before the earthquake. No matter where I went, whether it was to damaged neighborhoods, medical clinics or to the post-op section of tents by a hospital, people were smiling. They were clearly thankful for the aid being provided by everyone in the country. There were lots of kids running around. They had the brightest smiles I’ve ever seen.
During my time in Haiti, I’ve also had the chance to walk through several markets. I didn’t make any purchases, but I was able to take a look at some of the stands. (Let me preempt this entry by telling you that I know very little about Haitian food). Every busy street had a person on the corner selling wheelbarrows full of sugar cane, which to me look like spears of maroon bamboo. There were stands filled with different types of fried goodies; some sold beans and rice. Other stalls sold garlic, onions, and various types of produce. There were other vendors selling real lump charcoal (as opposed to the briquettes we’re used to seeing). Lots of people eat mangoes, which seem to be growing everywhere.
A couple days ago, I had the opportunity to visit USS Fort McHenry. My visit coincided with a visit from the Maritime Component Commander and they saved me a seat at the planned lunch. The Admiral had specifically requested “Sliders.”
I don’t know if it’s a fleet-wide tradition, but most ship’s I’ve visited have “Slider Wednesdays” so, I’ve had my fare share of burgers aboard ships. It’s usually one of the better meals of the week; reliable and consistent, although I can’t say I’ve ever been extremely impressed. Preformed, frozen patties; generic packaged buns; and mediocre lettuce, tomatoes, and onions are the norm. Some ships offer sauteed onions and mushrooms, which work well to add some panache to a mediocre burger. I usually top my burgers with jalapenos from the salad bar too.
This meal, though, was exceptional (and not just by food-on-the-ship standards). The all beef-patties were thick, hand-formed, and juicy; the produce was fresh; and best of all, the buns were freshly baked! This was a slightly more formal meal — how formal can you be if you’re serving burgers? — so each cheeseburger was preassembled with cheese and all the toppings (like at a restaurant). The fries were hot and appropriately salted. This was most likely the best burger I’ll ever eat on a ship. Oh, I nearly forgot that this was a multi-course meal: the meal started off with a simple salad and was followed by soup. They were basic and obviously not very memorable. The cheeseburgers were also served with a side of chicken nuggets. Not bad.
The meal concluded with two chocolate chip cookies served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Dessert looked delicious. I say “looked” because I’m abstaining from sweets for the next 40 days or so. I was extremely tempted by the cookies, but I was able to console myself with more sweet tea. I hope that’s not cheating. My biggest regret about this trip is that I forgot to bring my camera to lunch. What kind of blogger am I? (don’t answer that...)
Until next time, please take care.
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