Across the Shining Sea

Taken from atop "el Morro," the common name for Fort San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, this photograph shows ancient gravestones, the old Spanish-style city, the taller modern city and hazy mountains all set on a bay bluer than any gem. Standing here and looking out at this vista, one can imagine why men bled for this land.

A brief comparison helps in understanding this island and its neighbors. Some of the vital stats of the Caribbean islands:

Haiti (independence from France 1804) - $1,700/capita; life expectancy 53 yrs.
Martinique (department of France) - $14,400/capita; life expectancy 79 yrs.
Guadeloupe (department of France) - $7,900/capita; life expectancy 78 yrs.
^Dominican Republic (independence from Haiti 1844) - $7,000/capita; life expectancy 71 yrs.
Cuba (independence from Spain 1898) - $3,500/capita; life expectancy 77 yrs.
^Puerto Rico (unincorporated US territory) - $18,600/capita; life expectancy 78 yrs.
Jamaica (independence from UK 1962) - $4,400/capita; life expectancy 73 yrs.
The Bahamas (independence from UK 1973) - $20,200/capita; life expectancy 65 yrs.
St. Lucia (independence from UK 1979) - $5,400/capita; life expectancy 74 yrs.
Barbados (independence from UK 1966) - $17,000/capita; life expectancy 73 yrs.
Trinidad and Tobago (independence from UK 1962) - $16,700/capita; life expectancy 67 yrs.
^initially, Spanish colonies

For comparison:

United States (independence from UK 1776) - $41,800/capita; life expectancy 78 yrs.*

Of course - the list above omits Aruba and the Virgin Islands - and these wealthier still than Puerto Rico in GDP/capita. The former gained independence in the 1980s from the Netherlands and the latter are governed by the UK and USA. These islands still follow in the trend. Perhaps it was the organization system set up by the Brits, or the fact that they stubbornly held on to their colonies the longest but those islands that were under British rule seem generally better off.

The study of "Europe and its Others" could take longer than a lifetime - but a look at some stats and a visit to some of these "Others" reveals something of state of affairs in these countries before their liberation. Looking at a picture of Haiti's capital lays bare the painful difference between a (comparatively) wealthy island and the poorest of the islands.

The Caribbean islands explode with color and music, lush jungles and craggy mountains. The music - from Salsa to Reggae to Copa - exudes the contagious spirit of the people. Though my travels within the Caribbean have taken me only to the poorest of Western nations (Haiti) and to Puerto Rico - drinking the coffee, sipping the rum, tasting the fruit and talking with the people betrays a potential that none of these islands have reached.

*from the CIA World Factbook
photos by Portia!