Photos: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151305126361961.438855.562066960&type=1&l=50b8e0611d
We finished off yesterday evening in Korhogo with a fabulous meal in a typical marquis. We had been told you can't leave Cote d'Ivoire without trying "possion brassiere". Around 8:00 pm we walked down the almost deserted street, to the roundabout, past all sorts of government buildings, various NGO buildings and projects. It was almost deserted. We had been given instructions in the hotel, but of course, our French isn't perfect, and what you are told in Africa doesn't always come to fruition. Anyway, we started to get excited when, after taking a left turn at the roundabout, we found a road sign that pointed not to "Abidjan" as we had been told, but "Bouake", and we saw a green light! We turned towards it and found a large circle of braziers. and tables and chairs. It was like an open air food court. Similar to the "Food Circles" in Singapore. So, we sat down and ordered some beers, and then some chicken and some fish. It was delicious. Some of the best chicken and fish we have had for a long time. The fact that we had to wait close to two hours for dinner is all put down to "we are in Africa". Then we wandered back to the hotel, past the army barracks, and the sleeping town, to the hotel.
Tuesday morning, we left around 9:00 a.m. and set off south west to Yammousoukro. It was a beautiful drive, became much more vegetation, roads deteriorated, you know how people run away from a sniper in a series of S curves, that is how the journey went in order to avoid the pot holes, broken tarmac and generally rough spots. Surprisingly, most roads were paved. But the condition of those paved roads was total deterioration, like most things in Africa. The physche is difficult to understand. Nothing gets fixed until it is broken, nothing is maintained, and the result is that you know it was a beautiful building/road/ etc. years ago, but now it is a disaster.
We found a deserted spot to camp under the hydro wires about 40/50 km from Yamoussoukro and for the first time in W. Africa only had one observer who actually rode his bike past the camp and laughed silently to himself as he saw all the tents and our rituals. No hoards of kids, no men standing by, just peace and quiet.
Wedneday morning we took off around 9:00 It was a really hot day, and as it went on it became more and more humid. We drove into Yamoussasoukra and went straight to the Basilica. This is an incredible building. This is an incredible city. The Basilica (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ivory-coast/yamoussoukro-basilica-of-our-lady-of-peace) was built in 3 years from 1985 t0 1989 and consecreated by the Pope in 1992 by a former president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny. He essentially built it as a monument to himself. He wantd to build the greatest church in the world. It is beautiful as you will see from the pictures. It is designed around the St. Peters Basilica in Rome - it is simple, beautiful, and quite out of place in a country where simplicity abounds and has been criticized on a global basis as being an extravagance in a poor African country. The town too is uncanny. There are wide avenues throughout the city but it is very quiet. Not many people, around. In fact this evening, 6 of us took a taxi back to the Bailica to see it lit up at night time, and on the way back someone in the group said that we should take another road because the road we were on was so quiet.We got an English speaking guide and took a tour around the Basilica and learned all of the stats. Then we went to a pizza restaurant for lunch and set off around town in the truck to look for a place to camp. Amazingly, there are tons of big hotels. I think this might be because it is the capital and because there are all kinds of UN, NGOs, etc. around town - so probably lots of business people. We eventually found a really neat spot and are camping on the grass in a small hotel. The upside for them is the camping fees, 1500 cfs per person, the beer and drinks, and the fact that a small number have upgraded to rooms.
It is sort of like being in a fairly land here. The Basilica, the city, the large avenues and the pretentious hotels situated in a land of poverty.
After the Basilica we drove by the Moslem Mosque. We wandered around it and then finding a gate open 3 of us wandered in. We have been warned we cannot go in the Mosques, but as we were peering in this guy in a wheel chair came up and told the 2 guys to take off their shoes and go in, which they did. He then told me to take off my shoes and go into the lady's side, which I did. We all got some pictures, which he said we could do. Then the call to prayer started and I thought I should leave.....as I exited I could see our trip leader standing at the gate beckoning to me so I hurried out. I think he was a bit nervous that I shouldn't be there and the guy who showed us in had no right to do so. So, I guess I got to see inside my first Mosque. But, I get the feeling that the Moslem attitude here is quite relaxed and as with the other religions they practice it with a mix of animism.Anyway, it was another experience.
We are now settled into our hotel camp site for the night. Tomorrow we take off for Man and 2 weeks of jungle, isolation, and certainly off the beaten track. Stay well and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
We finished off yesterday evening in Korhogo with a fabulous meal in a typical marquis. We had been told you can't leave Cote d'Ivoire without trying "possion brassiere". Around 8:00 pm we walked down the almost deserted street, to the roundabout, past all sorts of government buildings, various NGO buildings and projects. It was almost deserted. We had been given instructions in the hotel, but of course, our French isn't perfect, and what you are told in Africa doesn't always come to fruition. Anyway, we started to get excited when, after taking a left turn at the roundabout, we found a road sign that pointed not to "Abidjan" as we had been told, but "Bouake", and we saw a green light! We turned towards it and found a large circle of braziers. and tables and chairs. It was like an open air food court. Similar to the "Food Circles" in Singapore. So, we sat down and ordered some beers, and then some chicken and some fish. It was delicious. Some of the best chicken and fish we have had for a long time. The fact that we had to wait close to two hours for dinner is all put down to "we are in Africa". Then we wandered back to the hotel, past the army barracks, and the sleeping town, to the hotel.
Tuesday morning, we left around 9:00 a.m. and set off south west to Yammousoukro. It was a beautiful drive, became much more vegetation, roads deteriorated, you know how people run away from a sniper in a series of S curves, that is how the journey went in order to avoid the pot holes, broken tarmac and generally rough spots. Surprisingly, most roads were paved. But the condition of those paved roads was total deterioration, like most things in Africa. The physche is difficult to understand. Nothing gets fixed until it is broken, nothing is maintained, and the result is that you know it was a beautiful building/road/ etc. years ago, but now it is a disaster.
We found a deserted spot to camp under the hydro wires about 40/50 km from Yamoussoukro and for the first time in W. Africa only had one observer who actually rode his bike past the camp and laughed silently to himself as he saw all the tents and our rituals. No hoards of kids, no men standing by, just peace and quiet.
Wedneday morning we took off around 9:00 It was a really hot day, and as it went on it became more and more humid. We drove into Yamoussasoukra and went straight to the Basilica. This is an incredible building. This is an incredible city. The Basilica (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/ivory-coast/yamoussoukro-basilica-of-our-lady-of-peace) was built in 3 years from 1985 t0 1989 and consecreated by the Pope in 1992 by a former president, Félix Houphouët-Boigny. He essentially built it as a monument to himself. He wantd to build the greatest church in the world. It is beautiful as you will see from the pictures. It is designed around the St. Peters Basilica in Rome - it is simple, beautiful, and quite out of place in a country where simplicity abounds and has been criticized on a global basis as being an extravagance in a poor African country. The town too is uncanny. There are wide avenues throughout the city but it is very quiet. Not many people, around. In fact this evening, 6 of us took a taxi back to the Bailica to see it lit up at night time, and on the way back someone in the group said that we should take another road because the road we were on was so quiet.We got an English speaking guide and took a tour around the Basilica and learned all of the stats. Then we went to a pizza restaurant for lunch and set off around town in the truck to look for a place to camp. Amazingly, there are tons of big hotels. I think this might be because it is the capital and because there are all kinds of UN, NGOs, etc. around town - so probably lots of business people. We eventually found a really neat spot and are camping on the grass in a small hotel. The upside for them is the camping fees, 1500 cfs per person, the beer and drinks, and the fact that a small number have upgraded to rooms.
It is sort of like being in a fairly land here. The Basilica, the city, the large avenues and the pretentious hotels situated in a land of poverty.
After the Basilica we drove by the Moslem Mosque. We wandered around it and then finding a gate open 3 of us wandered in. We have been warned we cannot go in the Mosques, but as we were peering in this guy in a wheel chair came up and told the 2 guys to take off their shoes and go in, which they did. He then told me to take off my shoes and go into the lady's side, which I did. We all got some pictures, which he said we could do. Then the call to prayer started and I thought I should leave.....as I exited I could see our trip leader standing at the gate beckoning to me so I hurried out. I think he was a bit nervous that I shouldn't be there and the guy who showed us in had no right to do so. So, I guess I got to see inside my first Mosque. But, I get the feeling that the Moslem attitude here is quite relaxed and as with the other religions they practice it with a mix of animism.Anyway, it was another experience.
We are now settled into our hotel camp site for the night. Tomorrow we take off for Man and 2 weeks of jungle, isolation, and certainly off the beaten track. Stay well and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
1 comment:
Sounds as if you are having a marvellous time and enjoying the African experience. Looking forward to hearing more when you emerge from the jungle.
Praying for safe travels.
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