I'll tell you about our "culinary" experience of last evening here! We got a cab from the hotel to take the first three of our group, then they came back for the remaining three. We really didn't have a place in mind but we wanted something local and had noticed some "maquis" on the outskirts of town. So, we started with drinks in a road side pub/restaurant. When we walked in - which was still outside under a canopy, all the chairs were on one side of the rows of tables and facing the road. At first I thought maybe there was a TV or something going on that everyone was watching. But no. A little strange, but I've noticed it in each of the local restaurants I have been in. By this time, Jamie, our organizer for the night, had spotted a place that he suggested we go to, however, getting into conversation with some of the locals, the guy led us off somewhere else. Fatal!!! Anyway, it was all an experience and lots of fun. We ended up around the corner off the main road in a little deserted unpaved side street opposite some definitely closed businesses. In all fairness, the restaurant itself was rather "upscale"...well there some plastic palm trees by the entrance and I think some used candles on the tables, and there was a very lovely black couple in a suite and pretty dress sitting beside us. We put in our order and waited, and waited, and waited. I think it was about 1 1/2 hours before we got served and then I am not sure how many people got anything resembling their order! You couldn't really tell because I don't think there were any lights. I ordered rice with chicken and ended up with what looked like the carcas of a fish that was left over from a previous meal. I think there was one bite of fish, it actually tasted delicious, but the bones were huge and then I tasted the flavour of the fish on the paper thin french fries and that put me right off the 2nd, and last, mouthful of it! The few chips were delicious and the plantain of course is always good. But by themidnight, and the hunger had faded. We noticed a tiny white and tan cat hovering close by and so I emptied my plate on the ground. She ate a little then disappeard and came back with the tiniest white kitten. Ray gave them the rest of his plate. The little kitten ate its fill and then kept cuddling into its mother - all in the aid of survival. Then it was time to try and find a taxi in the by now very quiet suburb streets. Jamie got one and despite the fact there were 6 of us, we manged to squeeze in. Being the smallest of course I was the one who had to lie across the other 4 in the back seat. I think I must have squashed them into the seat, but I was really quite comfortable with my soft knee-bed to lie in. If we had ever been stopped by the police we would have ended up in gaol!! Anyway, we made it safely back to the hotel where the group had another beer and eventually I took off to bed around 1:00 a.m. Quite a night, but a also quite a tale.
Monday Jan 28 - Off to Bobo
As our drive to Bobo was only about 3 or 4 hours we didn't have to leave till around 10:30 so had lots of time to get up and shower and have breakfast and even go to the pharmacie to get Ray some anibiotics and cough pastilles before heading off to Bobo Dilassou. The drive was as uneventful as most Africans can be. We drove through the Savannah, past the little villages with their eclectic layouts, colourful people, and goats, donkeys, and chickens. No armed guards needed along the way, and no sign of bandits!!
We arrived in Bobo later in the afternoon, and checked out this new guest house that Dave had heard about. When he was in Kumasi over Christmas he had apparently met a Dutch couple whose car had broken down but whom he was always to help out by fixing it. When they head what he was doing he told them that they had to camp at their neighbour's place - Foret Diassou on General Charles de Gaulle Ave. Fortunately Dave thought it OK and they agreed to camping on their grounds so we pulled in, and set up the tents. Ray and I chatted quite extensively with Dyanne and Solo the couple who ran the guest house. The property was owned by 2 old French ladies. It was a large compound with a cute little house and they had already added an auberge - i.e. some rooms and a wash room. There was an old pool which needs a lot of work. Their story is that Solo, a black Rastafarian looking guy with dreds and a smile that made you melt inside, had lived in Holland for 27 years and wanted to go back to Burkina to develop his music. Dyanne is Dutch, white, also with Dreds, and really pleasant and attentive. They had two little kids one 6 and one 3 and they thought that if they were ever going to do the move, now would be a good time. They haven't been there a year yet. I gather it has been quite a challenge. They say the blacks are totally unreliable, never turn up when they say so, lie,and steal and can never be trusted! As an example they said that they had sold the car they brought from Holland 10 times - and each time was a confirmed sale, but the buyer never turned up with the money to pay for the car! Dyanne also said it was extremely hard to run a business with local help because of their temperament. She also told us about the refugee camps being set up for the people from Mali, (Bobo is the first stop out of Mali) about the French who had already arrived in Bobo, the extra awareness of the military, and of course everyone's sincerest hopes that the unrest from Mali doesn't spill over into Burkina. Did I tell you we saw one of the French military planes landing in Ouga the day they did their insurgence into Tripoli?
Bobo-Dioulasso or Bobo had a lovely feeling about it. It is more of a cultural centre than Ouga and smaller and prettier with narrow tree lined streets, a white mosque similar to the one in Larabongo, an amazing market that you can wander in for hours and not pass the same stalls twice. We noticed lots of live music advertized for every night except the nights we were there. The people were slightly more friendly than Ouga although we definitely found the women to be more sombre and it was hard to get a smile out of them. I think the population is around 500,000.
After we had sorted ourselves out, we headed out to the Dankan Restaurant for dinner. Once again I tried ordering vegetarian but ended up with mutton an hour and a half later!! It is really hard to get vegetables when you are eating out. It is also a little hard to get used to the locals who just come up and plonk themselves down beside you. Invariably they are trying to sell you something, then they try for a "cadeau", then last of all a drink. I find this habit of asking for something really bothersome.
Then we walked back to the guest house, past the million red and green lights in the shape of a Christmas tree lighting up the main square, and down the road avoiding pot holes, motor cycles, bicycles, goats, and chickens.
On Tuesday we were up about 8 and ready for breakfast around 9:00. I had ordered crepes and coffee, and it was delicious. Then Ray, Sally and I set off to explore the market. We must have left the camp around 10:30 and didn't get back until 3:45. We wandered around the town and discovered the city hall and the railway station with its two train routes - one to Ouga and one to Abdijan. We saw the mosque, this is similar to the one we saw in Larabanga but much newer being built in 1893 in the typical Sahel mud style with with theconical towers and wooden pegs which both support the structure and act as scaffolding when they are re-plastering. Didn't see too many white people, but any we did see were French. In the evening we went to a local bar to watch the Burkina vs Zambia foot ball game. There were hoots of joy when the game resulted in a draw. We waved our newly purchased green and red flags and jumped up and down along the locals. Then it was back to the guest house for dinner. Brochettes, salad, and chips! Later in the evening we had a fire and then Solo played his guitar and sang for us around the campfire. Then off to bed.
Monday Jan 28 - Off to Bobo
As our drive to Bobo was only about 3 or 4 hours we didn't have to leave till around 10:30 so had lots of time to get up and shower and have breakfast and even go to the pharmacie to get Ray some anibiotics and cough pastilles before heading off to Bobo Dilassou. The drive was as uneventful as most Africans can be. We drove through the Savannah, past the little villages with their eclectic layouts, colourful people, and goats, donkeys, and chickens. No armed guards needed along the way, and no sign of bandits!!
We arrived in Bobo later in the afternoon, and checked out this new guest house that Dave had heard about. When he was in Kumasi over Christmas he had apparently met a Dutch couple whose car had broken down but whom he was always to help out by fixing it. When they head what he was doing he told them that they had to camp at their neighbour's place - Foret Diassou on General Charles de Gaulle Ave. Fortunately Dave thought it OK and they agreed to camping on their grounds so we pulled in, and set up the tents. Ray and I chatted quite extensively with Dyanne and Solo the couple who ran the guest house. The property was owned by 2 old French ladies. It was a large compound with a cute little house and they had already added an auberge - i.e. some rooms and a wash room. There was an old pool which needs a lot of work. Their story is that Solo, a black Rastafarian looking guy with dreds and a smile that made you melt inside, had lived in Holland for 27 years and wanted to go back to Burkina to develop his music. Dyanne is Dutch, white, also with Dreds, and really pleasant and attentive. They had two little kids one 6 and one 3 and they thought that if they were ever going to do the move, now would be a good time. They haven't been there a year yet. I gather it has been quite a challenge. They say the blacks are totally unreliable, never turn up when they say so, lie,and steal and can never be trusted! As an example they said that they had sold the car they brought from Holland 10 times - and each time was a confirmed sale, but the buyer never turned up with the money to pay for the car! Dyanne also said it was extremely hard to run a business with local help because of their temperament. She also told us about the refugee camps being set up for the people from Mali, (Bobo is the first stop out of Mali) about the French who had already arrived in Bobo, the extra awareness of the military, and of course everyone's sincerest hopes that the unrest from Mali doesn't spill over into Burkina. Did I tell you we saw one of the French military planes landing in Ouga the day they did their insurgence into Tripoli?
Bobo-Dioulasso or Bobo had a lovely feeling about it. It is more of a cultural centre than Ouga and smaller and prettier with narrow tree lined streets, a white mosque similar to the one in Larabongo, an amazing market that you can wander in for hours and not pass the same stalls twice. We noticed lots of live music advertized for every night except the nights we were there. The people were slightly more friendly than Ouga although we definitely found the women to be more sombre and it was hard to get a smile out of them. I think the population is around 500,000.
After we had sorted ourselves out, we headed out to the Dankan Restaurant for dinner. Once again I tried ordering vegetarian but ended up with mutton an hour and a half later!! It is really hard to get vegetables when you are eating out. It is also a little hard to get used to the locals who just come up and plonk themselves down beside you. Invariably they are trying to sell you something, then they try for a "cadeau", then last of all a drink. I find this habit of asking for something really bothersome.
Then we walked back to the guest house, past the million red and green lights in the shape of a Christmas tree lighting up the main square, and down the road avoiding pot holes, motor cycles, bicycles, goats, and chickens.
On Tuesday we were up about 8 and ready for breakfast around 9:00. I had ordered crepes and coffee, and it was delicious. Then Ray, Sally and I set off to explore the market. We must have left the camp around 10:30 and didn't get back until 3:45. We wandered around the town and discovered the city hall and the railway station with its two train routes - one to Ouga and one to Abdijan. We saw the mosque, this is similar to the one we saw in Larabanga but much newer being built in 1893 in the typical Sahel mud style with with theconical towers and wooden pegs which both support the structure and act as scaffolding when they are re-plastering. Didn't see too many white people, but any we did see were French. In the evening we went to a local bar to watch the Burkina vs Zambia foot ball game. There were hoots of joy when the game resulted in a draw. We waved our newly purchased green and red flags and jumped up and down along the locals. Then it was back to the guest house for dinner. Brochettes, salad, and chips! Later in the evening we had a fire and then Solo played his guitar and sang for us around the campfire. Then off to bed.
1 comment:
So glad you are back posting again - we were starting to get worried but happy to hear of the next leg of your adventure. Sherry
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