Random photo posts.

[Cossie]

Back to Afria. Mount Cameroon in western Cameroon, people run up this in a race each year, bit fitter than me! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Cameroon_Race_of_Hope



Finally got to the Atlantic and had a few days at Limbe, Cameroon was very interesting in that it seems to have been one of the few amalgamations that have been sucessfull, one part was French and the other Brittish, each language is still popular in its respective part, plus one drinks coffee and eats baguettes, whilst the other drinks tea and eats white sliced loaves. Not five star accomodation but when you are young I don't think it matters quite so much.

 

[Cossie]

Sorry, missed some of Bangui in the CAR, Bokassa another despot had gone by the time we were there, the French military were very obvious with their presence. Bokassa declared himself 'president for life' in 1972 and renamed the country the Central African Empire. Again photographs were not encouraged, wonder what's it like now with mobiles and the like, bit harder to control.

 

[drron]

Now I have been to Limbe.Mt.Cameroon in 2013-

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But now a place for the oil industry-

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But got to see this fellow at an animal rescue place-

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And the beach-

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[Cossie]

Over the border into Nigeria, entering Lagos.



The driver said we needed to get a move on, straight in Benin where at least we had a couple of days.

Floating villages near Ganvie, I took more photos in that morning than i had for the previous 4 weeks.

 

[Cossie]

More from Ganvie.

 

[Cossie]

Togo next on the list and a visit to the voodoo market in Lome, lot's of weird stuff on display there!

 

[Cossie]

 

[Cossie]

We were meant to drive up Togo and into Burkina Faso and then into Mali, but the driver had done that route and said it wasn't so appealing. He wanted to cross into Ghana, Ivory Coast then Mali. Head office were really upset with him for changing the route, so we all had to sign a form saying that we agreed to the change and therefore wouldn't try to get out money back for not going on the original route.

Now, i haven't been to Burkina Faso so I may be doing it a disservice, but i was quite happy with the change, Ghana was only just starting to open up again and the ivory Coast was going through a period of real growth before descending into kaos in later years.

Again we were advised not to take any photos in Accra, in particular not near the presidential palace, nor Black Star Square. Different story out of Accra, in particular around the former slaving ports of Elmina and Cape Coast.

Cape Coast Castle - Home Old Map of Gold Coast - Cape Coast Castle

It was a truely eye opening experience and what's saddening is that there is still slavery in the world today.

 

[Cossie]

More slaving fort pictures. I didn't take any of the area called 'the gate of no return' and couldn't imagine what it must have been like for those that were locked up here before being transported.

 

[Cossie]

In to the Ivory coast, Abidjan was a very modern city with all associated benefits, decent coffee!

I'll have to get a move on, still lot's to see.



North of Abidjan is Yamoussoukro where this was being built. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Our_Lady_of_Peace

Again only photos from a distance as we couldn't get near the place. It was a 'gift' from the president of the Ivory Coast, Felix Houphouët-Boigny to the Vatican. Some say he was trying to buy his way into heaven...... Interesting quote: "The final cost of the Basilica doubled Côte d'Ivoire's national debt." from the above page.

 

[Cossie]

Into Mali, fascinating place, great music lot's to see and do, Spent some time in Bamako, then of to see the Dogon tribe near Bandiagara, Mopti and the largest mud brick building in the world and then the famous Timbuktu, don't think you can do that now.

But first, some people photos, we did ask first and most were happy to have theirs taken. The boss carried a lot of jars of nail polish and ear rings to give out. as well. pens and pencils were also a constant request, or quite often just 'cadeau'.

These photos are from Erika, aka the boss.

View attachment 88095

 

[Cossie]

Dogon, just as well I didn't have a digital camera... Cliff dwellers, not unlike the Anasazi in the states.

 

[RB]

Some great photos Cossie. I often look back at our travel photos & wonder how life is treating some of the people we met.

 

[Cossie]

More information on the Dogon here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogon_people

Sorry, these are all a bit washed out, any kids today in the west think they have it tough! Daily chores here for them.



The Dogon are famous for their masks and carved doors.

 

[Cossie]

Chores for adults as well.



View out over the plain and some kids.

 

[Cossie]

The boss painting nails, the kids loved it!



and the results.

 

[Cossie]

Granaries.

 

[Cossie]

This lady was due to be married and Erika gave her some earrings. Also some kids, they are not sure what I was doing, I'm guessing it's a mango, or possibly an orange.





A few other random shots,

 

[Cossie]

Witch doctors house, objects and some more kids, I'm thinking malnutrition?

 

[love_the_life]

That sounds like some trip. Don't think I could rough it like that.