There it is F3llows, the map of my 2 month journey from Accra, Ghana back to Dakar, complete with stops, detours and 30 mile stretches that took an entire day to cover. Ahh, the joys of overlanding in West Africa.
"These are a few of my favorite [West African] things":
Fan Milk: Ice cream. In a bag. Sold everywhere. Someone should probably start importing this to The States.
"Spots": Streetside bars where you can have a Star beer and order kebabs from one of the street vendors.
The Accra Mall: OK so this one isn't very "cultural" but I got to buy hard cider at a legit supermarket and see The Great Gatsby movie in a plush movie theater chair while eating popcorn. #notapologizing
British Colonial Architecture in Accra and Kumasi: Beautiful wooden and brick structures that Ghanaians still live and work in.
The plastic bags: I now have an "Azonto" plastic bag. 'nuff said.
Liati-Wote: This very friendly and well organized village sits at the base of Mt. Afadjato (Ghana's highest "peak"), has a waterfall nearby and is surrounded by green hills. I was invited to play volleyball with the young guys of the village the evening we arrived, and after showcasing my Azonto dance moves in the local elementary school a 5th grader approached me and said "Sir Tim, you have the dance. May God bless you." Best compliment I've ever received.
The Ginger Juice: Spicier than Dakar's, this stuff has a kick.
The two tiered falls at Wli: Hiking up past wild coffee and cacao into the hills separating Ghana from Togo and taking a dip at the upper falls made for a great day.
Store names: "No Jesus No Life," "Who Knows Tomorrow" and "Jesus' Blood Barbershop"
The vegan, honey-banana pancakes at Baobab House in Cape Coast.
Butre's fort: Looking over the small fanti fishing village and left to slowly decay/become consumed by the jungle plant life this was my favorite of the coastal forts.
Escape 3 Points Lodge: A deserted beach (which can have good surf), bamboo bungalows and fruit infused akpeteshie (distilled palm wine) at Ghana's southernmost point.
Hunting for antique kente cloth in Kejetia market, one of West Africa's largest.
Ghanaian pop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LCoksSQMzs
Exploring the crumbling Grand Bassam, the French colony's former capital and finding two kente cloth weavers working inside a stunning abandoned hotel.
Espresso: Somehow all the streetside coffee shacks have espresso machines in C.I. Not sure how they got there but I'm not complaining. One shot costs 100CFA (~20 cents).
French: After 3 weeks in Ghana my return to L'Afrique Ouest was particularly fresh as Ivoirians speak some of the best French in West Africa (and will proudly correct you if yours is not up to par).
Futu: This pounded 'dough' is similar to its Ghanaian equivalent (fufu) but is made out of plantain, and is delicious with the meat/peanut sauce that it typically comes with.
Poisson a la braise: Ivoirians know how to grill a fish, and the freshly diced onion-tomato salad (topped with vinaigrette) and athieké (cassava pounded into a couscous-like substance) make this my favorite West African dish, hands down.
Basically, their culinary delights are endless.
Man: This city near the Guinean border is blessed with interesting topography (Le Dent de Man), a great Catholic guesthouse (Centre Bethanie), pain au chocolat and some of the nicest Lebanese I've ever met (I spent a Sunday afternoon chillin' poolside).
The youth futbol league in Yopougon, a quartier of Abidjan: a) the play is super fast and enjoyable to watch. b) hundreds of spectators come out to cheer on 8-12 year olds. c) scoring a goal incites thunderous revelry and usually prompts a few spectators to run out onto the pitch and shove 500CFA (~$1) into the kids hands; pros from an early age.
Yamousoukro's Basilica: It's the biggest church in Christendom. It rises out of the lowland plains. And it's virtually empty when you visit. Quite the sight. Yamousoukro itself is like a village with six lane highways grafted on top of it which makes for an entirely surreal place.
Hospitality: One bush taxi ride led to making friends with an Ivoirian business man who put me up in a hotel for two nights in Sassandra, my guide at Yamousoukro's Basilica invited me to dinner at his humble home and Yul Sea and Aaninka proved to be the friendliest group of dancers and hosts I could have ever wished for.
Aaninka: These guys represent the best of Ivoirian dance and were incredible teachers. I'm so happy to have gotten the chance to work with them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IafosgQMR-A
Mangosteen: You can buy this exotic fruit on the streets. I'm all about it and it's supposed to have a lot of antioxidants.
Yopougon night life: You will sit in a maquis (streetside bar), snacking on aloco while having beers and being engulfed by BLASTING coupe decale music. The Ivoirians dancing make for great entertainment, especially when they get themselves in front of a wall of mirrors.
Playing boule (French bocce) with the old men of the neighborhood.
Moto-taxis: With roads NOT being Guinea's strong point, motos are ubiquitous and a much preferred mode of getting around. The whole country is like one big motorcycle gang. Guys on motos, ladies on motos, children on motos (like, 8 year olds whippin through the streets at night), ENTIRE families on motos (Dad driving with young boy in front straddling gas tank, oldest child in between Dad and Mom, who, invariably has #3 strapped to her back) so go on and join the fun, just don't forget to ask for a helmet.
The Fouta Djalon: This upper region is mountainous, green (its the middle of the rainy season) and boasts stunning hikes, the friendliest Peul people, whose language is melodic (naLA-toon!), and, perhaps most importantly, the coolest climate I have experienced this entire year. This place is the New Hampshire of West Africa and I can't get enough; they even have their own Old Man In The Mountain equivalent, La Dame du Mali.
The delight of going to sleep in sweatpants (that's right, no sweating the bed to be had here!) as cool mists surround your traditional hut.
Doucki: Where said hut sleeping went down at Chez Hassan Bah's, the nicest and quirkiest guide/campement owner I have come across in my travels. He loves speaking Spanish (he was once a marine engineer who lived in the Canaries) so that was fun to.
Indigo Fabric: Woven and died by hand, it's one of my favorite textiles I've come across.
Jumping into fresh pools just meters away from precipitous waterfall drops.
Fresh bread. The Peul's know how to bake some mean woodoven baguettes which go great with the fresh avocados, tomatoes and a good ol' can of sardines that are easy to buy. (P.S. why did no one tell me sardines were like canned tuna but way better? P.P.S. traveling during the month of Ramadan makes one master the art of building a meal from a small boutique)
Leather bags: I bought a hand made leather briefcase in Dalaba. It may or may not be partially crocodile leather.
I could go on, but I think I have already stretched the definition of "a few" so I'll leave it at that for now.
The map link if you want to zoom in: http://goo.gl/maps/chn10
Just under two weeks left over here! More photos and reflections on Senegal to come.
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