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Benin Travel Blogs

Background: Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960, as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.

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By CA
November 9th 2006

Cotonou Africa » Benin » South » Cotonou

Got up today at 6:30, late for this part of the world, and spent our first full day in the chaotic city of Cotonou and I can safely say that I love it. We arrived yesterday and were dropped by our Peugeot 505 taxi along with the 8 other passengers in the ultimate nightmare location with a backpack. Stood on a traffic island with roads on three sides it all bulging with battered cars and a million 'zemi-johns' (motorcycle taxis). We walked one way, tried to cross then gave up and repeated this farce with the other three roads all the [View Full Entry]

By CA
November 7th 2006

Porto Novo and other ghost towns Africa » Benin » South » Porto-Novo

So we left Ghana a while back now and after entering Togo on a river-bed type road where the delapidated border posts were filled with mountains of corn on the cobs (don't ask - I don't know) we have headed south through Togo and then crossed at a slightly more uptempo border into Benin where we now reisde in the eastern most town and capital of Porto Novo. Togo was very small but very beautiful, the town of Atakpamé our highlight which was a small town with a real French colonial feel to it, Peugeot 504s rolling down the cobbled streets [View Full Entry]

By Erika
October 24th 2006

The Worst Day Ever Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Big Bike

29 Septembre 2006 Vendredi List the positives first: 1) The internet worked, so I emailed and did travelblog easily and uninterrupted for two hours at the bureau, 2) I cashed the school money check for a student in Athieme, and 3) I bathed and ate once I finally made it home. My run this morning could be considered a positive as well. Only Willie and Melchior had arrived at the stadium by 8h, so the three of us talked and then left. I prepared myself for what I had planned to be a quick trip to Cotonou. I had the taxi [View Full Entry]

By Erika
October 24th 2006

Writer's Block Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

George the Tortoise is Fair Play

I know that when I am so hot, so hot that rather than drying off after a bath I just start sweating, rain will come. Sooner or later, rain will fall and my toes will be cold and I will be able to drink coffee or tea at 14h. I know I have to wait, though. I might sweat for a long time, a couple days even, before the world finally cools down. I also know that rain cancels any plans. I love not needing to wear real clothes for the majority of most days. I get dressed to leave [View Full Entry]

By Erika
September 29th 2006

Reading their Journals, by Greta Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

The Adventure Begins!

Late Thursday night, I read the journal Greta had been keeping of her stay in Benin. I was delighted to find an objective writing-eye with personality… so I kept it and am publishing it for all to read. I am doing the same with Grandpa’s too, but not with my own. I am the author, I get to choose. Trip to Benin 2006 Kansas City-Atlanta-Paris-Cotonou Local time we arrived about 6:30 on Sunday, 25 hours after we left. We stayed in a nice hotel in Cotonou. There were lots of rooms, and beautiful woodwork. Our room, and I assume most others, [View Full Entry]

By Erika
September 29th 2006

Le Petit Four, 16 Septembre, 2006 Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Grandpa, Try to Understand!

Since I asked to publish their journals (yes, I asked), both of my visitors left their notebook at home Friday morning, leaving two days completely blank. That is not acceptable in my writing, so while eating a late lunch/early supper at Le Petit Four, I asked a few questions to fill in the holes. Saturday, 16 September 2006 16h00, Le Petit Four, Cotonou, Benin, West Africa Greta Kraus, Grandpa Stuart (a.k.a. Steve Stuart) Ebk: What did we do yesterday? Greta: Oh crap . Rode in a car all day, met people, went to the bank, went to another [View Full Entry]

By Erika
August 28th 2006

One Week in Another Part of the World Africa » Benin

Day 1

I found out during a week of travel in early August that it's not only when in Kansas that I have to vacation to find mountains and waterfalls. I went north; oh my, it is beautiful. I traveled with Natalie, another volunteer from southern Benin who had never seen the upper part of the country. We met Sunday night in Cotonou, then took the bus to Parakou the following day. Parakou is the Cotonou equivalent for the north of Benin, which makes it quite a hopping city. Parakou is the mid-point of the country north and south, and is the junction [View Full Entry]

By Erika
August 18th 2006

Excerpts from June Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Tree Day

I can understand now why crab is considered a delicacy. Sometimes I wonder why food inspires me to write, but with dinners’ such as tonite’s, I am not too surprised. There was an awful lot of thinking involved. But I am starting on the 23rd, and I mean to begin with the 1st… 1 Juin 2006, Jeudi TREE DAY! I started the day with a quick little jog around town. Very nice. I came home and brought Elisabeth to me by thinking the little twerp probably would pass by before 7h. Uh, honey, I love ya, but no way before 7h, [View Full Entry]

By Erika
August 18th 2006

Excerpts from June, Continued Africa » Benin » South » Athiémé

Famille Asse

24 Juin 2006 Samedi June sure seems like a long month. I guess I have a lot to expect at the end- my birthday, the end of the women’s group competition, and Camp GLOW. Uncle Jeff did not call last night- I hope not everyone is planning on calling me on my birthday. I want people to call, just not all at once. They should write letters. I am frustrated with writing at the moment. Not here, in the journal. As I was thinking about how my writing frustration is not with my journal, I had a strange out-of-body experience, realizing [View Full Entry]

By Erika
August 18th 2006

Camp GLOW Africa » Benin » South » Porto-Novo

On the Road

I am happily exhausted. Guillaume, Derique, and my mosquitoes have welcomed me back into my home. I spent the entire past week entertaining fifty girls, 10-14 years old, in Porto Novo, Benin. I have a t-shirt to prove it. I love that age group, and I had so much fun translating time-killing games and playing endlessly. Follow-the-leader, Simon Says, Heads-up, Seven-up, Charades, we even translated the B-I-N-G-O song. Aïchath, Elisabeth, Gisele, Imelda, and I left Sunday, July 2, for Camp GLOW. We had to wait for a taxi- the chauffeur I had found did not arrive, so I had to track [View Full Entry]

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