Blogs from Benin, Africa - page 9

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 bank… Gpa: Only two hours in the car! It wasn’t all day. Greta: Well it seemed like all day. Gpa: Two hours. You should answer the questions accurately. This is an interview! Greta: I don’t care if she ... read more

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 to continue northeast toward Malanville, or northwest to Natitingou. Natalie and I went in both directions. We spent Monday afternoon in Parakou with one of our colleagues who lives there. We had wanted to be ... read more

I like sleeping until 7h. That’s about the time the bedroom starts getting warm, the neighbors play music, and I have to pee. After two months, I have returned to that practice, except for those mornings I get up earlier to run. It’s not that for those two months I slept until 8h, oh no; for two months I was on my bike by 6h15 to go to work with Florent and Patrice, the two others at As.P.E.L. with whom I conducted the project “Competition: Cleanest and Greenest City.” This was quite the project. I committed myself to be in Athieme every morning for eight straight weeks. I love Athieme, but I also like to get supplies in Cotonou or visit the beach… I was able to fit in a couple days of escape. The project ... read more

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, and preferably not before 8h, and 9h if you can help it. Anyway, I stretched and bathed and finished the stew from last night and wrote a letter and listened to African news on a ... read more

Crossing the border from Ghana into Togo felt like getting back to genuine Africa. Away from modern conveniences and into overcrowded bush-taxis, driving like there’s no tomorrow (which more than once got close to true). We had entered the hilly Danyi Plateau and were travelling on twisting roads through jungle-covered hills, to get to the Benedictine monastery outside the small village of Dzogbégan. The monks at the monastery are famous for their huge orchard, attracting people from faraway to come and enjoy their produce. Things like carambola-jam, home-processed cheese, honey vinegar and freshly baked baguettes are just a few of the products they sell. The call of the sirens for me was the homegrown coffee, served at breakfast with the full board offered at the monastery. As we arrived all the rooms were taken, but the ... read more