Fetish market

Day 2
We were up 6 for an early breakfast of fruit, granola, croissant and some nasty coffee so that we could leave in good time. Unfortunately our guide seems both inexperienced and disorganised. The forms he had to complete with our details for the border crossing hadn’t been done as he got home late. This meant we spend lunch time like headless chickens trying to find out from each other what on earth he wanted in what order. (Then the border officials didn’t accept it so we had to start all over again). Luckily one of the travellers used to be an Explore guide so he more or less took charge. People are not happy and done have already raised issues with him.

In the morning he took us to see the outside of some official buildings then we wandered through an enormous market. It was very hot and crowded, with motor bikes and push carts trying to weave their way through the narrow space between all the stalls selling cloth, plastic shoes, fruit and veg, plastic tat. Just like many markets in Africa but definitely the biggest. We were wilting by the time the transport picked us up and
took us to a beach side restaurant where we were told to order lunch then get back in the vehicles to try to negotiate the bottle necks of parked up lorries near the docks, causing traffic chaos. Eventually we got to the compound where the fetish market was situated. An entry fee and photo fee was paid. It appeared to be there for tourists but we got an interesting guide explaining how the objects were used in traditional (voodoo) medicine. Only good could be done, no harm. Most of the objects were dried animals of various kinds - birds, hedgehogs, deer, snake etc. The We visited a practitioner in his temple and got more info. Then back for lunch at the beach before the tedious border crossing.

We were so slow we didn’t reach the hotel till 8.30 so we had a bit of supper and tried to access wifi. It seems slow. Very slow.

We leave minus breakfast at 6.30 am as the situation of the voodoo festival is unpredictable. I’ll keep you posted.

This is very much West Africa and we are operating on “Africa time” ie maybe, sometime.