Lome, Togo

 The kids are delightful and very friendly

Down at the fishing port. That woman is carrying apples on her head, and a baby on her back.

Togo is like Benin but without the glitz, glamour, class and sophistication.  Unlike Benin, we did not have a police escort (sorely missed as we sat in many traffic jams today), but we did have security on board.  It was hard to take her seriously though. She looked more like protection for the villain in an old James Bond movie - tall, in a tight-fitting tan pant suit, high-heels and an afro.  When our guide told us what her job was it was on the tip of my tongue to say, “Surely you jest!”.  But I didn’t.  She was the one with the gun. In her handbag.

The hustle and bustle of this city is something else. Scooters carrying up to 4 people whipped between the trucks and buses.  And so many people walking.  The women have the most perfect posture, probably from carrying huge loads on their heads.  This can consist of laundry, hot food, loaves of bread, fruit and veg, and even long tree trunks. Or else they have a baby tied onto their back in a sarong.  Sometimes they carry both.  We have it easy.

We went to an artisan centre to see craftspeople at work.  Carving, weaving, shoe-making, beadwork.  And then of course, the museum.  We’re talking NATIONAL museum.  A room, with a fan, and a couple of cabinets with carvings and musical instruments.  And inexplicably, an old wooden bed-frame with a life size paper-mache horse propped up in it.  We weren’t allowed to take photos here.  Maybe they’re afraid we’ll go home and copy their great ideas. Without a doubt, the fan was the most popular exhibit.

With no air-con again today, it was a relief to get dropped at a beach for a few minutes to watch the fishermen hauling their nets in through the surf.  There’d be as many as 15 men working the one net, heaving the rope, and chanting a song.  Kind of like a chain-gang.  And later we were shown the local fishing port which I found fascinating.  There was so much going on - with brightly painted boats coming and going, nets being mended, wares being sold, fish being handled.

Our most disturbing stop of the day was the Fetish Market where the locals go to buy remedies for their maladies.  I’ve never seen such a variety of dead animals and birds in one location.  The smell was something else.  Displayed outside on big tables were dead owls, falcons and parrots.  Skulls of hippo, monkey and baboon. Whole withered heads of cats and other small animals.  Skins of leopard, porcupine and antelope. Teeth of warthog and others. It was pretty overwhelming.  And there were far more species there than I’ve mentioned.  One guy wanted to take me out the back of his stall to show me his voodoo amulets (that’s not a euphemism) but I was afraid I’d never be seen again. It doesn’t get much more macabre than that place.

Interesting fact: Togo was Britain’s first victory of World War I.  It took only 12 days to defeat the 500 Germans who lived here.

A stand at the Fetish Market

Hauling in the nets