Benin: crazy driving, hotels on lakes and slave history...

We arrived in Benin on Monday. First impressions of Cotonou were that the city was remarkably more developed that Lomé, much to our suprise. The roads were better, but crazier, with twice as many motorbikes, which we have dared to take because its about the only transport available. I now have a little spiel that i recite to my motor-driver... "Je n'aime pas le motor, j'ai peur, alors allez moins vite, sil'te plait" then i continue to exclaim "moins vite, moins vite" until we get there!!

We have extended our visas from the ridiculous 48 hours ones they issue at the visa to a month at some equally ridiculous cost. But it is definitely worth it, Benin seems to have a wealth of places to visit. The history of the slave trade originates here and we stayed in Oiudah yesterday which has an interesting museum. We alse walked along the "routes des esclaves", a 4km road to the sea, which the slaves would have done beofre venturing onto ships to the americas- it was quite atmospheric as you reach the "gate of no return", a memorial to the slaves who died during the voyage.

Another adventure we have done in Benin, is to visit Ganvié. This is a town of popultion siwe 35,500 people who live in the middle of a lake. We took a traditional pirogue (a wooden dug-out canoe, avec sail) to the town 8km out. Then we stayed in a hotel that is, like all the other houses/schools/churches/shops etc, built on stilts. Once you were in the building it was difficult to tell you were in teh middle of a lake. but just popping over to your friends house was suddenly a whole lot more complicated!

Every morning the women of the town congregated together in their boats to sell their goods. This starts at 5am, and happened to be right outside our hotel. We emerged blearing eyes into the dark and watched eery candles and the hollowing of market sellers. The men left to go out onto the lake and fish a little later. It was a really interesting excursion, and one that may well not be possible in a few years. There are plans to build a bridge to the mainland which will take away the special remote feeling it has now.

We are now in Porto Novo, heading to Abomey tomorrow, then Grand Popo (for some beaching!).