May 15, 2012 - Cotonou, Benin

May 15, 2012 - Cotonou, Benin

It is around 7am and we are just arriving in Cotonou. It is the economic capital of Benin, the government is located in Porto Novo. Our tour today is of both cities. Cotonou means "mouth of the river of death". It was here that the Dahomey kingdom sent about 10,000 slaves per year to the Americas. When European powers attempted to halt the trade in human beings the Dahomey refused to cooperate since their largest source of income would be lost. So the British and France seized the areas. The French formalized their control of the colony in 1882, and slavery was banned forever. That is why French is the national language. The county gained it's independence in 1960. The government is a multiparty democracy. All that being said we have been warned about the high crime in the area and to be careful. This is the area where voodoo is still practice.

This morning we had breakfast in our cabin. It is easier and quicker then going to the buffet.

We were to dock around 7am, but due to port traffic (a ship was in our berth) we didn't leave the ship for our tour until about 9:30am. The bus did not have A/C, but the windows were open. The temperature was in the mid-80 s, but it was humid. The tour did provide water for us. We drove an hour from Cotonou to Port Novo to our first stop at the Museum Honme', Palace of the Port Novo Kings, then to the Ethnographic Museum, then back to the Museum Honme' for a folkloric dance. Then the hour drive back to Cotonou for the stop at the handicraft market. We purchased a Amazon warrior mask and a wall hanging. Then back to the ship.

The best part of the tour was driving in the cities and seeing the people in their daily life. The streets are a mixture of new, old, very old, rubble and the ever present garbage.
Each street has it's vendors lining the road - selling everything: food, tires, luggage, bootleg gasoline, furniture and everything you would need to setup housekeeping. There are cars, but the main means of transportation is the motor bike/cycle. It didn't seem to be much public transportation. The motorbikes also served as taxis. We did not see any begging, like in India. We saw many schoolchildren dressed in uniforms. They were very friendly and polite. It was an eye opening experience and people who complain about our country should kiss the ground they walk on. Believe me no one gets on a plane for a vacation in Benin.

Poor is an understatement however education is free and mandatory. One of our fellow passengers had candy and another had balloons. They are always a hit with the kids and I will check tonight in the ship's shop for some wrapped candy. It's nice to ask if you can take their picture and then give or offer them something. Big eyes and smiling faces. Despite the low income of the country, the children look reasonably well fed, clean and happy.

I have decided you can take the economic temperature of a country by the shoes you see the general population wearing. Here in Benin it's flip flops....

Hal mentioned slavery. Between the local Chiefs', Those from Northern Africa, and even some Europeans the capture of locals or the opposing tribe for profit was a major source of income for those in the slave trade.

We think of jazz melodies and voodoo coming from Jamaica... Well folks it all came via the slave trade from West Africa that started between tribes in the 1400's and to the new world (Brazil) in the 1500's

Tomorrow we are in Togo and I look forward to our tours. I hope it is as interesting Peppercorn as today's.

We ate dinner on the buffet and the place bridge. We set the clock back one hour tonight so we get an extra hour of sleep.


Sent from my iPad

Hal