A First Taste

We are on a bus from Parakou to Gbetagbo. A 6 hr journey with our
driver who loves his horn. We can't complain because he isn't blaring
horribly untasteful movies or music like we had on the way up.
Every day there is something new to face. There are cultural
things like the women not eating with the men which means our meal
visits are predominantly with the man of the home. And their clothes.
8 out of 10 women wear their bright African dress with different
headresses. I've been given a colourful flowing cotton "booboo" that
everyone wears around the house. Even to breakfast with the brothers
around. It's so nice and cool.
And the food. Carbs galore. Either rice, yams, cassava, potatoes,
or bread mostly with some kind if meat in a sauce. Last night we had
duck and lunch today was goat. We hardly ever get vegetables and they
are always cooked. Heat kills the bugs.
The mototaxi rides are a blast. They are a little more expensive
than a taxi but alot cooler bc of the air flow plus most taxis are
jammed with 4 ppl in the back and 2 in the front. My brother asked if
there are any African dirtbiking safaris in Benin. I figure that the
mototaxi is close enough. We go anywhere on them. The dirt roads are
pocked with pot holes and grooves from flowing rainwater that we
bounce over merrily. Recently we saw 4 girls on one moto. We stared
and laughed at them while they laughed and stared back at us. Us being
me and 6 girls from western Canada. I think they were sent from heaven
so that I don't miss my young sisters so much. Super fun and funny
girls. We went to a pool the other day and goofed off and got burnt
and screamed everytime we saw the huge spiders in the mango trees.
Like 30 humungoid scary things.
Animals run free everywhere. Downtown, in the yard, on the road
etc. Sometimes they aren't so free like when they're in the trunk, on
the back of a moto or in the baggage compartment of the bus like Billy
Goat, our guest today.
I couldn't begin to describe all the different sounds, smells and
sights that are so normal here but this is just a start.
for now there is no way to upload photos but at some point I might
figure it out. Until then...