togolese motorcycle gang.
Togo was our last trip of the semester, thus completing the goal of crossing every border of Ghana. Togo was the easiest border to cross. It was only about three hours from Accra, driving along the coast. The border official of course asked us to marry him and gave us our visas in the least efficient manor, but this is West Africa after all. We rode on the back of motorcycles to our hotel in Lome, the capital city, which is right on the border.
We stayed at Hotel le Gallion, which was a great bar and restaurant, lined with French ex-pats who were about 80 years old and flirted with us, they were great. Sleeping was a little bit of a different stories, the beds lined with bed bugs and mosquitoes, which caused me to take out almost all of the dreadlocks I have been creating for three months (don’t worry, I left in three of them adorned with beads.) It also rained most of the time, which was also unfortunate.
In the morning, we hopped on the back of the motorcycles again (motos are replacements for taxis in Lome, hands down my favorite part of the city). We headed to the fetish market. Over 40% of people in Togo practice voodoo, whether it be with Christianity or Islam or nothing else. The fetish market was lined with leopard heads, turtle shells, dead hedgehogs and other animals used for various medicines to treat anything from malaria to erectile dysfunction. The chief invited us into this room where the guide showed us the six main voodoo charms. I purchased the travel charm, which the chief blessed in my name.
We then went to the regular market, overwhelming as per usual and some rastas showed us some great leather goods and jewelry. (yes, everywhere we go we make Rasta friends, I don’t know). We ate some Togolese fufu, which was not very different from Ghana fufu, but delish nonetheless. That evening, we went out on the town to a noisy, but relaxed outdoor bar, where we met some Nigerians who wanted to be our friends and then asked if we could write them recommendations to get them their visas to the U.S. The usual.
The next day we headed to Lake Togo, getting lost on the way to the Auberge du Lac, because we did not talk to our travel charms. Once we finally found it, we ended up at this charming lakefront property with bungalows and beach chairs lining the lake. We took a canoe across the lake to Togoville, a village where someone had a vision of the Virgin Mary on the lake and the pope came for a visit. The village is also known for its voodoo practice. It did not seem too different from any other village, but it was picturesque sitting on the water, and there were many adorable baby goats, again, as per usual.
We headed back and relaxed in the evening, playing cards by the lakeside. The next day, we were finally blessed with some sun and relaxed some more on the lake, then back to Lome to sit on the beach.
Togo overall seemed the least different from Ghana. I think that this is because it is small (The Rhode Island of West Africa if you will). Although it is French speaking, many people speak English, and did not seem too different from Ghanaians, but Lome was pretty and riding in a motorcycle gang for three days was pretty badass.
