Village on Stilts - Ganvie, Benin

"Ganvie is a lake village in Benin, Africa lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. With a population of around 20,000 people, it is probably the largest lake village in Africa and as such is very popular with tourists. The village was created in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people who took to the lake to avoid Fon warriors capturing slaves for sale to European traders. Making the shallow waters and islands of Lake Nokoue a haven, the Ganvie villager are often referred to as "water men."" per Wikipedia

Slave Road, Ouida, Benin

Stefano and I hired a tour guide to walk us down the "slave road" from the "slave market" in the city center to the "gate of no return" near the ocean port and explain the stations along the way. 

1. Slave Market and to the left was the Branding Building

2. Where the "Tree of Forgetfulness" once existed.  The future slaves were told not to remember their past, only the future...

3. Next, the cemetery where the bodies where buried in a large hole after spending a few nights in the House of Darkness.

4. The "Tree of Return" - representing the "spiritual" return of the slaves to West Africa after their death.   The guy in the yellow shirt, pink pants, and white shoes was our tour guide. 

Two of the stations along the slave road symbolized the African woman's involvement in the slave trade.  African women helped capture "potential" slave from other tribes. 

The "Gate of No Return" 

Random Take Aways from the Tour: 

Seven Major Stations on the "Road of Slaves"

1. Slave Market

2. Marking or Branding House

3. Tree of Forgetfulness

4. House of Darkness

5. Cemetery 

6. Tree of (Spiritual) Return

7. Gate of No Return

Top Six "Gates of No Return" in West Africa

1. Senegal

2. Angola

3. Benin

4. Elmina

5. Congo

6. Gabon

Ouidah, Benin

Pyton Temple - home to some 60 sleepy pythons! 

A Sleepy Python

Slavery History Museum in the Old Portuguese Fort

Sacred Forest 

Stefano admiring the art work at Musee de la Foundation Zinsou.   

Puzzled Conall at the Musee de la Foundation Zinsou. I always seek out contemporary art museums while traveling.  They provide a sense of the art scene in a country as well as the country's attitude toward change.  The art work in this museum was very basic. Probably at the level of an art school senior thesis projects. But at least the city had an contemporary art museum.

Grand Popo, Benin

In Grand Popo we arranged for a village walk and then for a boat trip through the mangroves.  Both were a waste of time.  After the board ride we were offered an viewing of a traditional "voodoo" dance.  The dance was kind of interesting, even though I typically avoid traditional/folk dance performances.  Walking home, we visited a turtle "sanctuary" where we were asked to make a donation. Overall, Benin has a better idea than most west African countries, what tourists "like", however the quality of what offered is still fairly poor.