|
Switzerland
of Africa: Part Three
From
Labé to Mali
Ville
by
Muguette
Goufrani
 Labé,
Guinea's crossroads community, was the
final stop for that day . Approximately
400 km from our starting point at Conakry,
Labé is Guinea's third-largest
community and for centuries past, a major
crossroads for traffic heading to and
returning from Senegal and Guinée
Bissau. Labé's commercial center or
heart of activity is located on a
hillside, affording a pleasant view of the
surrounding countryside. The area's museum
and co-op dyer for fabrics are the town's
principal attractions.
The final leg of our
journey began early the following morning
we took off for what would become the high
point of the journey, Mali Ville, which is
120 km from Labé. The colors were
striking, even the road itself, its pink
surface contrasting with a brilliant blue
sky. for a few moments as a
photo
opportunity,
we left the beaten track to visit one of
the native hut villages, set amongst the
baobab (monkey bread) and pineapple palm
trees. At the market I purchased some
*cassava, avocado, palm kernels and
several jars of honey, which we're still
enjoying.
 A
Picture of Health and Vitality: The drive
to Mali Ville was outstanding, as this
attractive town, located at the highest
elevation in the Fouta Djalon plateau, is
like a crown jewel of nature, culture and
hospitality. The relatively cool
temperatures year round, and the
spectacular, panoramic views, attract
hikers, health enthusiasts, nature lovers
and trekkers from around the world, most
especially from Western Europe. In my
opinion, this area would be the ideal
location for a world class health spa and
therapeutic center. As Lamine Diallo, our
guide told me several times in advance,
"You will have the surprise of your life
in Mali Ville.
La Dame du Mali:
As our vehicle wound its way up the
incline towards Guinea's highest mountain,
Mount Loura (1538m) we parked the vehicle
and made our way along the footpath
leading to a legendary rock face they call
" La Dame du Mali," which, being perfectly
shaped by nature to resemble an elegant
woman's head, lives up to the name. Seeing
'La Dame' for the first time as we rounded
the final bend in the path, I could
scarcely believe my eyes. What a
beautiful, unforgettable
spectacle!
Note to
Readers: We just checked
Webtrends
and Gunea is attracting more readers than
any other section on this site, which
scores thousands of pages read weekly.
Aug. 2003
 The
Thatched Roof Villas at Mali Ville
We spent almost two days in Mali
Ville, staying at an attractive hillside
villa that was a former residence of the
country's President. At night the wind
would sing its serenade at our window, and
it seemed like nature had lost her noble
temper. Adding to the romantic special
effects were wax candles and oriental
perfumes sending an exotic aroma
throughout the villa's rooms. Upon
awakening the next day, I watched the
towns folk at their early morning routine
of house cleaning and preparing the
morning meal. Women of all ages began
arriving from the countryside with huge
bundles of dried thatching-grass. The
Tourism Ministry's General Manager
Ibrahima Diallo's brother, who owns and
operates a pharmacy in Mali Ville, invited
us for luncheon at his villa. We shared a
gourmet meal, consisting of West African
couscous and goat meat. It was typical of
the meals we enjoyed throughout the
journey. One of the local favorites is
"bicycle chicken," which earned its name
because as they say, "these (organic)
chickens will always run away from you,
like they're riding a bicycle."
We were invited
to meet the Mayor of Mali Ville in his
residence. That particular morning his
honor was surrounded by a bevy of
beautiful young ladies from the "Promotion
Feminine du Mali. He told me a short story
about the town, where the "Peulh" clan is
in the majority. I was particularly
impressed by the ladies' unique hairdos
and headdresses. I gathered more local
information from a local teacher, Mr.
Diallo Ibrahima Kindia Mabel, who is also
the press correspondent of the Mali Guinea
Agency. The meeting was so informative, I
have saved my notes from this interview
for our next printed edition.
Good-bye Mali
Ville, Hello Conakry
The next day on our return trip to
Conakry, we stopped briefly in Kindia for
a breakfast at the Friguiagbe (Fruit
market) and in Labota for its panoramic
view. I felt extremely comfortable while
traveling in Guinea, which made me more
determined than ever to promote this
beautiful country, its business and
tourist attractions throughout North
America. In this unspoiled, uncrowded West
African Shangri-La there's plenty of room
and opportunity. In my next installment, I
will talk about Conakry, the offshore
islands and the sandy beaches along the
Atlantic Coast on the historic Gulf of
Guinea. We will also visit the rain
forests and wildlife viewing
areas.
Muguette M.
Goufrani
Associate Editor, Africa Travel
Magazine
If you are
interested in a tour covering the same
route, contact Dunia
Voyages
of Conakry, who have a page on this web
site.
Footnotes:
• Cassava is
an important food plant in West Africa,
where it is a staple food. Cassava grows
very tall, and its edible parts are the
tuberous root and the leaves.
• By the
way, when you visit Guinea, make sure to
take plenty of film like I did. We have
enough precious memories to last a
lifetime. Many of these images of Guinea
will be available to media, travel clubs
and educational groups via the ATA web
site. But please ask permission first.
mailto:africatravelasso@aol.com
The opportunities
to promote Guinea abound in the Pacific
Northwest where we live. Around the world
there are numerous trade shows and
conferences we and other ATA members
attend. We also plan to organize trade
missions and invite investors interested
in becoming partners in building the
infrastructure for an enhanced tourism
sector. If
you want to join us on any future travel
to Guinea, fax (604) 681-6595
mailto:africa@dowco.com
Photos
from above tour
From
Labé to Mali
Ville
by
Muguette
Goufrani
Labé,
Guinea's crossroads community, was the
final stop for that day . Approximately
400 km from our starting point at Conakry,
Labé is Guinea's third-largest
community and for centuries past, a major
crossroads for traffic heading to and
returning from Senegal and Guinée
Bissau. Labé's commercial center or
heart of activity is located on a
hillside, affording a pleasant view of the
surrounding countryside. The area's museum
and co-op dyer for fabrics are the town's
principal attractions.
The final leg of our
journey began early the following morning
we took off for what would become the high
point of the journey, Mali Ville, which is
120 km from Labé. The colors were
striking, even the road itself, its pink
surface contrasting with a brilliant blue
sky. for a few moments as a
photo
opportunity,
we left the beaten track to visit one of
the native hut villages, set amongst the
baobab (monkey bread) and pineapple palm
trees. At the market I purchased some
*cassava, avocado, palm kernels and
several jars of honey, which we're still
enjoying.
A
Picture of Health and Vitality: The drive
to Mali Ville was outstanding, as this
attractive town, located at the highest
elevation in the Fouta Djalon plateau, is
like a crown jewel of nature, culture and
hospitality. The relatively cool
temperatures year round, and the
spectacular, panoramic views, attract
hikers, health enthusiasts, nature lovers
and trekkers from around the world, most
especially from Western Europe. In my
opinion, this area would be the ideal
location for a world class health spa and
therapeutic center. As Lamine Diallo, our
guide told me several times in advance,
"You will have the surprise of your life
in Mali Ville.
La Dame du Mali:
As our vehicle wound its way up the
incline towards Guinea's highest mountain,
Mount Loura (1538m) we parked the vehicle
and made our way along the footpath
leading to a legendary rock face they call
" La Dame du Mali," which, being perfectly
shaped by nature to resemble an elegant
woman's head, lives up to the name. Seeing
'La Dame' for the first time as we rounded
the final bend in the path, I could
scarcely believe my eyes. What a
beautiful, unforgettable
spectacle!
Note to
Readers: We just checked
Webtrends
and Gunea is attracting more readers than
any other section on this site, which
scores thousands of pages read weekly.
Aug. 2003
The
Thatched Roof Villas at Mali Ville
We spent almost two days in Mali
Ville, staying at an attractive hillside
villa that was a former residence of the
country's President. At night the wind
would sing its serenade at our window, and
it seemed like nature had lost her noble
temper. Adding to the romantic special
effects were wax candles and oriental
perfumes sending an exotic aroma
throughout the villa's rooms. Upon
awakening the next day, I watched the
towns folk at their early morning routine
of house cleaning and preparing the
morning meal. Women of all ages began
arriving from the countryside with huge
bundles of dried thatching-grass. The
Tourism Ministry's General Manager
Ibrahima Diallo's brother, who owns and
operates a pharmacy in Mali Ville, invited
us for luncheon at his villa. We shared a
gourmet meal, consisting of West African
couscous and goat meat. It was typical of
the meals we enjoyed throughout the
journey. One of the local favorites is
"bicycle chicken," which earned its name
because as they say, "these (organic)
chickens will always run away from you,
like they're riding a bicycle."
We were invited
to meet the Mayor of Mali Ville in his
residence. That particular morning his
honor was surrounded by a bevy of
beautiful young ladies from the "Promotion
Feminine du Mali. He told me a short story
about the town, where the "Peulh" clan is
in the majority. I was particularly
impressed by the ladies' unique hairdos
and headdresses. I gathered more local
information from a local teacher, Mr.
Diallo Ibrahima Kindia Mabel, who is also
the press correspondent of the Mali Guinea
Agency. The meeting was so informative, I
have saved my notes from this interview
for our next printed edition.
Good-bye Mali
Ville, Hello Conakry
The next day on our return trip to
Conakry, we stopped briefly in Kindia for
a breakfast at the Friguiagbe (Fruit
market) and in Labota for its panoramic
view. I felt extremely comfortable while
traveling in Guinea, which made me more
determined than ever to promote this
beautiful country, its business and
tourist attractions throughout North
America. In this unspoiled, uncrowded West
African Shangri-La there's plenty of room
and opportunity. In my next installment, I
will talk about Conakry, the offshore
islands and the sandy beaches along the
Atlantic Coast on the historic Gulf of
Guinea. We will also visit the rain
forests and wildlife viewing
areas.
Muguette M.
Goufrani
Associate Editor, Africa Travel
Magazine
If you are
interested in a tour covering the same
route, contact Dunia
Voyages
of Conakry, who have a page on this web
site.
Footnotes:
• Cassava is
an important food plant in West Africa,
where it is a staple food. Cassava grows
very tall, and its edible parts are the
tuberous root and the leaves.
• By the
way, when you visit Guinea, make sure to
take plenty of film like I did. We have
enough precious memories to last a
lifetime. Many of these images of Guinea
will be available to media, travel clubs
and educational groups via the ATA web
site. But please ask permission first.
mailto:africatravelasso@aol.com
The opportunities
to promote Guinea abound in the Pacific
Northwest where we live. Around the world
there are numerous trade shows and
conferences we and other ATA members
attend. We also plan to organize trade
missions and invite investors interested
in becoming partners in building the
infrastructure for an enhanced tourism
sector. If
you want to join us on any future travel
to Guinea, fax (604) 681-6595
mailto:africa@dowco.com
Photos
from above
tour
Photo
Credits: Muguette Goufrani / Robert Eilets
/ Guinea Ministry of
Tourism
Photo
Credits: Muguette Goufrani / Robert Eilets
/ Guinea Ministry of Tourism
Continued
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