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Abijan,
Cote d'Ivoire: Having
heard our Associate Editor Muguette Goufrani sing
the praises of her life and times in Cote d'Ivoire
and other West African countries, I was full of
anticipation as we boarded the Air Afrique jet at
the Cotonou, Benin Airport, bound for the legendary
Ivory Coast. As serendipity plays a big part in
many of my African journeys, the first Ivorian we
chanced to meet en route was a Mr. Gakpo, "The
Lobster Man of Abidjan" (a possible song title),
who kindly invited us to stay at his seaside inn
the following week. That opportunity was a special
treat for several reasons, one being that the Inter
Continental Hotel Ivoire was full to the rafters
and rooftops, due to an Africa-wide financial
summit. I'll never forget Mr. Gakpo's stadium sized
outdoor dining area, open to the moist Atlantic
breezes, and topped by a traditional West African
thatched roof. While wining, dining and cracking
red lobster shells, one can watch the ever-present
fishing boats bobbing up and down in the waves, in
search of fresh seafood for tomorrow's table.
Photo of the Atlantic coast, courtesy of Best of
Africa Hotel. Photo below courtesy of Haury
Tours< Abidjan.
What's
more, the place never seems to close - allowing us
to visit well into the wee hours. Thus, Abidjan's
"Lobster Villa" became our staging point for one of
the most event-filled weeks in my lifetime. At the
time there was a major renovation and expansion of
Mr. Gakpo's Beach Hotel in progress. For
reservations and information phone (011)
225-27-40-86, fax 225-211-08
Meeting
Therese Haury was another milestone. Like Mother
Teresa of another era, this travel agent
extraordinaire is dedicated to helping Ivorian
villagers equip and supply local health clinics.
Her souvenir- filled residence overlooks Abidjan,
the Paris of West Africa. I plan to devote an issue
to the elegant new homes and modern lifestyle I saw
emerging, as this young giant of a city, the Paris
of Africa, enters the new millennium.
We
visited every district by taxi, which proved to be
a relatively low cost mode of travel. Haury Tours
operates two travel agency offices - one in the
central lobby of Abidjan's 750- room Inter
*Continental Hotel Ivoire (below right).
During
my first visit to the hotel, Manager Peter Janssen
suggested we visit the 'basilica' at Yamoussoukro
(the capital). Air Afrique showcased this 'wonder
of the world' on Africa Travel Magazine's back
cover in 1996, the same year as our trip. "You've
come this far," I told myself, "why not go all the
way?" So, when the sun rose over the coconut palms
at Lobster Village the next morning, I decided,
rather than fly or drive, we'd 'go native' and
purchase tickets on the local bus.
Indiana
Jones in Abidjan: A taxi took us to the bus station
at Adjame, which was like something out of a Bogart
or Indiana Jones movie - mingling crowds, a
cacophony of sounds, street vendors everywhere -
even a special room for the Muslim population to
perform its ritual prayers. I didn't know it then,
but there are several classes of buses available,
and we chose the bargain version, a half day milk
run, with countless stops and some unexpected
adventures, which in retrospect made the journey
more memorable.
Yamoussoukro
the Capital
Arriving at Yamoussoukro, the elegant Hotel
President, another Inter *Continental, became our
center for a taxi tour of the city. After a
refreshing lunch of aloco (bananas, onions and
grilled fish), foutou (yams) topped by an icy cold,
long-necked bottle of Flag beer at a local
'maquis,' (open air restaurant) we drove by the
walled Houphouet- Boigny residential palace. Its
version of a moat is a series of ponds occupied by
a horde of hungry crocodiles. What a fantastic
setting for the next James Bond or Indiana Jones
movie.
Speaking
of classic, grandiose settings, Yamoussoukro's
basilica, a replica of St. Paul's Cathedral in
Rome, lived up to its billings in the Air Afrique
advertisement. Palatial grounds and marble columns
gave it a regal presence - and 36 giant giant
stained-glass windows, splashed a kaleidoscope of
colors across the interior, in changing patterns.
We vowed to spend at least one Christmas week in
Cote d'Ivoire, to hear the choir and enjoy the
blend of traditional European and exotic West
African music.
I
congratulated myself for turning over my camera to
a local volunteer who stayed by our side for almost
two hours. That way, for $30 US, we were free to
take in the atmosphere, and visit every corner of
one of Christianity's most awesome sites, while he
recorded the occasion for posterity and future
publication such as this. From these 36 treasured
photographs, we have enough images to produce a
fine coffee table style book. With much more to see
and do in Abidjan, we chose a speedy bus for the
return trip.
Jerry
W. Bird is
the Editor of Africa Travel Magazine. He is also
editor of two Aviation/ Travel Magazines, Air
Highways and WingSpan. (http://www.airhighways.com)
Muguette
Goufrani,
Africa Travel Magazine's Francophone Editor covers
West African destinations and events in detail. Her
native language is French and she has lived in five
West African countries, working for Air Afrique,
Royal Air Maroc and Citroen. As a Travel Agent, she
worked in North Africa, where her family operates
an inbound tour company, and later in Tahiti and
Cambodia. Muguette has been a partner in the
magazine since it was founded in 1995.
E-mail
Muguette
with your travel experiences in Cote d'Ivoire and
other West African destinations. We welcome your
input.
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