“the Big One”! World Cruise on Sojourn

[labonnevie]

On 5/9/2023 at 12:22 PM, shark b8 said:

 

Well……………😎

 

To paraphrase Crocodile Dundee, "That's not a snake. This is a snake!"

[shark b8]

When you’re right, you’re right!

[shark b8]

uh oh.

 

 

[shark b8]

so, maybe last night’s “buckle up” was a bit hyperbolic, but…

 

We went to to the Akodessawa “fetish market” in Togo, have to think that the euphemism “fetish” is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that phrase.  

 

Vodun (voodoo) is apparently still alive and well - the marketplace consists mostly of dead animal heads….very recently dead.  This is not some touristy, cynically established place for Westerners to take faux-triumphant, touristy, cynical pictures, sadly, it’s a thriving local enterprise.  (and remember those adorable 2 little kids a few posts back - we gave them a couple of chocolates?  They were just on the other side of the road from this marketplace, 30-40 feet away).  The decapitated animal heads (monkeys are apparently especially integral to the cause) go on forever.  Imagine, if you will, what recently-dead animal parts, in the thousands, smell like.  Yes, as it turns out, you are correct. Maybe x100.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akodessawa_Fetish_Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[labonnevie]

2 hours ago, shark b8 said:

so, maybe last night’s “buckle up” was a bit hyperbolic, but…

 

We went to to the Akodessawa “fetish market” in Togo, have to think that the euphemism “fetish” is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that phrase.  

 

Vodun (voodoo) is apparently still alive and well - the marketplace consists mostly of dead animal heads….very recently dead.  This is not some touristy, cynically established place for Westerners to take faux-triumphant, touristy, cynical pictures, sadly, it’s a thriving local enterprise.  (and remember those adorable 2 little kids a few posts back - we gave them a couple of chocolates?  They were just on the other side of the road from this marketplace, 30-40 feet away).  The decapitated animal heads (monkeys are apparently especially integral to the cause) go on forever.  Imagine, if you will, what recently-dead animal parts, in the thousands, smell like.  Yes, as it turns out, you are correct. Maybe x100.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akodessawa_Fetish_Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m pretty sure I can’t thank you for sharing that! 

[SLSD]

4 hours ago, shark b8 said:

so, maybe last night’s “buckle up” was a bit hyperbolic, but…

 

We went to to the Akodessawa “fetish market” in Togo, have to think that the euphemism “fetish” is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that phrase.  

 

Vodun (voodoo) is apparently still alive and well - the marketplace consists mostly of dead animal heads….very recently dead.  This is not some touristy, cynically established place for Westerners to take faux-triumphant, touristy, cynical pictures, sadly, it’s a thriving local enterprise.  (and remember those adorable 2 little kids a few posts back - we gave them a couple of chocolates?  They were just on the other side of the road from this marketplace, 30-40 feet away).  The decapitated animal heads (monkeys are apparently especially integral to the cause) go on forever.  Imagine, if you will, what recently-dead animal parts, in the thousands, smell like.  Yes, as it turns out, you are correct. Maybe x100.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akodessawa_Fetish_Market

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh my.  You have entertained us mightily all along and I'm glad you have not spared us this.  

[johng75370]

4 hours ago, shark b8 said:

so, maybe last night’s “buckle up” was a bit hyperbolic, but…

 

We went to to the Akodessawa “fetish market” in Togo, have to think that the euphemism “fetish” is doing an awful lot of heavy lifting in that phrase.  

Once again, the very limited emoji choice on CC means many of us remain speechless in expressing our response to this. Deeply appreciate all your efforts in taking us along on this amazing journey!

Edited May 13, 2023 by johng75370
Typo

[shark b8]

Yeah, the voodoo stuff was….troubling.  And eye-opening.  That, combined with a quick unrelated convo with some folks back on the home front (we all know some, right?) who are convinced that life in “the West” in the 21st century is just such misery…….well, seems to me those folks might benefit from a few days in Togo or Benin.  Possibly re-calibrate.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Anyway, on to happier stuff - we arrive in The Gambia tomorrow morning, surely wouldn’t have ever been on my dance card before this trip.  Don’t know anything about it, but ready to find out.

 

Also, I’m embarrassed to admit - I was always aware of the presence of a map on the port/aft wall in the Square.  But I guess I never looked closer….to see that it changes with the voyage, and that there’s a small pinned-ship thing that tells us where we are.  Small thing, just never noticed.

 

 

[shark b8]

Also, heard from the house/dog-sitters - all is well, and they sent along this, which made me chuckle.

 

[shark b8]

Banjul is the capital of the Gambia, and…..no way to spin this….is pretty depressing, I’m afraid.  Circumstances seemed to be the most dire we’ve encountered on this trip.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

The guide did his best to deliver “Highlights of Banjul” (the name of the tour), but his was not an easy job.  An even tougher one would be on the sign, near the top of this lamppost.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

 

[shark b8]

You can’t see it, but there are families of goats living in these anbandoned automotive carcasses. 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

The bus ride to the “Crocodile Farm”….and I take no pleasure in having to say this…..smelled like Death.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

We’re about to sail away, toward Senegal.  Noticed a “different” sort of tour bus, unloading cruisers at the gangway in a novel way.  And I leave it to you, to judge the musical accompaniment.  

 

 

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Ah well.  If one is lucky, even after a pretty sobering day, there can be that little thing that helps to “turn that frown upside-down”.    😉

 

 

 

[shark b8]

“All aboard” today was 5:30p, which typically means sailing 1/2 hour later, or at least within the hour.  It’s now after 7:30p, the gangway is still down, and several uniformed Seabourn personnel are pacing and waiting.  Hmmm.

 

 

[florisdekort]

3 minutes ago, shark b8 said:

“All aboard” today was 5:30p, which typically means sailing 1/2 hour later, or at least within the hour.  It’s now after 7:30p, the gangway is still down, and several uniformed Seabourn personnel are pacing and waiting.  Hmmm.

 

 

We still miss one tour bus. 

[florisdekort]

1 minute ago, florisdekort said:

We still miss one tour bus. 

It just arrived at 7:42 pm. 

[lincslady]

Your west African photos are rather depressing; we spent about three months in northern Nigeria in the sixties, and although there was some poverty, everything was cleaner and more 'cared for' looking than these towns.  I have a feeling that life has actually got worse in that part of the world in recent years.

[shark b8]

Yep, minutes after I posted, 2 private vehicles, a minivan, and then a full-size tour bus pulled up & discharged cruisers.  Much welcoming and all, so……all is well.  Carry on.

 

 

[15Day+]

Our Venture cruise is scheduled to visit Banjul next March and after reading your description of "Highlights of Banjul" I think we'll give this tour a miss.

 

We would be interested in hearing from anyone who went on the "The Gambia Adventure Drive" (with those open-air trucks) or the "Makasutu Culture Forest Adventure"…

[shark b8]

1 hour ago, lincslady said:

…we spent about three months in northern Nigeria in the sixties….I have a feeling that life has actually got worse in that part of the world in recent years.

 

These are tough calls, of course - you were here when we weren’t, and vice versa.  But it would be hard to pretend that things are going well, casual, personal observation is hard to dismiss.

[shark b8]

39 minutes ago, 15Day+ said:

…..your description of "Highlights of Banjul" I think we'll give this tour a miss.

We would be interested in hearing from anyone who went on the "The Gambia Adventure Drive" (with those open-air trucks) or the "Makasutu Culture Forest Adventure"…

 

I’m hesitant for anyone to base their future plans on any impressions that we had, but as far as today was concerned, I just tried to be honest.  

 

That said, I’d also be interested to hear from any cruisers who had alternative experiences.