togo

Togo!

motobikes are the taxi's. I rode so many "motobikes." And it's a French speaking country, but luckily I found some English speaking people. So wonderful.

So I got across the border and I hoped on a motobike to a egg stand where I got an egg sandwich and milo! SO good, and then planned my next move. money change. that was an adventure, because there wasn't a fixed price on the money, the bank I went to wasn't taking American dollars right then, so I had to use the black market. a couple of people would fight over, and pull up the price a little, finally I got a price, and then found later that the banks (if they would've taken) were higher that day. bummer!

So I sat with the guy that had English and helped me get my money, and just took in the city of Lome, capital of togo. Near the beach with music blaring and motobikes swarming the roads. It was so relaxing. Wow, off the the markets where I got some shoes and shirt and a linen shirt. I wish I had bought more linen. Barganing in French is not that easy. Lots of smiles and laughs and facial expressions. I'm going to try to find Linen in Ghana, but I havne't been to successful. After the markets, I decided to check out a movie, in French and the movie theater was so dark that it was difficult to see with the distance to the movie. I didn't stay long.

Off to the hotel. chez Alice, and wandered and found a voodoo festival going on. Some ladies were on the side and watching and I was invited to join them, that was super exciting even though I couldn't understand what they were saying or laughing about. SO, I also couldn't fully understand what was going on in the festival, but they allowed me to take pictures, which most people don't allow people to take pictures of people. (that's a confusing statement but I hope in makes sense).

Stayed under the mosquito net and away in the morning. Off to Kpalime, in a minivan. Went to see a waterfall and just relaxing in a nice hotel. they turned on teh English channel for me, so nice of them. a motocyclist was my tour guide for the day so that was nice, because he knew where everything was and gave me some insite to the culture as well.

the next day, I think was the most exciting as I went on a Butterfly tour. the guide knew how to catch butterflies but didn't know much about them. He knew more about the natural medicine and also the natural paints from the natural environment.
orange-came cutting the bark of a certain tree
black-from a white sap of a tree mixed with orange and some water
red- smooshing a bright green leaf
blue- smooshing a green leaf, boiling it in some water.

I ate rice and chicken all over, one of the most common dishes for international persons.

this is short but I am also rushed! I will see most of you in a few weeks!!!