Ghana-Togo-Benin all in 1 day
Heading towards Togo Border we were stopped again by the police, another speed control and to say the truth we were again a way too fast but this time we explained that we had no Ghanian Cedi left, what was the truth, and they let us go. The border crossing (Visa for was even more busy and hassling and “unübersichtlich” than expected. Lot of lorries and cars as well as pedestrians and many “fixers/helpers” who wanted to squeeze some money from you and once you got away from them and found your way to the Togolese border you will be certainly scammed by the officials. They took our laissez passer that was still valid for another 14 days regardless how many entries away put it on the desk and didn’t allow us to touch it unless we paid another 1000CFA , total corruption and there is nothing you can do about it.
We stopped a second time in Lomé at the Le Galion for lunch and were again not disappointed by the kitchen and afterwards had a look around the Avenue de la Liberation for some of the stunning wax prints. The second border crossing to Benin at the same day. Again a busy border but no problems with the officials or any wanna be helpers. Arriving at the Auberge Grand Popo we were a little bit disappointed. A really nice setting on the beach, huge garden and an old colonial building converted in a hotel with plain style s/c rooms with fan and mosquito net but not really overwhelming. The bungalows were all booked out and the building across the road were more spacious but even more run down and so we checked out the next day and made our way to Cotonou to another recommended hotel in a colonial style building.
We stopped a second time in Lomé at the Le Galion for lunch and were again not disappointed by the kitchen and afterwards had a look around the Avenue de la Liberation for some of the stunning wax prints. The second border crossing to Benin at the same day. Again a busy border but no problems with the officials or any wanna be helpers. Arriving at the Auberge Grand Popo we were a little bit disappointed. A really nice setting on the beach, huge garden and an old colonial building converted in a hotel with plain style s/c rooms with fan and mosquito net but not really overwhelming. The bungalows were all booked out and the building across the road were more spacious but even more run down and so we checked out the next day and made our way to Cotonou to another recommended hotel in a colonial style building.
Cotonou
On our way to Cotonou we stopped at Ouidha a nice small town with a lot of colonial architecture and visited the Python Temple. A short 15min tour on the tiny premises to see about 50 pythons locked up in a small room and having one around our neck was not really worth I for the money we paid. We moved on after the snake chamber to an old Portuguese fort in the town centre that now houses a few stalls and the local administration.
Arriving in Cotonou we found that the recommended hotel was recently knocked down and the place was now a huge building site, a shame as it was supposed to be a nice colonial style hotel, so we checked in at Rivoli Hotel, very friendly staff and free WiFi, decent rooms at acceptable prices. The next day we woke to a thunderstorm with rain pouring down and lightening. The Internet connection broke down and couldn’t get fixed until we left. We strolled around the market and Ben got a haircut; two motorbike taxis took us there as it was at the other end of the town. Avoid the sheltered main building of the market with its jewellery stalls
Arriving in Cotonou we found that the recommended hotel was recently knocked down and the place was now a huge building site, a shame as it was supposed to be a nice colonial style hotel, so we checked in at Rivoli Hotel, very friendly staff and free WiFi, decent rooms at acceptable prices. The next day we woke to a thunderstorm with rain pouring down and lightening. The Internet connection broke down and couldn’t get fixed until we left. We strolled around the market and Ben got a haircut; two motorbike taxis took us there as it was at the other end of the town. Avoid the sheltered main building of the market with its jewellery stalls
