Griaßgod beinand!
What follows is a rather disorderly discharge pictures of my two week stay in Togo. The local brewery 'Brasserie BB Lome "organizes an annual" Fete de la Biere, "to which a Bavarian band is invited. Since BB and completely Togo the neighboring country of Benin with soft drinks (Coca-Cola Bottling of the license product range) and beer (beer license for the South African flag, and Castell, as well as Guinness and Kulmbacher Eku export) supply, seems to be able to afford it.
Itinerary: Lome - Kara - Dapaong - Kara - Lome - Kpalime - Lome. There is one road that runs the length after by Togo and on the total freight traffic to Burkina Faso and Mali will be settled.
The brewery was founded in the 1980s at the initiative of the Great Chairman Franz Josef Strauss, however, is now under French administration. The organization was a disaster. We should go four times on a truck through Lome, play music and advertise the "Kermesse" on the beach at Lome. Now, however, was on the first day of the truck still not ready, came much too late on the second day gabs too late. On the last day of the caravan, we should still play short on the Kermesse, the "opening act" by King Mensah, Togo's most famous artists. Now, because of the Mensah and the fireworks but some ten thousand people were on the road, and right on the stand also runs the main road between Ghana and Benin. The management of the brewery only tersely said they would welcome us on sponsor input, but none of us like had to go in the absence of street lighting in a crowd of Togo (the beach at night is one of the no-go areas Lomes), our highly competent tour guide abruptly called a friend in the Pozilei, who then organized an escort. 20 Pozilisten with batons for 20 musicians, and each of us has come too close, got one on the trunk. Very African solution?
The fireworks were set up 5 yards behind the stage, a few cracker probably flew into the crowd, but security concerns do not seem to stand there in the first place.
Gnassingbe Eyadema, 37 years to 2005, authoritarian head of state of Togo. As one of a dictatorship development assistance can not send, fell into the "Switzerland of Africa" increasingly, the streets are in a disastrous state, the railroad still exists (original buildings from the German colonial period), does not drive anymore.
The current president is his son, Faure Gnassingbe. Has initiated some reforms (such as the abolition of the death penalty), has studied abroad and also seems to be quite open-minded, but because of the still existing cliques not of the reign of his father as he wants. This year, elections were scheduled, and to everyone's surprise (cough) a certain Faure Gnassingbe won. A change in power would exchange all officials to the result (in Togo, there is a long-standing feud between the Eyadema family and the opposition Olimpio family) that this is not for public administration degree is beneficial, one can imagine.
The former German landing in the background. Whole 4 years she has held, she was a victim of the ocean current. There is a beach in Togo with breakwaters (next to the harbor, very charming), otherwise you should because of the undercurrent not go further than to the waist in the water.
The focus of the French landing, built 1924th The French are very unpopular in Togo, have supported for years Eyadema and so prevent the democratization. The Germans, however, are considered very well why because before everything was always better. Now and again we meet Togolese who have lived in Germany and speak German. The German colony of Togoland included next to today's Togo still today the eastern part of Ghana.
concert with Watschntanz and swaying round at the Goethe Institute in Lome. Waldeslust, At the crown host, Good love is in port, swaying round has it done to Togo.
The building of the West African ECOWAS Economic Community in Lome, one of the few architectural highlights. In Togo, as in the entire French-speaking Central and West Africa, paid to the CFA franc. The fix once hung on the franc, and now the euro. One type of aid that was withheld during the currency changeover 2002nd
However, there is the GDP of the West African Monetary Union at about 60 billion U.S. dollars, which the EU was 11.9 billion euros.
loam castles in Tambermatal. Togo's only World Heritage Site (the "Land of Batammariba"), you have to pull the trigger for this purpose at the entrance to the Valley 30 euros, how much of it arrives in the population knows that the vultures. The Sugar Loaf from clay on the roof means that there is currently an elder in the house. The Great Sugar Loaf right of the entrance is a kind of altar on which poured the blood of freshly slaughtered animals is.
Until a few decades ago there was still the custom to, after the killing of a person for a husband. Meanwhile, for animals can be used. The Tambermatal is the poorest region of Togo, there is also the partner school, primary school Maisach in Matema.
Togo is an interesting country has, however, no significant infrastructure. The "Mercure Sarakawa" in Lome as the best hotel in the country is outrageously expensive (single 150 € at night) and has at best 3 stars Europe. In the hinterland is of course the beds no better. Each of the larger cities have one or two useful hotels, both in terms of Clean as in the equipment such as a pension at the level rank.
big poster on the wall outside our hotel.
memorabilia in the small museum of Togo Ville. In the display case next to the original imperial flag, which was passed at the signing of the Treaty for Protection in 1884 the King of Togo Ville. Right next to a West German flag, passed by the big chairman Franz Josef Strauss 1980th In Schappoklack with the then King of Togo Ville.
Actually, the title "king" quite a joke. The king is elected by the people, and , the lower courts held (family disputes and other matters with which will not make the prefect). The Kini of Togoville level, however, are ill for longer (about 2 years), since then been seen by anyone and therefore probably dead, the government business is now leading the Lord Prince, who never speaks, but expresses his will through his spokesman expression. Elsewhere, the speaker speaks, and if that does not like the king, he hits him with the stick a few on it, so that the speaker speaks differently.
No gate, but a gas station under the palms. One can buy at almost every corner gasoline-oil mixture of bottles, of which the Togolese people their Chinese scooters refuel.
The fetish market in Lome. In addition to all kinds of pervert (monkey heads, elephant feet, crocodile skull) where you can also buy twin dolls. Death of a twin, one must acquire the féticheurs a doll that is accessible to dress like the surviving twin. Remember me on this way have no idea that something bad has happened in the household. Both twins die, you have to buy two dolls.
One can there be doctoring too, then something is crushed and taken with honey. Is a rather dubious affair, the fetish market in the poorest district of Lome and the fetish priests are very anxious, a something . Necessity " There is also an iron Fetish (altar for the protection of all those who have to deal professionally with iron), on which the 10th Animals are sacrificed in January and then left lying.
On a half in between we went to Marox grill. The Rosenheim brothers of March, in the 80s and 90s, a well-running meat wholesalers (and a pig farm in Togo), which has the SB Rosenheim "bought" his German ice hockey championships. As Marox went bankrupt soon by wars with the SBR.
Marox The grill offers plenty of meat for cheap prices (beef steak for 8 EUR), located next to the Super Marche Marox "is a big part of Aldi-Süd-range. Dumplings, Mashed potatoes and BeLight! Crunchy.
Palais du Congres in Kara. As the president and his father from the vicinity of Kara come here so we have a pseudo-socialist Protzbau made in the area.
Togolese bush road. Simply use the bulldozer drove through the countryside, once the rain has washed away the red sand, leaving a trail that leads some of bare rock. Walking forward, we go faster than by car.
protection in a cliff dwellings. Located near the Ghanaian border, about 2 hours drive from Dapaong on dirt roads and over the top Schotterpisten.Von Lianas to reach, but neither from below nor from above cost. Here the inhabitants have fled earlier, were wenns brawl between the tribes.
The Faille d'Aledjo between Kara and Sokode. In the gap (downward) then break into the all the overloaded trucks, left and right to beat sometimes sparks. In
Sokode By the way, the Boulangerie Bouba, led by a Togolese, who has studied in Germany Germanistik. Then he went but the powder, and he has made a baker's apprentice, followed by masters.
lunch at the Divine Word Missionaries (a Catholic men's religious orders) in Kpalime. The white chunks are Yamsstücke to the sauerkraut around and taste like a mealy potato. One of the few samples of Togolese cuisine, otherwise there was mostly eating in French restaurants, with Rainer in the Frankish court of Lome (pulp, Leberkas and chicken), with sisters (meat in red sauce with vegetables) or the Marox (Fleisch!).
The missionaries also gabs beer, wine, liquor, and much of our group was following the previous 4-hour bishop Fair (since we went to in Blues Brothers) leached something, ergo very thirsty. Then was sung, the missionaries were singing, everything was very incontinent. Our Muslim Bus driver found it very interesting how it is received by the Christians as Sun
The massage room in the hotel was a little unfinished, but gabs, however, a sauna. Need at 35 ° C in the shade necessarily.
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