OUAGADOUGOU 2

22 February – 6 March 2011

FESPACO in OUAGADOUGOU (wag-a-do-goo)

Ok I’m here in Ouagadougou now for the long haul, after the insurance company agreed to the accommodation change until I am fit enough to continue travel – approx 10 days. So first up I’ve learnt to spell Ouagadougou correctly! Short walks showed I was only 10 minutes from 2 of FESPACO’s cinemas, but alas correct reliable information was very hard to ferret out. I was assured there would be many movies in english, but no idea which ones. Next day someone had the bright idea that if the title was in english, then the movie would be in english – this turned out to be particularly reliable in 90% of the films I saw. Now where are the venues – an african will direct you with his hands waving about because he knows exactly where it is – but alas a map is of no use to him, and essential to me.. And I remain none the wiser where a couple of the cinemas are. One day I was taken by moto to another nearby cinema called CBC, but alas when I turned up there for a movie a week later, turns out it was not the CBC cinema and not my movie showing! lol

On opening day I made it to FESPACO HQ, where I managed to find a girl with a couple of programs that she was very reluctant to part with – we both had hold of one, and eventually her gorgeous African politeness gave way to my western persistence and I was the envy of many people, being asked for days after where I had got my program! This program wasn’t quite as comprehensive as Melbourne’s film festival, but it certainly was a little challenging even without the movie precises. Eventually I had quite a few movies circled and thought about buying the season pass – 25,000 cfa ($50) but I held off and that was a good decision. First day’s anglais screenings at Institute Francais Petite did not have any tickets for sale, so that days screenings were free. Next day, early screenings were also free cause the ticket office wasn’t open! And full price at one of the bigger cinemas was only 1000 cfa - $2 and smaller cinemas were 500 cfa $1. Great value, but screenings were a bit of a lucky dip. One that had an english title and when we waited until it had started for the boy to check it and reassure me that it was in english – alas it was in arabic, with french subtitles. A few have been cancelled due to screening difficulties and one I saw had scenes out of order.. Ahh but I am enjoying the Nigerian and South African movies. Lol And I get to (have to!) walk the red carpet @ one cinema because the guards won’t let you in the ‘out’ gate. Burkina has gone all out with security being provided by the army and there is a general air of celebration in town. One tv channel is devoted to FESPACO all day, and there is entertainments (DJs playing loud music) at various places in the city. I’ve caught two music concerts @ the Institute Francais, including Maurice Kirya from Uganda and a fab art exhibition by Patrick Singh.

Salif Keita is scheduled to play on Saturday according to a huge advertisement in the centre of town. I turned up to buy a ticket, but the lad was very sorry, they didn’t know anything about it other than it had been advertised that they would have the tickets for sale. But go 2 days later and voila, tickets are now for sale. And at long last I’ve also bought a bus ticket to Ghana – supposedly to Tamale for my next World Vision Sponsor visit, but when the details arrive from Australia after a bit of nudging, turns out Bolgatanga will be my destination, 200km north. Very happy I double checked and now I cannot wait to be back on the move again.

FACT: Watching a short doco called Les Blancs (those whites) about an animal ambulance service in the Netherlands. The africans were in stitches oflaughter watching a bird get careful care and attention to mend it’s injury, an animal psychiatrist making a home visit to a naughty dog and the loudest laughs of all for the pet funerals. Oh those whites!!!

OUAGADOUGOU

20/21 February 2011

Falling gracefully (not) in OUAGADOUGOU (wag-a-do-goo)

Cool african name and I soon become very acquainted with this town. After busing up from Gaoua with the fabulous STC, get a room for a couple of nights as they are booked up for FESPACO – Burkina’s International Film Festival. Gotta love my timing! So I head out with a taxi to find another place to move to, and in the front yard of one place I inadvertently step oh so awkwardly (as only I can) into a hole – who put that hole there? I had my walking boots on, but I distinctly heard a crack as I watched my ankle bend as I have never seen it bend before (who taught it yoga?). Blokes are apologetic and we all survey the hole and observe its danger! I limp back to the taxi, find another place that is also full but will let me pitch my tent during Fespaco and I am oh so pleased. Back to the Pavillion Verde, to unpack for the couple of nights, take off my boots and watch my ankle then foot gradually puff up and turn a beautiful shade of black over the next 8 hours! I bandage tightly and elevate it overnight and begin to ponder what next. I obviously can’t camp with this injury, and I’d like to get it xrayed in case there’s any small breaks. But I cannot even hobble now, so utilise the wifi from my room to email Travelsure, my insurance company. And email them again, and again over 15 hours without a response. Hmmm I then try skypeing Terry, who calls Sydney with me on the computer and they open a case. 2 hours later the hostel manager appears – come to the phone. It’s Sydney who want my hotel to call an ambulance to take me to the hospital – the manager doesn’t want to because “it’s not for white people”. This bird in Sydney has absolutely NO IDEA, and I suggest to her that I need a private clinic. Who will translate for me in the hospital? – oh, she hopes one of the doctors might speak a little english! She’s seems a little surprised by the fact that the medical system here is different to Oz. Who is this person I’m talking to? The hostel manager here rings a clinic he knows, a doctor comes several hours later and immediately takes me with him in his air-conditioned car, to his air-conditioned clinic where we ascertain that xrays will be taken after 4pm today and till than I will stay @ his air-conditioned clinic and rest. Now we are talking CARE! Have I mentioned the heat factor here – around 38 degrees – HOT weather. I’m served lunch with a fresh carrot salad that I can’t resist! I felt the tray to be ‘sun hot’ meaning it had been sitting for a while but I figured it had to be ok? WRONG – within 2 hours I was sick, just to go along with my throbbing bruised ankle. By 6pm that night I was xrayed and assured that nothing was broken and I was relieved as the insurance company was threatening to transport out of Burkina and home in case of a break. The good Doctor Kofi organised another hotel room for me as I couldn’t stay where I was and couldn’t go out looking for another room. By 9pm I was ensonced in 2 star comfort of the Koulouba Hotel for the next week at least. Although my room was on the 2^nd floor, I wasn’t going anywhere for a few days and later the stairs proved to be good gentle exercise to regain some flexibility in my ankle when the swelling had subsided. I had a phone, tv (only french) fridge, air con, fan, mossie net and a window that opens with flyscreen. Spotless loo and shower a few hobbles away from the BEST mattress I have slept on since leaving Oz last year. AND the room gets made up each day. LUXURY I slept and slept for the next 2 days. A few communication problems followed with Covermore – and in the end I got Terry to ring Sydney AGAIN, for them to ring me back at their expense and I got to talk to Blair the only person @ Covermore with any brains, commonsense and knowledge, I’m sure! Thank you dear Blair.

FACT: FESPACO = Festival Panafrican du Cinéma et de la Télévison de Ouagadougou

Lobi Country

18/19 February 2011

Loropeni and Gaoua, heart of the Lobi Country

A UNESCO rated wall!

We're very sure this motorbike will fit on too

Out of petro

Q: OK when does direct not mean direct? A: When you are catching cut price transport in West Africa! Baobab staff dropped me at a reputable bus company to travel to Gaoua, but they weren’t leaving until noon. I wander down the road and ask about a minibus – it’s going tout-suite! OK I’ll get to Gaoua earlier and have more time to organise a trip to Loropeni,and the distinct Lobi country.. The minibuse leaves tout-suite alright, 3 HOURS LATER Arrgh, but I’m reassured a few times that we’re going DIRECTLY to Gaoua. Several hours later we arrive in Loropeni and most of the passengers luggage is unloaded, including mine. No we are not going directly to Gaoua – I have to wait around the corner for another bus going to Gaoua. Aarrgghh The first minibus is packed to the gills – no room there. Whilst waiting for the next one I’m lightly harangued by a lovely young man with a gentle grasp of english. There is auberge here in town. He can take me on his moto to the ruins this afternoon. I can visit the king’s tombs in the morning. I can continue on to Gaoua tomorrow. OK, it’s hot, late in the afternoon and after getting reassurances from him (worthless really), I agree and settle into a powerless auberge complete with mossie net hung sideways over the bed! V. peculiar. I’m whisked off by Ahmed out to the UNESCO rated ruins – and my word, the four walls are all that is left – good thing UNESCO is spending thousands to save it!  Apparently they were added to the register in 2009, are Burkina’s first ever and are surrounded in mystery. Perhaps a slave palace? hmm  Ahmed tells me to make sure I get at ticket from the office when I pay my money – he thinks the girl is dishonest. And he’s right on the money – she makes many a foray to delay producing a ticket, it’s down @ the office, then forgets the key to the office etc but to Ahmed’s relief a ticket is eventually produced. A quiet night in Loropeni follows where I am escorted and shown off around town, like the trophy I really am. Next day we head out on another moto (I’ve gathered by now Ahmed doesn’t actually own a moto) to Sanctuire des rois Gans d’Obire – now the Gans are not the Lobi, their society is matriachial and their deal was to bury their deceased kings secretly and then build structures with a representation inside. There are 9 generations of kings now there and the village of Obiri is still surviving quite nicely thank you very much. Unlike Ahmed and myself, whose moto runs out of petrol on the way back. We walk and walk and he rings buddies back in Loropeni to bring him out some petrol, yeah! Then we stop off at the Police Commissioner’s place where I nearly fall asleep in the heat while Ahmed is self promoting. Back to town, I pack and head off to wait for the mini bus cause Ahmed does not have a moto to take me to Gaoua. I’m thinking I’ve nearly given Ahmed the flick but when the mini bus arrives, he takes the ‘roof’ seat and travels to Gaoua too.. hmmm BUT he does help me find a great place to stay there. I head out on my own again for dinner and try the Soweto restaurant (nightclub/disco) for a meal. All is well until the music stops – I think it’s a power cut and go to pay my bill – no the waitress has tripped and banged her head severely on the concrete, is unconscious and fitting on the ground. Her workmates are all standing around after ringing for an ambulance (there’s a hospital here?).  All I could think of was how easy it was for something that severe to happen, and if it was me, what hope would I have – at least Vivienne had friends around her. Ambo turns up, and everyone takes an arm or leg to carry her out. I said a prayer for Vivienne and have no idea how she fared. Very chilling end to my evening, especially when I turned around and there’s Ahmed – how on earth did he find me?  Ahh Ahmed – he tried extremely hard, but its very difficult because I am NOT looking for a new friend, especially a 25 yr old african to take home… But he was very sweet.

FACT:

Loving Burkina Faso

13/14/15/16/17 February 2011

Banfora

Ahh Banfora, where I pass a leisurely week. Staying at the very relaxed Baobab Campement (no power) in my own little hut to spread out in. Day trips to the gorgeous nearby Karfiguela waterfalls, walking the quiet roads, excellent pizza and beer dinners by the light of the moon – ahh the countryside is a wonderful tonic. I rent a pushbike one day then a mobylette another to get out and about to the Domes de Fabedougou – I reckon they’re a lot like the Australia’s Olgas. Another day out to Tengrela Lake, where there are family groups of hippos lazing about. You get a canoe out on the lake and I could have watched them all day – as it was my bloke was getting twitchy after a ½ hr. The hippos were wonderful - rising and up and down in the water, calling to each other and the occasional HUGE yawn. Folk here are very protective of the hippos – tourism livelihood depends on the hippos flourishing, and that seems to be the case here. It was a magical morning on that lake! And of course the canoe bloke was a rasta, and with that comes the obligatory flirting – including my flowery accessories hand made by him. Ahh they make an old girl laugh! Lol

FACT: The current president Compaoré is entering his 24th year in power as of 2011. He "has become immensely wealthy" and purchased a presidential plane to reflect his personal prestige, while landlocked Burkina Faso ranks as the third least developed country in the world and has one of the lowest GDP per capita figures in the world.

Sindou Peaks

12/13 February 2011

Sindou Peaks

Another TCV bus (I’m a convert) to Banfora, and on arriving decide that as I’m already packed I’ll keep on heading south down to Sindou for the night. This is the home of Sindou Peaks – a landscape unlike anything else Burkina has. Very ‘other wordly’, and all in quite a compact area. I get there in plenty of time to get a traditional hut to stay in, a guide and an energetic walk into the peaks to witness a gorgeous sunset. No animals save a few pigeons, but I fear they won’t be long for the pot! The encampment is part of local community tourism, and has a little shop with purple tie dye (1 for me and 1 for you Franya), jams (perfect for the boring baguette)  all manner of jewellery and music instruments all created locally and with proceeds going directly back in to the community. All very feel good, and of course I love supporting ventures like this. Meet a french couple staying for a few weeks here, who have brought the village a set of computers after fundraising and organising electricity a few years previously. I called them heroes and I reckon if you can manage power for a whole village, then that’s exactly what you are! Next morning brings a lovely sunrise amongst the ‘cones’ and then a local mini bus back north to Banfora.

FACT: Burkina Faso was known previously as the Republic of Upper Volta. Like Mali, it’s a landlocked country in west Africa, surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest. Inhabitants are known as Burkinabes

Bobo Dilassou

10/11 February

Very poor children live here

Feel sorry for this captured owl

DInky baskets for your bill

Thursday is a day of leisure to rest my hand that was cramping after hanging on tight to the throttle and brake all day yesterday (only occasionally in panic)! Wander about town, lunch @ a local restaurant w/wifi, check out their very good mud Mosque and wander the Grand Marche. Not forgetting the obligatory nightclub for live music with cold beer. There are a few ‘famous’ nightclubs here in town – Les Bambous, Le Bois d’Ebone, Le Moonlight etc and as a dutiful tourist I feel I should at least have a look see (and a beer) to check out the great music on offer at each one during my time here. Just for comparison, of course. AS well there is a naming ceremony for a new baby happening across the road from the where I’m staying, and that goes all day & ALL night!! Much music dj’ing and continual dancing from the women, and of course they’re pretty stoked if a babou joins in, which of course I do, as I walk past during the day. I buy some fruit for the very poor kids next door – I reckon the youngest will be dead within the year – very listless, malnourished etc etc. But mum will go on bearing babies cause that’s just what you do here if you’re poor, hmm

Friday I try another venture on the roads touring the countryside via the now more reliable mobylette - I have lost count of the all the helpful blokes who have at one time or another tinkered with said conveyance! I ride out the 20km to visit Foret de Kou, a designated ‘forest’ that is a delight to wander its many kms of paths. Nearby is the Kou river, although they want 500cfa to swim in VERY shallow water, where locals are doing their washing – I give it a miss and head safely back to Bobo. Tonight there is good music at a local bar – if you buy a beer, you get a ‘ringside’ table. After a couple of hours of energetic drumming, dancing and general merriment another day passes easily here.

FACT: The death toll for kids under 5 in West Africa is estimated to be in the millions, and usually from preventable & curable causes, well drownings are notorious along with malnutrition. One in every six children in sub-Saharan Africa will die before his or her fifth birthday. This region is described by UNICEF as the most difficult place in the world for a child to survive