Every single Gaou and their mother may know about Magic System, but that doesn’t mean they know about their home country.
Principal road of Plateau, a district of Abidjan city
World leader in cocoa exports, n° 5 in the oil refinery industry, the Ivory Coast, despite still being a prized destination for the "toobaboos"" (westerners) is increasingly opening to modern industries. Yet, a hidden cultural gem lies there, ready for the taking. Genuine beauty and expertise are abundant in both the country and its 20 million inhabitants.
Typical handmade african statues. Tintin versions also exist
A “margouillat”
Abidjan has grown around the Laguna
Many villages, Cocody and Blokoss among them, have fallen prey to Abidjan, the great cannibal. Eaten they may be, but not yet digested, for these districts get to keep their traditions and are still ruled by village chieftains.
The Cocody village, the very same mentionned in the Apha Blondy album, Codody Rock!
zone 4 seen from Plateau
Abidjan offers some of the worst driving conditions on the planet, a title few are jealous of!
If you somehow manage to dodge the zillion cars and trucks spawning out of nowhere - who for some reason, like shinny lights so much they use both indicators to keep driving forward - you will still have to look out for battered taxis enjoying their casual morning stroll on the sidewalk, but also hundreds of sellers, ambushing you at crossroads, trying to cram your trunk with a wide and quite astonishing variety of junk, ranging from newspapers to actual scales!
Our first trip outside of Abidjan led us to Yamoussoukro (240km north of Abidjan) official political and administrative capital of the country, which was built at the behest of its first president, Felix Houphouët-Boigny, in order to reallocate some of Abidjan’s clutter.
«Yakro», as the natives name it, was built on a village in the middle of nowhere, allowing the city to be built big. Very big. Huge. GINORMOUS. Ahem.
Political authorities, however, were reluctant to follow up, so Yakro has yet to experience the promised excitement.
20 years later, the city looks like a ghost. The Harmattan [1], its tireless raucous voice, complains loudly, raining its dusty tears over the empty vastness.
The incredible Hôtel président à Yamoussoukro (Edifié en 1983)
«Our Lady Of Peace», the Yamoussoukro basilica, was also commissioned by late president Felix Houphouët-Boigny in the 80’s.
It is the largest christian structure on the planet, towering at 158m, built over a 30 000m² expanse, able to welcome as much as 18 000 believers. St Peter’s of Rome could fit in there!
Few wiki-informations about it ! [2]
The basilica is used for only 2 celebrations a year: Christmas and All Saint’s Day.
On the way back, we get to enjoy the local driving habits a bit more, this time on the highway. It’s important to add variety every now and then !
Last but not least, a nice find for comic book lovers : Aya de Youpougon (Youpougon being a district in Abidjan).
Helps to better understand local traditions
Artisanal shops on the road to Bassam
A last word about Grand Bassam (shortened as «Bassam»), old capital city of the country during the colonial time, a Unesco world heritage because of the typical colonial houses there.
Principal road
RSS website