After my fellow travel mates picked up medication for worms and giardia (c’est la vie), we headed off for some serious shopping! First stop: Gafreh Boutique. A fair-trade organization comprised of women members, Gafrah showcases products created from recycled plastic bags. I picked up a wallet, while the other girls picked up handbags.
Gafreh Boutique - Bags are created wholly from recycled plastic bags!
At the Grand Marche, I negotiated for a waist belt ($1.50US) and a leather keychain ($.80US). Though we had some annoyances (local Burkinabe men following us ALL throughout the market), it was much tamer than most market experiences, so it was all good! Best buy of the day? Obama pagne (fabric) for $4US! I think I’ll make an Obama apron.
Afterwards, we made a quick pit stop at the Grande Mosquee. Resembling the Grand Mosquee in Djenne, Mali, the building was built in the 1800s and is comprised of mud and clay.
Note: The entrance fee (5.000CFA/$10US) to walk inside of the Grand Mosquee in Djenne, Mali is NOT worth it as the outside architecture is much more impressive than the empty inside room. However, 1.000CFA/$2US donation to enter the Grand Mosquee in Bobo-Dioulasso , would be worth it to satisfy one’s curiosity.
Grande Mosquee, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso - Yes, look closely, I'm there!
After lunch, we headed on a straight, four-hour bus ride to Burkina Faso’s capital city of Ouagagoudou (say that five times fast!). It was interesting to stay in another country’s Peace Corps “case de passage (transit house)” and listen to other PCV’s experiences. Resembling the experiences of the PCVs in Mali, the PCVs of Burkina Faso share one country that is relatively the same everywhere in terms of climate, landscape, and language. Needless to say, they were very jealous of Cameroon’s “Africa in Miniature” reputation with 10 regions and 250+ ethnic groups with rainforests, waterfalls, Sahel, beaches, mountains, etc.! And as most Cameroonian PCVs have electricity, most PCVs here don’t!
Thank goodness, otherwise, how would I write this blog?
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