Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast

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    • Day 32

      Flying into Côte-d'Ivoire

      November 25, 2019 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

      (english version will follow tomorrow)
      Nach fast 6 Stunden an der Grenze zur Elfenbeinküste, ohne Visum, ohne Ein- und Auseisestempel aus Guinea - das Transitvisum ist dort irgendwie "vom Transporter gefallen" (Antwort auf die Frage des IvoryCoast-Beamten, was er denn jetzt schreiben soll, woher wir kämen, ohne offiziellen Ausreisestempel: "From the sky, like angels!" 😇😇), ohne Internet und Telefonconnection (auch bei den Beamten..), konnten wir diese, erfolgreich einreisend, jedoch wiiiieder ohne Stempel (...) aber mit neuen Buddys an unserer Seite, verlassen. Hier zu erwähnen: André, der Beamte mit dem Palmwein, in leichter Schräglage, aber immer smiley, der nach checken unserer Pässe fragte, wer Andrea sei. "C'est moi!" Dann hat er aufs Geburtsdatum gezeigt und mit vielen französischen Worten klar gemacht, dass er am selben Tag geboren ist.. 😃😃😃 Zum Beweis holte er seine ID-card heraus und hieß auch noch André... 😁😁🥳 Haben das natürlich abgefeiert! Mein afrikanischer Zwilling! 👮🏿‍♂️🤭 Darauf erstmal einen Palmwein! 😋 Suza war nach einem Schluck bereits leicht doom, ich verzichtete direkt.. 😄😄😄

      YESSSS, FREEEEEE.... dachten wir wenige Momente. Nach 3 km auf einer, vom Regen aufgeweichten, Lehm-Rutschbahn, aber kam der Zoll, deren Beamten so gaaar nicht kooperativ waren... Eindeutig zu wenig Palmwein! 😅 Auch hier ohne Netz, unsere Kontaktpersonen konnten, und wollten, nicht angerufen werden, wir saßen fest. 😣 Wir sollten zurück fahren, oder rutschen, einen anderen Grenzübergang nehmen, hier wäre kein Büro... 😵 Sehr lustig... Zum Lachen waren wir aber etwas zu angespannt. "Impossible", hab ich immer wieder auf französisch gesagt, schließlich hätten die uns in Guinea ja ohne Visum gar nicht wieder rein gelassen, wenn wir da überhaupt angekommen wären auf dieser krassen road... Und bei André wohnen war irgendwie auch keine Option.. 😋

      Es wurde bereits dunkel, als uns ein Engel erschien: Jack! 😍 Kam von der Highway-Baustelle, 21 Jahre jung, ziemlich smart, entspannt und hat uns mit seinen Englischkenntnissen gerettet. 🤗 Er ist mit Suza ins Dorf gelaufen, wo sie am einzigen Telefon, an einer Autobatterie und mit tausend Drähten (leider kein Foto gemacht) ihren wichtigen Phonecall machen konnte, wir wurden schließlich hier im Land erwartet und alles konnte nun für uns in die Wege geleitet werden (Einlauf für den Zollbeamten inkl.. 😅😅).

      Das Warten im Auto am Zollhäuschen unterdessen, in mitlerweile tiefschwarzer Nacht, durchbrochen von Motorradscheinwerfern und dem ab und zu aufflackerndem Funzellicht vom Zoll, umgeben von lauter Männern.. ja, das war ne ziemliche Vertrauens-Challenge! War nach 1,5 h dann gar nicht mehr soooo leicht, aber Suza stand ja in der Schlange zum einzigen Telefontelefon, was ich ja nicht wissen konnte.. aber allet jut, sie kamen natürlich zurück, denn Jack ist nicht nur intelligent, sondern auch so herzlich, fürsorglich und ehrlich, dass wir ihn gleich in die Familie aufgenommen haben! ❤ Mussten dann auch dort nächtigen, Jack hat uns ein Zimmerchen klar gemacht, denn im Auto schlafen war keine Option, wo wir dann zu dritt Löffelchen "geschlafen" haben (mit 1000 Moskitos für mich nahezu unmöglich.. Suza war innerhalb von Sekunden im Tiefschlaf) 😅 schließlich "musste" (nein, er wollte!) Jack uns nächsten Tag noch bei den Zollangelegenheiten helfen.

      Also allet mal wieder seeehr uffregend!!! Einen neuen Freund und einen völlig verblüfften, erst miesgelaunten, nun buddymäßigen Zoll-Beamten später (Sidekick: auf dem Weg heute nach Dadané zum Zollbüro fuhr dieser erst sehr unfreundliche Zollbeamte mit einem Motorbiketaxi vor. Ziemlich geheizt die Beiden, aber dank meist gut ausgebauter Straße eine Wohltat für Golfi. Plötzlich Stillstand: Motortaxi inkl. Zollbeamten stehen am Rand, abgestiegen, mit offenem Tankdeckel und der Fahrer in die entgegengesetzte Richtung gestikulierend. Fall war klar: kein Benzin mehr. Filmszene: wir parken vor ihm, öffnen ziemlich zeitgleich die Türen. Beim Aussteigen weht der Wind dramatisch die Haare aus dem Gesicht.. 😋 Aus dem Kofferraum holen wir einen vollen, seit der Westsahara unangetasteten Benzinkanister und eine leere Plastikflasche. Wortlos gehen wir zum Motorrad, verwandeln profimäßig mit gezückter Schere die Plastikflasche in einen Trichter, setzen selbigen auf den geöffneten Tank und drücken dem Fahrer den geöffneten Benzinkanister in die Hand.. *check 😎) sind wir gerade in Man (so heißt die Stadt) und machen uns morgen auf nach Abidjan! Es lääääääääuft!!!! 😁😁😁❤❤❤👍🏽
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      Traveler  Mein lieber Schwan !!!

      11/25/19Reply

      Traveler  Was für ein Abenteuer!!!! Wieso habt ihr in Guinea kein Einreisevisum bekommen?....... also Merke: ohne Visen viele huddeleien!🙃🙄😬🥴...........😂😂🥰 Zum Glück ist ja alles gut gegangen!! Ihr seid echt cooool Uuuuund.......ein Ende ist in Sicht!!!....noch 3-5 Tage, dann wird's Zeit für Suse's Rede, hahaha......seid ihr schon am üben??

      11/26/19Reply

      Traveler  Woow power women, das Ziel ist zum greifen nah, ihr rockt es einfach!!! 👌🏽🦸‍♀️

      11/26/19Reply
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    • Day 34

      Königlich

      November 27, 2019 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C

      We we're invited for lunch with His Majesty King David (KingTchiffi Zie Jean Gervais) in his beautiful and peaceful place.. what a blessing to get the oportunity to talk to a great and actually surprizing humble man! 🙏🏽 We we're discusing about god, politics, the development about african countries and european politics. We got a big upgrade plus delicious lunch. Good to meet good people and learn! ❤Read more

      Traveler  Einfach nur großartig. Ganz liebe Grüße an alle! ❤️

      11/28/19Reply

      Traveler  Was ein Foto! Frauen an die Macht...! ❤️ 👍

      11/28/19Reply

      Traveler  Ja, wenn man König Ist, lebt es sich überall gut

      11/28/19Reply
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    • Day 37

      10000 km..

      November 30, 2019 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      ..liegen hinter uns! 😃😃😃 10 Länder haben wir nun durchquert, mit dem GOLF! 🥰🥰🥰 Sooooo viele Menschen, Erlebnisse, Eindrücke, Herz- und Lichtmomente.. Auch Stress und Schwierigkeiten waren part of the journey.. Mein durch den Dschungel von Guinea hallender Wutschrei, als es auf diesen unbefahrbaren Teilstrecken einfach keinen Ausweg zu geben schien, von allen Seiten wird man angehupt, weil man mal kurz checken muss, wo man denn nun überhaupt die Reifen hinlenken kann, um nicht aufzusetzen, abzustürzen, einzusinken... und doch gab es diesen Ausweg! Immer!!! Einfach weiter.. "Wie sollen wir hier denn durch kommen?!" - "Na wie immer: irgendwie!" 😄😎 Und so sind wir bis hier runter gekommen: irgendwie! 😄😄🤭 Mit soviel Unterstützung auf dem Weg 🥰🥰🥰 Danke!!!!!! ❤❤❤🙏🏽 Mit so vollen Herzen und mit unserem immer noch rollendem Golfi, der unterwegs, gerade in Guinea, doch sehr leiden musste.. Aber er hat uns nicht im Stich gelassen, der Kleene. ❤❤❤ 😁😁😁 Happy!

      Heute werden wir die 8. und unsere finale Grenze nach Ghana überqueren.... WIR HABEN ES FAST GESCHAFFT!!!!! 😁😁😉🥳🥳🥳🥳😎

      Wir sehen uns drüben.. ❤❤❤
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      Traveler  Ihr seid die geilsten ! Respekt ❤️

      11/30/19Reply

      Traveler  Yipppppiiiiiii yeahhhhhhhh,👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌🥰😍😎🤓🍀🍀🍀

      11/30/19Reply

      Traveler  Deine Ausstrahlung einfach überwältigend, sorry mehr kann ich nicht sagen, schönes Bild 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

      11/30/19Reply
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    • Day 67

      Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 3

      March 22 in Ivory Coast ⋅ 🌧 88 °F

      20 photos plus 2 videos at the end

      Next was a visit to the Museum of Civilization. At the entrance is a colossal elephant’s skull. The museum has objects dating from 10,000 BC right up to the 21st century from all regions of Ivory Coast showing the history of the area in masks, ornaments, musical instruments and Paleolithic tools.

      Our very last stop was at another very large maze of vendors in a craft market but of course we walked around took some interesting photos but did not buy anything.

      A long but interesting day.
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      Traveler  Lots of people moving… best to be on a bus

      3/25/23Reply

      Traveler  I’m amazed at how the women balance so much on their heads. How do they do that? And the huge divining rod was fascinating. Was it used to find water?

      3/26/23Reply

      Traveler  Very nice my son

      3/26/23Reply

      Traveler  Lot of traffic. Be careful

      3/26/23Reply
       
    • Day 67

      Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 2

      March 22 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

      20 photos plus 2 videos at the end

      Our next stop was the Assoyam Beach Resort where we had lunch and walked on the beach. I spent some time having an interesting discussion with a person I met who was here for a convention on social protection for those that live in “French countries” when they travel the world. It was very interesting. I finally made it back to lunch which was quite a large meal with something for everyone to eat and drink. No time to swim in the Ocean but we did get to walk on the beach and check out the wares.

      We saw many Mango trees originally planted in 1898 by the Governor. We were told that even though there are many mango trees here, you see palms and some yucca trees (in places as they were used for many years as grave markers). Many were still there and producing fruit from over 100 years ago. We went to the Artisanal Center to see the craft market which had scarves, wickerwork, ceramics, batik, and brass carvings. For a week every year, tribes are invited to the sacred forest. We were going to pass the Sacred Forest… but our police escort missed it. Instead, we heard all about it as we continued our weaving through traffic.

      Our next stop on the way back was Cocod, a suburb of and a beautiful wealthy area, totally different from the areas we were in for almost the entire day. It is where the business people, ambassadors, and other affluent people live in Abidjan. The Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny is also located in Cocody. We stopped at St Pauls Cathedral, a very large modern Catholic Cathedral (14,000 sq feet) with room for 5,000, designed by Italian architect Aldo Spirito, and this $12 million church was dedicated in 1985 by Pope John Paul II.
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      Traveler  I like the police escort 🙋🏻‍♀️

      3/24/23Reply

      Traveler  Oh, did Bruce buy those pants?

      3/24/23Reply

      Traveler  Wait and see Togo Toga night!

      3/25/23Reply
       
    • Day 121

      Chez Michel

      February 23, 2022 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      Durch Zufall sind wir bei Chez Michel gelandet, der sich ein kleines Paradis aufgebaut hat. Zu erreichen ist das kleine Dorf nur über eine unbefestigte Straße. Wir waren quasi die ersten Touristen die dort Straßenbeleuchtung sehen, denn Strom wurde erst zwei Tage vorher verlegt. Bis zu Michel ist dieser aber noch nicht gekommen.
      Und wen lernt man hier kennen: Einen Mitarbeiter der Deutschen Botschaft mit seiner Familie. Markus will uns dann auch gleich mal mit den Visum für Ghana helfen, wenn wir in Abidjan sind. Kann nur helfen... 😏
      Auf jeden Fall ergebe sich sehr interessant Gespräche und wir werden gefüttert mit Infos. Vielen Danke Markus und Felecitas😊

      By chance we ended up with Chez Michel, who has built up a small paradise. The small village can only be reached via a dirt road. We were almost the first tourists to see street lighting there, because electricity was only laid two days before. However, he has not yet come to Michel.
      And who do you get to know here: An employee of the German Embassy with his family. Markus wants to help us with the visa for Ghana when we are in Abidjan. Can only help... 😏
      In any case, there are very interesting conversations and we are fed with information. Thank you Markus and Felecitas😊
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      Traveler  Wow, so schön hätte ich die 🇨🇮 gar nicht erwartet😯

      3/2/22Reply
       
    • Day 68

      Abidjan, Ivory Coast

      March 22 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

      Abidjan is the largest city and economic capital of the Ivory Cost. Population of the city is over 6mil.
      Abidjan was originally a small fishing village, but in 1896, following a series of deadly yellow fever epidemics, French colonists who settled in Grand-Bassam decided to move to a safer place. In 1903 Abidjan officially became a town.
      The city expanded after construction of a new wharf in 1933.
      Abidjan became an economic capital of the country.

      We docked in Abidjan at 10:00am and today we booked an 8 hours tour to Grand Bassam.

      Grand-Bassam is a resort town near the city of Abidjan. We were hoping to go for a swim, but first we had to get out of the port and drive thru the city. And what a drive it was! We were escorted by three policemen on motorcycles. They were driving ahead of us pushing cars to the sides and making just enough room for us to pass through. Sometimes the bus was driving on the opposite side of the road agains the traffic. Boris and I were in the front seat witnessing the show. There were six buses with passengers from the cruise ship going together. The ambulance was going behind our bus convoy.

      We stopped at a market. It was very dark and hot inside the building. I guess the power was off.
      We then entered Grand-Bassam.
      The old French-colonial town center, once the nation’s capital, is filled with decaying 19th- and 20th-century houses. The National Museum of Costume displays examples of traditional dress in a former governor’s palace. It is a small museum.
      The costumes are displayed behind dirty glass. Impossible to take pictures due to the reflection from the glass.
      We spent a little time in this museum and returned back to our bus.

      Our next stop was a beach resort where we had lunch.
      After lunch, more driving. We stopped at so called museum of civilisation.
      The next stop was St. Paul Cathedral. Huge Cathedral with beautiful stain glass windows.
      More driving, another market. Boris and I stayed on the bus while other people shopped.
      After that more crazy driving. Finally, we are back on the ship.
      Quick dinner, shower and we are ready to sleep.
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    • Day 67

      Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) 1

      March 22 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

      20 photos plus 2 videos (after first 2 photos)

      Cote d’lvoire or as it is known now, the Ivory Coast is a diverse country of 30 million people with many ethnicities, living very different lives from very traditional to modern, very poor to very rich (the gap gets wider) but we found everyone to be very friendly and welcoming. The flag is Orange (savannah pastures), White (for the rivers and peace) and green (the forest and agriculture). The symbol for this Country which is often seen in their handiwork (made with ivory) is the elephant but unfortunately the number of elephants has decreased from 5000 to maybe 300 in the last few decades, due to the deforestation there.

      Welcome to Akwaaba and ABIDJAN, as we were all greeted. The city became a town in the Ivory Coast in 1903, and now is the largest city and economic capital since 1934. Over 6 million people live here, and they gained Independence from France in 1960 and is still mostly French speaking. It is very much an agriculture-oriented Country. All the embassies are here in Abidjan as well as the political power. It is strategically located on a lagoon and set up for trade after its wharf was expanded in 1951.

      We left with a great police escort of “acrobatic” motorcycle police (they were constantly weaving and pushing traffic away - all 6 of the videos in the 3 posts are from the bus and 5 highlight our escort adventures) that managed the traffic in all directions to clear the very crowded road for us in a way that can only be described a “parting of the sea” … but a winding and crowded sea. We traveled from Abidjan and spent the entire day covering the area between the coast and Grand Bassam, the former colonial capital of the Cote d’lvoire in the late 1893 till 1900. We saw many locals as we traveled, mostly selling their goods, and they were all friendly. We heard that sometimes small children are “scared” by white people because it is strange to them but we did not see this happen.

      Founded in 1469 by the Portuguese but not inhabited by Europeans until the 17th Century, it was originally the home to Aboriginal Aboure Bassam (royalty), Nzima (from families in neighborhoods of France) and the Ehotile living in harmony. In 1842, the French agreed to a treaty making this piece of land French and in 1893 it became a colony of the Ivory Coast and its Capital. The people of the Ivory Coast are mostly Muslim (42%) although with missionaries coming beginning in 1895, a large Christian presence came and grew (40%) and the rest original Aboriginal or non-affiliated.

      Due to a yellow fever epidemic this Capital in Grand Bassam was abandoned in 1896 to move to Abidjan (there is a monument paying tribute to the victims). The city had some very difficult times as can be seen by all the colonial buildings that are now lost or abandoned including government offices, but it still has areas of quaintness as well as modern development making it a UNESCO site in 2012.

      We learned a lot about the government which is a Republic with a President. There are many tribes and 60 different ethnic groups here. Dyula is the language spoken since it is considered a trade language in West Africa although there are many other dialects. The people and their customs including the fact that most families have 1-5 wives, and each wife has up to 10 children. After 10 children, they need to give up the children for adoption. Strange. Most marriages are “arranged” so that they can avoid incest (since there are so many siblings that are related in each family). Makes sense!

      We drove by the first 1911 Courthouse in the Country, the place where we heard about the famous 1949 militant woman’s freedom march was heard (2000 women marched Abidjan to Bassam, 30 miles, a long way) to protest their husbands arrest for protesting the French colonial rulers and WON. Led by Marie Kore from Treichville this victory is marked by the statue, The Place of Peace. We also went over their Bridge of Victory (1929). We passed the old post office / customs office built in 1894 and now houses the Conservation department. Another stop was the old Bank Central Africa, the first bank from 1900 and the first hospital.

      We visited the Palace of Governor built in 1893 was the home of 4 leaders of the Country from 1893-1902 (now the National Costume Museum since 1981) and saw native garb and models of traditional houses from all over the country. Our guide told us stories about tradition, hierarchy and roles that elders held in ancient societies and how home compounds were laid out across the Country.
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    • Day 131

      Abidjan, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

      March 5, 2022 in Ivory Coast ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

      Mehr oder weniger freiwillig ist für die nächsten 1 1/2 Wochen Abidjan mein zu Hause. Zum einen steht mal wieder das Warten auf ein Visum an und zum anderen hat Majk sich eine Lebenmittelvergiftung eingefangen, die er auskurieren muss. Zeit genug um das Kulturfrestival mitzunehmen, die Lagunen rund um Abidjan und die Stadt selbst zu erkunden.

      More or less voluntarily Abidjan is my home for the next 1 1/2 weeks. On the one hand, there is the waiting for a visa and on the other hand, Majk has caught a food poisoning, which he has to cure. Time enough to take the cultural delight, explore the lagoons around Abidjan and the city itself.
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    • Day 22

      ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast

      March 22 in Ivory Coast

      Sailing in to Abifjan, you could hear drumming in the countryside.
      The water where we were docked was less than clean. Lots of plastic bottles. First tour with Oceania today. Little bit of a gong show with six busses doing the same tour
      Visited the museum des Civilisation. Provided a glimpse of the Western African culture. My favorite site for the day was St Paul's Cathedral. The panel glass artistry was amazing. On the way to lunch in Bingerville, we were told it would take us 20 minutes to arrive, over an hour later we were there. I don't know if we would be there yet if it wasn't for the police escort. Oh yes, sirens are going the whole hour. And an ambulance following. After lunch, a stop at an art gallery of wooden carvings. Visited the botanical gardens and the governers house now a Boys Orphanage. For me, Abidjan is a modern city with suburbs of various housing from modern to similar as we saw in Gambia .
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       Beautiful windows. [sylvia]

      3/27/23Reply
       

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Elfenbeinküste, Ivory Coast, Ivoorkus, La Côte d'Ivoire, ኮት ዲቯር, Costa de Bori, ساحل العاج, Costa de Marfil, İvori Sahili, Бряг на слоновата кост, Kodiwari, আভরি কোস্ট, ཀོ་ཊེ་ཌི། ཨི་ཝོ་རེ།, Aod an Olifant, Obala Slonovače, Costa d’Ivori, Pobřeží slonoviny, Côte d’Ivoire, Elfenbenskysten, Ivory Kost nutome, Ακτή Ελεφαντοστού, Ebur-Bordo, BK, ساحل عاج, Kodduwaar, Côte d'Ivoire, Fílabeinsstrondin, Couta d’Ivouèro, Ivoarkust, An Cósta Eabhair, Costa do Marfil, આઇવરી કોસ્ટ, Aibari Kwas, חוף השנהב, आइवरी कोस्ट, Elefántcsontpart, Փղոսկրի Ափ, Costa de Ebore, Costa Ivoria, Ivora Rivo, Fílabeinsströndin, Costa d'Avorio, 象牙海岸, კოტ-დ'ივუარი, Kodivaa, កូដឌីវ័រ, ಐವರಿ ಕೋಸ್ಟ್, 코트디부아르, کۆتدیڤوار, Litus Eburneum, Kote Divwa, Kotídivualɛ, ຝັ່ງທະເລໄອວໍລິ, Kotedivuale, Kotdivuāra, Брег на Слонова Коска, ഐവറി കോസ്റ്റ്, आयव्हरी कोस्ट, Kosta ta’ l-Avorju, အိုင်ဗရီကိုစ့်, Aibori Kot, Elfenbeenküst, आइभोरी कोष्ट, Ivoorkust, Côte d'Iviéthe, Còsta d'Evòri, ଆଇବରୀ କୋଷ୍ଟ, Wybrzeże Kości Słoniowej, عاج ساحل, Costa do Marfim, Costa d'Ivur, Kotedivuware, Кот-д'Ивуар, Costa d'Avoriu, Elfenbenariddu, Kôdivüära, අයිවරි කෝස්ට්, Pobrežie Slonoviny, Slonokoščena obala, Ivory coast, Bregu i Fildishtë, Обала Слоноваче, Elfenbenskusten, ஐவரி கோஸ்ட், ఐవరీ కోస్ట్, ไอวอรี่โคสต์, Matafonua ʻAivili, Fildişi Sahilleri, كوتى دى ئىۋۇئېر, Кот д’Івуар, آئیوری کوسٹ, Bờ Biển Ngà, Orílẹ́ède Kóútè forà, 科特迪瓦, i-Ivory Coast

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