Abidjan

New-to-us Port #23.

Today we did a ship-sponsored tour that took us from Abidjan, the “economic capital” of Côte d’Ivoire, to Grand-Bassam, the old capital of the country. To get there, we had an approximately two-hour drive each way. This footprint will focus on what we saw along the way.

Our bus, one of 6 on this excursion, headed up the convoy. The need to travel as a convoy became apparent when we were joined by three motorcycle police. The police were not accompanying us for security per se. Their job was to clear the traffic so we could get where we were going … sometimes even driving in the oncoming lane in order to skirt around the masses of vehicles ahead of us. Tailing us for the duration of the tour was an ambulance.

It didn’t take us long to be grateful that we had booked a ship’s tour here instead of a private one. Without an escort, we would not have made it out of the city … let alone return to the ship by the designated all aboard time.

During the drive, we saw shacks filled with every imaginable ware; repair shops; abandoned cars that served as parts stores; colorfully dressed women and children; school kids in uniform; and more. The people were out in droves, going about daily life.

As we drove around the roundabout near the airport, our guide pointed out a sculpture called “Akwaaba” (meaning welcome) … greeting visitors to Abidjan and the country. In another roundabout, we saw a memorial called the “Place de la Paix” (Peace Plaza) … dedicated to the freedom march that saw 2,000 women marching the 30 miles between Grand-Bassam and Abidjan to protest the arrest of their husbands following their protest of the colonial rulers.

(Apologies in advance for the quality of the drive-by shooting photos. No time to compose as we whizzed by.)Read more