GLI ARGOMENTI

Review of the journey in Benin part II: Ouidah, Lac Ahemè, Grand Popo, Bohicon, Abomey, Fidjrosse and Porto - Novo.



The collective taxi from Cotonou to Ouidah, I paid 1,000 CFA. Journey time: 1 hour short.
 The aforementioned car leaves you on the main road about 2 km from the City Center which is reached by taking a bike taxi at the price of 500 CFA.
In Ouidah, I visited the Temple of Pythons, whose entrance costs 1,000 CFA, plus 1,000 CFA to be able to make videos and photographs and I had a Python in my neck. Then to enter the Python Room to touch them I still had to pay 1,000 CFA.
Then from the Tempio dei Pitoni I took another bike taxi at the price of 500 CFA, to reach the Musee d'Histoire, located in Place Fundacao.
The Musee d'Histoire of Ouidah is free but an offer is welcome. I left 1,000 CFA. Photographs can only be taken outside (in the courtyard).
From the Musee d'Histoire, I rented a bike taxi at the price of 3,000 CFA, to travel the 6 km dirt road of the Route des Esclaves, up to the Porte du non retour. The aforementioned prices include numerous breaks for taking photographs of the various monuments, as well as the return journey to the Main Road Linking between Cotonou and Togo.
From there I took one of the many collective taxis from Cotonou and headed west. I went down, on the main road, near the intersection for Guezin. Price of the ride: 1,000 CFA.
From there I took a motorcycle bike taxi for the price of 500 CFA, round trip to visit the Town of Guezin and Lake Ahèmè.
Back on the main road I took, for the price of 1,000 CFA, one of the many collective taxis coming from Cotonou and heading towards the border with Togo. I went down to the main road, about 2 km from the beautiful beaches of Grand Popo, which I reached by taking a bike taxi at the price of 500 CFA.
Once at the beach, I was joined by a young man (who spoke only French) who, at the price of 2,000 CFA, took me to his house and showed me and photographed the baby turtles and then took me back to the main street of link between Togo and Cotonou.
From there I took one of the many collective taxis from the border with Togo to Cotonou. Price of the ride: 2,500 CFA.
The aforementioned taxi ended its run in Cotonou near the Carrefour Legba roundabout, where I had to take a bike taxi for the price of 500 CFA, to reach the Hotel Residence Gracia.
From the Hotel Residence Gracia, I took a motorcycle bike taxi for the price of 300 CFA, to reach the collective taxi stand for Abomey, located on Avenue de la Republique, 250 mt. west of the Carrefour Legba roundabout.
The race from Cotonou to Abomey, cost me 3,500 CFA and lasted 2 hours. I had to wait about 1 hour before the car filled up and moved. Once in Bohicon, the aforementioned car finished the race and I had to continue with a bike taxi to the Musée Historique d'Abomey, paid for by the aforementioned Taxista.
The Musée Historique d'Abomey (composed by the Palais Ghezo and Palais de Glelè), can be visited free of charge. An offer is welcome at the end of the visit. Driving is mandatory. In my case it was in French, but on request there is also an English Guide available. Photographs and videos are prohibited.

From Abomey, I took a motorcycle bike taxi, for the price of 800 CFA that took me to the main road in Bohicon, where frequent collective taxis go to Cotonou. I paid 3,000 CFA for the race and it lasted 2 hours.
In Cotonou I went to CFAO Round Point, where I took a bike taxi, for the price of 500 CFA that took me to Fidjrosse Beach, 2 km south-west of Cadjehou International Airport.
From there I then took another bike taxi, for the price of 500 CFA that took me to the Cathedral de Notre Dame in Cotonou.
Cotonou, although not the capital of Benin, is clearly the largest city in Benin. I turned it on foot even though it was plain. There is very little to see.
From Park de Jonquet, located in the center of Cotonou, I took a Collective taxi to Porto Novo for the price of 1,000 CFA. The journey lasted 1 hour.
In Porto Novo I went down near Cathédrale Notre Dame de l'Immaculée Conception.
From there I took a bike taxi, for the price of 300 CFA which took me to the Songhai Center, located 2.5 km north of the center of Porto Novo.
At the Songhai Center, I took part in the free 1-hour guided tour of French at 5.00pm. I gave 1,000 CFA tip.
From there I took a bike taxi to Piazza del Governatore for the price of 300 CFA and then another for Musee da Silva for the price of 100 CFA.
Afterwards I went to the main road where many collective taxis pass for Cotonou until late evening. I paid 600 CFA for the race. Duration: about 1 hour.
The aforementioned taxi ended the race in Cotonou, in the Rue des Missions, in the stretch between Avenue de la Republique and Boulevard Steinmetz.
From there I took a bike taxi for the price of 200 CFA for the Hotel Residence Gracia, where I changed my residual currency at the following exchange rate: 680 CFA = 1 Euro.
From there I took a bike taxi to Cardinal Bernardin Gantin Cadjehoun International Airport for 500 CFA.
At the aforementioned airport I passed the 3 security checks and immigration without problems, obtaining the exit stamp from the country.
Flight of the Turkish Airlines Company from Cotonou (Benin) to Malpensa, with a stopover at Istanbul Airport (Turkey) and a technical stopover at Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). (price of the multi-ticket ticket included from Malpensa to Libreville (Gabon) and from Cotonou (Benin) to Malpensa: Euro 593.09).
The aforementioned plane has accumulated a delay of more than 2 hours in the Cotonou - Istanbul route, making me miss the connection for Malpensa. Fortunately, at the Transfer Desk, I was re-assigned by assigning me the next flight departing 4 and a half hours later
The description of the trip complete with the map, photographs and videos is available at this link: https://vivendosalendo.blogspot.com/2019/07/viaggio-in-gabon-libreville-lambarene.html

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