Cotonou

A place where everywhere you go there is always the strong scent of urine emminating from the drains. I know, you're all thinking it would be a great vacation spot. I know I'm really hard on Cotonou, and while I do think it's a totally discusting place, it does have some major positive points as well. Some the best restaraunts are here! For example last night I went out to amazing indian food, then went to a bakery and got some sort of liquer infused cake, which I then ate for breakfast. Other food you can find in Cotonou and probably no where else: Thai (really good, even by American standards), Chinese, American (burgers, fries, beer on tap), Lebanese other delecious goodies that are possible in Cotonou, ice cream (homemade), cake mixes and frosting (betty crocker) assortment of tasty cheeses, bakery items. Also it is possible to get a massage here and or other spa treatments that you cannot find anywhere else in Benin. But in order to get to any of these places you have to walk outside through piles of garbage among other scary undefinable blobs, find a zem (zems are notorious for being REALLY DUMB and lying to you when you ask if they know where it is you want to go 'of course I know over there!' only to drive around for 20 minutes in the wrong part of town before they admit 'ok so i was hoping you'd show me') then you ride through the streets of Cotonou at astonishing speeds weaving through heavy traffic in a country where there are no traffic rules, this in itself is an expirence, then you finally arrive at your destination you're feet are gross, depending on your zem ride your nerves might be shot and then when you finally get done pampering yourself with whatever it was you chose you have to go through the process again to go back! I will say that as time has gone on the expirence of travel around Cotonou has gotten less stressful and I've stopped noticing the undefinable blobs, the color of my feet, my stress level of zeming in Cotonou has gone down and because of this I am able to enjoy the pampering activities even more! Cotonou, still wouldn't call it nice, but it's got some potential.