Jim & Leslie's Adventures

Mar 10th, 2009 A Day at the Beach

Monday we had planned to spend at the beach. We were planning on heading out early to avoid traffic, but it turned out to be a Muslim holiday. We were worried that this would mean a lot of traffic and a crowded beach. Not so. There was very little traffic actually. We passed workers getting their stalls ready for business and the ever-present street sweepers making things neat and tidy.

On the way out of town you go through the ‘furniture’ district. We actually saw this the first day in, as we came from the airport. Marvin & Penny pointed out their favorite “Mobidecko”. (When we got home that first day, they said “later we’ll see some of the area, it was all pretty normal coming from the airport.” I said, “I didn’t see anything normal the whole way back!”)

The furniture shops have everything set outside for viewing (and testing). Some of it is beautiful furniture, although some seem to like rather gaudy stuff. Also, leather is popular although it does not tough the climate so well. Keep in mind too, that there is no putting the furniture under cover when it rains. It just gets wet, dries (no doubt molds) and then waits for a prospective buyer. A couch at one of these shops is like a puppy at the pound, just waiting for some kind soul to buy it and take it to a home with shelter! (there are upscale, real furniture shops, but that takes real $$$ )

Passing these we headed on to Grand Bassam, where we would spend the day. We started with the Grand Bassam market, a series of shop/booths stretching about one kilometer on either side of the road, full of all kinds of crafts and souvenirs. We parked and started the gauntlet.

Everyone calls you to come into their shop. You have to avoid eye contact to not be dragged into every single one. You just scan it quickly to see if it has the kind of thing you are looking for, and if not move on quickly. We were early in the day – the first real buyers. Most hadn’t even fully opened up yet, but they jumped to life when they saw four white people coming! Easy prey!

Little did they know that we had an ‘agent’. Penny dealt with them quickly, using their own techniques (and often their own languages). “What’s your price?” He gives one. (A cry of dismay from Penny) “Is that your price for whites? I live here!” (protests from the seller that this is his price for everyone). “What’s your ‘second price’?” (we’ve learned this is the code to start the bargaining). Whatever he says now, Penny heads for about 1/3 of the original price. When she gets to an impasse, we leave. If they follow you then you will get it for your final price. If they don’t, that was their best price and you have to decide if you are going back for it or not.

On to the beach. It is in Grand Bassam and called “Le Wharf”. If you want to see some extra pictures of it, there is a site here with some info: http://www.nas.com/africa/africalewharf.html

This place has rooms to rent, but if you are just coming for the day you buy a meal. When you arrive they bring you the menu and you select what you want. Prices are very reasonable. You tell them what time you want your meal and then you are free to enjoy the beach and facilities for the day. Nice! A beach full of palm trees, lots of shade umbrellas, and waves to play in!

One of the amenities is a salt water pool. This is a very nice way to cool off and we headed there right after we ordered our meals. When we arrived there was no one there. We had the place to ourselves. Wonderful! The pool has a kind of shower at one end that pumps out high-pressure water. You can go under it to get a water massage. Ah, that’s the life!

We went from the pool down to the ocean to play in the waves a bit. The tides here can be a little more dangerous so we didn’t go in far. Still it was great fun. My last shot at wave hopping for a good while, I’m sure.

We were lounging on deck chairs drying off when the meals came. Delicious! Leslie and I shared our meals, Charcoal grilled chicken and a steak with creamy pepper sauce. Fresh french baguettes were served as part of the meal. Wow! We shared a beer with the meal and another later in the afternoon. The whole affair cost us only about $30.

We also enjoyed an interesting snack. I should mention that the resort area itself is off limits to the street vendors. You are safe there. The beach is not. So they hover at the fence between the two areas and try to lure you in with their wares. One of them got to us. It was the pineapple lady. They walk around with a pineapple balanced on their head to advertise what they are selling. (side-note: little girls here walk around with at least something on their heads. If only a cloth. Its training. The woman grow up learning to carry things this way. They can carry huge loads and balance anything! We saw one woman carrying a basin of live geese on her head yesterday!)

When you buy the ‘snack’ pineapple (they are nice small ones), they cut it up special. They turn it upside down and trim away all the skin, leaving the stalk as a handle. What you end up with is a Pineapple-popsicle! Yum!

Pineapple here is so much better than what we can get. At home I find pineapple hurts my mouth, but here, because it fully ripens before they pick it, it is sweet, juicy and doesn’t hurt a bit. Its a good thing we were eating on the beach though. It drips everywhere! We needed to hose down after that snack!

Our beach day done we headed back to town. Penny stopped at the fruit & veggie market to make her usual Monday run. Then we went to a local Shawarma shop for supper. Shawarma is wonderful. Like an Arabic version of the Greek gyro, for those that know that. (More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawarma). It is very cheap, very filling and very delicious. Too bad we don’t have enough days left to go again! … sigh. That’s always the problem, … too much food, too few days!

Posted in The Really Big Trip by jimt with 1 comment.