Drogba land

A successful border crossing from Bukina Faso to Ivory coast was a relief after some confusion in the application process in Accra meant we were all armed with visas dated for mid feburary and a handwritten note.  Fortunately we passed through without incident and that meant an earlier than expected arrival into Korhogo.

From the last point of luxury on the trip, i write this from the side of a hotel swimming pool with wi-fi the hotel has been kept going by the French through the civil war and so tourists really are unusual here.

We used this as a base for exploring the local villages and seeing the local crafts.  First stop some traditional Senufo painting on cotton

Senufo painting

Weavers nr Kohogo

At the cotton co-operative the weavers earn $2 a day with most of what they produce being sent onto the port of Abijan

Weavers

painting beads

Next stop a jewellery spot, we saw the clay being moulded which can then either be dried black or white using fire or the sun.  The skill was impressive in using a stick to spin the bead against his foot and a feather to apply the patterns.  The colours being obtained through various leaves.

the finished product for sale

Men of the village

Final stop for the day a traditional village where we were treated like minor celebrities.  We sat down to meet the chief (sitting down in the middle with the white beard) and as we sat it seemed like the entire village came to shake hands with the 6 of us.  We asked them for a photo and all the men gathered around

Cooking in the village 

Unfortunately Ivory Coast lost to Nigeria in the quarter finals of the African Cup of Nations so there was real disappointment in the air as at least half the town was decked out in bright orange football shirts and the women were just as into it as the men, with the 'nightclub' where we watched the game having tables of girls getting excited every time the ball went into the box.  Didier Drogba is the face of football in west africa and everywhere we've been so far has been full of chelsea and man u shirts - still waiting to see anyone sporting the famous blue & white hoops though.

Mosque at Korhogo