Country Info
- Porto-Novo
- Capital
- CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF)
- Currency
- 6,590,782
- Population
- BJ
- Country Code
Cotonou Slideshow
Cotonou
Travel Blogs from Cotonou, Benin
Tatiana's entry
... see was the muscle and eyeballs. It was so sad and disgusting. People buy things like that for spells and stuff. Many people in Benin believe in witchcraft and some practice voodoo. It stank so badly when we were walking by the skins and heads, and I felt ...
Fiona's entry
... members. The rest of the time was spent lazing around the pool the hotel had, which I miss a lot! We arrived in Benin Tuesday afternoon, after a very rapid border crossing- we were waved through rapidly because everyone wanted to watch the World Cup ...
Visit to Ganvié and other adventures
... on time and I was happy to see several new faces, people who has recently begun attending with the small congregation in Cotonou. I opened with prayer and followed by asking if there were any questions. I often find it useful, rather that just ...
The perils of visa acquisition
Friday I was up and out in a taxi fairly early to get a short-stay visa and to make photocopies and buy supplies I would need for the leadership seminar activities that would start that evening. At the immigration office, I arrived at 10:00. It ...
Saturday in Cotonou
Saturday I was up early. Some issues we were facing seemed like oxen in the ditch, so I tried to take care of some loose ends, things I wouldn't normally do on our day of rest. I took a taxi to the Immigration department to try to get Fiona's passport ...
Marjolaine's entry
... we are more susceptible to various diseases if we drink their water or if the food isn't especially clean. Both in Lomé, Togo and Cotonou, Benin, the ladies have had to use either boiled water (most likely) or bottled water to prepare the meals, and to ...
Sabbath in Cotonou
Today was a full day. I was at the hall at 09:00 for the start of activities. We started by having each man there introduce himself and give a brief report on the state of the Church and work in their respective areas. It was quite interesting to hear ...
Sunday visit to Dantokpa market
... '. After lunch Mr. Ogoudélé and I went to visit a church couple who had moved about 60 kms (40 miles) out of Cotonou, due to some unfortunately employment decisions. To save some money, Mr. Ogoudélé engaged a local taxi, less expensive than hotel ...
Next stop Cotonou, Benin
... receives these days. On arrival he gave me a suggestion for a clean and inexpensive hotel called the Auberge on the beach between Cotonou and Lomé, a wonderful place to relax for a few days he told me. I got the impression that was where he was ...
Marjolaine's entry
... time. The girls and I are thrilled to have the chance to meet them too. I'm hoping to ask Mrs. Ougoudélé, here in Benin, if I can spend a day with her observing what she does through the day. Fiona and Tatiana are not sure they want to come ...
On to Benin
... sure. "No you don't need photos any more" came the definitive reply. It was another hour after the border crossing until we reached Cotonou. We drove to the Hotel du Lac and paid Marc the rest of the agreed price and sent him on his way home. The ...
Seminars in Cotonou
Today was another very full day - full of meetings and discussion. We started promptly at 09:00 and spent the day going over the doctrinal questionnaire, as well as covering topics I had prepared such as "Unique qualities of the United Church of God," ...
Cotonou, Benin, December 13 - 14, 2007
From Ouidah it was just a short drive along the coast to Cotonou, Benin's largest city and commercial capital. The country's political capital, though, is smaller Porto Novo, which we did not visit, a short distance to the east. Cotonou is a ...
Going to the market
There is a VERY large market in Cotonou named Dantokpa. It is the largest market on the coast of West Africa, I was told. It's "the mall" of Benin...if you want to call it that. There are thousands of people with huts set up selling old hand-me-downs and ...
Im Sueden von Benin
... im Dunkeln direkt an den Strand - menschenleer und brechende Wellen soweit das Auge reicht. Er erstreckt sich von Cotonou (grösste Stadt von Benin) bis nach Togo (und dort wahrscheinlich weiter bis Ghana und die Elfenbeinküste usw.). Spannend ist noch ...
Benin
... actually a public holiday (vodoun - voodoo day) Bit ho hum but interesting to see, just once. From Grand Popo it was onto Cotonou, the main town but not the capital. Got Congo visa there. Went to the market looking for a Voodoo doll but ...
How to get a discounted taxi ride
Unlike in other countries where you can ride a motorcycle taxi side-saddle, here you hike up your skirt. My skirts are a little on the tight side so free rides since I was showing a bit of ...
BENIN at last
Back in the heat! Have to wait for a day in Cotonou before hauling myself up to Parakou for In-Service Training ...
Afriquanisation!!!
Arrivée à Cotonou à 2h15 du matin. Débarquement en solo à l'aéroport. première étape: éviter cette horde d'arnaqueurs insistants voulant vous vendre transports, hotels, change... Heureusement la rencontre de Jules César (!!!)(congolais) dans ...
Corruption in Cotonou
... . 'But are you completely certain?' I enquired. 'Certain!' they said. Two weeks later, now in the Department of Immigration, Cotonou, we were facing two puffing officals, one in uniform the other in wild African print pyjames. We are in a tiny thin ...
premières impressions
Nous voilà arrivées à Cotonou depuis hier soir. L’avion avait une heure de retard parce qu’à Paris il n’y avait plus d’essence dans l’avion et ils devaient faire le plein du réservoir. Jessica était émerveillée de ...
Economic Capital
Cotonou is the largest city in the country of Benin. It is the economic capital. Upon arrival in the country, I didn't think much of this city. However, now that I am accustomed to the poor-looking small villages, the city looks much ...
Out With The Old- No, Let's Hold On To That
After a very long, very interesting, and very tiring vacation, I found myself on a bus for more than the waking hours of two days. I developed a cold, a very painful cold. So painful, in fact, that I could have drawn on my ...
On expectations ...
... your 'expectations'? 'Where in the country do you expect to be living in?' -Well, I've only seen Cotonou and Porto-Novo, which is only a little bit of Benin. I have no idea what the rest of the country is like (but according to other PCVs - ...
Four little flights to the other side of the world
... far... It all seemed so simple. Just a connection in Minneapolis and then another in New York and we'd be off to Benin. Unfortunately snow in both Minneapolis AND New York caused a three day delay in leaving the US. Fortunately we have such amazingly ...
Ékaro!! Ghana to Benin!!!
... spirits in the ocean. It was absolutely amazing, and we were really lucky to 'experience the whole bit. Elissa and I returned to Cotonou to stay at Aurelle's house (my counterpart from CWY). On her first day I managed to lose her downtown, when my zim ...
Benin
... . Eigentlich hatte ich ueberlegt, vom oeffentlichen Motorpark mit einem Minibus nach Porto Novo zu fahren, weil ABC nur Cotonou direkt ansteuert, aber das wurde mir natuerlich verboten. Die Bodyguards.. Ebele meinte, selbst sein ghanaischer Fahrer wuerde ...