A Day Without a Plan

A day without a Plan ends up the most enjoyable day since arriving here in Guinea!

Last Tuesday I was able to adventure around and get a better idea of what Conakry looks like from a locals point of view. Myself, Lindsay, Nina and Elisabeth had no plan just a list of places we wanted to check out. 

We left the port shortly after 9. With a bit of confusion we found a Bus just outside the Port Gates that headed towards the Madina Market. On the bus there is a cage by the back doors. In this cage sits a lady who takes your fare and returns your ticket. The cost is only 1000 GF (about 30 cents). We rode the bus getting a more intimate view of the neighborhood around the ship.

After the bus made a U turn onto the highway we took our next exit and arrived at the Madina Market! Now this market is 10x the size of Naiger Market. There are warehouse sized buildings that are lined with fabric stalls on the first story and then tailors work on the manual powered sewing machines above. (Really it’s not a proper floor. They put shipping containers in side by side and have the shops in the containers and sit on top sewing)  As you enter the market you walk through a see of “mini busses” and taxis asking and begging for you to hire them. The market was filled with stalls selling second hand EVERYTHING! From clothing to toys to luggage. Containers are delivered to a building at the market and goods are distributed from the central location. I am not sure how it works but it looked crazy!

 

The area is loo large to describe. I do not think we even saw it all! Winding our way through the stalls we took turns leading. I lead the girls up some random stairs in a back corner to a second level of a building where there was a mini restaurant and a row of tailors. The sewing machines were buzzing and people were more than happy to have their pictures taken! It was nice to stand above the crowded rows of stalls and watch as people pulled carts through the crowds of people. 

After the market we made our way to the main road/highway and sat on the edge and ate our snacks in the hot hot sun! Locals laughed at us and insisted that we move into the shade. From there we hopped in a Shared taxi (cheaper than a privet one) and made our way to The Grand Mosque. We wrapped our heads in Scarf’s that we had brought and made our way into the large compound surrounding the Mosque. We were met by a lovely gentleman who found it amusing that we wanted to look around. As long as our heads were covered he said it was fine. Two men showed us into the Grand Mosque and gave us a tour. It is the largest Mosque in West Africa and they said the 4^th biggest in Africa. Very impressive. We were allowed to peak into the main prayer hall outside the building sat a mausoleum where past presidents were laid to rest. 

We thanked them for their hospitality and made our way toward what is referred to as the “botanical gardens” (really it is just a mini forest in the city) A police man stopped us and demanded money, for a guided tour and “protection” we declined, the civilian trying to hide a laugh behind the officer was a giveaway that we were being taken advantage of. We made our way into the “botanical gardens” through the next entrance. It was trees, and ferns and a furniture making company and random buildings. After our quick visit we made our way down towards the ocean.

On the way we stopped at the grocery store where I was able to buy hand Soap (the foam kind!!!) for our cabins bathroom! This is very exciting as we were using a green bar of soap and it was making more of a mess then anything! The Ship sop has been out of liquid hand soap for awhile! Plus the four of us bought ice cream bars. We walked to the beach sat on a mall and enjoyed out Ice cream. 

 

 

 

I had recalled seeing train tracts that lead towards the Port on a previous adventure. We walked along the beach a while and made out way towards a dirt path then up another dirt path to what we hopped were train tracks (lucky we are situated on the end of a peninsula so if you know where the ocean is, it is easy to land mark your whereabouts). We found the train tracks and walked along them towards the Port. On one side there were factories and industrial sites. On the ocean side were shacks.

More specifically Shacks on stilts over the ocean build on sand. The area was heavily populated with Serion Leone Refugees. This area was the slum of Conakry. The people were friendly saying hello as we passed. It was past mid day by this point and the sun was rather blistering hot.

We came across a train station platform and played with local children for about 30 min. We played hand games and had tickle wars. They were so cute and so much fun to play with! Two of the girls were taken on a tour of the local shacks. It was so nice to get into the community. When I train was coming the kids pulled us up from where we were sitting and motioned for us to stand back, they all had a hand on the fence and we waved at the train as it passed. After saying goodbye we made our way along the tracks. 

At one point a fellow man walking behind us told us to go down a path to the right of the tracks and then under them. We followed of course and came to the Train entrance for the Port. Security waved us in once we produced our badges and we were home! Well Close, about 10 min walk through port we arrived to our Ship! 

 

I hope to return to the train tracks and play with the children again soon. Some of the locals were asking if we could do health teaching. I plan to talk to some department heads here at the hospital and see what we can work out. Being able to see the local Mosque was lovely and shopping where all the locals shop was exciting. The bus I hope will become a regular mode of transportation during my stay here in Guinea rather than the taxis! 

(All the photos are from Elisabeth and Nina)