Random observations from our stops in Togo and Benin:
Oceania provided a shuttle from the port to the center of town for both ports. We didn't use it since we had excursions. In both ports you could escape the ship and see the city.
In both cities, at least along the roads we traveled, there was no cigarette advertising. Lots of mobile phone (Togocel and Benincell most prominent) advertising. More significantly, we never saw a local person smoking. The only people smoking were from our ship, and fortunately, not many of them.
Motorcycles were the predominant mode of transportation in both. "Motorbike Taxis" were available in both cities for the cheap and the brave. The guys in the yellow shirts are the "Yellow Taxis" of Benin,
The right-of-ways for the roads are quite wide. Only the main roads were paved. Most were dusty side streets. There were outside displays of merchandise everywhere. Sometimes it was for the products of the store fronting the street, but more often it was just a family selling something.
Side street
In Benin our tour guide told us that Shell and Total went out of business selling gas in the country because black marketeers were smuggling very cheap Nigerian gas across the border. Even Oceania did something unusual -- after 5 days crossing the Atlantic, burning 3.5 tons of fuel per hour, Insignia needed fuel. But the Captain did not refuel in Togo or Benin. The ship left Lome harbor and proceeded to an offshore fuel tanker, where we took on 400 tons (according to the Captain on a PA announcement). So we spent about 4 hours unpleasantly wallowing next to a tanker that evening.
You could buy gasoline at street side vendors. It looked like ready-to-use Molotov cocktails, just "insert rag for fuse and ignite." Luckily, both countries are very peaceful.....dave
Oceania provided a shuttle from the port to the center of town for both ports. We didn't use it since we had excursions. In both ports you could escape the ship and see the city.
In both cities, at least along the roads we traveled, there was no cigarette advertising. Lots of mobile phone (Togocel and Benincell most prominent) advertising. More significantly, we never saw a local person smoking. The only people smoking were from our ship, and fortunately, not many of them.
Motorcycles were the predominant mode of transportation in both. "Motorbike Taxis" were available in both cities for the cheap and the brave. The guys in the yellow shirts are the "Yellow Taxis" of Benin,
The right-of-ways for the roads are quite wide. Only the main roads were paved. Most were dusty side streets. There were outside displays of merchandise everywhere. Sometimes it was for the products of the store fronting the street, but more often it was just a family selling something.
Side street
In Benin our tour guide told us that Shell and Total went out of business selling gas in the country because black marketeers were smuggling very cheap Nigerian gas across the border. Even Oceania did something unusual -- after 5 days crossing the Atlantic, burning 3.5 tons of fuel per hour, Insignia needed fuel. But the Captain did not refuel in Togo or Benin. The ship left Lome harbor and proceeded to an offshore fuel tanker, where we took on 400 tons (according to the Captain on a PA announcement). So we spent about 4 hours unpleasantly wallowing next to a tanker that evening.
You could buy gasoline at street side vendors. It looked like ready-to-use Molotov cocktails, just "insert rag for fuse and ignite." Luckily, both countries are very peaceful.....dave
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