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West Africa - part 3

Me, a Peugeot 505 and a bunch of coal waiting for a ferry that will sail us (all) to the other embankment of the river "Rio de Canjambari". Actually the river was not very wide and the ferry could easily be substituted by a bridge. Our driver told us that Portugal had promised to finance a bridge.
Me, a Peugeot 505 and a bunch of coal waiting for a ferry that will sail us (all) to the other embankment of the river "Rio de Canjambari". Actually the river was not very wide and the ferry could easily be substituted by a bridge. Our driver told us that Portugal had promised to finance a bridge.


Finally we reached our destination: the Bandim district of Bissau. Here we met up with Thomas (right), a lab technician working for the Danish company ViroGates. The beer they were carrying was for a party some of the locals arranged in the evening... and partying was something the locals were good at! We danced a lot to loud local music.
Finally we reached our destination: the Bandim district of Bissau. Here we met up with Thomas (right), a lab technician working for the Danish company ViroGates. The beer they were carrying was for a party some of the locals arranged in the evening... and partying was something the locals were good at! We danced a lot to loud local music.


As earlier indicated Guinea-Bissau is a country which is as far as you can get from being rich in economic terms. The above photo is of my bathroom facilities in a good house in the capital of the country! There was only (cold) water half of time - the remaining other half we had to take showers using buckets. When I was there we had mains power almost all the time, but before I came some parts of the capital have been without power for months. All serious business' and people who can afford it therefore have a backup generator. And even a generator does not guarantee that one has power, since it sometimes also can be difficult to get fuel for it.
As earlier indicated Guinea-Bissau is a country which is as far as you can get from being rich in economic terms. The above photo is of my bathroom facilities in a good house in the capital of the country! There was only (cold) water half of time - the remaining other half we had to take showers using buckets. When I was there we had mains power almost all the time, but before I came some parts of the capital have been without power for months. All serious business' and people who can afford it therefore have a backup generator. And even a generator does not guarantee that one has power, since it sometimes also can be difficult to get fuel for it.

Morten and Thomas walking on a city street to "Lenox" a former gas station which has been converted into being a combined bar, club and Internet café. Many of you out there will probably want to know whether cars actually drive on such roads and the answer is yes they do - I even saw a light truck driving on this particular road.
Morten and Thomas walking on a city street to "Lenox" a former gas station which has been converted into being a combined bar, club and Internet café. Many of you out there will probably want to know whether cars actually drive on such roads and the answer is yes they do - I even saw a light truck driving on this particular road.

Morten sitting in his office at the Bandim Health Project's "headquarters" - the money is being used on science and not on nice offices. I do not think there was a single electrical installation which would comply with any European standard on their premises - or maybe even the country:-)
Morten sitting in his office at the Bandim Health Project's "headquarters". As can be seen the money is being used on science and not on nice offices. I do not think there was a single electrical installation which would comply with any European standard on their premises - or maybe even the country:-)

A view from a quay towards the city centre at the port in Bissau. Many of the ships in the harbor would most likely never leave port. Not all the ships were completely destroyed because out of the picture's view a modern container terminal could be seen.
A view from a quay towards the city centre at the port in Bissau. Many of the ships in the harbor would most likely never leave port. Not all the ships were completely destroyed because out of the picture's view a modern container terminal could be seen.

The tourist version of myself in front of the ruins of the former Presidential Palace in Bissau - okay I doubt it really could pass a litmus test for using the word "palace" in its golden age. The palace was destroyed during the civil war back in 1999 and the rumors tell that the president doesn't want to rebuild it and move in because it is thought be home for bad spirits.
The tourist version of myself in front of the ruins of the former Presidential Palace in Bissau - okay I doubt it really could pass a litmus test for using the word "palace" in its golden age. The palace was destroyed during the civil war back in 1999 and the rumors tell that the president doesn't want to rebuild it and move in because it is thought be home for bad spirits.

This is the picture I think 90 % of the people in the Western World first think of when Africa is mentioned. These kids were playing nearby where Morten was living and just constantly get asked take their picture so they can see themselves on the screen of the digicam.
This is the picture I think 90 % of the people in the Western World first think of when Africa is mentioned. These kids were playing nearby where Morten was living and just constantly get asked take their picture so they can see themselves on the screen of the digicam.

 

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