Venice in Africa?

Sunday Joey and I went with a number of other people from the ship on a boat ride into Ganvie. Ganvie is a village of around 22,000 people that is built mostly over the water. Many of the homes are built on stilts. There are a few things that Ganvie has in common with Venice, but not that many. The streets in both are waterways. In Ganvie the market appears to take place actually on the water with the sellers loading their canoes with produce, etc. and selling things out of their canoes. Our trip there was interesting, but the agenda of the tour boat driver for us seemed to be for us to visit three craft shops in the village. I don't think many of us were particularly interested - we just wanted to see the village and visit with some of the people. Also, it was a bit difficult to know how to feel about our presence there, how welcome we were. It was certainly not as relaxed as a trip to Venice would be. It was nice to go and see Ganvie, but I'm not sure I really want to go back in the same way. Although, I probably will so Jenny, Bethany, and David can see it. I think a much better way to go would involve spending a lot more time and trying to develop some relationships there. That may shed some light on the real situation there and some of the true feelings about yovos visiting their village (yovo is a local word for white person - I'm not sure how much I like being referred to as such everywhere we go, but that's the norm.) Knowing the language too would be such a help. That's one thing I know that I and many others here miss about being in Liberia. Hopefully that aspect of our experience here will improve in the months to come.

John