Togo

We're headed back to Africa for our 128th country, to the long narrow nation sitting on the Gulf of Guinea between Ghana and Benin. So it's time TO GO to Togo. Oh, the jokes. The boys loved it. It also helps them remember it's in the middle of those three countries there too, you can use it 'to-go' to from Ghana to Benin and vice versa. 

In the last week I've seen news articles about how Ghana is getting fat on KFC, and how Ghana and Benin are getting more buddy buddy.   I think maybe it's Facebook just stalking this project, which is why all the news that shows up is global news. But, anyway, nothing really on Togo. It's a tiny little country, roughly the size of West Virginia. 

Tourism has taken a beating here, after a long period of unrest but many consider the country as one of the nicest in Western Africa, simple as it may be. You're never too far from any one place, and the people are friendly. 

Togo may be tiny, but it packs a lot with its varied geography, from it's 20 some miles of coastline and beaches, to the hills and the Savannah. The wildlife in those areas ranges from a few lions and elephants in the north, to a hippos splashing around in the rivers. 

Beyond the geography and the animals, Togo is home to over 40 different ethnic groups and tribes. The Batammariba people are responsible for our landmark. Koutammakou in north-east Togo is their home, and they've created impressive mud houses. Many of them have two floors, are grouped into villages, and are preferred style of living even today. The traditional houses are known as the national symbol of Togo. 

We also learned about the Kabye  people. They live in the northern savanna region, and young men have wrestling matches when they are on the verge of adulthood to prove how strong they are, and to bring good fortune to their families. 

There is also the Moba people, who built a hidden cave system into cliffs to protect them from foreign invaders. Not only are the people in Togo known for their drums, but the Moba people use cow horns for trumpets. 

There's not much beyond the tribes and  natural elements to this country, but you will find some interesting markets in the capital of Lome. If you're in the market for crushed/powdered animal skulls, just head on down to the Voodoo market. Black magic is still practiced today, so people go to fill all their voodoo needs from crocodile feet to monkey bones. 

Oh, but we did learn about the Eyadema Dynasty. This guy, Gnassingbe Eyadema was called 'president for life'. He ruled from the 60's until he died in 2005. He was successful in not one, but TWO military coups, and by the time he died he was the longest serving ruler in Africa. 

I mean, he wasn't great. He's kind of the reason for decades of tourists avoiding the place. Anyone who questioned him suffered the consequences.  People said he even looked like a snake, with slanted eyes and a seedy aura about him. 

But, beyond that, he was weird. He sold $20 wristwatches that flashed his face on them every 15 seconds or so. He claimed he was the only survivor of a plane crash (he wasn't) and then had a comic book published about it, so he could be dipicted as a superhero who survives plane crashes, I guess? (Fun fact: he later died of a heart attack---- on a plane!) He was succeeded by his son, who still rules today. 

But for real, when you google him and go to Wikipedia, there's a section called 'personality cult'. 

The boys made their Togo postcards. 

Calib made a super cool Rhino beetle. It's the largest species of beetles (like the size of an adult hand), and lives in the grasslands in Togo. 

Peyton made the mud hoses of the Koutammakou region. 

And Hayden put a Eyadema wristwatch on his stick guy. 

This was another meal where the dinner was separate from our lesson. We had dinner the night before, but because we were so busy that day (we went to Busch Gardens), we didn't get to the lesson. It just meant we had to have Asa video chat with us at dinner the next night to present postcards. 

Our Togo dinner was a small one, because it was also the night the Bucs played Thursday night football, and I knew we would be having snacks. Our dinner was Tomato Cornmeal Cakes  and Grilled Togo Chicken. 

We also still have some fruit salad left from Costco, so while not completely accurate we had that as a side as well. It kind of fits, because Togo is one of only two African countries where more than 40% of it's land is suitable for agriculture. 

This one didn't really earn any spoons up, although nobody hated it. 

The texture on those cornmeal cakes was just weird. It was mushy, and if something has a weird texture Peyton is already out. I'm didn't blame him on this one. Asa and Calib were fine with it though. They weren't terribly impressed, but they also ate everything on their plate. 

The chicken was fine, but we're not usually a chicken on the bone fans (I got them on sale, and that's the way the recipe had them, so I figured I'd give it a go). I probably would have liked this better if it were chicken breast or chicken tenders. The flavor was good, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again that way- and if you try this one, that's my suggestion for improvement. 

Togo was colored in a light blue, squeezed in there between red Ghana and dark green Benin. Just like that the coast of Africa is filled in on our map from Liberia to Mozambique! 

That's 128 down, 68 to go! 

Next Up: Sao Tome and Principe