Saturday, July 20, Grand Bassam, Cote D'Ivoire

This cursed internet connection won't allow me even to send an email, accentuating my loneliness. It is Ramadan and the hotels, including this one, are empty. I'm the only guest. There are no tourists to talk to. And I've been away long enough now that folks at home have forgotten me. Out of sight, out of mind.
I'm nervous about the next two weeks. Tomorrow I'll head off westward toward Liberia. Both this country and Liberia were recently war torn, which means I'll meet with lots of soldiers. It also means I worry about general lawlessness. I've haven't exactly decided where I'll go next but my best guess is to a place called Sassandra. The problem is that this direction leads me to a border crossing that LP says is almost impassable.
My experience crossing into Cote D'Ivoire was not reassuring. I managed to get cheated by a money changer and by another guy who pretended to "help" me with the crossing. To my credit I did successfully negotiate a good fare from the border to Abidjan.
I realize now that traveling to places like this is probably unwise for someone like me who is shy. The recent wars have scared away even backpackers so that there are no functioning hostels or even places for travelers to meet. I'm feeling nostalgic for the relative comforts of Ghana.

The highlight of my time around Abidjan was finding David Vincent, the artist on the left. I bought one of his paintings. I wish I could have bought four or five. I found him by accident when I took the wrong road back to my hotel. He was ensconced in a little artists' building in the former French Quarter of Grand Bassam. There was a lot of great art there that I sadly had to leave behind.