Travelling from Boundiali to Odienne

We are at Boundiali in the Ivory Coast, today we leave and go West to Odienne.

The road we have to travel is not very long, it is about 180 km, but there are several works, in practice they are rebuilding it new and high compared to the ground, with the drainage channels underneath; this is a clear signal that indicates how much it rains in this area during the rainy season.

Basically, for almost the entire trip, we drive the dirt road that is next to the main road and this forces us to travel at a speed between 30 and 50 km / h.

When we are about halfway we stop at the village of N'dapi, a bit to stretch our legs but also to meet the imam of the mosque of this Senoufo village.

Most of the people who live in this village are Muslims, but there are also animists and Christians; despite the apparent differences they are able to live peacefully without problems or conflicts, an example of tolerance and civilization.

First we take a tour of the village and, when we take the first photo with the iPhone, we are attacked by the children: everyone wants the photo and then to see it on the phone screen; they are too cute, the thing that always leaves us amazed is that some do not recognize themselves, probably they have never seen themselves before now, they are the others who say to them "hey look it's you!".

The thing that struck us the most is that some women also arrived and they also want the pictures, when we show the photo to them they laugh and are ashamed; they drive us crazy when they do that, too funny.

When the imam arrives we enter the mosque, remove our shoes and sit on the carpets; the imam puts himself at our disposal and answers our questions.

He told us that anyone can enter the mosque and that he helps everyone, because we are all brothers and we believe in the same God; in fact it is so, even if we call him and pray him in different ways.

Then he gives us a kind of blessing and wishes us so much love, serenity and health and also wishes us a good trip.

While we sat there with the imam in the mosque, several women came in behind us and sat down on the ground; they are there because they are intrigued by us and want to shake hands.

When we finish talking to the imam and we go to say hello they are all happy; how simple is happiness sometimes.

It's quite hot and we're thirsty so we go to a little shop, that is nothing but 2 cubic meters with a refrigerator inside, we buy something fresh to drink, even if it's not very fresh, we look for something known and sealed.

We have to leave again so we get in the car and, while we're leaving, the whole village came there to say goodbye, how nice!

We enjoyed this visit because we found sunny and simple people who welcomed us into their homes with open arms.

When we arrive at Odienne it is lunchtime, our guide tells us that he prefers not to have lunch at the hotel because they are very slow and therefore takes us to a pastry shop that is also a pizzeria; it’s a pity that they do not have pizza dough, they are too artistic!

We eat 2 bundles, that look like Luini's panzerotti, but are filled with minced and spicy meat and the Swiss pain, that is a chocolate dessert, in practice the cousin of the pain au chocolat but is flatter.

To drink, in addition to the usual drinks, they also have a strawberry beer without alcohol, in practice a carbonated strawberry drink; obviously we try it, it is particular but good.

After lunch we go to check-in at the hotel, that is not far away, and we rest for an hour before leaving for the afternoon visits.