Life in Lome
A ride through Togo’s capitol, Lomé, is filled with the sounds of local music, Drake, and constant honking of moped horns. If you haven't touched up on your French, you may find navigating your way through this city difficult. You will find the streets and alleys filled with people 24 hours of the day. You'll see ladies walking through the streets with a large pan of bread balanced perfectly atop their heads, carrying laundry detergent, all the while with a baby held strapped against their back being held solely by a piece of cloth. Small shops providing car parts, children’s toys, and tailoring are a dime a dozen. Most of the restaurants you will find are operated by Lebanese immigrants who have fled Lebanon to escape civil war surrounding their country. The menu will offer simply burgers, fries, and hummus. If you are brave enough to try local food, just look for a woman seated alongside any main road with a make shift kitchen. You will find her whipping up a batch of local fixing that I haven’t had the courage to try because I still don't know what local food consist of. Lomé rest along a long stretch oceanside shore where the waves seem calm and the water is a beautiful blue. Despite its prime location, there is no beach life in Lomé. A few hundred feet from shore all you will see are oil tankers and cargo ships lined up, currently eliminating the capitols chances of being a popular tourist destination. Instead of the smells of salt water and ocean breeze, you will find that due to Lomé’s unpleasant smog and pollution problem, you will want to cover your nose and mouth at all times. All of the cars and mopeds are at least 20 years old and they definitely don't believe in "smog checks". The capital has all the potential to be the next big holiday beach retreat destination, but plans to make this happen don’t seem to be on the horizon. Keep in mind that the country of Togo was granted independence just 55 years ago from the French and is currently operating as a democratic republic. Since its independence, Togo has remained under the control of one family and from the looks of things not much has improved since its independence. This country is moving at a glacial pace towards modernism. However, it is moving forward. Between the sub-Saharan climate and the mass pollution, a hard day at work here is equivalent to a hard week at work anywhere else. Each day I stepped outside and saw tireless Togolese working towards changing and improving their surroundings. Persevere? The people here are the definition of perseverance. Togo and its capital have a bright future. I can bet in 50 years this place will look strikingly different and the people of this country will be responsible for that change.
