Same driver and new guide picked me up on time. We drove straight to the border. For many years I kept all the paperwork, tour tickets, train tickets, even toilet paper from Spain when I was 15! ( Because it was like gauze paper) Now I toss everything out( my kids will thank me someday) but I know to keep the visas. They needed them today to get out of Togo. They stamp the passport so I don’t know why they still need them. Today they also verified my profession, twice. The second guy at immigration told me he has a tooth ache. We both laughed!
First stop today Temple of the Python.
They are sacred and a part of Voo Doo. 70% of Benin people practice Voo Doo. A Catholic Church was built straight across from it. You can believe in both religion. There are mosques in Benin but not in Togo. One of the additional guides, not sure why they dilute the profits, was Moslem but believes in Voo Doo too. There are other religions too and they all get along, says the guide. You can make a wish at the python temple. They are fed one a month. All are let free from time to time. Most come back or the villagers bring them back.
There is a big basin that gets filled with water every so often by virgins. My guide was hard to understand. She spoke very fast
They call Quidah, the Vatican City of Voo Doo. Sacred Python area, marks the Voo Doo center. Catholic Church faces it, on purpose, not as a challenge but as consenting.
We picked up another guide. He was the Muslim and he was very funny. He took me to the Slave auction area. Here the slaves were sold and immediately branded. They waited in a holding area where they had to crouch down and they were gagged. They were fed a couple pieces of bread and water every 48 hours. If too sick or weak they cut off their arms or hands and they were put in a pit to die. If they lived and were strong enough, the walked around the Sausage tree three times and walked a couple more miles to the ships
On the ships, they also had women lie on top of the men to hopefully produce and third slave.
I researched all of this and can find nothing. These are stories passed down generation to generation.
Next stop: Sacred forest for kings. First king disappeared and became a tree. After that the kings were the sons of the previous king. There is still a King but just for pageantry, like the UK and the is a Governor like a Prime Minister.
More pics when my phone charges!
Travel Pig 