We decided to take a small tour towards the north. Keep it simple: Via the museum Manega to Kongousi, stay the night and via Kaya back to Ouaga. Good plan.
So we left on Monday (22nd), the weather was not great, rain, fortunately not very hard rain but it had been non.
The museum is not far, just over an hours drive, there are some great pieces and there is a lot of potential in the place. However, we could not help to get the feeling it was somebodys hobby and a bit eclectic. The worst for me was to see a leeking roof right above very old funeral artifacts, they will be gone within years, such a shame.
We continued through the rainy country side, the sight of mountains made a nice difference.
We came in Kongousi around lunchtime so dicided to find the hotel. This was not difficult in this small town. Hotel du lac looked all right from the outside. What seemed to us as a completely normal question did surprise the staff; 'can we eat here?' This is not a hotel. ?!?
Luckily we were spotted by what seemed to be the boss, an english speaking man. He explained that his company, ATS, took over the hotel just to house the goldmining staff. He offered us to serve us lunch. After lunch we asked for the road to Kaya; another surprise, the road has become a bit too rough after the rains, but there should be another road halfway back to Ouaga. We took their word for it, not liking to get stuck somewhere in the rain.
Unfortunately we did never saw the road and ended up back in Ouaga, at least we know the hotel there had a very good bed, swimming pool and even two cats.
Determined not to get put down by this trip we went out the next day to Kaya. It took us some time to find the place just outside Kaya discribed by the travel guide as artisanat (artist place). It turned out that it was the house next to the rusty sign. A teenager showed us the few item from the cupboard, no artist inside. We went to the local museum. Not big, the 'guide' was proud of the photos of five generations of chefs, hard to pretend to stay interested. The art of the local artist wasn't great either and "WHY DOES EVERYHING NEEDS TO BE WITH A MESSAGE?" Painting one: women against aids, painting two: disabled schoolboys against drought. etc. As if buying a painting changes anything, furthermore I have not met anybody so far who is pro-aids are want to kill all people with malaria. Sorry for this, needed to let it out.
So, I ordered a quick chicken and chips at the restaurant attached to the museum. It was rather populair and far more important to the local community. The chips and chicken were rather good, however next time I will order either an hour earlier, or I'll order rice and sauce. You guessed it, it took over an hour. Tip for anyone going there, make sure that you made a pee-stop alongside the road before you go there. The hole in the ground was full of flies and the smell was 'not nice'.
Off to the market, especially the local leather part, which Kaya is famous for. We were rather succesful, but you might laugh when you heard which treasures we found. We are as proud on finding two leather bags as of the two plastic watering cans and a tin of grease for the bike/car.
The weather this day (my birthday) was much better and I got this nice picture.
We went out for a lovely meal at night back in Ouaga, a nice closure of two daytrips in stead of a two-day-trip.
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