Benin then and now (continued)

We went for a long drive today (before the trip to the pool), and hardly recognised Cotonou. There are new roads and flyovers everywhere, and the most fantastic fancy and modern houses and restaurants that weren't here 4 years ago. The places we often frequented look quite shabby by comparison to their new neighbours. And we can't get over the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, which are found at fruit markets at regular intervals throughout the city (how different from Liberia, where there was hardly any agriculture or horticulture and a constant shortage of fruit especially). One thing that Benin has in common with Liberia is the stuff the street vendors sell - weird stuff of all types, that no-one really wants to buy when they're waiting in a traffic jam (surely?) - electric irons, toy guitars, DVD players, radios, coffee makers, digital clocks, plastic flowers, steering wheel covers...the list is endless. My favourite is a framed photo of Barack Obama - who on earth (well, in Benin) would want to buy that at random when they are driving from A to B? Olly