Trip to Kano

We went to Kano, in Northern Nigeria for Eid el Fitr. It ended up being a four day weekend, so it didn't it take a hard-earned vacation day.

We stayed in a nicer hotel, and got 24-hr electricity, which was much better than the electrical supply that we got in Obudu Cattle Ranch earlier this year.

We toured around the city in a tricycle - which was a big change from the Prado we normally ride in. The traffic wasn't nearly as heavy as Lagos, so I don't think that it was too dangerous. And we didn't get kidnapped, although one of the high-ranking northern politicians from Kano was assasinated in his home the night before we left.

Kano is over 1,400 yrs old, and has survived so long because it's located on the sub-saharan trade routes.

On Eid el Fitr they have a Durbar. Apparently, you can see one at the beginning of The Black Stallion. That one is probably better than the real one that we saw, though. But it was pretty good. We didn't get trampled, and we told the kids that if the crowd got out of control not to panic and get crushed against the fence, but to use their head, get on their hands and knees and crawl under the fence. We had a few scary moments when the Emir (king) came by, when a few guys needed first-aid (we were next to the Nigerian Red Cross van, and when they had a gun "salute" that just about blew my hat off and left my eyes rolling around in my head.

Some of our "friends" in the second picture are pushing the bus. I'm not sure if you still have to pay to ride the bus if you are pushing.

I put some of these pictures on my computer at work for a screensaver. I like having pictures of Nigeria because most (normal) people (like me) don't travel within Nigeria. Also, I think that it's sort of snobby to put pictures of your most recent "luxury" vacation on your screensaver.