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| Benin Cultures Of The WorldPosted on January 2, 2011.  No descriptionCommentsTonja Maddron says... Having lived for two years in Benin myself as a Peace Corps Volunteer (like the authors), I am amazed at this book! The detail enables even new and inexperienced travelers to access off the beaten path destinations and local hangouts.As a Peace Corps Volunteer I always wished there were travel guides written for other countries by volunteers - speaking the local language and living on small salaries for long periods of time in different countries allowed volunteers to amass a wealth of knowledge on great destinations in each country.When I travelled around Africa I used to go into the Peace Corps offices to ask where the best places to eat were!This book covers an enormous amount of activities with so much more variety and detail than a typical travel guide.Readers can truly experience Benin! Posted on January 4, 2011 Shellie Chesnut says... Having this book is like knowing locals. Erika Kraus and Felicie Reid give so much detailed information that I felt like they were touring Benin with me. It's obvious that the authors of this book spent years in Benin and didn't just visit. This book is very comprehensive. It offers information about rural areas and small towns, as well as the larger cities. This book describes the diverse cultures of Benin and guides the reader through areas rarely visited by tourists. This book is a wonderful travel companion and a rare insight into this fascinating country. Posted on January 5, 2011 Georgina Korewdit says... Having also served in the Peace Corps in Benin like the authors, I know what a difficult place Benin is to navigate.I also know that there is beauty and adventure to be found almost anywhere in the country and I am so grateful to Erika and Felicie for putting this book together to share this wonderful country with the rest of the world.Bon travail et felicitations!! Posted on January 6, 2011 Minda Heeney says... We will be going to Benin in February and staying there until December with our ship.This guide gives much more detailed information than the guides that only include about 40 pages of a West Africa Guide.So it is so helpful to us. Posted on January 6, 2011 Lorretta Tirone says... Absolutely fabulous travel guide that fits in your pocket for easy access during your travels to Benin. I looked all over for a guide for a recent trip and was thrilled to have found this one! An added bonus - it us up to date! The maps and photos are excellent and there are great recs about what to do, where to go and where to stay from Peace Corps volunteers who served in the country and really know the best of the best. Everything you may need... in this one book! Cheers! Posted on January 7, 2011 Grayce Michelotti says... This is a well-written book filled with facts and historical notes that are fascinating even if you're not planning a trip to Benin. Erika Kraus and Felicie Reid write with an objective but upbeat tone that keeps the book from being too dry, but the facts are all there: from the ties that various cities, temples, and even countries have to the ancient African kingdoms to the best times and transportation methods to visit them. Did you know that you can visit a _king_ in the Royal Palace of Ketou? Or that there are two sacred forests full of voudoun artifacts that are open to foreigners? All the research is there, at your fingertips: the local birds, the extremely edible bush rats, and how to avoid malaria. If bartering is as alien and unpleasant to you as it is to me, this book will help; it tells you the price range for everything from a clay necklace to a night at an upscale hotel. The bulk of the book deals with the "departments" in Benin, listing the major attractions in each area and how to get to them. It lists local restaurants, hotels, and describes native cuisine. In Ketou, women are forbidden to witness the celebrations of the Oro or ask about them in public. In general, don't take or give things with the left hand. Lastly, there is a dictionary of common French and Fon phrases to help you communicate. This book is an indispensable resource. Posted on January 7, 2011 Beatrice Diener says... This is a great guidebook. The perspective the authors give is tremendously insightful and informational. The detailed history of Benin is especially useful to Western visitors with limited exposure to Africa. The maps are detailed and the local inforamtion is top-notch. If you're traveling to Benin, this guidebook is requred reading! Posted on January 8, 2011 Paulette Ebbs says... Great information from two with great experiences. The photos were excellent and the book gives great advice for anyone to feel comfortable traveling in West Africa. It's truly and amazing place. Posted on January 8, 2011 Wei Krasnecky says... Skip this.Get Benin Kings and Rituals which is outstanding.It covers the recent exhibition at the Institute of Art in Chicago.One of the best books on Benin art and culture in recent years. Posted on January 9, 2011 Trinidad Olmscheid says... From the outside, it looks like a children's book that would have large printed words and full page color photos that take up half the book. Not so. The content may be about 25% color photos and the printing is large enough to read, but it does contain information on an adult level, considering the fact that you probably know nothing about the country. There is not much real information available in book form about Benin. The well know travel books just include Benin as one of the many countries located in Africa and contains tiny little writing and small black and white maps that are nearly impossible to see. They really don't show or explain the real background of the country or how it operates today. This book would be a good place to start in your exploration of the country. After you read this book you can then go onto the travel guides and hopefully find the nitty gritty details and figure out where you really want to stay or visit. The book is a trifle expensive for the information contained in it. I also think that it glosses over the relative low level of the infrastructure prevalent in the country. A picture of residents selling smuggled Nigerian gasoline in glass jugs from a roadside table probably more likely truly portrays everyday life in the country. This book is a good addition in my quest to find out all I can about Benin before I even attempt to plan a visit there next year. I'm glad I found it. Posted on January 9, 2011 Leave a Comment |
