Any Travels

The Republic of Guinea, on the west coast of Africa is bordered to the north by Senegal and Mali and on the east by Mali and the Ivory Coast, on the south by Liberia and Sierra Leone, on the west by the Atlantic Ocean and on the northwest by Guinea-Bissau.

Guinea owes its frontiers mainly to the accidents of the late 19th century partition of Africa and has no geographic unity. Much of the country is mountainous and the scenery is of great beauty. Guinea can be divided into four regions, Lower Guinea, the alluvial coastal plain; Middle Guinea, the mountainous region of the Futa Jallon; Upper Guinea, a gently undulating plain with an average elevation of 1,000 ft, savanna country broken by occasional rocky outcrops; and the forested Guinea Highlands, composed of granites, schists, and quartzites, including Mt. Nimba (about 6,000 ft high), the highest point in the country. The Niger River and its important tributary, the Milo have their source in the Guinea Highlands; the Gambia and Senegal rivers in the Futa Jallon.

After decades of isolation, Guinea is now beginning to open up to the outside world and is relying on its mineral reserves (bauxite, copper, iron ore, diamonds and uranium) to pull it out of its position of one of the world's poorest countries. Guinea is considered to have the most reliable business for foreign investors, traders and companies in Africa. The quality of life and standard of living has improved for most of the Guineans; many in exile returned, free enterprise is encouraged and people can talk openly without fear of repression. Guinea is one of the wettest countries in West Africa. A mild sweet small red bush fruit, Kingkriesji called by the locals, is considered to have positive medicinal effect on stomach ach. About 3/4th of Guinea's population consists of Malinke, Fula and Susu. There are several other ethnic groups. The official language is French whereas many African languages like Malinke, Fula etc. are also spoken. The Malinke (or Mandingo) and Fula are famous for their music.

Conakry
Conakry is the capital of Guinee Conakry and is located at the tip of a narrow peninsula. The centre of town is right at the end of the peninsula. Because of the fact that the city has expanded quite fast in recent years it can take quite some time to get from the centre to the outskirts. The main axis in town is called the Avenue de la Republique in the centre, changes its name into Route du Niger and later into Autoroute if you move further to the north.

There are not a lot of real sights in Conakry. There is the Palais de l'OUA where the cancelled OUA of 1984 would have been held, had president Toure not died. Accross the streets are 50 moorish style villas where the presidents of the African countries would have stayed. The National Museum is probably the best museum in the country, but don't expect too much. There are some masks, statues and muscial instruments on display. Entrance is free.

South of Conakry the Iles de los are a group of islands that are ideal places to relax, swim and tan. Boats leave from behind the Novotel.

Culture

Guineans possess rich oral traditions, and much effort has gone into transcribing the proverbs and poems of the Fula. One of the country's most prominent French language authors, Camara Laya, has portrayed the problems of both Malinke and French culture in the local political system. Malinke traditions have remained strong through the verse of the griots, the caste of professional musicians who preserve histories and legends in the aristocratic jali music. The principle instruments of the griots have always been the stringed kora along with harps, lutes, and percussion. As many of these artists modernized their sound with electrical instruments, their music came to be known as Manding Swing and received the support of the Sekou Toure government. The powerful Radio Conakry made the music popular throughout the region and its most important orchestra, Bembaya Jazz, received a government salary. Guinea was also home to Africa's first female band, the Amazons of Guinea, led by "La Reine" (Queen) Niepo Habbas. They too are very popular throughout the continent, and though they are employed as gendarmes, their lyrics concern social issues.

Guinea's many dance troupes, from traditional stilt dancers to modern ballet, perform in Conakry's landmark theater, the Palace of the People, built by the Chinese. In the Fouta Djallon, the 18th-century mosque still stands in Timbo (north of Mamou), a tiny village now but once the capital of the Fouta Djallon Kingdom. Built in the indigenous beehive style in 1730, the mosque represents the adaptability of Muslim institutions to the culture of West Africa. An important center of Islamic teaching existed in Labe, a city with an important memorial at the tomb of Alfa Labe. He died during the region's resistance to the French. In Upper Guinea, the Great Mosque in Kankan is a spiritual center for the Malinke. Also in that region is Faranat, site for the former villa of Sekou Toure. This large building has a balcony around the perimeter of the second floor that overlooks the entire town. The villa is filled with Persian rugs and Sekou Toure's art collection, including a number of mammoth sculptures. Since his death, everything in his villa has been left just as it was.

As in many nations of West Africa, the traditional diet combines meat with the staples of rice or maize (corn). Rice may be eaten with a simple sauce along with grilled fish or chicken, or with a more complicated dish. For example, a traditional recipe served over rice calls for guinea hens, seasoned with cayenne and paprika, to be stewed with tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and bananas or plantains. In the cities, bread, cakes, and coffee are more widely available.