Porto-Novo, Benin (Dec. 2016/Jan. 2017)

Bootlegged petrol from Nigeria for sale on the Abomey-Cotonou road.

Before a final couple of days in Cotonou, we headed to Porto-Novo, Benin's sleepy capital across the lagoon.

Photographing artifacts wasn't allowed either.

We visited the Musée da Silva, in a compound/large family house owned by an Afro-Brazilian named Urbain Karim da Silva. Many Afro-Brazilians converted to Islam, while others were Christians. One name among the photographs - Khabir Noel da Silva.

Mural at Musée da Silva depicting various Vodoun deities.

There were girls' and boys' sides to the house, next to the mother's and father's bedrooms, respectively. There was a room with photographs of eminent African and other world leaders. This room also featured a large panel of Jimmie Rodgers memorabilia - Urbain Karim was a big fan of him.

Eglise Notre Dame, built in the 1880s, and some prominent clergy members' busts.

One interesting display was on Abram Petrovich Gannibal, great-grandfather of Alexander Pushkin. While his origins are somewhat in dispute, the emerging consensus is that Gannibal was abducted from northern Cameroon, enslaved and taken to Russia. He eventually was raised as member of the imperial court and served as a general in the Russian military. So, an illuminating find in an Afro-Brazilian museum in Benin.

Toffa I, the last sovereign king of Porto Novo. He established the first connections with the French before colonialism.

While most of the furniture was showing its age, there was also early 20th century printing equipment that seemed in better shape - printing presses, type setting machines, and a stapler.

The Afro-Brazilian built Great Mosque, with its modern successor.

Another stop in Porto-Novo was the Royal Palace. We had a brief audience with the current king, King Toffa IX, whose role is largely ceremonial these days.

Toffa I ruled from 1874-1908. The current king was enthroned in 2007.

We also discovered a great bookstore owned by Joelle Esso, Cameroonian author of Eto'o Fils, an autobiography co-written with (as told by) Samuel Eto'o. Mme. Esso is also a singer and comedian, and it was a pleasure to meet her in this little bookstore, where we were also able to pick up a copy of "Abraham Petrovich, Le Prince Noir de Russie," a nice bookend to our visit to the Musée da Silva.

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Our lodging in Porto-Novo was at the Songhai Center, a sprawling production and training center with a wide range of activities - farming, livestock rearing, a boutique and restaurants. We rang in the new year fairly quietly with palm wine and baked goods produced locally.