Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey

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Turkey was my first venture into the Arab world and it was as vibrant as expected.

I aim to celebrate each birthday in a different part of the world and this year was not any different – I celebrated my last year in my 20s in Turkey!

Istanbul has the buzz and hustle of most big cities across the world. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting the bazaars – I love markets. I usually hate crowds but I can abide the madness of a good market, I am after all a true Lagosian. Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar is apparently one of the biggest covered markets in the world. It is crammed full of stalls, merchants, their wares, shoppers and tourists. The Grand Bazaar has on offer a wide variety of things and I was especially taken over by the spices and teas! Everyauthentic market always has an abundance of merchants feverishly calling out for you, and it’s no different when at the Grand Bazaar. The only thing is the soliciting for customers turns weird when it happens to be three Black women (me and my friends) who are the buyers. The sellers, all men (I don’t recall seeing any female sellers) kept calling us various female African-American celebrities – from “Beyonce” to “Rihanna” 🥴. It’s getting old (was the same in Greece too).

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Something I highly recommend experiencing whilst in Istanbul is to take the 45min (about, there is a fast boat and a much slower one. We took the faster option) boat ride to Buyukada Island. It is the largest of the 9 Prince’s Islands. Its a serene dream! It has no cars except working vehicles like trucks, and I only saw a couple of those. The main mode of moving around especially for tourists is by horse and carriage. The houses are huge and terraced. There is greenery everywhere. It looked like what I imagine a Caribbean Island to be. Some people find the Island depressing and indeed it is an Island that feels trapped in time but I found it to be a respite from the bustle of Istanbul main land.

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We also visited the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia started out as a Greek Orthodox cathedral AD 537 and at that time was an architectural feat! The Blue Mosque seemed to be undergoing some sort of renovation when we went in May, 2019 but I still found it worth seeing. Especially memorable was me and my friend trying to sneak in with what is considered inappropriate clothing and being caught swiftly by one of the guards who yelled “dress problem!” I suppose we wouldn’t have gotten far anyways even if we made it into the mosque. Thankfully, there is a place nearby to rent long skirts and scarves for free. A more sensible approach is to plan ahead and wear a long skirt/trousers and bring a scarf along. That way you avoid having to wear borrowed, possibly rarely washed, oversized garments 🤷🏾‍♀️.

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On one of the evenings in Istanbul we went on a boat cruise. It had belly dancers and whirling dervishes and a very fun MC. My advice with this is to pay more to go on a classier cruise. Ours, though fun, was a bit over-packed and the food could have been better. We saw other nicer and quieter boats pass by and wished we’d paid a bit more to go on one of those.

Also, we had a Turkish bath at one of the oldest Hammams in the city and felt like new people afterwards! There are several things you really must do whilst in Turkey such as having delicious Turkish delights and visiting bazaars, another must-do is having a Turkish bath, it is purely mandatory. This is the one we went to, which I highly recommend.

CAPPADOCIA

The highlight of my time in Turkey was in Cappadocia. Cappadocia is a semi-arid region in Turkey which is about half an hours flight from Istanbul. It felt like being on Mars… with scores hot air balloons (instead of space ships) floating around. For most people, Cappadocia would fit on their ‘World’s Remarkable Places’ list. Jutting out of the ground all over Cappadocia are conical natural rock/sand formations. It does make you feel like you have left planet earth.

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There are various tours of Cappadocia and there is quite a lot to see from sprawling underground cities that hid thousands of refugees to churches carved into rocks. The popular tours are named after colours and I went on the Green Tour which is a day tour starting at 9am and ending at 6pm. You are picked up and dropped off at your hotel. On this tour I went to the Goreme Open Air Museum, Pigeon Valley, a Turkish Jewellery shop (featuring the most beautiful precious and semi-precious stones), a gift shop (which I am sure the tour company struck some sort of deal with which meant they dropped scores of tourists at the shop everyday as an ‘opportunity to try Turkish sweets’) and Ihlara Valley. I actually spent most of my birthday trekking though the Ihlara Valley, which is the second largest canyon in the world. The trek ended in a restaurant selling not great food, but the outdoor seating by a long stream in the depths of the valley made it bearable.

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Cappadocia is very famous for its cave hotels and we stayed in one of them. Again, it was quite the experience, being shrouded around by cool rock walls in the belly of the caves (ok, I exaggerate, not really the belly of the caves like the photo above of me in one of the many underground cities, more like at the precipice of a cave…)but I found it quite calming and grounding.

Istanbul and especially, Cappadocia were a delight and Cappadocia really did feel like an outer-worldly experience. Turkey is truly a city offering many worlds; it straddles both Asia and Europe,  Christianity and Islam. It’s spices and teas are reminiscent of the east and empires long gone. It truly is an exquisite ride on a pendulum that swings in many directions.

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What Traveling Taught me About Race

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Stereotypes are still prevalent

There are archaic stereotypes attached to being Black that are still unashamedly thriving in parts of the world. Living in a country like the UK, where racism is more subtle, can easily numb one to the fact that there are places where people still hold obscenely derogatory beliefs about Black people and are guided, in their relations with Black people, by this misunderstanding. In other words, you might experience blatant racism when traveling. The bulk of this travel-related racism is pure ignorance and a lack of understanding on what not to say to or ask a Black person due to the fact that these people have little or no day-to-day interactions with Black people or may have never met one before. Some are down to lazy inane thinking, where people believe that what they see in the media and entertainment, as a representation of Black people, is actually true of ALL Black people, while a few will be conscious malignant discrimination. In my experience of traveling, I have only experienced the latter once

 

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Madrid, Spain

People are able to dismantle stereotypes

Though stereotypes exist as mentioned previously, people are capable of overlooking surface level differences between themselves and the Black traveler. Travel has the power to restore your faith in humanity. The joys of travel outweigh the negatives and not even racial differences have caused any issues which have made me second guess my love for travel. This is because I have never received really bad treatment due to race whilst traveling. As said earlier, I have only experienced blatant racism once, so far, as a traveler. I have mostly found that people from different cultures and backgrounds, who look nothing like me or who have never met someone like me have been very welcoming and open. I have been housed and fed by strangers, befriended by people with whom I had no language in common, involved in deep conversations with strangers in strange places and invited to family dinners where I stuck out due to the hue of my skin. Travel truly does show that in the end, we are all commonly human.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

Being Colorblind is NOT ideal

Great discussions have been borne from my Blackness/African culture. We all know those moments when someone tries to skirt around the obvious fact that you are Black and it becomes this awkward elephant in the room. I prefer our differences to be celebrated not buried or worse, white-washed. We are who we are and the colour of our skin brings stories, cultures, traditions and rich histories. All these are the basis for great midnight conversations in foreign countries surrounded by the unfamiliar but feeling weirdly at home because you are given a platform to be you and discuss being you. Often, in countries where Black people are a minority, people are very open to hearing about you and your life and this sheer curiosity has made discussing race less tense. It is not my job to educate others on race and Blackness, there are plenty of books for this. But having an open dialogue where we bond over the similarities and differences in our culture can be fruitful for both parties.

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Cappadocia, Turkey

Money > Race

To put it crassly, no one cares about the colour of your skin as long as your wallet has hard currency. People will bend over backward, in most circumstances, to get a hand on that cash of yours and do all the boot licking necessary. I am not unaware of the fact that being a Black tourist might prove to be very different from being a Black immigrant. A Black tourist is often seen as a walking ATM machine as are all other races of tourists, on the other hand, a Black immigrant is usually seen very differently. A Black immigrant is often seen as a taker, someone who comes to take things away from the host community such as jobs or housing. A Black tourist, on the other hand, is usually seen more as a giver, as they are often purely consumers with no request/need for social benefits such as housing or jobs hence they are not “competing” with the locals.

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Bexley, England

You’ll Always Discover Similarities

No matter how different you think you are from the people in a country you travel to, you will find that you have common ground and usually more than you may have expected. I am always amazed at how at home I feel in some countries, such as parts of Italy. Usually, values such as respect and community are found in these collectivist societies which immediately transport me back to Nigeria. Travel throws a lot of uncertainty and unfamiliarity at the traveler but you will also find cases of familiarity which offer comfort and a serving of home.

Cappadocia, Turkey

Being Black doesn’t obstruct travel though it gives the experience a certain hue. In my experiences, openness is more common than discrimination – as curious as the traveler is, so is the host, both parties are inquisitive and usually both open.

I dare say if you want to escape subtle or more blatant discrimination due to race in your home country, become a traveler.

*Please note that all the above relate mostly to my experience of being a Black traveler as opposed to a Black immigrant.

Back from Sabbatical 😁

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Beside, The Astronaut, one of Berlin’s most famous street art

I am back!

It is weird to see how time flies by looking at the last time I posted on my beloved blog, africanwildflower – BUT..I am back now and have blown the dust off this collection of travel experiences.

Since my last post about Hungary, I have been to 10 new countries which I can’t wait to tell you about. In addition, I now have a goal to hit 30 countries by 30, which was inspired by a colleague who aimed, and succeeded, at reaching 25 countries by the age of 25!

Here’s to keeping the africanwildlflower fire burning!

Budapest, Hungary – The City of Baths

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Budapest is definitely the most unlikely city I have visited so far. By unlikely, I mean it was never on my “top ten” list of places to go and it seems not to be on the list of many people as my sister’s exclamation of “what are you doing in Budapest??”when I sent pictures to my siblings whatsapp group, shows.

The Danube

In short, Budapest was not planned. My friend and I had some other destination we wanted to visit, but the cost of accommodation and flights put us off. Just when we were about to pause on travelling at all, Budapest happened.

Heroes Square (Hosok Tere)

Kossuth Lajos ter


We were in Budapest in the middle of June – the heat was debilitating. However, thanks to the many baths and spas that Budapest is famous for – cooling off was never far away.

The first thing that struck me about Budapest was how manageable the crowd was. For a capital city, it didn’t feel as overwhelming as London but still managed to feel exciting. The people were also very polite, from strangers on the road to hotel staff.

Budapest isn’t the cheapest city I have been to but it is definitely not expensive either. It took me a while to get used to the conversion rate, for some reason, and truly understand the value of things but I can say it was a moderately affordable city. For me, Bogota, is the cheapest city I’ve been to where I would go on a 45mins Uber ride and pay less than £10!

Baths

Gellerts


We had the opportunity to visit 2 thermal baths whilst in Budapest – Gellerts and Szechenyi. Gellerts bath is elegant whilst Szechenyi is hip. Szechenyi was full of young people in their early twenties whilst Gellerts was more family friendly. Szechenyi was bigger and had glum, wet changing stalls that seemed to go on forever, my friend likened it them to prison cells and I don’t disagree, Gellerts, on the other hand is smaller and it’s changing stalls bore little similarities to a penitentiary. I won’t suggest one over the other as they were both fun and relaxing just with different vibes. Szechenyi’ yellow buldings is especially picturesque.
Jewish District

Budapest’s Jewish district is the soul of the city and you immediately feel a shift in vibe when you get there. The second biggest synagogue in the world, and the largest in Europe, is located here and so are several boutique restaurants and street art. Where the street art is, is usually where the most passion in a city lies – at least this is what I believe.

Cuisine

In relation to cuisine, I will say as a legit foodie, who has eaten food from different cultures, that the Hungarian delicacies did not disappoint. My favourite was this pancake stuffed with chicken soaked in a paprika stew. Typical of how I relate to international foods, I do not remember the name but I hope the description is crisp enough to help you find it if you ever go to Hungary. Goulash was also a staple in most restaurants we went to and is definitely something to eat in Hungary.

I can recommend 3 restaurants in order of amazingness which must not be missed if you’re in Budapest:

Bobyglar – this restaurant fell into our laps as we wondered away from Hosok Tere, a square with statues of important figures in Hungary’s history. It’s similar in structure, and its location centrally at a big crossroads, to Trafalgar Square in London. Of course, it was nowhere near as chaotic as Trafalgar Square but it was still beautiful and full of history.

Anyways, we wandered away from this monument and staggered hungrily into the hobbit-home-looking building to find a nicely furnished restaurant which had an outside seating area that we immediately settled into. The staff were top-notch and I will give not just the delicious food 5 stars, but also the service we received.

Cafe New York – Tagged the most beautiful cafe in the world, this is an absolute must-visit. I have never been to a restaurant that opulent and extravagant, let alone a cafe that exquisite. You might actually be intimidated by the setting and assume your pocket won’t survive the visit. For a place as beautiful as a palace, the Cafe is unbelievably affordable. It’s also a great place for taking unrivalled photos.

Mazel Tov – Tucked in the Jewish district is this Israeli restaurant which has sections outdoors whilst their indoor area is covered with clear canopies. It is teeming with greenery so that even when you are inside, you feel like you are outside. The food was was delightful – I had a sharwama that tasted authentic, fresh and delicious. To make the already charming atmosphere more special, there was live music by this guy with a guitar who sang heart-wrenching love songs all night.

Budapest is a truly beautiful city! The wide streets, yellow trams, Jewish district and Moorish architecture made Budapest feel idyllic and like a cross breed between Portugal, San Francisco and Tel Aviv (none of which I’ve been to, but Pinterest pictures tell you a lot).

Budapest is not very diverse, in the sense that non-White people are a rarity, so my friend and I were stared at quite a bit, but we have become used to this as we often find ourselves in situations where we stand out. If you’ve travelled through most countries in Europe as a Black person, you won’t find the stares in Budapest shocking. In fact, the stares were milder than I have experienced in other countries such as in areas of Greece or the South of Italy were I almost stopped traffic.
Budapest was an unexpected trip that has now become an unforgettable experience.

Venice, through the eyes of a Zimgirl

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Hello All, 

This post, about the beautiful Venice, is a piece by my friend and fellow travel blogger, Goitsimang Makanda! You can find her witty blog on WordPress here. I am sure you’ll enjoy this post and it’s colourful pictures as much as I did!

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Venice is one of those cities that I’ve spent years drooling over the pictures and reading travel blogs about. Its waterways and bridges have long been plastered on my Pinterest boards. I just had to see it in person and my 27th birthday presented the perfect opportunity for a cultured weekend break.
Venice is a marvel of engineering, perfectly situated across a group of 118 small islands, separated by canals and linked together by bridges. This city of water is nothing short of a dream land.


I arrived at midnight and even under moonlight, you could still appreciate Venice’s untampered beauty. I stepped off the ferry and was confronted by the breath-taking beauty and romance of the city. Under the moonlight, the buildings were gleaming, standing tall in their ornate grandeur. It felt like I’d stepped back in time. The city is oozing with character and authenticity. There is no pretentiousness. I completely fell in love and our walk through the narrow lanes to our hotel filled me with so much excitement. I couldn’t wait for the sun to rise so I could see the city in its full glory.

I booked to spend 3 full days in Venice. The spontaneity in the way the trip was planned meant that I didn’t know what exactly I was going to do or see till I got there. Luckily, the owner of the gorgeous guest house I stayed in was more than happy to drop her pearls of wisdom about all things fabulous in Venice. This invaluable local insight, in conjunction with the help of the Get Your Guide app helped us make the most of our time there.

So, instead of boring you with how we woke up every morning and had breakfast on a terrace overlooking Venice’s tiled roofs and gorgeous canals, I thought I’d just give you a breakdown of the highlights. 

1. The three-island tour.

I usually HATE organised tours. It’s that feeling of being a herded sheep I cannot stand. But this one was so worth it due to the limited time we had.We used the Get Your Guide app to book the tour and it was perfect. All the tour company did was to drop us off at the location and then they told us what time to come back, so we were free to wander, marvel and explore. 

First, we visited the Murano Island where famous Murano Glass makers can be found. There we had the opportunity to watch a glassblower practice his craft, followed by a tour of the workshop gallery, showcasing breathtaking glass items made by the Master Glass Blowers. It’s amazing what you can do with glass, from the fluorescent coloured chandeliers to the grand floral mirrors, each petal and leaf painstakingly crafted in glass.

Next, we went to the island of my dreams. Burano. Imagine a rainbow just exploded and covered all the houses in bright happy colours. That’s Burano! The houses on this island are an eclectic mix of broad and vibrant colours. Every single house was the backdrop for a stunning picture. 

The last island was Torcello, which had some of the coolest bridges I’d seen in my time in the region. Torcello also had historical churches which are well preserved and I enjoyed the best fast food I’ve ever had there! 


2. The Libreria Acqua Alta

As an avid reader and lover of bookshops and libraries, I couldn’t leave Venice without visiting the Acqua Alta library. It was everything and more. The eclectic mixture of books was a reader’s dream. What makes the bookshop so unique and special is the presentation of the books. In the centre of the store, you find a gondola packed with books and as you walk about the store you will also find bathtubs filled with books. My favourite pastime is sitting in the bath with a good book. I have so many water-stained books at home so seeing this literature filled baths made my heart smile. 


3. The Gondola

“You can’t go to Venice without going for a Gondola ride” – That’s what everyone back home was saying to me when I told them I was in Venice. Personally, I didn’t see what the hype was about, it’s an overpriced ride on a long boat seeing the exact same sights I can appreciate by foot. But anyway, peer pressure got the best of me and I gave in. We found an experience deal on the Get Your Guide app for €27. 

I’m glad I had the experience. It was the perfect goodbye to this incredible city. Everything looked so different when gazing from the water. It was very peaceful and serene as we floated through the canals. The views were spectacular, including our hunky gondola driver (I’m sure that’s not what they are called?)! What they say about Italian men is true! Phwoaaarr!!!


 4. Getting Lost in Paradise

The super cool thing about Venice is that it’s a pedestrian-friendly city. There are so many picturesque and narrow alley ways and bridges connecting different parts of the city that it’s easy to get lost exploring. In almost every square you find something new. A cluster of unique shops or cafes, or my favourite, old grand buildings and churches with the most amazing doors. I loved wandering into the residential areas, seeing the clothes hanging up high and seeing native Venetians go about their day. They must feel like fish in a bowl. Tourist eyes peering into their private courtyards with vulgar curiosity. I’d have loved an opportunity to go into one of their homes. 

Now, before you start thinking we are uncultured – we of course also visited St Mark Square. How could we not? 

It was as incredible as the guide books said it was. 

I easily can rave about the beauty of Venice all day long but I must highlight at least one thing that annoyed me: Venice is EXPENSIVE!!! Getting food, particularly in the more central parts, is costly. Every restaurant seems to have an obligatory 12% service charge (but I must say the service is top notch, everywhere I went I felt welcomed and the waiters were consistently attentive) and an extra charge, ‘Coperto’, which is basically a charge for you sitting down. The mistake we made was going to eat in St Mark’s Square, as its more central, it’s pricier. I suggest eating at around lunch time as the lunch menus are cheaper. On a positive note, the food was incredible, I can still taste the mouth-watering carbonara I had on my first day. And the Bellini!!! OMG, that was incredible.

Oooooh and the freaking pigeons. OMG! Now everyone who knows me knows I have a profound phobia of winged creatures. The St Mark’s Square area is infested with the flying rats and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw people having them perch on them as they posed for pictures! One particularly distressful episode was when I was happily enjoying my Lasagne on one of the terraces and the woman on the adjacent table decided it was a good idea to start feeding her bread to the already obese pigeons. They were flapping all around my legs and almost gave me a heart attack. So, if you’re like me and you hate pigeons then avoid eating around St Mark’s Square.
 Other than those minor annoyances, Venice is spectacular and I highly recommend you go. 

London Series – Part 2, Kew Gardens

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So I began my London Series with Columbia Flower Market and it is honestly a coincidence that the long overdue instalment also has a lot of flowers and plants involved.

I visited Kew Gardens with my mother a while back and we totally underestimated how huge the Gardens are. I recommend at least half a day to fully enjoy the wonders within the Gardens!

I truly felt like Alice in Wonderland the whole time 💐🌼🌻💃🏾

Enough of the talking and enjoy the sights from magnificent Kew Gardens!





Bogota, Colombia Part 2 – Graffiti 

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Regardless of the fact that my stay in Bogota was quite short, I knew there were 2 things I had to do no matter what. The first was to go on the food tour by La Mesa, which I talk about in my previous post. The other was to go on the Bogota Graffiti Tour.

This was probably the highlight of my time in Bogota, which is shocking as I love my food! But I love street art and the stories they tell and how they define and redefine space. Bogota is full of beautiful street art from some of the world’s biggest street artists and I only saw a tip of the iceberg during my 3 hour tour. I must say that the Bogota Graffiti Tour are an amazing organisation and our tour guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable. The tour is free but tips are expected and encouraged! I bet you, after your tour you will be emptying your pockets and begging your tour guide to take all your money. It’s that great!

Little words are needed for this post as the pictures speak for themselves! It is so beautiful how the murals have molded themselves within their context, they look like they were always there and grew into the streets organically.

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Bogota, Colombia Part 1 – Delightful Cuisine

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I just returned from Bogota, Colombia and to be honest it still feels like an amazing dream. I knew I’d get to travel the world but to be honest, some places just felt out of reach. Central and South America, yeah the whole region, felt like the stuff of wildest dreams – beautiful but beyond grasp. Well, I lived some of my wildest dreams a couple of days ago when I set foot on El Dorado Airport, Bogota.

First glimpse of South America 😱🎉

I was in Bogota for work but I had about 3 days to tour the capital of Colombia. Bogota is a beautiful but busy valley town, surrounded by the Andes. It is actually one of the highest cities in the world and you do lose your breath very quickly up there. 

I was in a consumers heaven whilst I was in Bogota because of the favourable exchange rate. Whilst I was there, £1 was about 4000 Colombian Peso! And things are more affordable there than in London, of course! For instance a 45min Uber ride cost just about £6 max.

My first full day of mooching started with a food tour by La Mesa Tour. Now, up until this trip, I didn’t know food tours existed. When I did find out though, I knew I had to go on one in Bogota come what may. I love food and seeing new places and this sounded like a great combination of both and it was. Not only did we get to eat a number of authentic Colombian and Bogotan cuisine, we also got some cultural sights thrown in! Our tour guide was amazing and very helpful, despite the fact that I was late (totally nothing to do with the fact that I’m Nigerian 😳) and held the whole group up. 

Three things to note about Colombian cuisine:

  • Big portions
  • Loads of meat
  • They love their plantain and make it in different ways! 

I do not remember the names of any thing I ate as they were all in Spanish of course and my brain doesn’t memorise anything Spanish as I don’t speak it. So all the names went in one ear and escaped out of the other. However, I remember 2 things, one was Ajiaco. Ajiaco is specific to Bogota and I had read prior to coming to Colombia that it was a must eat. Ajiaco is deliciously overwhelming. It has a lot going on as you can see below and portion sizes,as said earlier, are humongous. I don’t think I ever finished a meal whilst there, sadly. 

Ajiaco 😋

The second unforgettable edible was a drink called Chicha- fermented maize drink. Apparently, to get the real deal, the maize is masticated and spat out, the saliva works its magic and ferments the maize and voila you have your appetising Chicha. Ours was not made like that we were told though….let’s  just say the drink and I didn’t get along.

Chicha

I had many meals whilst in Colombia, but the food tour definitely helped get me stuck in really quick especially as I had so little time in the City.

A couple of popular places I went to eat in the city were Andres Carnes de res and Crepes y Waffles. Andres Carnes is the wildest restaurant I have ever been to, but I should have known. A restaurant that focuses solely on serving large portions of meat on platters would soon get crazy. The restaurant was huge and quirky, with performers milling around, dressed to impress and doing  interesting little shows. After eating or during eating, people get up to dance salsa and they keep going till morning fuelled by beef and pork.

Rapidly emptying meat platters at Andres Carnes de res 🎉💃🏾🍗🍖

Crepes y Waffles is an altogether different kind fo restaurant perhaps more of what most people conjure up in their minds eye when they think of restaurants. In short, it was more sedate in comparison to Andres Carnes de res.

Crepes y Waffles is extra special because it has a unique social action ethos – all its waiters are single mothers! It was super cool and had a great menu. Most people ordered sensible dishes for dinner but since it was called Crepes y Waffles, I decided to go for a waffle. I had such a great experience there that when leaving Colombia, I had my last meal on the continent at Crepes y Waffles at the airport – this time I had a bolognese crepe!

Waffles at Crepes y Waffles
Bolognese Crepe at Crepes y Waffles

Other delightful meals I had during my stay in Bogota are visually represented below. I apologise for two things; I do not remember what most are called and secondly, I am sorry you can only see and not taste 😋

Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Northern Star

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When I think back to my time in Abuja, what comes to mind first are the long shadowy boulevards we drove down during our time there. Abuja is a stunning, comparatively calming state in sharp contrast to Lagos. Lagos and Abuja are like the stereotypical siblings, one is lively and boisterous the other melancholic and easy going. 

Abuja is only a 45 minute flight from Lagos and costs an average of 40,000 Naira ( circa £80)for a return ticket.

Millenium park – rock photo bombs majestically


Abuja is rocky, hot (most times) and sparsely populated. It really is a breath of fresh air from chaotic Lagos. It’s always nice getting out of the city and experiencing more of natural beauty. In Abuja, nature is closer though it’s a political hub and the capital state of Nigeria. 

Asides the memorable boulevards, Nkoyo, an authentic restaurant we visited was another highlight. The restaurant was beautiful and served delicious food. The staff were also very helpful and polite.

Inside Nkoyo

Edikaikong and pounded yam

Jollof and Fried rice with some fish


To get those souvenirs that prove your travel but also, and more importantly, to experience a bit of Nigerian artistry, it is a must that you visit the Arts and Culture Village in Abuja. We spent ages just strolling though the mini huts and watching artists at work. To be honest, many times we escaped into cool shady huts just to escape the unforgiving heat and sun pummelling us. 

The Arts and Crafts Village



Artist at work

Cassava Republic


At the Crafts village, there was a tiny bookshop called Cassava Republic selling an array of books centerimg round Africa and Africans and I was in heaven! My little niece and her friend were also quite pleased with the children’s books available. Cassava Republic is also a publishing house, all the books in the shop were published by them.

For many Nigerians, Zuma rock is the image that represents Abuja. The rock also features on the nations 100 Naira note. Surprisingly, I found out that Zuma rock isn’t actually in Abuja but in the neighbouring colossal Niger State. The rock is just outside the North of Abuja in Niger. For some reason though, Abuja has claimed the rock as its pride and joy.

Almost better than getting to the rock was seeing it in the horizon as we drove towards it. It’s a huge charismatic monolith which definitely leaves more of an impression than any of the other rocks I saw that decorates Abuja (perhaps why Abuja doesn’t make corrections when people suppose it’s actually situated within its territory…). As many things of grandeur in Nigeria, the rock has its own superstitious stories attached to it and hearing them as we approached the rock almost made me turn back – but I found my courage.

Zuma rock approaches

Gateway to the North East


Zuma Rock

My first voyage to the North of Nigeria was incredible. It reminded me, once again of how vast this nation is and the variety of beauty on offer.

Millenium Park

Nigeria in Foods

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This humble post is in praise of Nigerian foods in all its colour, variety and tastes. 

Now, this post only grazes the surface of the plethora of foods in the country, and this list is quite biased as it only shows foods from a small part of the country. Either way, enjoy the optical gorgeousness and I hope one day, if you haven’t already, you get to taste the gloriousness. 

My favourite is the ewa goin, the last picture, which is specially made beans with a grainy stew. Perfect with the popular Agege bread for breakfast 😋

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Various stews and meats


Eba, pounded yam, dodo, rice etc


Ofada rice


Eko and tilapia fish

Ewa and dodo

Fried rice, jollof rice, dodo, and fish(not sure which)

 

Pounded yam and Edikaikong

You know what these are 😂, we have them in Nigeria too

Ewa goin