Gulf of Guinea

Taneka Beri, Benin 📍 - another highlight of the trip - the round mud and straw houses of the #taneka people in northern #benin, in the village of taneka beri, north of djougou 🇧🇯 ...

Porto-Novo, Benin 📍 - my #sketch of the incredible grande mosquée de porto-novo!  this #beautiful building was completed in 1925 by the afro-brazilian community and showcases a unique blend of architectural influences brought back to #africa from former slaves who returned home from brazil in the middle of the19th century 🇧🇯 ...

Koutammakou, Togo 📍 - my #sketch of a typical #tamberma house in the #koutammakou region (land of the batammariba) of northern #togo.  the valley and its unique #architecture of fortified mud tower houses was listed as a #unesco world heritage site in 2004 🇬🇭 ...

Abomey, Benin 📍 - a fascinating #unesco #worldheritage site, the royal palaces of abomey are a series of 12 palaces spread over a staggering 100 acres in the centre of #abomey, the former capital of the #kingdom of #dahomey.  though pictures aren`t allowed inside where there are incredible bas reliefs adorning the palace walls, these ones on the exterior of the #palace give you an idea of what they look like, though they are nowhere near as amazing! 🇧🇯 ...

Lomé, Togo 📍 - the "sacré-coeur" of #togo - #lomé`s elegant #cathedral of the sacred heart located in the busy central market area was built by the germans in just one year and completed in 1902 🇹🇬 ...

Abomey-Calavi, Benin 📍 - view from the #boat dock at abomey-calavi waiting for my #pirogue to take me across lake nokoué to the amazing stilt village of #ganvié! 🇧🇯 ...

Lagos, Nigeria 📍 - the final #sketch from my amazing trip through #westafrica - of the beautiful national #theatre in the crazy, cool city of #lagos #nigeria! 👍🇳🇬 ...

Abomey, Benin 📍 - last picture from #abomey before heading down to ouidah!  these kids at the appropriately monumental king #behanzin #monument saw me snapping photos and instantly struck a pose! 😂 🇧🇯 ...

Porto-Novo, Benin 📍 - that`s me in the background working on my #sketch in porto-novo, while a #voodoo priest frantically walks through the city with his stick-wielding `guide`, growling in a deep, unearthly voice at locals -- he soon came up to me too, growling, his masked face inches from mine. it was a little jarring, but i just kept on #sketching away... 🙄 😉 🇧🇯 ...

Parakou, Benin 📍 - bienvenue à #parakou!  the largest #city in the northeast of #benin is a bustling marketplace - the streets leading away from the grand #mosque behind me morph into a huge, lively market area.  located at the crossroads of important trade routes, parakou lives up to its name, which in the local language means "a city for everyone"! 🇧🇯 ...