Going tribal in Ouidah

We paid a fix fee at the cooperative running the transportation business. An informal boater that approached us was quickly shooed away by formal boaters. Once it was our turn we boarded the small (<12') boat equipped with an Arab sail and departed. After 1h or so we arrived to Ouidah (Benin), a community established in the marshes, completely surrounded by water. We stopped for drinks at a bar servicing tourists, I bought a quilt featuring the map of Africa. We toured Ouidah, it reminded me of Belen, in the shores of the Amazon river. Instead of walkways a few planks connected homes, and most people moved around in canoes. There was a floating market where you could buy vegetables or fruit. This is a fishing village and early in the morning the market is busting with fish catches.

Our boat passed by a home where a voodoo (animist, traditional religion) was taking place in the front yard. Tall, beautiful women with head scarves danced slowly with what seemed lighted candles in their hands. We left town. In the main entrance to the town I spied a scary wooden structure, my guide explained it was meant to scare evil spirits trying to get into town - much like crosses my people in the Peruvian highlands put in the road connecting the town with the outside world.

The return to the pier demanded the boaters to row for 2hs against the wind (I thought you could sail against the wind with those Arab sails), and they expected a tip, that we refused to give on grounds that if their cooperative had established a fix rate and shooed away competition then they should stick to the previously agreed upon compensation.