Lomé
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There is not a whole lot to see in Lomé, but it is an excellent place to stay a few days, when you are traveling through Western Africa. The city lies on a lagoon in the southwestern corner of Togo. In the central business district are many modern high-rise office buildings, while the rest of the city is low rise and on the outskirts you'll find the usual slums.
The statues of President Eyadéma and his mother on Place de l'Independence were removed during civil disturbances in 1991. The Palais des Congrès is on the seafront, west of the center. It used to be Eyadéma's party headquarters. The National Museum is directly behind it on Avenue Albert Sarraut. It has a nice collection of historical artifacts and woodcarvings.
The Grand Marché is a three-storey building in the center of town, two blocks from the seafront. The market, as well as the surrounding area is extremely busy. On the market everything from food to modern utensils is sold, but for traditional handicrafts it is better to go to the Marché des Féticheurs in the Akodessewa quarter, 8 km (5 miles) west from the city center. There you can also find traditional medicines such as shriveled bird carcasses and dried animal organs. The easiest way to get there is along Boulevard de la République, until the port roundabout. At the roundabout you should turn left and continue for about 1Å km. At the Village Artisanal, just west of the Grand Marché you can see the artisans at work.
There is a lot of accommodation in Lomé. Most hotels are in the west of town, close to the border with Ghana. There are food stalls all over town, as well as many restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
East of Lomé are three beach resorts. At Robinson Plage you'll find mainly British tourists and overland trucks. There are campsites, as well as huts and rooms for rent. Further east is Ramatou Plage, where the clientele is mostly French. Campings and hotels are available there. Both the above areas are close to an industrial area and the beaches are not all that great. More to the east is Alice Place, which sits right on the beach. The beach there is a little better and you can camp or stay at the hotel.
The gare routière is some 10 km north of the city center. Buses and taxis connect it with downtown. The railway station is in the center and the airport northeast of town.