ouagadouou

in case you didn't know, ouagadougou is the capital city of burkina faso and a really fun word to say over and over. if you're down with burkina faso, you call it "ouaga".

i was there a few weeks ago and stayed at the hotel mercure silmande, which is probably one of the most expensive places to stay in ouaga but don't assume that expensive means luxurious. the amenities at an average best western are probably nicer than the silmande's but the staff was nice and a fashion show was held there (where miss burkina faso and miss sahel would be in attendance). business travel to ouaga is amazingly similar to business travel anywhere else in that i spent the majority of my time in conference rooms talking about work. when i did break free, i had a few decent meals and found another mask to add to my collection.

if you see something cool you want to buy on the street, negotiate and buy it. i went to the Village Artisanal, which is one of two state-run textile and crafts markets and found the selection to be worse than what i saw on the street. since the state takes a 10% commission on all sales made in the market, few vendors want to sell there.

here are a few places you shouldn't miss if you ever make it to ouagadougou:

- Espace Gondwana - Bar, Restaurant, Galerie: i had dinner here and was completely enchanted by this place from the minute i stepped into its garden. the food is quite good by any standard (mostly french and moroccan-esque) but the vibe is gondwana's true asset. in addition to its interior dining room, there is a courtyard/garden with low stools and tables that could also function as daybeds. you eat by candlelight, under starlight and sitting next to trees. if i had been with a boy instead of 3 co-workers, it would have been wicked, wicked romantic. gondwana is decorated with paintings, sculptures, masks and other interesting artifacts and EVERYTHING you see is on sale. i wouldn't recommend buying anything there because it's overpriced but it is a good place to get an idea for what you'd like to buy elsewhere.

- Le Coq Bleu: this is considered to be one of the best french restaurants in ouaga. i considered it to be OK but i think that's probably very good by ouaga standards. it was fancy and full of expats and visitors. the capitaine (a local fish) was good here.

- the makeshift bars across the street from the airport: the night i left i was informed by my burkinabe counterpart that the locals engage in a ritual before flights and that i must carry out the tradition. burkinabe go to the airport early, check-in and then go drink beers and eat brochette across the street ("across the street" means the row of tented tables on the street directly front of the airport's parking lot). what could i do? across the street i went. initially, i was a bit reluctant to eat the brochette, which are pieces of street meat skewered onto twigs (not exaggerating), grilled and served with a mustard sauce and seasoned salt. i was about to get on a plane and the possibility of spending the entire flight in a microscopic bathroom did pass through my mind. but i threw some seasoned salt over my shoulder, drank burkinabe beer and ate the brochette. know what?! brochette is great. really, really great. the street meat turned out to be pieces of beef and beef sausage. both were savory and delicious and the mustard sauce and spicy seasoned salt added another layer of flavor. these were ideal beer snacks and the next time i'm in burkina, i'll be looking for them everywhere. street food is the best.