Conakry, Guinea

I flew from Bissau, Guinea-Bissau through Dakar, Senegal to Conakry, Guinea. Official policies online said to expect a thorough review of paperwork for my COVID vaccination and a recent test (which I got in Bissau). I had to show neither. The process was ultra-relaxed, and I was out of the airport quickly.

I stayed at the Sheraton, and the signage in the elevator was really odd. Lower floors were at the top of the sign, and higher floors were at the bottom. I can’t recall ever seeing that anywhere in my life.

The hotel was really nice, and the people were super friendly. Conakry itself wasn’t very amazing. I came to realize why everyone says you should visit any part of Guinea except Conakry. However, the capital is obviously the easiest to visit.

I arrived late in the evening, so I went to bed early and caught a taxi into the center the next morning for some sightseeing. Along the way, we passed this interesting revolutionary statue on top of a podium.

The art in the Sante Marie Cathedral was really nice, and this was a great place to escape the heat.

Heading out of the cathedral, the streets had an interesting mix of ultra-modern buildings with those that seemed run down.

I also stumbled on an embassy of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, which is a Catholic non-governmental organization that actually has diplomatic relations with over 100 countries, despite not having any territory. It traces its history back to the crusades. The story is interesting in both positive and negative senses of the word.

It’s always funny walking around in an area where I’m the only white person. Taxi drivers seem unaccustomed with white foreigners walking, and they are equally surprised when I say I don’t need a ride.

Near the beach, there was an odd mix of relaxation, housing, people selling stuff, and those playing sports.

After a day of sightseeing, I’d run out of stuff to do. I also understood why people don’t think Conakry is very interesting, so I didn’t make any plans for the next day. I slept in, had a good breakfast, and did some work online until it was time to head to the airport for my flight through the night, via Ethopia, to Zambia.