'Under the ruins of a walled city'
CKGaither Posted on Wednesday, May 2, 2012 at 04:05PM ;)
I asked if they had always been "living" from one vacation to the next but since everyone had been there for different lengths of time, it was hard to pinpoint. Some had only been there 6 months and hadn't been home yet. Others had hit the one year mark and admitted they were just in need on a longer break. But ultimately, everyone agreed that after a while Lagos just "wears you down".
As I was still in my newbie "everything-is-new-and-exciting" state of mind, I assumed they were just on vacation withdrawal. Until now.
I really do like Lagos. And I have barely scratched the surface of what it can offer. But on those days when you are a bit run down, and things aren't going as planned, the intensity of the city really does grate on you and before you know it, you just hit the wall.
Lagos is very hot. It is very large and there are a lot of people living here. That is a huge understatement. Lagos is 2nd only to Cairo as the largest city in Africa. There are people everywhere and many live or make their living on the streets. Many are actually in the street selling their wares. There is traffic everywhere - cars, taxis, buses, bikes, motorcycles. And of course the people in the street which just adds to the street stress.
What I failed to notice upon arrival was how few public spaces there are - gardens, parks and fountains, promenades, water front spaces, museums or historical sites. Most of the higher end and well cared for properties like government buildings, hotels, galleries and restaurants, are behind huge gated walls. Houses and housing complexes are almost exclusively gated. All have a security booth. So while picturesque properties are there, it's hard to take notice of them. What you do notice is the trash piled up outside or the broken sidewalk leading up to it. It is not uncommon to see a pile of yard waste or discarded building materials like bricks and wheel barrows in front of a nice establishment - sometimes actually in the entryway. Very few businesses have a back entrance or loading dock so trucks are constantly delivering goods at the front entrance of a shop - boxes, dollies, delivery men. Everyday shopping in Lagos is rarely tranquil.
Sidewalks are a novelty. They are there but they seem to be maintained by the property directly in front of it so if you have a nice shop next to an abandoned shop, you have a block of nice sidewalk and then you have cracked pavement or dirt (see pic here). Most of the city's sidewalks are pocked by little vendors selling fruit, bread, newspapers and the like. If there is a gap between two properties, no matter how narrow, there is often a make-shift stall wedged into that space that someone has turned into a business.
What is so remarkable about Lagos is that a huge pile of trash outside a restaurant is in no way a reflection of the quality of that restaurant. It is just a national problem that a very over populated city has not been able to rectify yet. Sadly, some of the most beautiful spots are only appreciated by those that go looking for them and even then it is typically found by word of mouth.
But therein lies the adventure. Finding these gems - and there are hundreds of them - around the city and behind the walls. Coffee shops, cyber cafes, spas and gyms, open air or waterfront restaurants, book shops and art galleries. I have been to a sampling and I know there are more to be found.
The challenge is to avoid hitting the wall so you can look behind it.
Reader Comments (1)
"The challenge is to avoid hitting the wall so you can look behind it." Love that line.