Bobo-Diulasso

Overview

The city of Bobo-Dioulasso is a very relaxed place and a pleasure to spend a few days. It has has the same boulevards and interesting market places as the capital but with a  more chilled out feel to them and very little hassle even in the grand marche. There are a few interesting sights. Among the major highlights to see is the Musée Provincial du Houët, but without a doubt, the most interesting sight is the Grande Mosquée. The old Kibidwé district is also a great area to stroll around, where you have to take a guide but its well worth the experience to see how this side of the city lives and if your lucky you may well be treated to a performance by some of the musicians who live in the part of the town.

History

Somebody once said that “Bobos,” or those Burkinabe who have spent a significant amount of time in Bobo, and have adopted some of the “Bobolaise” mannerisms – are the most hospitable Burkinabe, and perhaps one of the most hospitable groups of people, in the world. Strangers are welcome in general, and just about anyone from strangers to neighbors are always invited to drink tea or some bissap and eat food. In every neighborhood, you will see mini block parties of tea drinkers, old ladies out walking, schoolkids in clumps – to a degree not to be found in many other villes and villages. Bobo is social. That said – some PCVs say that Bobo also holds the highest rate of Faux Types, merchant hawkers, and the like, on the hunt to chat it up, or sell something to a “Tubabu” (that’s you, silly). French and Jula are spoken in Bobo, along with Bobo (a dialect) and many other regional dialects. Bobo is often called the commercial capital of Burkina. You can get almost anything that you can get in Ouaga (OK – no Jimmy’s Bar, or Ice Cream like there is at Chez Simone). In general prices for things are a little cheaper than Ouaga. It is also much more temperate in Bobo (not too hot not too cold) due to lots of greens, trees, etc… in and around the area.