Well, there used to be a "__________"

The entrance to Voile de la Mariee

Every morning I walk along a path called “Les Rails” to get into town. Why is it called that you may ask? Well, that’s where the train used to run. No, they did not abandon this track to put a newer, more efficient line elsewhere and then make this a user-friendly pedestrian path. They simply do not have a train system anymore. When the French left, the system began to fall into disrepair and some years ago the iron was ripped up and sold to the Chinese as scrap. Now, this country, which used to have a train line running between all the major cities, only has a few private lines operated by the mines to transport minerals and a really short commuter rail in Conakry. The same goes for running water. There is one neighborhood in Kindia that has faucets. During colonialism, the French installed it. It has not been updated since.

Not much water falls during the dry season

Obviously, I am not pro-colonialism. People have a right to govern themselves and Africans can be every bit as capable as their former colonial rulers at government. Were things better under the French? In some ways, yes. In others, no. If the French didn’t leave overnight, but actually followed a plan for giving over power, is it possible that I would have running water and electricity like they have in many other West African countries? Anyway, this post is not about colonialism. It is a tricky subject that I don’t know enough about to be able to intelligently post about it for the world to read.  This is a post about the eerie phenomenon of abandonment you find in the most random places of this country.

A huge stand of bamboo

One of my post-mates is returning to America, so we have been finishing up her Kindia bucket list. This weekend, we visited “Voile de la Mariée”. It is a waterfall that is supposed to look like a bride’s veil, hence the name. This is one of the most famous tourist sites in Guinea. From the sign, we can tell that it used to have a restaurant. From the abandoned huts, we know that is used to have a good number of rooms to rent. From the half-finished construction, we know that it was planning on growing when it was abandoned. Despite the fact that the majority of the site is no longer in operation, there was a man there who you had to pay 3,000 GF (about 50 cents USD) to enter. The natural beauty of the site is still stunning. Even though the fall was not at its full rainy season strength, enough water was falling down to create a cooling mist. We ate a delicious picnic and admired the work of an artisan who has taken up one of the abandoned huts as a workshop. We even saw baboons. For most of the time, we were the only people there and could enjoy the tranquility of the site.

Can you guess how old this sign is?

The Artisan's Atelier

When I visit sites like this one, I can’t help but think about Guinea’s wasted potential. It is a beautiful country with beaches, mountains, and savannah. It could enjoy a Costa Rica like eco-tourism economy if it could only learn to manage its resources. It could use the profits from its huge mineral deposits to develop the infrastructure and provide social services to its people. It’s fertile soil and lengthy rainy season would make it an ideal exporter of tropical fruits and vegetables and the people of Guinea should be able to eat balanced nutritional meals in abundance. The problem is management. I am shocked when I see a tourist. The town that exports more bauxite than any other in the world does not have electricity, running water, or paved roads (outside of the mining company compound, of course). Malnutrition and hunger are big problems in Guinea and exports are almost non-existent. As a community economic development (CED) volunteer, the mismanagement of so many resources kills me almost as much as the program getting cut from Guinea. Right now there are 16 CED volunteers in Guinea working with organizations on management. When we leave, who is going to continue that work? I do not see many organizations doing it here, at least not on the grassroots level. I guess my fellow CEDers and I are just going to have to work harder to make our projects sustainable and hope that our counterparts continue to carry the torch after we leave. After all, that is what the Peace Corps is all about. For now, if you have a sense of adventure, feel free to come visit me and boost our tourism revenue.

Our delicious picnic lunch

I really love the tree that has sprouted up under the falls

Can you spot the monkey?

Some abandoned construction

Another view of the falls

Climbing up for a better view