Ouagadougou: the BIB bank facing the central market no longer changes money; you have to go to their new headquarters in the Rue TraorΘ Diongolo near the Centre Artisanal. No commission is charged for travellers' cheques ($US for French francs).To change French francs into cash in the centre of town, you can try Banque Commerciale du Burkina (BCB), which is on Ave Nelson Mandela, almost opposite the post office.
Christoph Kessel, Germany (Feb 99)
It is a very good idea to have permission for photography in Burkina. I was asked to show it to the police twice in four days. You can obtain it for free at the Ministry of Tourism.
Karli Erdlen, Slovenia (Jan 99)
If you go to Burkina Faso you can leave your MasterCard at home. There is not a single bank in Burkina that accepts it - and believe me, I've tried many banks. If you want to take a creditcard with you, a Visa Card is your best bet. But it's better to just taken plenty of travellers cheques. Travellers cheques in French Francs are accepted almost everywhere.
The museum in Ouagadougou has recently moved. You can now find it at the Maison du Peuple. Even if the museum is closed, the impressive building itself is worth checking out.
There are actually about 40 hippos living in Lac Tengrela near Banfora, instead of a meagre four. The chance of having a close encounter with one of them is very realistic. I experienced this myself as a hippo suddenly showed up five metres from our pirogue. Luckily enough the boatsman was in good condition.
If you plan on going to Gorom gorom in the rainy season, make sure to inquire about the condition of the roads. We got stuck for two days in Dori on our way to Gorom because the road was flooded. The trip is very dangerous when it has rained for a couple of days, because the road gets muddy and slippery. Our bus nearly fell on its side when the chauffeur tried to cross a particularly difficult track. We even had to get off the bus on several occasions, because it was too risky.
Saskia Marijnissen, The Netherlands (Aug 98)
Soccer and basketball are very popular in Burkina. So, bringing a ball is always a good way to play and meet with the locals. In all cities there are playgrounds near the schools (lycΘes).
Esther Beneder (May 98)
BURKINA FASO