Burkina Faso

Eat

thumb|Barbecue chicken thumb|Food market in Logobou Any run-of-the-mill Burkinabé restaurant will most certainly have one or all of the following: Tô = a millet or corn flour based jelly-like dish served with a sauce. Sauces commonly are okra-based (fr. "sauce gumbo" - tends to be on the viscous-side), peanut-based (fr. "sauce arachide"), baobab-leaf-based (not bad tasting, but very slimy), or sorrel-based (fr. "oseille", another green-leaf, a little sour). You eat this dish by breaking off some tô with a spoon (or, if you want to go local and your hands are washed, use your finger - just remember to use always the right hand, as the left hand is considered "unclean" because it is used for bathroom purposes) and dipping it into the sauce. Definitely an acquired taste. Foufou = a pizza dough-like ball of starch served with a sauce. Made by pounding boiled ignames (sort of a super-sized version of a yucca-potato hybrid, called Yams in English). The sauce is usually tomato-based. Eaten in the same manner as tô. Ragout d'Igname = boiled igname in a tomato sauce. A beef and yam stew Riz Gras = Rice cooked in tomato sauce and flavored stock, often with onion. Sometimes served with extra sauce on top, but not a given. Riz Sauce (Rice and sauce) = Pretty self-explanatory. White rice usually served with a tomato or peanut sauce. Spaghetti = Usually spaghetti is served au gras as opposed to spaghetti sauce. Haricots verts = Green-beans, usually from a can, with tomato sauce Petits pois…

Drink

thumb|Production of handmade beer Bisap = cold sweet tea made of the fleshy calyces of roselle (a kind of hibiscus), sometimes enhanced with mint and/or ginger (XOF25-50) Yamoku, or Gingembre = sweet ginger drink (XOF25-50) Toédo, or Pain de singe = sweet and "smoothie-like" in texture. Made from baobab fruit. Dégué = sweet yoghurt mixed with millet balls, sometimes couscous. Dolo = sorghum beer.

Sleep

People go en repos from noon until around 15:00. Don't expect to get much done around this time. Formal businesses are often closed at this time as well.

Stay safe

thumb|The Capital, Ouagadougou See the warning at the top of this page about civil unrest and extremist activity. As well, be aware of thieves in the big city. Violent assault is rare. Pickpockets and bag snatchers are something to watch out for in big cities, especially in Ouagadougou, where it is recommended not to carry a bag. The common, cheap green taxis in the big city can sometimes host thieves. Hold on to your purse, and keep your money safely tucked away. If you want to carry around a camera or other item that requires a bag, it is often safer to put it in one of the ubiquitous black "sachets" (plastic bags) that you get when you purchase something in a store, so that potential thieves will assume there's nothing of great value inside.

Before the unrest, female visitors rarely experienced any problems. Foreigners, especially white foreigners, frequently attracted significant attention, but the interest was mainly an attempt to sell you tourist items or overpriced goods. Indeed, the Burkinabé will show more patience and friendliness to the foreigner than to another Burkinabé, be it in a small village or in a big city.

Stay healthy

Yellow fever vaccination is required in order to enter the country.

Malaria is a serious problem, so be sure to begin taking prophylaxis prior to leaving for Burkina and continue taking it while there and, depending on the drug chosen, for some time after returning home.

Cholera vaccination may be required in the event of an outbreak.

Meningitis is also a problem, and vaccination is also highly recommended.

Typhoid is common, as are other water and food-borne diseases such as E coli. Typhoid vaccination is recommended but it is not fully effective so it is still important to take precautions.

Lassa fever and Dengue are concerns, but not more so than in other West African countries. There are no vaccinations for these diseases, so consult your doctor about preventative measures before travelling to the area.

The water is not safe to drink, especially outside the big cities where untreated well water is often the norm. Buy bottled water, and bring a water filter for emergency use if you're planning on spending time in any villages.