Nightlife Spot: The bars and clubs of Kotu township
Sadly Rasta Garden has closed down but Kotu Township has some great evening venues. A must visit is Maria’s Bottle Shop, right in the shadow of Kotu power station. Despite living in probably the worse site for noise pollution that we have ever come across, the people on Maria’s street are amazingly happy and will show you the time of your life. Most of us would be resentful that we’d have to live in conditions that can only compared to spending your life under the wing of a 747, supplying power to rich neighbours, while you only have candles and batteries but not a bit of it. These people are glad of the opportunity to live somewhere that has understandably low rent and celebrate the fact that they have escaped the rural poverty that is creeping over the countryside. The Gambia is suffering from losing a large percentage of their ground nut production to cheap American owned imports into Europe. Peanuts are all most Gambians have but most depend on us tourists spending our money with them. So, what better way to help the people than enjoying yourself in places like Maria’s Bottle Shop? If you want some loud pulsating Reggae, Ragga or the latest sounds form Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, there’s a great local club open every Saturday. You’ll need someone like Lucas to guide you there though as it’s located in a warren of side streets. It’s open until about 4am but closed around 3.15am when we were there, when a few locals scaled the walls to gain free entry and a Wild West style brawl broke out, no guns though! The club is very close to Kotu’s Marie’s Pub, Gambian’s seem to think that if one establishment is successful, then steal the name and set up your own. This place is very civilised, with un interrupted electricity and being a Christian establishment serves up plates of fried pork, sold by the kilo and washed down with very cheap beer to the accompaniment of some of the cheesiest music you’ll hear anywhere. Boney M and Abba must be the world’s most popular bands!
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Theme: Dancing
Dress Code: It doesn't come any more casual than this, anything goes here. The best nightlife can be found in the company of your Gambian friends in the pubs they use themselves and okay I know we have to pick up the tab but everyone shares the happiness.
Address: You'll need a guide
Directions: Ask Lucas Jatta or Akoli to take you there
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on Jan 31, 2007
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