"Lagos, Nigeria" a Lagos Travel Page by mpanizza

Mention Lagos to those familiar with the city and you will likely get a wince in response. Few cities have a reputation quite as bad as Lagos, however I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Sure, it is a sprawling, densely populated, and extremely polluted city, but there is an energy to it that is both frightening and enticing. The city's shockingly high rates of violent crime is often enough to deter even the most intrepid traveler, but there is something about the vibrancy in this town that makes you want to find out more.

The official population count of Lagos is, unsurprisingly, unknown, with most estimates in the neighborhood of 15 million. And, as with most large, fast-growing cities, the infrastructure has not been able to keep up. In Lagos' case, it hasn't even come close. The ride from the airport (north of the city) into Victoria or Ikoyi Islands can range from 45 minutes to 5 hours, such is the unpredictability of Lagos traffic. Traffic jams, or "go-slows" as the locals call them, are frequent and mind-numbingly irritating. In the month I spent in Lagos I often wondered how much is shaved off the Nigerian GDP every year due to debilitating transportation issues. Many have turned to creative methods of transport, such as a speedboat ride down the city's waterways (Lagos is situated on the Gulf of Guinea). I was fortunate enough to enjoy a round trip speedboat ride to and from work everyday - an infinitely more enjoyable experience than gridlock.

For music and art lovers, Lagos is the place to be. Popular recording artists like Femi Kuti (son of the late, great Fela) play frequently at the Africa Shrine. If you haven't heard his music you owe it to yourself to have a listen. And as for art... check out the Lekki market on Lekki Penninsula on the weekends. This is easily the biggest market I have ever been to in Africa and there are hundreds of shops selling really good, creative artwork.