NIGERIA: Ogun: Trip to Abeokuta with LEGACY Group (Part 1)

Another trip by the LEGACY group (click here), this time to Abeokuta which is also the capital state of Ogun. Ogun is just north of Lagos and by train, you could get to Abeokuta in about three hours...less by car (we've tried it using the Lagos-Ibadan expressway).

Back to Ebute Metta junction like the last time, and this time it was a different locomotive and carriage too! BTW, it was a chartered train...From Ebuta Metta to Abeokuta and back only, and not stopping to pick up any other passengers along the way, if you're wondering.

I took the last carriage, the old yellow one in the rear for more 'action' and also it was suggested by Seun...again. I did not hesitate in fact it does bring back memories of childhood when I used to travel by train with my late grandparents to Penang. Ok..it wasn't a bench seat, but still the ambiance was quite the same.

NIGERIA: Lagos: Lagos Ethnic Heritage Centre

It has been a year and a half since we made Nigeria our home and we realised that not all is what it seems. They phrase about "do not judge a book by its cover" has been again and again proven correct here, especially in Lagos state.

on the bridge towards Victoria Island, Lagos state, Nigeria

Here, looks can be deceiving. Behind a hotel, you'll find a windowless structure is actually a nice Indian restaurant (Sheraton Indian Restaurant). Somewhere between another restaurant (Yellow Chillies in Victoria Island) and a private hospital, is the best Italian restaurant in Nigeria (my new friend, an Indian gentleman now in his 35th year in Nigeria said). 

What looked like a bungalow, is actually a restaurant. Come to think about it...that's how the setup of a some of the restaurants here in Lagos. Huge gate with a gate man (honk to enter, please). Some, you don't actually see the restaurants inside...it's almost like...secret! The Hard Rock Cafe, Lagos fits the description....beyond the gate, is the hippest place to be..but from the main road...just another grey building with big car park.

Entrance to the Hard Rock Cafe, Lagos... who would imagine. This is on a 4x4, imagine on a car...you would miss the sign on top of the building.

Anyway it reminds me of the area Bangsar, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where old bungalows around the area are converted to exclusive restaurants. 

Lagos Ethnic Heritage Centre (click here) 

But today (Tuesday, 12th April 2016) was a little different. We were looking for something else, but instead we found another. 

the resident model of this blog...Saifuddin of MATRADE

NIGERIA: Let's talk about Naira (their currency..)

Dollar, Yen, Pound, Euro, Schilling, Riyal, Dinar, Ruble, Krona, Rand, Taka, Rupiah, Rupee, Franc, Baht, Ringgit, Dong, Schlong....theirs is Naira (N, Nigerian Naira, NGN).

A 1/100 Naira is called Kobo, but I haven't seen it myself except in websites. You can google it, but for the sake of this posting...I will only show you the denomination which is generally very much in used.

Naira was introduced on January 1st, 1973 and over the years, some of the denomination remain and of course the design changed too. Currently, they have notes for N5, N20, N50, N100, N200, N500 and N1000. In the Central Bank of Nigeria's website mentioned about N10, but I don't have it. 

On XE Currency App, which I use daily just to take a peek how's Malaysian Ringgit fares against the USD, Sing Dollar and Euro. So, according the app:

USD 1 = N 199

RM 1 = N 48

N 1 = RM 0.02  

Five Naira (N5)