The capital of Togo, Lome has busy streets with high-rise buildings and supposedly exhibits an urban profile. On the south is a stretch of attractive coastline, though swimming in the sea is hazardous because of the strong undercurrents. The Grand Marche is a three-storey building right in the heart of the city. It is a shopping centre and the place to buy any and everything. It is an extremely busy place selling everything from groceries to textiles to hardware. The National Museum behind the Palais des Congres has a fine collection of ancient ceramics, antiques, curios and woodcarvings. For batiks and wooden sculpture leatherwork and other crafts, the best place is the Village Artisanal. An added bonus is that you get to see the crafts persons at work. The Artisanal is located on the Avenue du Nouveau Marche and is open Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 5:30p.m. Aneho was the colonial capital of Togo until the administration was moved to Lome in 1920. There are a number of small beaches in Aneho, though you cannot swim here because of the strong undercurrents and also because the water is not very clean. Atakpame is located at a higher altitude, and once was a very famous holiday resort thanks to its cool and pleasant clime. The well-known stilt dancers of Togo belong to this area. Badou, the best place to visit for its unique scenic beauty, is just about 85 km west of Atakpame and you reach it via a broken down road that passes through tropical forests. The best waterfall in Togo is near the village of Akloa, 10-km southeast of Badou. Kpalime is a resort town near the Togo-Ghana border and is a good base for excursions and hiking into the beautiful hill country. One such trip is to Pic d’Agou, Togo’s highest mountain. An attraction in the Kpalime area, are the mountains around Klouto where the huge variety of butterflies attract enthusiasts each year. Vallee De Tambaerma, northeast of Kande has an unusual collection of fortified villages established in the 17th century by people fleeing the slave traders sent by the kings of Aborney. They made their compound walls out of impacted clay, straw and wood with only one solitary entrance for access. Having lived many years in isolation, they have successfully preserved most of their culture and traditions from external influences. Lake Togo is only 30km away from Lome and is an ideal weekend getaway from the city’s grime and pollution. It is very popular amongst water sport aficionados. Close to the lake’s northern shore is Togoville, the centre of the local voodoo cult. Nearby is Vogan, a small town whose markets are a treasure trove of fetishes.