The vibrant, crowded and occasionally smelly street markets are the frontlines of authentic West Africa. Beginning in Ghana, through Benin, Togo and back to Ghana again, the markets are where local edible delicacies, houseware, clothing, fish, art, African fabrics, voodoo fetishes along with an array of merchandise can be purchased and where vendors display their wares in makeshift stalls to make a living.

Although these countries suffer high poverty rates, the street markets are where the farmers, fishermen and independent vendors go to hustle, cajole and bargain their way to a sale.

Street markets from the urban to the rural live along the often unpaved, dirt sidewalks along busy, traffic-filled roads. It can be a colorful, noisy hodgepodge of people including street vendors walking through traffic with bowls on their heads filled with everything from cold drinks to cell phone chargers for sale.

These are a sampling of the street markets and street vendors while traveling through Ghana, Benin and Togo.