Monday, October 31, 2011

Ghana

Accra with high school pal, Victoria

We returned last week from a quick trip to Ghana for a little R&R and had a blast.  All African countries are not the same.  Ghana = futuristic.  I suppose it is relative to living in Mali, but it sure seemed as if we went fast-forward into the future as we drove toward Accra.  We went the budget route, and took a non-airconditioned 45-hour bus through Burkina Faso to Accra, Ghana complete with pitching a tent and camping on the Burkina/Ghana border waiting for the border to open for the day.  We stayed in Accra for a few days, ate ice cream and sea food, went to a great concert, and visited a friend of mine from high school in Lincoln, NE who is now working in Accra.  Following Accra we went down the coast to Cape Coast to spend 5 days at the beach.  Cape Coast has a rich and tragic history of colonization and being a slave trade hub, so we managed to squeeze in a slave castle tour.  I do not think we will take a 45 hour bus again, but would definitely recommend Ghana as a destination. 

Bands from the concert:
Alliance Français in Accra (outdoor concert venue)

Rainforest in Kakum Natl. Park

Canopy walk above the rainforest



Dutch slave castle in Elmina



Castle courtyard

West Indies Trading Co. logo

Tiny room for starving misbehaving slaves to death


Anna (way too happy about all this)





3,000,000 slaves passed through this small doorway, now covered with iron bars, over the span of 300 years onto boats headed to America, the Caribbean, and Indonesia





Boat building seen from the ramparts of the castle

Bridge over the castle moat


3 comments:

  1. FORTY FIVE HOURS? I want to know more. How many stops were there? That is insane.

    Glad you enjoyed yourselves.

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  2. Seriously, I echo Renee's shock. You guys' adventurousness amazes me more every time I hear about what you're doing. 45 hours..

    I'm glad you had a fun vacation!

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  3. yeah, it was great seeing you guys in accra!! :)

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