I had hit "publish" on that last post just before the power went out. Made it. Bus to airport leaves at 16:30 today. Plane doesn't depart until 23:00 but the airport road is considered too dangerous for night travel. We will have armed escort following.
Then into the airport chaos, the company fixers will assist on checking in then through security and sit and sit and sit and sit. Remember not to get the $10 samosa from the coffee place. Raining off and on this morning. Very heavy right now. Dark clouds out one window, bright sunshine out the other. Hope for no thunderstorms tonight. Better get cracking on the suitcases.
See you all soon.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Monday, June 9, 2008
Internet Down
Sitting last night (Sunday) at the Fino cafe, overlooking Five Cowrie Creek and the expressway. Below there was a buzz of activity. The parking lot was a blur of cars coming and going. Families and young singles out for a Sunday evening at the mall. From the quiet, air conditioned side of the glass, as the sun goes down through the clouds to the east it looked like it could have been a scene from the modern world anywhere.
And maybe it was.
At the next table the woman on the cell phone was telling someone about dealing with her "abandonment". The fisherman in the creek was drifting in a battered dugout, floating east into the lagoon on the incoming tide despite the heavy rains that had swollen the lagoon over it's banks. Traffic was moving freely along the expressway, most folks staying home after this morning's torrential rain and the requisite church services.
Several construction cranes silhouetted in the haze. That new hotel looking place nobody's sure what it is except for the pagoda style corners on the roof, looks like something oriental. Another 10 story building that has something weird about the top floor, it has a roof like several large cement umbrellas, maybe an outdoor plaza or something? But who would sit outdoors? Off in the distance sits that tall bank building with the huge rearing stallion image on the side towards Victoria Island, the side I'm looking at.
A farewell meal, at least for now. Tomorrow we are off on the plane back to the bay area. Watch child number three graduate at UCLA. Run around a couple more weeks and then back and off to Namibia. Internet's down right now, so not sure when this will get posted, the help desk person said the issue will be "expedited".
Internet back thanks to a couple competent young dudes. Probably be light on posts for a while, see you when I return.
And maybe it was.
At the next table the woman on the cell phone was telling someone about dealing with her "abandonment". The fisherman in the creek was drifting in a battered dugout, floating east into the lagoon on the incoming tide despite the heavy rains that had swollen the lagoon over it's banks. Traffic was moving freely along the expressway, most folks staying home after this morning's torrential rain and the requisite church services.
Several construction cranes silhouetted in the haze. That new hotel looking place nobody's sure what it is except for the pagoda style corners on the roof, looks like something oriental. Another 10 story building that has something weird about the top floor, it has a roof like several large cement umbrellas, maybe an outdoor plaza or something? But who would sit outdoors? Off in the distance sits that tall bank building with the huge rearing stallion image on the side towards Victoria Island, the side I'm looking at.
A farewell meal, at least for now. Tomorrow we are off on the plane back to the bay area. Watch child number three graduate at UCLA. Run around a couple more weeks and then back and off to Namibia. Internet's down right now, so not sure when this will get posted, the help desk person said the issue will be "expedited".
Internet back thanks to a couple competent young dudes. Probably be light on posts for a while, see you when I return.
Cape Coast Castle
In Accra we hired a car and driver at $100 for the day plus fuel. The 56 litres it took to fill up the toyota was about $45 more. Headed west at 09:00 towards the historic town of Cape Coast. The drive is not too interesting because it goes inland to get around the coastal lagoons. Rolling hills covered with cutover brush. It's been cleared and burnt so many times now that it's not very fertile but they must produce a lot of pineapple since the roadside stands were piled high. But a good two lane road, passing village after village. Driver pointed out Kofi Annan's home town and even more importantly Michael Essien's.
Cape Coast is one of those english names that no one really knows where it came from. Since the town went through Portuguese, Dutch and English hands starting in the 15th century who can know? (Internet's out so you will have to look up the details). The existing castle was left by the British. A major slave export location, the place is really spooky. We got in free due to some international museum day or something, pretty cool. Since it was a weekday it was just us and a couple Canadian students looking for a guide.
We first went through the museum which is really well done. My father would have had a word or two to say regarding Angela Davis being on display as an American civil rights leader that's for sure. The highlight for me was the local Fante tribe displays including ceremonial staffs of the local Asafo companies. Originally military units that could be called on by the chief in time of war these are now more social organizations. But as recently an 1999 one company fought another over a perceived insult on their new flag.
Some wonderful old stools are on display here. The belief is that the stools are containers of the power that is granted to the chief who sits on them. The really powerful stools are not seen at all by the public. In the case of a new chief being enthroned that is done behind closed doors unseen to all but a favored few.
During the tour we experienced the darkness and heat and damp of the slave holding dungeons and the walk to the gate of no return where they were loaded onto ships. Seated in the "Palaver Hall" where the sales were made was quite chilling.
The guide wrapped it all up by commenting how there is plenty of blame to go around between the Europeans and the Africans for this outrage. Everyone was in it for the money and the poor captives were the losers.
On a brighter note, the door of no return opens right out into the middle of the very lively fishing village and is really a treat. It can be hard to get in amongst the locals without being disruptive and here you are thrown right in. And the guy selling a print of a picture from 1954 of Kwame Nkrumah and Haile Selassie was quite tempting. Maybe I got that date wrong but quite a connection! Early evidence of Rasta Man!
Cape Coast is one of those english names that no one really knows where it came from. Since the town went through Portuguese, Dutch and English hands starting in the 15th century who can know? (Internet's out so you will have to look up the details). The existing castle was left by the British. A major slave export location, the place is really spooky. We got in free due to some international museum day or something, pretty cool. Since it was a weekday it was just us and a couple Canadian students looking for a guide.
We first went through the museum which is really well done. My father would have had a word or two to say regarding Angela Davis being on display as an American civil rights leader that's for sure. The highlight for me was the local Fante tribe displays including ceremonial staffs of the local Asafo companies. Originally military units that could be called on by the chief in time of war these are now more social organizations. But as recently an 1999 one company fought another over a perceived insult on their new flag.
Some wonderful old stools are on display here. The belief is that the stools are containers of the power that is granted to the chief who sits on them. The really powerful stools are not seen at all by the public. In the case of a new chief being enthroned that is done behind closed doors unseen to all but a favored few.
During the tour we experienced the darkness and heat and damp of the slave holding dungeons and the walk to the gate of no return where they were loaded onto ships. Seated in the "Palaver Hall" where the sales were made was quite chilling.
The guide wrapped it all up by commenting how there is plenty of blame to go around between the Europeans and the Africans for this outrage. Everyone was in it for the money and the poor captives were the losers.
On a brighter note, the door of no return opens right out into the middle of the very lively fishing village and is really a treat. It can be hard to get in amongst the locals without being disruptive and here you are thrown right in. And the guy selling a print of a picture from 1954 of Kwame Nkrumah and Haile Selassie was quite tempting. Maybe I got that date wrong but quite a connection! Early evidence of Rasta Man!
Ghana Eats, Accra
We ate at the hottest restaurant in town, Monsoon, by virtue of requesting a reservation at 7pm, hours before the in crowd would consider dining. We were still dining when they showed up since the courses took forever to arrive. A totally white crowd, not really what I was looking for, but if the meat is good we all have to make sacrifices. The South African boar tenderloins were excellent, but then by that stage of starvation most things would. The waiter had made excuses that the stove had "finished", i.e. crapped out. That seemed possible and it was later confirmed by the owner complaining to a good customer at a nearby table about every thing breaking down all the time.
On the flip side, the next afternoon we went to "Tante Marie" for expensive Ghanaian food. Despite a problem with finding the location and a minor dispute over the taxi fare we arrived at this establishement which everyone referred to as near the Metro TV building. This place is set in an upscale residential area that included the British High Commissioner's residence and other large estates. It was pleasant to see a lack of barbed wire and army guards.
We ate on the second floor in a wonderfully airy open sided wooden structure. Covered with a high thatched roof that allowed refreshing breezes to flow through while we looked out over the leafy neighborhood. I really felt a connection to the old Accra of my long past experience.
Foofoo was not available so I had boiled yams with beef and eggplant stew, just wonderful. Of course the beef was in tough chunks but that's what it is. Also some of my favorite Kelewele's (deep fried ripe plantain with a touch of ginger and hot pepper). Too chicken in my old age to buy it from the street vendors, this was my fix.
I had bought some Fante kenkey along the road, but forgot it in the hotel fridge. Oh well, it supposedly available around here, have to look. How about with a sauce of ground tomato and hot pepper with some pilchards? Good stuff, although your gut may make you pay later!
On the flip side, the next afternoon we went to "Tante Marie" for expensive Ghanaian food. Despite a problem with finding the location and a minor dispute over the taxi fare we arrived at this establishement which everyone referred to as near the Metro TV building. This place is set in an upscale residential area that included the British High Commissioner's residence and other large estates. It was pleasant to see a lack of barbed wire and army guards.
We ate on the second floor in a wonderfully airy open sided wooden structure. Covered with a high thatched roof that allowed refreshing breezes to flow through while we looked out over the leafy neighborhood. I really felt a connection to the old Accra of my long past experience.
Foofoo was not available so I had boiled yams with beef and eggplant stew, just wonderful. Of course the beef was in tough chunks but that's what it is. Also some of my favorite Kelewele's (deep fried ripe plantain with a touch of ginger and hot pepper). Too chicken in my old age to buy it from the street vendors, this was my fix.
I had bought some Fante kenkey along the road, but forgot it in the hotel fridge. Oh well, it supposedly available around here, have to look. How about with a sauce of ground tomato and hot pepper with some pilchards? Good stuff, although your gut may make you pay later!
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Off you go
Accra has the most dense population of taxis in the world. At least that's how it seems. We asked one driver how many there were and he replied "Uncountable". Maybe he studied maths at university. The taxis are a great boon and make getting around super easy, the longest it ever took us to get one was at the beach, where we had to walk all the way across the parking lot to roust a driver out from the shade.
Always, always, agree on a price before getting in. This avoids any misunderstanding over the fare. If the driver is unsure of how to get to your goal, ask a bystander and you will soon have a whole crowd of helpful folks offering their advice. Ghanains love to offer their opinion and the group that forms can get quite heated in their discussions. The driver always seems to pick a reasonable route, and off you go.
Don't worry if the transmission grinds or the car needs a push start. Off you go.
Speaking of shade, always use it. The sure sign of a "fresh fish" (i.e. newcomer) is standing in the sun. Always find a patch of shade and get into it. If you are waiting for something, don't stress; whatever will happen will happen. Use the link below to enjoy some good old fashioned Palm Wine music to set the mood.
Please Go Easy With Me
Monday, June 2, 2008
Guidebook
We went to Ghana this past weekend and I will be writing more about that as time goes on. For now, just to say that despite it being only a 45 minute flight away, it felt like another world.
We had a guidebook from the Bradt series. It was a little useful, but the target audience may have not been us. There is this puzzling fixation on pizza. A typical entry might be like this:
Koforidua: don't take the advice of the local touts and get on the ferry right away. You will be missing the best pizza in the Eastern Region around the corner at Lionhead's.
or
Cape Coast: just past the Mr. Biggs on Oxford street there is an unsigned alley leading to P.G.'s, the pizza here is not to be missed.
or
Elmina: The first roundabout on the Accra road east from the castle features a column with the crab symbol of the local Asafo company and is also home to as fine a pizza as will be found in the area.
Now maybe it's just me, but I'm not in West Africa for the pizza. This whole idea of traveling to far off places and then searching for reminders of home I find just baffling. Let your new found friend whack open a fresh coconut and enjoy a refreshing drink.
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