GHANA .... can be difficult

Nothing bad happened in Ghana, but the really good was difficult to access.

The nation of Ghana is a star of Africa with it’s gold, oil, and mineral wealth; with it’s “functioning” democracy; with it’s international success in soccer;  with it’s good and kind people …… but the abject poverty, the non-functioning infrastructure, the dirt, the heat, and the overt corruption can make visiting somewhat difficult. 

Notice the Ghana fashion angels.

Women, men, and children in Ghana carry burdens on their heads.  Here is an alley in the market where  head-carrying vessels are available in all sizes and shapes. 

The Central Market in Takoradi is within and outside a very large 2-story circular building with 4 gates.  Inside is a warren of stalls and narrow pathways, smells, sounds, and every sort of food and goods for sale.   

Mushrooms...

Pillows, water, vegetables... and just about everything.

I believe these venders are selling palm-leaf vessels of a sorgum or molassas product.

There are, indeed, in Ghana many lovey spots including parks, hotels, beaches, and restaurants … which are nestled into locations with broken sidewalks, open sewers (both waste and storm sewers) poverty shacks, no running water.

Ghanaians wear lovely bright colors, dress elegantly in fancy dress and traditional long white outfits for church on Sunday, and sing their faith in a variety of religions.  60-70% are Christians but over 50% also practice various aspects of West African Yoruba (which includes witchcraft, voodoo, blessings, charms, gres-gris, fetish objects, or amulets). Most of the 17% Muslims live in the north of Ghana but they are also seen in good numbers as moneychangers on specific corners in the cities in the south.

On Saturday afternoon this corner was crowded with Muslim money changers from Niger. Here on Sunday morning a sole man holds the corner for business. 

On Sunday morning two women dressed in white come after church to the  less-busy Sunday market.  We heard the joyful music of Pentecostal, Anglican, and Presbyterian services

With their mothers, these girls have been to church. 

Many SAS groups were stopped repeatedly at roadway checkpoints by Police  –  to pay bribes in order to continue along the drive. 

We found a peaceful setting at the African Beach Hotel to enjoy the ocean breezes, sounds, smells and a lovely pizza for lunch. 

Many folks in Ghana do not want to be photographed by tourists - while others do if they receive  payment. I am unsure which category this young boy was in. 

Judy, Melvin, Jo and Louise at the African Beach Hotel.  I did not take this crooked photo! 

Traffic in Accra is mind-numbing. Though streets have names, the names are neither posted not does anyone know them.  Typically, a taxi driver agreed to take us to a place (the National Museum, which one might assume is a known landmark) but we quickly discovered he did not know where it is …... nor could he read the map I showed him.  His tactic was to “sssssst, where is ...... ?”  to others along the streets. We were stuck repeatedly in un-air conditioned cars in non-moving traffic with a variety of strong street smells and the ubiquitous horn-honking.

The good thing about trips organized by Semester at Sea was that the bus drivers knew the way to get to the destinations! 

Our hotel called the owner to get us directions to an Artists Alliance Gallery …… “it’s  in the building after the white buildings along the beach road on the way to La Palm.”

We gave up the notion of ever being able to communicate adequately with the taxi driver to actually get us there.

We asked a taxi driver to take us to a restaurant across the street from the American Embassy.  All well and good except the Embassy had moved to a new location two years ago…. But where?

The streets of Accra are an extemporaneous market with hawkers walking between the cars selling whatever they have that day to sell.  

Sighted sales of:  car windshield wipers, orange Chinese paper lanterns, sunglasses, aprons (the man was wearing one and the others were stacked on his head), spark plugs for cars, habanero peppers, cooking oil, rope….

At The National Cultural Center (which is actually a large craft market in a  huge building with corrugated metal roofing) a big storm came up - the few hanging light bulbs went out - the roof metal was jumping - and we quickly exited the place.  

 So, in a word, perhaps some of the abundant money flowing into Ghana from multi-national companies must be directed to vastly improving the infrastructure and toward alleviating the extensive poverty. The FatCats are driving big black luxury cars along pothole streets with people straddling semi-open sewers.  Meanwhile China owns and develops much of the shipping industries. An article in the Accra Daily newspaper announced that the 12 chiefs of the Greater Accra Area have signed a document agreeing that they will work form a Council to put aside fighting and try to work together for the common good. Okay. 

We viewed this poster at the National Museum and wondered how those dancers could possibly be wearing so many layers in the heavy heat and humidity of Ghana.