Ghana be fun

Thanksgiving – Take Two

This week is Thanksgiving and despite the fact that I am not American I feel totally at liberty to celebrate this holiday, given that I am sure by pure dint of being British that I can find some ties to the Mayflower. I am also sure that, given my inability to provide food for myself or cook anything of significance, genetic links must surely prove that I descended from -or at least I am related to- those hapless souls escaping persecution.  I also know that I have mixed at least three different versions of the story of the first Thanksgiving to make these claims.  But, again, as there are at least three such stories I feel perfectly entitled to use whichever one and whichever version best suits my purposes.  As has been pointed out this week, Thanksgiving may come from the pilgrims who may or may not have landed at Plymouth MA 1621, but they were not the first settlers, nor were they the first to rely on the Native Americans, but for the purposes of the story, etc… and as it happens I LOVE thanksgiving! It is my favorite holiday and a great excuse to eat all my favorite food, have fun and generally start the lead up to Christmas.

This week has seen two celebrations- Thanksgiving American style on the Thursday- which is the official day to celebrate; since 1941, when it was declared that the fourth Thursday in November would be used for Thanksgiving.  I have also had a few explanations for this over the last few days but I think it is something to do Lincoln and the Civil War and the fact he declared November 26 a day for giving Thanks and not fighting… so nothing to do with the first Thanksgiving and a complete change in date- but a small fact that I am not going to let get in the way of a perfectly good holiday, and great food.

So, Thursday was a very traditional celebration.  Beautifully hosted, the food was roast turkey with all the trimmings, green beans, stuffing, cranberries, Mac and Cheese, mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, apple crisp and lemon tart… the list continues.  Everyone was sat around one table, grace was said, we took a moment before dinner to think about things we were personally thankful for, shared memories of previous Thanksgiving, and the fact that while we were away from family we were able to celebrate with friends.

Saturday was a little different.  It was a much bigger affair with a much more Ghanaian twist to things!  It started with a live turkey running around the yard, and then the ritual slaughter of the said turkey… there was blood, feathers, severed feet and a lot of noise!   There was of course also the piglet that was roasting on the spit, a hand turned spit, over heated coals, and the man who sat in a 95F heat turning the spit. 

Having said it was much bigger affair means there were a lot more people involved, and the whole day was spent with people coming and going, tables being delivered, chairs being set up, the ice and the bar man arriving for the evening, people in and out of the kitchen, ladies chopping vegetables and preparing the food for later, glass ware being delivered, china being set on the tables, ovens and fridges being utilized in all houses possible- a general hustle and bustle and industriousness of what was to come.

Then as the afternoon wore on and started to turn into the evening more people arrived, but this time as guests.  The atmosphere was very convivial.  The gas lamps around the pool and the colored lights strung along the back wall just seemed to encourage a Greek taverna feel, the floating flowers and candles in the pool had a very island holiday feel, and everyone seemed relaxed happy and ready to chat.

 I have to say I think I enjoyed the evening all the more for having been out of the way and not involved in the cooking for most of the day.  Probably for the taste buds of everyone invited it was a good thing I wasn’t involved in the cooking, but it also meant I got to enjoy an afternoon at the pre-Christmas craft bazaar at the Trade Center.  It was held outside and while there were a whole lot of people it didn’t feel over crowded.  They also had a great mix of newly crafted things and slightly older objects to be bought.

The big purchase of the day- along with the obligatory beads and knick knacks that you inevitably find in these places (and buy despite the fact you kind of know you are never going to need them) was a set of three people.  They do seem to be quite popular and date in age, having been carved and crafted from anywhere in the last 60 years until very recently and probably in the case of the police officer just for the bazaar.  They also only ever seem to come wearing the same costumes- the soldier, the police officer and the doctor.  I am sure that on some level they are deeply politically incorrect and I have a certain uneasiness about buying them, a throwback to colonialism (although I also have a feeling that it is me reading these messages into objects, which is in and of itself very Un-PC- not enough to stop me- just that I feel I really ought to be offended by them).  On the other hand I think they are totally great, and a real African souvenir, which despite my convoluted and involved circular thinking I am going to enjoy.

After all- the day started with a turkey having its head removed and ended with beautiful oil lamps floating in the pool.  A day of contrasts if ever there was one to be had.  

Ghana be fun...

Akosombo Dam

It turns out there are a fair few things to see and do when you head outside of Accra, as long as you are prepared to sit in the traffic or dodgy and weave around the jams in order to get out of the city.

The weather this weekend has been gloriously sunny, and the sun has been blisteringly hot and intense, a smattering of white fluffy clouds have kept the blue sky looking pretty and the sun from burning.  In fact a perfect weekend to head out to the Eastern Region and along to the Akosombo Dam and the Volta.  This dam has been a long time in coming, originally conceived in 1915 as part of a huge Hydro-electric project, plans weren’t drawn up until the 1940s and building was completed in 1961, creating both the dam and Lake Volta, the world’s largest man-made lake.  It also makes this year the 50^th Anniversary of the Volta River Authority and of the dam.  

 

All along the lake are small rural fishing communities.  The fisherman still go out in hand paddled canoes, they still have fishing nets hung out along the rocks to dry, they still go down to the river to wash and to wash their clothes. They are completely surrounded by lush looking green hills.  It really does feel like stepping back in time, and I completely imagine a biblical fishing village to look something like this.  You can’t even see any of this from the road.  Or see this from the road. It feels and sounds totally and secluded and peaceful once you are on the lake.  It was so silent and the water was so still and calm. 

Apparently the dam hasn’t been such a huge success for those living along the sides of it.  It might have appeared clam and idyllic and hydroelectricity might be good for the country as a whole, but the short term effects of the dam have been an increase in water bourn disease, such as river blindness and malaria.  This has led to aquatic degradation causing the fishing to be damaged.  There is no longer the quantity or the quality to be caught.  The weight of the water in the lake has caused crustal movement that has lead to coastal erosion; the land that was flooded to create the lake was more fertile than the rocky outcrops left. Meaning that all the communities that were relocated lost part of their livelihood.  Maybe there is more to this than I actually understand.  I wonder if this, along with the "sand winning" is causing some of the problems in Elmina too- or whether they are too far along the coast to feel the effects?

 

It wasn’t just the lake that was clam and serene.  The hotel was also unusually peaceful (despite the cockerel who insisted on screeching all night).  It really was a great place to sit and relax.  The restaurant served nice food, and the location picture perfect, on a deck out over the lake.  You could watch the fish swimming underneath if you looked down through the slats, or on the decking you could watch the lizards playing chase.  An activity I found fascinating.  They very rarely seemed to sit still, lunging at and grabbing each other. 

On the way back into Accra there was a small craft market, with a lady who made the funniest deals.   The conversation was something along these lines…

-       “How much?”

-       “45GHs, I made it all myself, you can have it in all these colors”

-       Nod “OK”

-       “OK. 40GHs.”

-       “Yep- sounds good.”

-       “You can have it for 35GHs”

Hang on a second… isn’t it the job of the person buying the goods who is supposed to knock the price down?  But it carried on, the more things that were picked up the cheaper the prices came, and then upon paying a few more things were thrown in for free.  So that is a few Christmas presents bought, another craft fair coming up before the vacation and I can’t wait to go back to Akosombo.  There is still a river cruise I want to do.

Ghana be fun...

Do you have Insurance?

I do and I am very glad about it!  Health care here is insane.  The whole city seems to be one big hospital.  I started off at the WARA health clinic, got sent somewhere else entirely for x-rays, a different building a different clinic, and another person to pay, then I had to take my own x-rays back the doctor I started seeing and pay her too!

All in all I suppose given the US costs I had gotten used to, this was incredibly cheap, working out at about 160 Ghana Cedi, which is about $100, or  £63.00; all of which I will get back from my insurance company. When put into the context of a months wages for a lot of people here I guess it makes sense as to why you see so many people with badly heeled injuries on the streets.  A whole months salary to see the Dr. and to get a few x-rays is a ridiculous amount.  Much as I whinge about the welfare state, I really do think people should be able to access basic medical care provided free at the point of need.  I had no worries other than making a detour to the ATM and still found it was one of the last things I felt like doing.

So, what have I been doing?  Nothing that my usual clumsy self would not be getting up to, having talked about the trip to Ada Foah already, I should maybe mention that the weather has been very pleasant of late, sunny, warm and cloud free skies.  All of which means that the sticky clay and mud you often find underfoot had solidified and formed a nice crunchy hard surface… or not.  It had a crunchy hard layer on the top of slippery, slidy goop; consequently I went sliding- banging my ankle nicely in the process.

Long story short I have been sitting on the sofa doing very little but nursing a poorly ankle since then.

I refused to have it in a cast or anything cause they are a real pain, but the nurse at the Drs office kept trying to help me move about- seriously I have been managing since Monday I am fairly sure I can hobble the 10 steps from the waiting area to the office on my own- yet she still insisted on half dragging me.

X-ray was funny too. First the radiologist tried to tell me I had to undress in the middle of the room, with the door open, and then he took the photos with the door still open! I'm not certain if I was more worried about the undressing with everyone being able to see or the fact that I was sat in the waiting area being exposed to everyone else's radiation! I was also a little disturbed that my dentist in the US feels the need to check whether I am pregnant on not before cleaning my teeth, here they don't even ask before bombarding you with radiation.

I also had issues that he kept wanting to take pictures of my knee- other than the bruises on it- just your regular garden variety there is nothing wrong with it! Then he kept moving my foot/ ankle into a bent up position- which made my eyes water- AND THEN kept telling me off for not holding it like that! If I could move my foot and it didn't resemble a cannon ball stuck on the end of my leg I wouldn't be there in the first place! Did he think I liked him making me cry.

What does make me cry is I can't get any of my shoes on! I thought I might try running this morning (yeah I know) and my foot is too fat for even my socks to go on! Even my toes are fat and deformed. It is really quite sad.

Ghana be fun...

Ada Foah... 

Supposed home of the turtles- not really sure where they are tho, and I’m not even sure where they would appear.  I can see the appeal in principal but the litter and trash would really be a problem.   Ada Foah was once (and I am talking a few hundred years ago) a thriving trading post, originally set up by the Dutch in the 16^th century to facilitate trade between West Africa and Europe.  By 1775 the Danes had taken over and in 1783 they built Fort Kongenstein to defend against attack from neighboring tribes.  Despite this the Danes remind in control of all the area East of what is now Accra for just over 100 years; before the British arrived at the end of the 19^th century. 

During this time of trading with the Europeans Ada also became a major market for the slave trade.  Unlike Elmina (a trip to follow) the tribes in this area acted as middlemen between the European slave buyers and the African slave sellers-  more of this story is told in the Slave Castles of Cape Coast.  After the slave trade had been abolished this area became more famous for its palm oil, palm kernels and rubber- all products of the tropical forests found in the surrounding area.

There is now very little evidence left of what used to be a major trading center.   The warehouses have gone, the shops have disappeared and even the fort, that the area was named after (Ada Fort- Village of the Fort) has half fallen into the sea due to erosion.  Where the Volta River Transportation had once helped trade reach its peak, it has now been damned up at Akosombo (yet another trip to make), meaning that shipping is no longer possible and a fading beach resort is all that is now to be found here.

Leaving Accra the first thing you notice are hawkers at the side of road- I get you might want soda, water, plantain chips, nuts etc .  These things are always good for car journeys, particularly here as traffic is ridiculously slow, there are no service stations- and barely any gas stations- although interestingly those that they do have all have the very same “geek American” posters.  However, I still wonder at exactly why they need to sell certain items.  I am never going to find myself driving down the highway and suddenly realize I have forgotten to pack my medical anatomy chart!  Never in my entire life of car journeys have I realized I would really like a clock, or whether on my way out for a night, away for the weekend, or merely heading to work have I forgotten, or even felt the need to invest in a life sized poster of Marky Mark. 

I know I said that Ada Foah was a little downtrodden but at some points it truly looked like a medieval village- some of these places look like they are actually from the middle ages.  I am thinking “Maid Marion and Her Merry Men” Tony Robinson style Middle Ages here. They are built out of mud, they have roofs made of palm leaves, (they might not have had the palm leaves in Sherwood Forest,) no running water and only a few places have electricity.  Those that do don’t seem to use it for anything useful, like AC, or a fan, but just to run a big stereo speaker.  I have to say, if I had the choice between running water and running electricity I would have opted for the water.  I know you still can’t use it for A/C and a washing machine, but at least you can have a bath or a shower.  Without aerials for reception all you can use the electricity for is to power a CD player.  I am sure there must be more depth to the situation that I am reading into it- but I really just can’t see it.

I also don’t get how people live with all the litter around their houses.  Why would you just dump it all, and empty the privy pots just 10 yards from your door?  There are animals roaming around and living in and among the houses and all the trash.  They still have typhoid, cholera and dysentery here.  Again, maybe I am missing something vital- but I thought that clean water supplies and keeping sewage and garbage away from living areas would help encourage a healthier living environment.  Maybe it is all to do with education and not being able to spread these messages, or maybe I have totally misunderstood, but this is a massive decline over the last 100 years for what was once a busy, thriving port.  The only difference from a medieval village and some parts of this area is that even the Catholic Church here seems to be lacking money! The Church here is missing wall, pews, stained glass windows and decoration.  Maybe this is just all a money issue.

The beach when you get there could be idyllic.  It has palm trees, it has sand, it has green-blue water.  If it were in Europe it would be built up and spoiled, in part of some holiday resort.  Indeed some parts of the coast are covered with chalet style buildings belonging to hotels, and plenty of people flee the heat and business of Accra to head out here for the weekend. However, that does not spoil the natural beauty of long stretches of the beach.  The neglect and dilapidation are obvious- buildings that are falling down and a road that is running off the cliff- but in some places it just adds to the charm, and the no longer exploitative nature of the area.  A slightly jaded, sorrowful reminder of what was, once upon a time…

My slightly out there statement for the day -also there was a naked man walking down the road which is odd on two counts:

1, he was naked and wandering down the road,

2, no-one was concerned in the slightest that this may be a bit weird, he wasn’t getting a second glance (apart from me- and that might be a bit odd in and off itself)

I have no idea how or why this came about, and no real way of linking it in to the rest of my thought sequence.  Just that I was a little astounded to notice it and thought it might need a mention.  Along side the termite hills that were bigger than me, and people working in the fields with hand tools.  Actually, I do have lots to say on that topic, but I will leave that for another week.