Afram Plaines, Cape Coast and Kakum

Hello!

So again a lot has happened since the last time I wrote, I believed I talked about Busua beach last.

I think right when we got back we left for Afram Plaines for work. Yes, Monday early in the morning. We were lucky though because this time we had a WUSC driver and a personal car which was much more comfortable than a tros-tros. We were a little confused at first as to why we might need a car instead of a tros-tros but it all became clear to us on the way. To get to Afram Plains was quite the adventure. First it was just the usually towns and trees, so I opened my book and started reading. Then, suddenly I looked out my window and we were driving up a giant mountain! In fact, mountains were all around us, and  we were driving precariously up a huge one. Needless to say I was rather startled. When we reached the top there were more towns and villages, but they too were surrounded by more mountains and the air was so clean and fresh. As we drove on I felt as though we were traveling deeper and deeper into natural beauty...like to one of those places I see on TV, pristine forests and mountains with little outcrops of beautiful communities. At one point on our left was a huge river and on our right towering mountains and nothing else in sight. It was breathtaking. I took lots of pictures.

Eventually, we got to the Volta River (which I recently discovered was not actually the Volta River it is something else but because a dam expanded it, it now connects to the real Volta River and thus adopted its name). To get to Afram Plains we needed to take a ferrie across the river. We got back just in time because we were told that the boat was coming soon. Here, there is a different definition of the word soon... it took quite a while for the boat to arrive and when it did the largest most real game of tetrus was played. This game involved fitting MANY large trucks, cars, and tros-tros  into the boat. There was this one really long truck that kept getting stuck while trying to drive up the ramp on the ferrie, and every time it would get stuck there would be a ½ hour wait while people tried to move it...they eventually got it on there. We, on the other hand, were not so fortunate; there ended up being not enough room for us, and so we had to wait in the town for an additional two hours for it to come back. At first, I admit I was a little frustrated but once I took a look at my surroundings I realised that maybe being stuck in the most beautiful place on earth for two hours is not that bad. The town was a cute little secluded place on the water... so I spent the two hours wandering around talking to kids and taking pictures. We got on the next trip and the boat ride was nice. There was more scenery and it lasted an hour. Once in Afram we traveled about another 1 and 1/2 hours to the radio station. We discussed some things with the station with regards to programming and ICT.

After our meeting with the staff at the station we discovered that one of the workers there, Ni, had a pet monkey!!! Needless to say we had to see it, so he took us and our WUSC/ AFRRI coworkers to see him! The monkey was adorable and his name was Paddy. Although he was tied to a tree, Ni explained that he is usually free to wander once he was home and that he didn’t run away. He was curious about us... I officially want a monkey.We then made way to our hotel, it was....ok. Take that as it is.

The next day we headed to the communities. The work that I did in these communities was very similar to previous work so I will spare you the details but I will say that I have never been anywhere so organized since I have been in Ghana. We pulled in to our first community and seated on beaches under a cluster of trees were over 100 people waiting for us! We were overwhelmed, especially since we had expected to have to rally people and mobilize them like we had done in other communities.We were instructed to go around and shake everybody’s hands and introduce ourselves one by one. Once the formalities were done, we presented them with a solar powered radio and a mobile phone to call the station and took some members for a focus group discussion.

The other two communities we visited were similar scenarios although not quite as overwhelming. At the second community a drum was used to summon people to the meeting and it worked very well! The third community took a bit longer as it was on the river and was a fishing community, but men and women eventually came, and they also came in numbers.

Overall our fieldwork was very successful and the community members were incredibly receiving and cooperative. It seems as though the radio programs are truly having an impact on these people’s lives. One woman explained that due to the program, she has been able to send her daughter to school. It is moments like those that make me feel like it has all been worth it.
The power was off for an entire day and night at our hotel leading to a very forced and uncomfortable sleep. Aside from that everything was good. We ate at this amazing  restaurant which served masses of food for 3 cedis. . I had chicken and yams and pavala sauce.

We got back from our field work on Friday and went to the office for a bit at the end of the day. I stayed up preparing for the next day because we were going to cape coast! At 12:00 am Inka came in and Jackie pulled out three cup-cakes and the two of them sang me happy birthday! It was pretty awesome. We hung out for a bit and then went to sleep so that the next morning we could leave early enough for Cape. We took a tros-tros from the station and got there in time to eat lunch at this place outside of cape coast castle where met up with Gen and Max. Due to a misunderstanding, however, we got burgers with no meat. It was interesting. Afterwards we went into the Castle.

The Castle is a difficult experience to write about. I think that everyone should experience it because that is one of the only ways anyone could truly understand the feeling. It is a large white compound/ fort/castle on the ocean. Unfortunately, this beautiful landmark has been stained with a horrifying past. Hundreds of thousands of slaves were taken there for trade in 18th-19th century. On top, there is a breathtaking view of the ocean and of the entirety of Cape Coast. At first, I was surrounded by the sun, the waves, the old British style architecture and everything looked too gorgeous for what it was. As soon as you enter the dank cold sellers in the lower walls, however, a very different story is painted. No light, no windows or fresh air, nothing but heat and stone walls...I can’t really describe what it was like there but it was horrible. The guide did an amazing job and it was a very emotional tour.

We hung around for a while to take pictures and afterwards headed to our hotel “Hans Botel”. Hans Botel was really cool actually. The entire restaurant and bar area are on stilts raised above crocodile infested waters. Connecting them to one another and the gift shop are little bridges. The whole thing looked lovely. Most of the hotel is built on the swampy river but the sleeping area was off to the side. We were lucky enough to get a giant room with many beds all to ourselves!

Upon our arrival I definitely spotted a croc hanging around and was thoroughly excited. I heard we could pet them with the help of a guide but because the sun was going down (and quickly) we decided to wait until morning. After exploring a bit we decided to order dinner... I ordered delicious grilled lobster and mashed potatoes!!!! At only 10 Ghana Cedis (around 7$ Canadian) I couldn’t stop myself. As I waited for my dinner to be ready my whole family called to wish me happy birthday and it was very nice. I also sat conversing with my friends. The food was wonderful and just as I was finishing my friends stopped me and asked me to listen... then we rushed to where the live band was and they were singing me happy birthday! Haha! It was so much fun and we all danced together. When I got back to my table I was incredibly surprised to find a card and a birthday cake waiting for me! The cake was blue and spakly with flowers! And it tasted SOOOOO gooooood. MMmmmm

We spent the night eating and dancing to the song list and CD’s that the guys had made for the occasion. In the morning we had a nice breakfast while we watched a couple of crocodiles and a tree FULL of these beautiful blue birds. They are the kind of birds that build round nests hanging off of trees. They hang upside down to build them and it is really neat to watch. Also, they are just really cute birds. After that we followed one croc that got particularly close to the shore and watched someone from the hotel feed him dead fish. They open their mouths wide and make loud noises when they eat... it is slightly intimidating. We found out that we could not pet them until the evening and so we did not get a chance to.

We walked around this path in the back that went around the swamp and through the trees... there were tuns of these big white birds with really long necks that flew about as soon as you entered. They were kind of like cranes...maybe they were cranes.
Oh! One thing I forgot to mention is that there was also a pool, and so we swam for a couple of hours that day too.

In the afternoon the guys drove with Inka, Jacky and I to Kakum National Park. This was about an hour or so away from our hotel and Kakum is a giant protected rainforest. We did the canopy walk. What that entailed was climbing over 200 stairs and hiking into the forest, then climbing up into a tree fort. Connected to this tree for was a slew of unsteady rope bridges leading higher and higher until eventually you were suspended 250 meters (so around 800 feet?) above the rainforest floor. The first bridge was a little unnerving. Then you reach a tree fort where you may breath for a moment and wait for those in front of you to almost finish their bridge and then you may continue on to the next bridge and so on and so forth. Now under normal circumstances I am not scared of heights but these bridges swung back and forth and shook with every step!

We were assured, however, that they are checked regularly and that they are totally safe. I must say the sight while up there looking down on the forest was quite breathtaking. The trees were all twisted and neat looking with different leaves and vines hanging down. I like rainforests.

On the way back down we realised that our tour guide was the same guy who sang me happy birthday the night before! Haha Also, we saw a really cool looking scorpion. I took it’s picture.
After the Canopy walk we went back to cape coast for dinner and ate at this lovely restaurant by the ocean, right beside the castle. (It was nice but the food took a long time) We watched some children play and dance on the beach while we waited for our food.

I don’t know if I discussed in detail the feel or architecture of cape coast but it is truly a town filled with history. Just being there I felt like I was being launched through time. Many of the buildings look very old and are still standing from the colonial days. It has old British style churches and clock towers and buildings everywhere. I believe we even passed by a cobble stone street. The town was first established as a fishing community, and then was an important trading center. Many other countries came and used the area as a trading center setting up forts (which are still visible today) before the British came in. Then of course begins its sad history in the slave trade as I had mentioned before but it is almost as though all of these stories can be told by walking around the city.

After dinner we headed back to Accra.

There is more to write of course, so stay posted!

Cassie