Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back,
This song was not greeting me upon arrival back into Benin, but instead a straight faced custom agent who wanted to stamp my passport to go back into Togo and not return. Oh well, I couldn't really tell if it was my inability to speak French after two weeks or her lack of want to do anything in under twenty minutes, perhaps a combination of the two. BUT, here I am and alive and well to tell the story...which I think would be done best in segmenting where we went.
Lome, Togo
Stayed there for three nights. If you stay for three days, you can extend your visa for a year for a dollar, so this was the obvious stop-over period. We had meetings with Peace Corps Togo about their Gender and Development Committee - you know me, always one to mix work with please, but it was cool cause the volunteers took good care of us. Then, we saw the National Museum, toured the markets, wandered the streets, and ate good meals. Perhaps the most memorable thing about Lome was just being there and hearing stories. With what happened with their election there was this air of curiosity in me that was definately solved by people watching.
Accra, Ghana
On to the Western-like city paved with street lights, suburbs, fast food establishments, real taxis, malls where it is good that all PCV entering the city inheritantly will be sitting down as they enter the greater Accra area. Yeah, talk about culture shock. We stayed for three nights proving that humans do indeed have camel traits by eating every hamburger, pizza, and milkshake possible. We also saw the museum, spend the day at the Center for National Culture, saw a live regge band, and then ate some more.
Krokobrite, Ghana
One night. BEACH!!! Yeah, uneventful, but so worth it. We sat, drank juice, listen to a band, and watched Australian high school tourist drink too much and have to go to bed at 8 p.m. which really should be the next Reality Television show.
Cape Coast, Ghana
Two nights. Going further West along the coast, we stopped in the old colonial town of Cape Coast. The main attration was the Castle with its own door of no return where slaves exited. A very well produced diaspora museum made this castle, which is being referbished come alove even more. Their door was just an opening to children playing soccer and fishermen casting their nests out into the sea. I found this somewhat representative of the African mindset - you must overcome. This is now my third door of no return. I must say, it does not get any easier. I have seen a lot of places in a lot of the world, but nothing litterially boils up my blood like walking through those slave cells and quarters.
I guess there is no transition after that, but the next day, we took a taxi a half an hour away to Akuma National Park. One of West Africa's only remaining Rain Forests. There we walked on a Canopy extended atop the forest, one of only three I beleive in the world. Yes. A bit scary. But, also when you think about it, an amazing way for people to see with minimal distruction. Afterwards, we went to a touristy restaurant set upon this man made lake where weaver birds and crocodiles have taken residence.
Busua, Ghana
One night. BEACH!!!!! Yeah, again, same old. Only this beach is fantastic. PC Volunteers have been going here for twenty years. It is not overly touristy. The beaches and water is amazing and aside from the annoying juice and lobster guy people generally leave you alone. There is this German woman who has open up this restaurant (Black Mamba) on a remote part of the beach and she made amazing pizza. We just spent a half day eating, sleeping, and reading her guest books filled with other PC collegues.
Accra, Ghana
Yeah, sadly comming back. This was a shopping day before we headed home. Transport was a little challenging a times, but not too much of a hastle. I bought soccer jerseys, a drum, and lots of Chocolate to bring back with me. Grand total for vacation plus expenses under 300 bucks.
So, yeah, that is my vacation....hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Some pictures are up, but many more are on the way.