Cape Coast Adventure Weekend

 

This last weekend we decided to go to Cape Coast on a long weekend adventure. We left Abomosu to Accra on Saturday. Haley decided to come with us on the trip as well. We planned to use public transit the whole time but Stephen Abu, Jr. preferred us to use one of his cars and drivers. Our driver was Solomon and he is just great! He is a member of the church but not married and in his 30’s. He has a gut on him and Stephen Jr. and Sonya say he has a married stomach and needs to get married to match it.

 

 

We had quite the adventure getting to Cape Coast. It took us over 5 hours to finally get to accommodations. We had arrangements to couch surf but after seeing his place we decided not to stay with him. We found a hotel and got two rooms. From what I have seen Cape Coast town seems dirtier than other areas we have been, and Accra is TERRIBLE. Chloee was still really sick with her second bout of malaria unfortunately and thankfully got better to enjoy the trip. The unfortunate new for me is that I too acquired malaria and it is MISERABLE! Oh what a great story to tell though right?

This is how they “print” directions for use.

 

Here are some pics from our adventures!

 

View from our room in Cape Coast

 

If you look closely at the top of the middle tree a guy is cutting down coconuts.

 

 

We got some food at Hans Cottage. The girls were able to touch some crocodiles. I never knew how much Chloee hated that animal. She did it but said she did not enjoy it. I am excited to go to Paga next month.

 

This tree is FULL of dozens of bird nests and hundreds of birds flying and chirping.

 

 

There were two main attractions I wanted to see in Cape Coast: Kakum National Park (where there is a canopy walk) and Elmina Castle. The girls went to Cape Coast Castle on Sunday and we all went to Elmina and Kakum on Monday.

 

Elmina Castle (also known as St. George Castle) was built by Portuguese traders in 1482. It was the first European slave-trading post in all of Sub-Saharan Africa. It was originally built to protect the gold trade but following its capture by the Dutch in 1637, it came to serve the Dutch slave trade with Brazil and the Caribbean. The castle came under British ownership in the 1800s.

 

We took a tour of the castle and this higher up in the castle you were, the higher your ranking. The top floor housed the individual in charge and all the way to the bottom floor where slaves were kept. The slave dungeons below were cramped and filthy, each cell often housing as many as 200 people at a time, without enough space to even lie down. We learned that the floor of the dungeon, as result of centuries of impacted filth and human excrement, is now several inches higher than it was when it was built. Outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever were common. What disgusted me more than the slavery was the staircases which led directly from the governor 's chambers to the women's dungeons below, making it easy for him to select personal concubines from amongst the women. This is where some of the first Mulatto’s appeared in Africa. 

 

At the seaboard side of the castle was the Door of No Return, the infamous portal through which slaves boarded the ships that would take them on the treacherous journey across the Atlantic known as the Middle Passage. By the 18th century, 30,000 slaves on their way to North and South America passed through Elmina's Door of No Return each year. In total over the 400 year history there were approximately tens of millions slaves, 1/3 of which did not even survive.

 

Outside Elmina Castle

 

Inside the courtyard of the castle (picture courtesy of the internet)

 

Inside one of the dungeons (picture courtesy of the internet)

 

 

With Earnest (one of the potential Couch Surfing hosts). He came to visit us and tour the castle with us.

 

Original cannon

 

Inside the castle overlooking the coast.

 

From the castle overlooking the village below.

 

Overlooking a fort just beyond the castle.

 

Local fishing boats. You can see the men building a new one.

 

 

Overlooking the village

 

The village

 

With Earnest on the castle walls.

 

Solomon – our driver and friend.

 

 

 

Kakum National Park is a 375 square km national park located in the Central Region of Ghana. The park was first established in 1960. It is located 30km north of Cape Coast and Elmina near the small village of Abrafo. The entire area is covered with tropical rainforest. The Park contains rare animals, including the endangered Mona-meerkat, as well as pygmy elephants, forest buffalo, civet cats, a wide array of birds, and over 500 species of butterflies. Unfortunately all that we saw were a lot of bugs.

 

Kakum has a long series of hanging bridges at the forest canopy level known as the "Canopy Walkway." It is approximately 40 m (130 feet) high.The Canopy Walk passes over 7 bridges and runs over a length of 330 m (1,080 feet). It is secured by a series of nets and wires for safety purposes. Some areas do need a bit of work though. As I was walking through one (trying not to use my hands) my foot slipped and fell through. We all absolutely loved our experience here and I probably love being in nature more than most places.

 

 

 

 

Nate

 

Me

 

Team photo

 

Haley showing a little love for tree huggers everywhere!

 

Some moments on the walk felt like a roller coaster ride.

 

Nate

 

Chloee

 

Chloee, Maddie, and Nate.

 

 

 

After we left Cape Coast we ended up staying a night in Accra with Stephen and Sonya. Solomon took us to the Art market first though. This place was beyond overwhelming. There were dozens if not hundreds of shops with items for sale. People were walking from hundreds of feet away to get you to go to their shop. We all found items we liked and purchased. I got some sweet deals though the people I purchased from were probably not happy with what they sold it to me for. I let them know what I was willing to pay and they took it.

 

On the way to the market in Accra. This is an example of traditional shops on the road.

 

 

Drum making.

 

Cute kids doing some Azonto

 

 

The next day when Sonya was taking us to town to catch our transportation back home to Abomosu.

 

Rhea and Coby outide with their rain boots and umbrellas. These kids are SO cute!

 

 

The roads in Ghana are terrible…everywhere, but especially in residential areas. Sonya was gutsy and went through this large puddle, but the bummer decided to stay behind. Thank goodness it popped right back on.