#uppereastregion

[africashowboy]

A man accused of stealing his neighbor’s chicken told the judge: “In life you have to be careful who you help. I was bathing my neighbor’s dirty chicken with hot water when he came accusing me of chicken theft”. #garujoke #garu #ghana #onassignment #garutempane #uppereastregion #redroad #africa (at Garu, Upper East, Ghana) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4Rf5f_FiFK/?igshid=koa91zb331xd

[bestghanatours]

Paga Zenga Crocodile Pond is a sacred pond located in Paga close to one of Ghana's neighboring countries Burkina Faso, where you can touch the back and tail of a Crocodile and be safe. #paga #friday #pagacrocodilepond #uppereastregion #friends #yearofreturn2019 #yearofreturnghana #visitghana #exploreghana #bestghanatours #vacation #vacations #travelphotography #traveling #tourist #tour #tours #tourism #ghana🇬🇭 #ourjourneydoesnotendhere #africadairies #tourism #thingsthatdefineghana #ghanadairies #villagevillageadventure #africa #travel #larabanga #travelgram (at Upper East Region (Ghana)) https://www.instagram.com/bestghanatours/p/Bv38zWXlxXT/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bpwm8ojxv82h

[bestghanatours]

Traditional pottery home #uppereastdiaries #paga #sirigu #tongohills #uppereastregion #ghana #africa #travel with #hntoursghana #villagevillageadventure #europe #africatravel #ghanatravels #holland #germany🇩🇪 #belgium #tuesday #tuesdays https://www.instagram.com/p/Bow9lrDgBTt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=50tk2rs73t6c

[bestghanatours]

#uppereastdiaries #paga #sirigu #uppereastregion #ghana #africa #travel with #hntoursghana #villagevillageadventure #europe #africatravel #ghanatravels #holland #germany🇩🇪 #belgium #tuesday #tuesdays https://www.instagram.com/p/Bov4pW2A6aa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=165wt111o6qc3

[bestghanatours]

#uppereastdiaries #paga #sirigu #uppereastregion #ghana #africa #travel with #hntoursghana #villagevillageadventure #europe #africatravel #ghanatravels #holland #germany🇩🇪 #belgium #tuesday #tuesdays https://www.instagram.com/p/Bov4BIZg7a0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ekh1me81veud

[mamoonkhpal]

Touchdown

        I passed a few sultry glances at my bags and idle colleagues stationed outside the arrivals gate. I shuddered at the journey already completed between Heathrow and Accra, and could not welcome this torrid heat coating my skin with the pressure of new surroundings. We are here to volunteer for three months with International Service on different projects across the north of the country, which means there will not be too much time together before we separate. The refrigerated soft drinks ahead of us, almost too luminous to believe, gravitated our attentions towards an opportunity for momentary calm. My flustered colleagues took no hesitation in shafting Fanta bottles down their throats before the logistics officer, Godfrey, arrived. He was a composed man, wearing an amused temperament that I hoped would match with a sense of decisiveness, or knowledge. 

‘Welcome to Accra’, he conducted, with relief to us all.

        We followed him with our belongings to the parked taxis inside the empty car park which he explained would take us to our guesthouse for the evening. Bags were compartmentalised into three vehicles with inpatient precision whilst hushed annoyances were muttered between the disgruntled taxi drivers. A natural assumption for the passenger’s side seat of the taxi came over me, beside the driver brandishing a widescreen set of shades. He was a young man with a mawkish smile that told me our ensuing journey would be no less entertaining. The vehicle was a patch cloth of corrugated metal, shattered glass and hopscotch panels booming explosively from the sound of Hiplife rappers  he coolly selected from his phone using his remaining hand. I slipped my eyes onto the right wing-mirror while the men behind bellowed ‘Tip, Tip! ‘Tip!’ Our driver told me Ghana was a nation of peace as he begun to plough through the traffic. He explained in earnest that the Ghana Music Awards would be televised during the week. The annual awards ceremony celebrates the rich diversity of artists and genres inside the country, across the several music genres captivating Ghana’s sprawling youth. Accra, the capital of Ghana, is a worthy introduction to this vibrant melee of dance and music our frenzied driver is enthralled to. With a populace over 4 million people, the music inside the city bellows through its voluminous towers and cranes, amidst large modern buildings composed of concrete, glass and steel.  However, visible pollution, shanty-towns, and congestion on the outskirts of the city harbour a more realistic taste of living standards across the greater nation where opportunities to explore are currently limited. I would not exceed my journey inside the city further than the taxi’s windowpane because I would be traveling to Bolgatanga in a few days, in time for the awards ceremony on the 9th of April. 

        We boarded a two-hour flight to Tamale the capital of the Northern region followed by a “trotro” for a three-hour drive to Bolgatanga, including stops. Situated in the Upper-East Region of the country the town is inhabited by the indigenous Gurune people, who are notorious for their arts and crafts. Desert sands engulf the town during the dry season making for poor sight and difficult breathing, alongside soaring 40-degree temperatures which offer unwelcome greetings to new arrivals. My lodgings would be inside Bolgatanaga Estates, Flat 1, for the next three moths with a friendly host family complete with animated children, and a genuine mortar and pestle. The disorder of time during recent days of travels led me naturally towards the single bed inside the spacious new room I would be sharing with my roommate, Erasmus. It is painted a dark royal purple with two frugal mattresses on either side of the room, and a large mesh window facing the courtyard. The hallway outside of the room is encased around a wall of oval perforations perfect for the transforming weather. Desirous of food, I gratefully received a strong and pleasing waft from the kitchen. I prepared for supper and sat with my counterpart in the family’s living room before being served four sets of dishes with lids on top. Unbeknown to me the contents inside would be less strange than anticipated. Large glowing balls of rice, accompanied a caramel colored stew Erasmus explained was Palm Nut Soup. He was casual about dipping his well-portioned chunks of rice into the bowl of stew, whereas I was more wary of the heat emanating from the broth. I examined the volume of the mass and let it drop to the plate with noticeable sound. The hot caramel potion contains a discerning perfume of pepper beneath a cunning hue I doubtless take for granted. The fan above is not working and my friend Erasmus dips a tightly woven ball of rice into his soup for eating.  

        Once the broth finally cooled, I settled into my first meal inside my new home while Erasmus polished off the remains of his paltry dish.

[goldcoastarthouse]

Road To Tongo

In his recent photo series, Ghanaian Photographer , Eric Gyamfi explores Tongo, a small town near the Upper East regional capital of Bolgatanga in Ghana.

With captions like -

“A prince and his father's horse”

“Sacrifice, Blood and Skulls”

“Road to  Tongo”

The artist takes us through a tour of the hills from the many cattle and camel skulls decorating sacred rocks in tenzung to discovering Striking similarities between this space and some of the rock ranges in Tanoboase sacred grove, Brong Ahafo. He shares his sacred journey to Tongo through the shrines and the hills. Enjoy!

[incometradeaid-blog]

Visiting the very talented basket weavers in Gowrie