expatbyisa

blog expat Afrique Ghana

[yesaccra2015]

Aburi and Hillbury

Just have a rest in Aburi botanical garden near Accra

If you are fed up with crowded and polluted Accra  city center, if you feel like breathing better and cooler not too far from the town, I really advise you to go to Aburi.

After you left Accra, you drive through the green hills for about 40 mn until you arrive in the centre of Aburi. The botanical garden in Aburi was started by the British and opened in March 1890.

The Botanical garden in ABURI

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[yesaccra2015]

Being in France for two weeks

Time has come to have 2 weeks easter holidays in France !

Save the date : Marseille, Bordeaux, St Palais-sur-Mer and Paris !

By plane, train, taxi or buses , subway and feet 😮

Before leaving your host country for Holidays :

Holidays for expatriates are planned and checked by the company of your husband or boyfriend quite a long time before.

And it does not look like resting days !!

  J -20

Making everything ready to take off the D day.

Now that you have your plane ticket and you have chosen where to land, you have to organise the meetings for the two parents family and friends. I started with my boyfriend family in Marseille, then my family and friends near Bordeaux and at last but not least all my friends in Paris. For my friends, I used Facebook by posting the dates of the week I ll be in Paris to organise each several days with them ( lunch, shopping session, diner..) and manage to see everybody.

J – 10

Now that you have you schedule complete, you want to bring small presents from Ghana to family and best friends and also for birthday or 2 new baby birth. I decided to go to the Art Market ” in Accra to find some little products in wood of roses ( small animals like elephants ;)

I have also been to Marina Mall, for cosmetic made in Ghana with shea butter cream or essential oil or tea tree :

I bought some soaps and shea butter from the “all for nature ” shops

  And the best presents I think are made by my lovely friend Lova in Accra who sew and have her shop on internet : i ordered her some typical things for birthday : pillow, bags, etc…

J -5

Check all that you are missing in your host country which does not exist or is too expensive: Part of the list : chocolate, french mustard, cheese, your favorite wine, oisters…

J -2

You pack everything (quite nothing except presents since you still have clothes for winter/summer at home) and take two suitcases to come back with products.

D DAY at last!!

  I m ready to jump into the first plane for 6 hours flight to Amsterdam and the second plane to Marseille and few days after ……

My parents house near Royan, in St Palais sur Mer!! I had not seen them for 4 months.

The day after my arrival to my parents place ……..

WHAT do you think I did ?!?!??

I have been on early morning to a supermarket !! Yes what you have just read is true : Super Market  !! I wanted to buy the products I do not eat in Accra because there is not or it is too expensive: chocolate, cheese, bread, good wines, yogourt, mustard, ice cream 👅 I also compared prices of pineapple : one for less than 2 euros (coming from Costa Rica)

At the payment desk, no plastic bag is given : now you need to have your own bag for food. It is so good not to see all plastics on the ground everywhere you go… in Ghana, people do not care about it because I think that they are not aware of pollution and what is dangerous for the planet.

A walk next to the Atlantic ocean

A little of Ghana in Vaux sur Mer/ St Palais sur Mer :

What a surprise I had while going to “La Maison Blanche” , a wonderful and beautiful place (to eat and drink and even dance at night ) in front of the beach of Nauzan and the sea :

The Ghanaian flag red/yellow and green alnd instead the black stars there was the logo of the ” white house” .

I thought i was not seeing well but yes when I ask the waiter it is was effectively the director who love ghana and Bob Marley as well.

  2 weeks holidays in France Being in France for two weeks Time has come to have 2 weeks easter holidays in France !

[yesaccra2015]

Let’s go in Madina market

Madina is a market located outside Accra , about 30 mn drive.

Like Makola market in the center of Accra, you will find many colorful product as vegetable and fruits, but also fabrics, meat, fishes, tools, kitchen pot or pan…

Just ask an they will find out what you are looking for!!

  I went their with my friend Lova, from Madagascar, and we wanted to find fabrics for her new colorful fabrics as she mix african with european cotton wax.

As she sew professionaly,  she created her brand last year on “a little market”website.

You can see her beautiful work on “creabylova” “CREABYLOVA”  with cheap prices as she has just opened her “store few months  ago”

She makes anything you want and she send it to France and you receive it within 2 weeks

          In Ghana, they all use this old sewing machine  in markets or professionals at workshop.

You can order a skirt (if you have your fabric) for 20 GHC ( 5 €) with your own measures.

A dress for 40 GHC (10 €)

The fabric is more expensive but so good quality : 13€ for one yard (a skirt)

Discover the amazing sewing by hand and unique things created by Lova on “CreaByLova”:

    You can see under one of my african skirts on this picture :

You will also recognise (for my followers) Thomas, my driver, whom I visited him and family in his small village  outside Accra.

  After, we wanted to take vegetable because we prefer to buy to locals than in suprmarkets, even if prices is not very cheaper because the volume sold is not the same of course!

.

  There are also smells as fishes which are already dried and stay outside with no particulat conservation… I never tasted it but the smell is … well… strong!!

For more typical product there are : feet pigs… and which taste like potatoes.

    Beads so colorful are mostly already in necklace here, there is another market after Hillbury which sell only beads.

                      Madina Market near Accra Let's go in Madina market Madina is a market located outside Accra , about 30 mn drive.

[yesaccra2015]

Christmas in Axim and Nzuelezo

Christmas in Axim and Nzuelezo

  My first Christmas under 35 ° !

When you live as an expat and espacially far from Francee, like in Ghana, you can not always choose your holidays at the good period, and as soon as your parents house is far, you can not go there for 2 days chritsmas feast…

So in 2014, we decided to spend ou first christmas in Ghana under the sun and the heat! It is strange to see christmas trees in street or in…

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[yesaccra2015]

MY PROJECTS IN HELPING BEACON HOUSE :

  After giving zumba lesson My second aim was to find and research donators from expat community and other sponsors with companies:

As you may know, I am graduated in Marketing and Communication so I could use my experience for a good cause.

I proposed Romana to find some partners to help the orphanage with its everyday needs which are mostly having food and pay for school for the 20 kids (school is expensive an not free like in France !)

I first began to ask my own friends who had tall kids and do not used anymore their clothes, shoes, toys and teddy bears… I started to collect things to redistribute to the orphenage like this with always good intentions and love. An very very soon, within 2 weeks, with word of mouth (or god?!), mothers from french school started asking me on morning when leaving their kids to school, what the orphenage needed so that they would give to me.

I started to be the link between donators and Beacon House and I was happy that french expats (mostly women) had confidence in me and “my” orphanage Beacon House without seeing anything but just believe in myself. And, most of all, I was not only given clothes but also bed for baby, a bathtub, highchair, a stroller and food which was the most needed for everyday life and follow the link to see their need for food to feed  20 people to feed in Beacon House !!!!

I’d like to THANK all of  YOU by taking now this opportunity to tell you again:

  “THANK YOU ALL, MY FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES OR ACQUAINTANCES  FOR YOUR GENEROUS  DONATIONS WHATEVER BIG OR SMALL, GIVEN WITH HEART, WHICH I BELIEVE IS THE POINT.”

  Thank you Lova, Brigitte, Noreen, Pauline, Marine, and Maria, my 6 closest relation friends from Accra and also my spouse – :  I will never tell you enough times how much I  LOVE you and how you are important in my everyday balance- 

Thank you to  make me always believe in myself, who supported me when I lost faith last week, and gave me both material help and food like Brigitte who still prepare with LOVE, and above all fresh fruits “baby sauce”  for baby Matthew who is nearly 8 months.

-“He enjoys it so much” told me Barbara, his “mother of heart“!!!

:):):)

  I go on with thanking my best friends from France, Caroline, Vanessa, Emilie, Cécile and Florence and  others from all parts of France, who, even far from 4000km, even if I did not see these people  from my primary or business school (Capucine, Réjane, Sarah, Nassira, Virginie, Delphine, Claire…) , who still support and encourage me a lot from the begining and are waiting for me next week in Paris to give ma also  basic medecines, and material support… to Beacon House.

Thank you ALL my friends,  I love you, and I can’t wait to see you!! Thank you for having  supported me when I lost the faith and the trust in me and my shares for the orphanage Beacon House last week: I tell everybody again that I only wanted to ask legitimate questions to a famous and huge ONG helping Ghana (because they refused my help 1st, as a volunteer and  2nd, by taking clothes donation from Numéro Uno when I was looking for orphans in needs in Ghana)………………….

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This ONG Oafrica will answer all the  questions I wrote them officially by mail last week  in a public declaration tomorrow with the staff, donators, sponsors, Accra Accueil,  PwP…

So please, feel free to come and listen to them if you feel like donating money to them throught Accra Accueil events , (like the “lily of the valley donation” for May the 1st which is such a great idea from Nadine I think! I

I really hope with my heart that my questions will have true answers tomorrow, and that my fears were only due to no update of their incomplete website of Africa that they told me they will update ASAP since there are only 3 people being paid to work now in http://www.oafrica.org/front_content.php?idcat=82Oafrica…

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I will now say thanks to all mothers from french school, who I knew before being a volunteer ot not, who talked of me to their friends also from Accra or France :

 Anne-Marie  B. and Corinne D. – woman with such a big heart, who are mothers of Victor and Hugo, 2 of my lovely pupils from french school-  :)  who gave me hut , swing, huge boxes of pinapple, books and shoes, and even 3 rabbits !!!!!

  And of course : my friends Mongia and Amy : who together ,  gave me the opportunity to do an amazing ” Beads activity” with beads bought from TK beads near Accra. And thanks Mongia for your listening and understanding especially during the last weeks…

And also Sophie L,  (for all toys, rings, clothes…) , Clotilde M.G (thanks for  the cosy, apple sauce for Matthew, ect….,  Virginie F.S.G , who give me from France thanks to Stéphanie M medecines, but also a huge drawing map for all, it was so great !! Thanks Virginie for your support, you have faith in humanity, I ‘ll pray for you and family health with all my heart and conviction) ,  Floriane (for bathtub and clothes) , Marjorie (for the indispensable baby chair) , Suzel, (for giving her own clothes to the ladies working in the orphenage),

  And also Myriam, Nathalie O.E, Sophie, Servanne, Madonna, Arlette and Frédérique for you listening and your donations too ( I hope not to forgot someone, if so, just tell me, I will add your name !!!!)

AND … at last but not least….

MY FIRST huge donator from Accra now :

“VERA” the lebanese shopping manager from “NUMERO UNO” shop (Marina Mall).

Without these mothers, I would not have believed that I could find “more and more and more… donations from here and France and Belgium “, they gave me the energy to go on forwards till what occured  this last monday, April 19th,  with Numero Uno and its huge clothes donation, as you can read on my “projects for Beacon House” part.

I showed the mothers donators pictures of the kids with their clothes, playing with toys they gave, and sleeping in a brand new stroller. Everybody thanks me and were thanks back by Beacon House with a photo letter with thanks signature from the  kids.

Why not trying to do even more now?

This wonderful spirit of generosity thanks tp all expat friends and others made me think that many would like to help for one cause in which they believe is good and not that one who will use money for bad things…

HERE ARE THE LATEST NEWS ACTIONS AND RESULTS  :

One saturday, while going to the supermarket I enter in “Numero Uno” which is a clothes shop in Marina Mall in Airport area. It has from babys to women with different brands such as Zara, ect…

I was looking for Afia and Regina birthday present and I was served by the director, Vera, Who is a lebanese having 3 shops in Accra area.

Speaking with her, I explained her my needs and that the kids were the orphans from Beacon House.

She told me that she kwew someone too volunteer in another orphanage that she helps by giving her clothes that she more sell from old collection or with small defects.++

As she goes on, she talked me about her flooded warehouse which occured one month ago I think. Its clothes could no more be sold now in hers shops and so she would be pleased to donate it for a small and human size association as Beacon House. Clothes are in cardboard packaging 30 mn from Accra and I would just need a big pick up to take it all and resistribute to differnets orphenages.

I was so glad to meet her and hear her proposal !

I replied with big smile that I will do that : make a commitment personally so that I can show her it is well done and so that it benefits to the orphanage I am volunteer. First I would give some for them and after I would find other reliable small associations to also help other orphans with the help of Romana who has many contacts with small association helpings orphans in remote villages in different part of Ghana as you can the on the link beofre..

ANOTHER PARTNER FOR THIS DONATION

I asked my friends if one of them had a pick up explaining “Numero Uno” big donations.

One of them told me I should ask for Bolloré Africa Logistic pick- up , since I told you the wife of Ghana Bolloré manager used to be a volunteer for Beacon House till march 2016.

And the next day I had a positive reponse for that!

Everything was  going perfect!

Then, monday, March, 18th, I went to the warehouse of Numero Uno with Bolloré Africa Logistic pick up, and take the big clothes donations!

I find friends to help us in washing some clothes each which have some wate task (I asked already  on facebook and tahnks for all your “Yes” ). I’m so happy for that too!

Here are the steps through photos!

First, meeting Vera, Numero Uno manager shop,  to go to her Warehouse outside Accra, with Bolloré pick up.

Then we collected 100 boxes of clothes :

  AND AT LAST WE ARRIVED IN BEACON HOUSE!!!!!!

  My actions for Beacon House with Bolloré and Numéro Uno MY PROJECTS IN HELPING BEACON HOUSE : After giving zumba lesson My second aim was to find and research donators from expat community and other sponsors with companies:

[yesaccra2015]

Arts & crafts in Accra

  AFRICAN ARTS AND CRAFT in Accra, Ghana

West Africa is rich in arts & crafts, and you can see this art in Ghana, in Accra, the capital. Art for real fullfilment and love does not traditionally exist in Africa : everything that was crafted had some purpose behind it.

In Ghana, you can find beautiful hand woven textiles, old and new beads, brass works, gold jewelry, ceramics, paintings, sculptures, and wood carvings.

ARTS CENTER  is not the only place to buy regional art, but where that sale takes place depends on what kind of story you want to tell about the purchase. ARTS CENTER, TETTEH QUARSHIE ART MARKET near Airport area., village Markets, Wild Gecko (a shop mostly dedicated to expats), Global Mamas (clothes shop in OSU) are the places to find it.

ARTS CENTER

The Centre for National Arts and Culture, popularly known as Arts Centre, is located next to the Kwame Nkrumah Musoleum, off the High Street in Accra. The center became very popular in the 80’s for its leisure and entertainment.

Arts Centre is a wonderful maze of more than 100 stalls which have all a number on the top of their roof for te ones outside.

When my car’s door opened, handshakes and a hearty welcome to the Accra welcomed me in Arts Center.

However,  it does not look like very nice, big, orderly building…. Rather, it is a crowded collection of vendor stalls who will do anything to invite you to come and see their products: joke, sing, tug at sleeves… from your car parking.

TIPS TO HAVE A GOOD SHOPPING EXPERIENCE 

Visiting the Arts center may be an exciting experience for tourists who are not used to the aggressive but thrilling negociation process … Hawkers attack from all sides as soon as you arrive, but if you’re not exhausted by the scrum you can find cheap and nice gift to buy!

A tips : if you say nothing, theses vendors will  take you to their stall unless you asked them nicely several times. So try to be hard when saying NO because after that you will have one then 2, and 3,4,5 vendors following you saying “Please, sister, have a look at my shop!” !!

Tourists equal big money and for market sellers, this competition for foreign dough can easily turn into shouting matches about somebody’s mama. Most of all, they sell the same products among craf staf, jewelry, fabrics…

Personnaly, I have been there several times there ewith friends and last time (for this article) I had Thomas, my driver. He came inside the Arts Center with me who was especially helpful in negotiating with me in their local language and also to take me pictures while looking to crafts product and negociating too:)

We walked along the “building,” which is really a cluster of stalls, towards the back, past old men leaning on scraggly wooden canes and bored children sitting in the dirt, glancing our way with feigned interest.

WHAT CAN YOU FIND INSIDE ARTS CENTER?

All kinds of handicrafts imaginable may be found in this market.

The items range from wood carvings, traditional musical instruments, cane and raffia products, leather ware, gold, silver and bronze jewelry, beads, clay products, antiques, paintings to ivory products, and many more.

These items are brought to the markets from various parts of the country and also from other countries within the West African sub-region including, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Senegal and Nigeria.

The arts and craft market provides employment opportunities for many people. Skills have been developed in carving, painting, designing, metal works to service the market.

The buyers are made up of those purchasing a few items to customers who place orders for large quantities of various products. A lot of buyers are tourists and other foreigners visiting Ghana.

CRAFTS CHEAP PRICES

I already bought many craft things for my family, friends and ourselves.

  For exemple, I bought a “Chief Chair” for less than  400 GHC (100€) in a beautiful wood.

You can negociate a lot because they have the same products in different stalls and also you will n ot find many other tourist in the market!

  For a salad tongs you will pay 5€, for a small elephant (6 cm) 8 €, I also bought a table for 10€ and a big giraf cost 75 €.

  These african comb or stick cost me 4 € each.

All this is very well made and is cheap I think.

BUYERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

Art center is in fact one of the most important tourist attraction sites in the City of Accra and in Ghana. For this reason, some international famous people visiting Ghana for  official assignments are taken to the market to see and perhaps buy some of the crafts on display. These customers spend hundreds of thousands of cedis including foreign exchange at the place.

Because the craft market is very old and there’s been no investment in infrastructure, the structures housing the exhibits are very dilapidated. It is expected the safety and comfort of visitors would be better guaranteed when the rehabilitation and expansion takes place. The multi million dollar project would include the construction of market stalls, workshops, storerooms, restaurants, communication centers, show rooms and modern places of convenience. The Greater Accra Handicraft Dealers Association was formed in 1994.

Visitors at the market told that the market is very popular in Europe and America because of the variety and quality of the handicrafts available. Some of them said the items that they purchase are sent home as gifts for their loved ones and relations while others explained that they buy and resell in America and Europe.

HOPE YOU ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

AND THAT YOU ARE WILLING TO DISCOVER THIS TYPICAL ARTS CENTER IN ACCRA !

Discovert ART CRAFTS in GHANA Arts & crafts in Accra AFRICAN ARTS AND CRAFT in Accra, Ghana West Africa is rich in arts & crafts, and you can see this art in Ghana, in Accra, the capital.

[yesaccra2015]

Shai hills reserve, peaceful place 50mn from Accra

Shai Hills Resource Reserve is les than an hour north of Accra bordering the Akosombo road. The reserve  is 51 square kilometres. This makes this location a small  but the closest wildlife viewing areas to Accra.

Shai Hills is a plain by topography but has outcrops of 5 hills. The hills in the Shai area is base to several stone quarries.

Shai Hills also has rich history and heritage of Ga people : the hill was home to the ancestors of the people of Shai and still contains vestiges. It was the British colonial masters who forcibly expelled them in 1892 on the allegation that the natives were committing ritual murders.

Its vegetation is a combination of open and wooded grassland, savanna covered plains.   To date 31 mammals, 13 reptiles and 175 bird species have been identified in the reserve.

The baboon troop at the front gate can be very amusing, but be warned these are dangerous animals and they love to snatch your unattended personal belongings!

Two ostriches are also there and they come to you when the guards call them with a “specific noise”.

Best times are in the evenings or during sunset. The lighted city skyline is a sight to behold.

During morning, you may meet Kob antelope, bushbuck or monkeys, although the monkeys here are not habituated like at Tafi Atome or Boabeng-Fiema.

You can travel the park in a 4X4 vehicle or on foot with an armed escort from the hours of 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Visitors can climb up the summit of the caves and the inselbergs in the reserve to view the plains of Accra.

Wonderful view from the rock

Three caves can be found in the reserve and these are Adwuku, Sayu and Hieweyu.

These caves provide an excellent home for bats which will spend the entire day sleeping only to wake up in the night.

It is an easy clim (look, I even did it with my  flip flop!) It takes 10 mn for the 1st one (the photo underneath) and one hour the one on the above photo)

  Crocodiles, snakes and tortoises can also be spotted …they say…. but noone of my friends have seen them already !!

The bird life in the park is something really important since migratory birds can be seen :

There are the Senegal parrot, grey plantain eater, hornbill, red northern bishop and violet turaco are in the Shai Hills reserve. Other birds to be found in Shai Hills Resource reserve include Senegal cuckoo, stone partridge and francolin. This makes the reserve a bird lover’s paradise.

At night, we went to sleep to Stone Lodge , at 5km from the reserve, a very nice hotel in the middle of the contryside with a nice swimming pool and quite good meals.

Shai Hills reserve near Accra, Ghana Shai hills reserve, peaceful place 50mn from Accra Shai Hills Resource Reserve is les than an hour north of Accra bordering the Akosombo road.

[yesaccra2015]

Ghana “where anyone can get out in style”

Which coffin do you fancy? Who wants to visit death on vacation ?

Believe it or not, a visit to Ghana’s coffin makers is on most tourists’ itineraries here!!

I would have never find alone the Kane Kwei Coffins oldest shop in this road near Labadi Beach without Accra Accueil visit last year… In European cultures, we cremate our dead or bury them in a simple pine box.

But coffins are a lot fancier in Ghana, where the Ga people believe that life continues in another world after death, and they want it to carry on in style. And while a funeral lasts just a few hours, since eternity is, well, eternity, it’s important to spend it in style!!

In April 6th, 2016,  I had an interview with Eric whose grandcather created the first fantasy coffin. You can learn more on their Ghana coffin history website.

He explained me everything and i will share it now with you :

First: its ORIGINS BELIEVES

The reason why mostly all ghanaian use such coffins is their religious beliefs regarding the afterlife. They believe that death is not the end and that life continues in the next world in the same way it did on earth.

The social status of the deceased depends primarily on the importance, success and usage of an exclusive coffin during a burial.

During the delivery to the customer, the coffin is enveloped of kraft paper or cloth because tradition wants work to be revealed only at the time of funeral.

AND ITS MEANING

They often symbolise the dead people’s professions. but also what they did for a living, their hopes, their vices…

Certain shapes, such as a sword or stool coffin, represent regal or priestly insignia with a magical and religious function. Only people with the appropriate status are allowed to be buried in these types of coffins.

Some animals, such as lions, cockerels and crabs can represent clan totems. Similarly, only the heads of the families concerned are permitted to be buried in coffins such as these.

A fisher will be buried in a coffin in the form of fish or in a fishing boat, a professor in a fountain pen balk, etc.

The aspirations of the missing person are reflected by the coffin which is intended for him: the plane for instance was never ordered to bury a pilot, but resides a symbol of distant trips testifying a social success. Same for luxury cars.

A fantasy coffin in the shape of an antelope commemorates a wise person; the eagle is reserved for people of prominence.

Fish are very popular designs–the fishing industry is big here–as are Bibles, the only fantasy coffins allowed in churches in this deeply religious country.

Making the coffins

Fantasy coffins are produced only to order. Carpenters have several apprentices who allow the them to make several coffins simultaneously or all work on a single one in urgent cases. The coffins are generally made from white light local wood and not very expensive as the wawa or Nyame Dua. It will take two to six weeks to produce the coffin.

The woodworking is done using the simplest tools, without the aid of electrical ones. Building is more or less complex according to the form of the model, the desired level of details.

The coffins of cylindrical or approached form (fish, mammals, fountain pen) are accomplished as a model of subject without worries of the opening intended to accept the body. This one will be later cut up.

The painting of the figural coffins can take up to two days to finish and are painted by the head of the workshop, local sign writers…. who usually decide together the coffin’ s patterns and colours.

One shop may produce 20 coffins by months. There are about 10 in Accra.

In a country where many people live on barely $2 a day, no expense is spared for the most important part of life: death. With prestige riding on the size and extravagance of the funeral, family members collect, borrow, and donate money to send their loved ones off to the afterlife in style. Funerals can cost up to a year’s salary.

ERIC COFFIN EXHIBITIONS ABROAD

Eric’s grandfather was the one who had the idea of such coffin, first for himself and then it spread in all the villages around …until Accra.

Now Eric is proud to open one more studio in Kumasi this year .

In 2009, he was asked to participate in a moovie for coca cola ads for Spain to explain ghanaian coffins  can see on youtube the Coca cola coffin TV ad. Since then, he travelled a lots and still makes exhibition all over the world : in Russia in 2010’s (he did a Vodka bottle ;), Korea …. he sells one for 5000 to 10000 dollars now but it takes him a month to create it alone in the host country !

Eric also delivers messages to people thanks to its fantasy coffin For exemple, in the US, in 2011, he created a coffin in shape of a gun, and they cut it in 2 during the exhibition to show people to stop violence. Another one was to preserve environment : it was a “fish coffin” with plastics inside. Plastic kills fish when they eat that in the sea…and coffin means death of course.. A very symbolic art !

The coffins cost between $300 and $1000 and galeries or museums buy coffins up for $10,000 with wood from mahogany.

  Recently, ghanaian have recognized the quirkiness of their coffins design and have reacreated them in gift size for tourists. There is now a roaring trade in the smaller version !

Ghanaian coffins Ghana "where anyone can get out in style" Which coffin do you fancy? Who wants to visit death on vacation ?

[yesaccra2015]

 My first safari in Mole national park

March 2016, from 24th to  28th

Mole National Park is the widest range of wildlife and the only place in Ghana where you can have the best wildlife experience elephants. The park is located in northwest Ghana on grassland savanna and covers an area of 4972 km². This was the first national park to be established in Ghana as a wildlife refuge in 1958. In 1971 the small human population of the area was relocated and the lands were designated a national park. The park is an important study area for scientists as a study about the resident population of 800 elephants

The park’s entrance (20 GHC, 5 €) is reached through the nearby town of Larabanga where there is the oldest mosque built with mud and reeds.

Larabanga oldest mosque founded in 1421

  There are also poachers who tend to live within 50 km of the boundaries of the park.

Our stay in Mole hotel

It was around 39 ° during the day in Mole so even hotter than in Accra. The Mole Park Lodge where we stayed has an endless view to the horizon which overlook an artificial lake.

You will generally see herds of elephants grazing and bathing in the early morning or in the evening a couple hours before the sun sets.

The room price for 2 with fan is 140GHc ( 30€) And lunch around 40 GHC ( 10€ ).

  We have also seen colorful  lizards which fled our footsteps as we walked to our room.

    Few minutes after our arrival, a baboon came unour swimming pool to have a look (and maybe see if there was something left on a table to eat!) It started strong!!

Our first safari tour in our jeep

Because of the lack of predators, safaris can be done of foot – a unique experience that is quite different from the vehicle safaris

Elephant footprint

in southern and eastern Africa.

To actually walk so close to elephants is an exhilarating experience you will not ever forget!

    We choose to go on a driving safari first late in afternoon , with an armed ranger during 3 hours : we drove small and we discovered antelopes bouncing away from us in the savannah. There were two types of antelope – the larger, impressively solid waterbuck, and the petite, Bambi-like kob.

Cob inside Mole park

  Then we walked around the lake, seeing more birds, “Pumbaa”, crocodiles…

And many baboons and monkeys

The second day we drove the whole day to cover a much wider area of the park with its 93 mammal species.

The day started stong with the elephant !!

The Lovi and Mole Rivers are ephemeral rivers flowing through the park, leaving behind only drinking holes during the long dry season.

Buffalos can be seen also here :

The park is considered a primary African preserve for antelope species including kob.

  Sightings of hyenas, lions and leopards are unusual, but these carnivores were once more common in the park.

The poe of an elephant!

    Robert our ranger guide saw a lion one last year crossing the road inside the park.

        Among the 344 listed bird species are the martial eagle, the white-headed and palm-nut vultures, saddle-billed storks, herons, egrets, theAbyssinian roller, the violet turaco, various shrikes and the red-throated bee-eater.

    The third day, I got up at 6.30 am and I discover in front of my room “Pumbaa” , the warthogs, like in disney moovie, which are actually quite lovely animals!

A minute later, a huge elephant was coming to me!!!

  After we left at 8 am to go to the Hippo sanctuary at 3 hours drive from the park entrance. Quite long but it worth it!!

We took a canoe and after 15 mn we already met hippo in the dark Volta river which has a side on Burkina Faso.

It was a ” school” of hippo which  leans a family. They were 7!!  Just amazing !!

At the end of the day we met next to the hotel a big baboon who was looking for food in our garbage !!

On the road between Mole and Tamale airport

Some shanty village with hot tin roofs, others collections of cylindrical mud-brick houses with pointed roofs made of thatched straw.

Moving north from south the dominant religion changes from Christianity to Islam.

We started to see many modest but pretty concrete mosques – pastel colors and curved archways, crescents and moons carved up their minarets.

In the late afternoon we saw groups of men in robes and taqiyahs congregating in the shade of trees to pray.

The women’s’ fashion also changed from the bold prints and vibrant colours of kente cloth to sequined headscarves.

    Everywhere goats, cows and sheep roamed, apparently freely.

We also met children taking water to put in in their buckets

At the end of our journey, we arrived to Tamale to take our plane ( 45 mn flight) 

  My 1st safari in Mole national park  My first safari in Mole national park

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 OUR WII FALLS JOURNEY :

Our drive to Mountain Paradise :

  On the road to Wii falls, we had to cross the Volta river, the biggest artificial lake in the world with 8500 km2.

  So we took a boat because the Akosombo dam and its bridge was closed to cars … we had to wait for 2 hours… We drove 4 hours through sometimes difficult roads with holes until we arrived to our (Mountain paradise” hotel, lost in the mountain.

The road to Wii falls

Mountain paradise hotel is a great place for people who wants to be alone surrounded with nature.

There are very few room which are not very new and very very simple. But the view is so great and you can hear the noise of the forest even in your bed which is incredible :

Wii Falls

Wii Falls is located is 20km from Hohoe, in the Wli Natural Reserve. It is close to Togo (compared to Accra).

It is the Ghana’s highest waterfalls which flows throughout the year.

The water descends from a height of about 1,600 feet First to see waterfall it has to rain.. so choose the right season !!

To enter you will have to pay around 10 GHC there :

  During the dry season that starts from October each year and ends in early march the following year the volume of water decreases.

  So the raining season presents the best opportunity to see the falls it is “glory and spender” but that also presents its own challenges. Rainfalls are heavy and usually “unannounced” all the time and conditions become a bit treacherous.

After arriving in Wii Fall you can choose 2 options depending of your capacity of hiking…

1st option 💪💪: you can visit the upper waterfalls which is a very strenuous hike and generally cannot be done during the rain season. But if you are adventurous, healthy and strong, it is a worthy goal to reach the rarely visited upper falls. (it takes 6 hours and you have to get up early because of the heat)

2nd option : go to the lower falls with “the pool” to rest all around….

🤔

We choose the second option to walk and  we stayed at the lower falls … !! Less than an hour’s walk through cool shades of the forest, you will see cocoa trees , many butterflies, and when going across bridges over the Agumatsa River, you begin to hear the roar of the lower falls.

  You then come into a clearing and see the falls in front of you. It is magic!

And after taking photos, we had a splash in its refreshing water and rest next to the falls, feeling like an atomiser on your face! SO good!! The water is cold to swim compared to the sea for example, but it is good to go into because of the heat. You feel fresh  and dynamic after.

If you look carefully to the mountain you will see million of bats who may fly away any time !

The monkey sanctuary

We also went to see the Tafi Atome monkey sanctuary on the road to go back home. This great community initiative allows you to see wild monkeys up close and personal. They are well-habituated to humans and will come when the guide calls them.

Around 500 monkeys live wild in this protected forest. Your guide helps you find them and, if you’re lucky, they will cautiously and carefully peel and eat a banana from your hand! Hearing and then seeing them swinging through the trees is a delight, but the best is when the monkeys will jump onto your arm and eat the banana out of your hand.

In my case, I met some in the forest and then more than 5 in the village at the entry of the forest where I feed them with bananas A great moment !

  On the road to Wii falls  OUR WII FALLS JOURNEY :

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ADA FOAH

Let's discover Ada Foah with me, an amazing place to rest in Ghana, Africa.

A SUNDAY IN ADA FOAH ON BEACHES NEAR THE ESTUARY We were invited by friends to go to Ada Foa, the estuary of Volta lake and the ocean. It was sunny and we drive for 1h45 to get there, going through Tema . We had prepared our lunch box to be able to stay on a quiet and lonely beach far from the beautiful houses of rich people. We took their boat (which is “2 in 1” being also a jetski) from their…

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March, from the 5th to 7th Independance day ‘s long week-end

On saturday morning, we drove to the Lake Bosomtwe for 4h30. We went through big and large roads , meeting people selling food  and to a long path until we arrived to the “green ranch”located in front of the lake.

You will be charged 10 GHC by person to enter the area to help improve the roads” but roads are terrible so I don’t think the money is used for that ;)

Lake Bosumtwi (or Bosomtwe meaning “God antilope) is the biggest natural fresh water lake in Ghana with 25 km2 ! It is a beautiful and quiet place (45 mn from Kumasi in tro-tros / 40 km South East of Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana. The lake is surrounded with mountains (which give supernatural sigh), and small typical villages as Abono all around. The circular crater was made by a meteorite impact !! (and it was a recent geological study which prooved it! Believe it or not l! ) It is deep since it is 70 meters in the middle of the lake. Water inside is warm ( it was for myself even too hot inside to refresh!), and most of all, you can swim in the lake since there is no bilharzia inside.

The lake basin has a unique flora and fauna biodiversity with a combination of a rainforest and a wetland eco-system, making it a perfect habitat for the multitude of resident birds likewise the migrating ones :

You can do many activities there such as canoeing, swimming,birding, fishing, riding horses all around (10 hours to do the circle), hiking around the lake or in the mountain, rowing a traditional boat, cruising on a motorboat, chilling on the tree-lounge, relaxing in the hammock reading a magazine, learning batik dyeing … We chose horse riding for 2 hours.  It was great to go through villages, to meet people (who were pleased to see horses and sometimes touch them with some fears !) , and along the lake at the end of the day.

The lake history :

Lake Bosumtwi is help sacred by Ashanti traditionalists, sacred water body of the Botsumtwi since it is as round as the sun. It is called like called “God antilope” because it was before a forest and an antipole was shot by a hunter and run into a puddle before dying. SO the hunter went away without it, and water started to surrounder the forest, and the antipole spirit is still there, according to prayers, and none should cut wood from the lake. There is a taboo on the use of traditional pirogues on the lake, local fishermen get around by lying on customised tree trunks called padua, and using their hands as paddles.

  THE GREEN RANCH : JUST A SERENITY PLACE

We went to sleep to the  The Green Ranch next to Abono village, located up the hill side from Lake Bosomtwe. One of its many advantages is that it overlooks the lake with a 180-degree view of the area (and there are no mosquitoes at all).

The view from its cliff restaurant is unique too : it is spectacular and makes everyone wonder about the origin of this very ancient lake…

Elodie, a french girl, started building her ” Green Ranch ” business in 2010 with a small eco-friendly equestrian leisure destination with her multi-cultural family (her husband is ghanaian and she has 2 nice little boy now) . Moreover, Elodie takes care of the environment, so she wanted her place here to be water independent with their own well making a 40 meters dug under the ground, she did not want to take water from the lake to prevent from drying up the lake. Materials and local vegetables are used for thatched roof, stable in bamboo, bricks of raw lands.

There are 3 bedrooms (for 2 to 4 people) and also 2 single beds in a hut on piloti outdoor which is very nice ! (next time we ‘d like to sleep outside on it!)

She has 8 horses, and 2 very nice cats also ;)

Concerning food she is providing vegetarien or vegan food from exclusively of Ghanaian products and bio vegetable from gardens. Homemade fresh pineapple or watermelon juices and desserts (chocolate on bananas) are also perfect for gourmand! We are always offered her fresh water from the well ( which she could easily comercialized).

It is a very good food prepared. Really! To my point of vue, if you come here, it is because you love nature and quiet places : so I really recommand you her place to be in agreement with the environment and you even so.

OUR EXPERIENCE IN LAKE BOTSUMWE :

During or 3 days stay in the green ranch, we met very nice people such as volunteers from Tamale, the director of the french Alliancy is Kumasi, and other expat from Accra. We all ate together on her cliff terrace restaurant at night. Great moments shared with Elodie too. SHe has travel from all over the world and has many stories to share !

We did horse riding along the lake at the end of the afternoon. A great moment shared with Elodie volunteer from Austria : Katryn who arrived 2 months ago in the ranch.

The day after we went by foot to “Cocoa Village”, 30 mn walk from “the Green Ranch” which is another place to stay and sleep in the area.

We met children on the road who told us “Obruni, Obruni !!! 1 cent please!!!” (Obruni is called for white people, but it is nice ) and we met also chicken, birds, sheeps, tiny dogs and goats…

  Inside Cocoa Village (which is not a village) you can do activities such as Batik, swimmimg, and we decided to rest there and have lunch there too.

It is also a very nice place in front of the lake; if you have childrenthey can do there some activities proposed such as drawing or painting on t shirt, batik, paddle of the lake… and you will be able to eat european food if you prefer to have french fries for dinner !

On the path to go back, we walk all along the lake, seeing lamb, chicken next to the water and fishermen and childre swimming too.

  The last day, we decided to to the circle with our car (which is not a 4X4).

    We went through many typival villages, and we have seen beautiful points of view from the top of the mountains. But we did not know before if would succeed without a 4X4…. because of our car to be climbed through small passages or damaged roads of sand/ earth(ground) and pebbles…

  But at the end, after 2 hours tour, we found out the road to go back to Accra.

        We stopped on the road to buy their local and typical plates and serving dishes made with terra cotta and other earthenware.

To conclude…. :) We were enchanted with our 3 days journey in lake Botsumwe. :) :) :) :) If you do not come to the lake when visiting Ghana or living there, then you will miss one of the most mysterious and energising crater lakes on Earth…

            Wonderful 3 days journey in Botsumwe lake near Kumasi. March, from the 5th to 7th Independance day 's long week-end

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COMING INTO JERICHO VILLAGE, 30mn FROM TEMA

Few weeks ago, I asked my driver how it wad in his house, how he sleeps, if he das a shower… and I asked him if one day I could see is family and their house in his village.

He was very pleased and told me that he would be very proud to show me to his neigbourg in the village since for them, it is showing that he has a good job with “Madam” as he always call me.

Since I’m in holidays (french school february holidays), I decided to go there, 30 mn from Tema, about 1 hour drive from Accra.

I prepared a chocolate cake on the morning and brought fruit juices to have snaks with his family after his children school.

When we arrived , I was a bit “scared” because people were looking at me,maybe wondering what I was doing here alone with only Thomas , my driver!!

Thomas spoke to each one when we walked through the village, explaining in his language why I was here;

Then , he showed me the rice manufactory at the back of the village.

It is a big production and they sell it afterward by 26 kg dor 80 GHC (18€). It is much less than in mall!!

See underneth the man working with the machine and the woman “cleaning ” it and separating the scrambled rice, which will be used for other things such as corn flakes.

After this “visit”, we went to see the cultures of wheat, bananes, rice… located after the rice’s manufacture.

They have water coming here to irrigate under the ground it s why it is very green beacause we did not have rain for 3 months…

Inside the village, there are animals such as chickens, cows, sheaps… and everybody share their live together!

After that, we went to fetch is second son, Manuel, to the school which is private, always in the village. All students were a purple uniform.

They were so pleased and happy to see me! When I took my camera they were shouting and runing around me ! SOme of them wanted to touch my arm ;)

 Then, we went inside his house : there is only one room with a bed, 2 small sofas. All his family sleeps in the same bed : and they are four!! He has also a large tv (from 1990 I tkink ;)…) which he could afford when he started to be a taxi drinver years ago.

Then they called their neighbour to share the cake a brought them. He went outside since it was so hot in his room.

People were coming one after the other, sharing in the same glass sometimes juices and coca cola. SOme kids came back from school and took a slamm piece also.

Thomas’ wife told me that she will “remember all her life this day”.

It is really strange to feel so special to them, and make them happy only to share time and talk with them. We are like them, equal,  but for them, we are different and they are proud to share time with white people in their everyday life and home.

It was a great day for me too, I was happy to see how it is different from expat living conditions…

The last moment together is when I offer  Manuel a little book with stickers to learn the alphabet and they went inside daddy’s car of course :) :) :)

Before driving home, I bought two coconuts (1,5 GHC each : 0,40 €).

Hope you enjoyed visiting their village and “meet” Thomas’ family with me, leave me a comment if you feel so!

Discovering my driver village : Jericho COMING INTO JERICHO VILLAGE, 30mn FROM TEMA Few weeks ago, I asked my driver how it wad in his house, how he sleeps, if he das a shower...

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My driver Thomas in his village, Here you can see the rice production, the wheat, countryside, school, inside the village and having cake together