Classes start again this week, so I figure this is a good time to share some of the places I have been able to visit over the holiday break.
VOLTA REGION: Volta is named for the huge river and lake that span across Ghana. The wetland and drainage area cover parts of Togo and Burkina Faso as well. With a group of students, I took a bus to the far east of the country to climb Ghana’s highest peak: Mount Afadjato. Granted this mountain is only 885 meters high, it was still tricky descending in the pouring rain. Apparently, there’s a higher peak a few kilometers away, but it is in Togo. I don’t know how some girls climbed in flip-flops and some boys climbed in converses or barefoot. I don’t think climbing is a popular activity in Ghana.
The group also stopped at the highest waterfall in West Africa.
Lesego and I returned to Volta with two others on a trip to Akosombo. We went to take a cruise on Volta Lake and see the dam that provides the energy for all of Ghana (as well as Togo and Benin). It was so nice to be among the mountains for a while and enjoy an air-conditioned hotel room before school starts again.
MOLE NAT’L PARK: I was graced by the presence of my parents over New Years and one of the first things we did was fly to the Northern Region to visit Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest wildlife sanctuary. The flat and dry savanna land was once used as a game reserve, but is now a national park complete with safari. Our hotel rested on top of a hill overlooking a watering hole that housed baboons, antelopes, crocodiles, warthogs, and even elephants.
We got to see the animals up close. Very close. Monkeys would try to take food off our tables, and a baboon stole Lesego’s swimsuit that was hanging out to dry. On our guided walking safari, we even met the elephant named “People’s Friend No. 2.” Apparently People’s Friend No. 1 used to drink out of the hotel’s swimming pool before disappearing somewhere in the park.
Mole felt different than any other part of Ghana I had seen, not only in terms of the weather and landscape but the people, language and lifestyle. I liked it.
CAPE COAST: As probably my favorite city in Ghana, Cape Coast lies in the Central Region of Ghana, only about a 2 hour drive from Accra. I had gone there once to enjoy the beach on Francis’s birthday and we returned with my parents to do the sightseeing and enjoy the rich history of the area.
Cape Coast was the first capital of the British Gold Coast Empire. On the coast is a large fortress, Cape Coast Castle, which was first used by the Portuguese in the 15th century to hold and transport slaves. It contains the famous “Door of No Return” through which slaves would pass and board ships to the Americas.
Cape Coast was the first capital of the British Gold Coast Empire. On the coast is a large fortress, Cape Coast Castle, which was first used by the Portuguese in the 15th century to hold and transport slaves. It contains the famous “Door of No Return” through which slaves would pass and board ships to the Americas.
Close to Cape Coast is Kakum National Park, an exciting rainforest preserve with a canopy walk.
KUMASI: Lesego and I were able to join a group of exchange students from UW-Milwaukee on a trip to the ancient capital of the Ashanti Empire. Kumasi is famous for the second largest market in West Africa (after one in Nigeria) and for housing the current king of the Ashantis. Bustling Kumasi felt much like Accra with a slightly cooler temperature. We were able to go to a few small towns that showed us how they make local glass beads and textiles.
Sometimes I forget there’s more to Ghana than Accra. It sure is a beautiful country.
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