Accra, July 1

Day Four

Today is Ghana’s Independence Day, and I celebrated just like I would any Independence Day back home—sleeping in, shopping, and eating fried foods ☺

I actually started the day by picking up my second piece of baggage at the airport. I took a taxi out there myself this time, so as not to call Amos up for the millionth time to deal with my problems. After raiding my newly retrieved pack (which had my emergency granola-bar stash), I took a shower and slipped over to the hotel next door for a Skype-date with my fantastic husband. The possibilities have changed so much since I was in Tanzania in 2003. I never would’ve imagined a video chat with a loved one from the dial-up computers we were using in that cramped little internet café in Dar.

I caught my first trotro today into Accra-proper. Everyone that’s visited Africa has experienced this form of transportation by some name or another. To sum it up quickly, it’s a 16-passenger van that serves in lieu of (or in addition to) city buses. They usually have a set path (unlike a taxi) and they cost very little--20 to 35 cents each way. The downside here is that they are wildly cramped (holding up to 20 or 22 people), somewhat dangerous, and many of them don’t advertise their destination in writing on the vehicle. You have to listen carefully to what the “caller” is barking from the passenger’s side of the van. Unfortunately, the accents are so thick and the words called out in such a sing-song manner that I can barely tell what they’re saying. Additionally, the callers all sound like they’ve just finished a fifth of whiskey and smoked a carton of cigarettes, making them even harder to interpret. The key to trotro-riding is patience and a willingness to ask for help. It took one trotro to get me to the market in downtown Accra, another trotro to get me over to a neighborhood called Osu, and a third trotro to get me back to Legon. I’m not a professional yet, but I will say I’m getting good.

The market today was wild! If you’ve ever wondered where all of the unsold Goodwill clothing from the U.S. goes, it’s to the Makola market in Accra. When I first stepped off the trotro, I was greeted by a five-year old boy wearing a University of Alabama t-shirt. I wanted to walk up to him and say “Roll Tide,” but I think my humor might’ve been lost on him, so I passed.

The market sells produce, some cooked foods, and every household item you’ve ever wanted (or not wanted)—from spoons and electric kettles to deodorant and bras. Children play near their mothers’ stands, and elderly women sleep while their daughters and granddaughters peddle. The smells were generally pleasant except when I walked by stands grilling whole tilapia (heads and scales still on). Those things were god-awful. Some people were also selling live snails, which smelled kind of funky, too. Watching children corral live snails that are “getting away” (slowly) is quite the sight.

My funniest encounter today was on my stroll through Osu. I came across a very modern-looking three-story building labeled “Heaven.” The banner hanging in front across the door read, “Heaven temporarily closed for renovation.” Wow, did that one make me laugh out loud. I had no idea that place even required renovation…I guess this is where Purgatory really comes in handy? I took pictures--don’t worry. As soon as I can find a cable to move pictures from my camera to my laptop I’ll send them onward. Turns out “Heaven” is a dance club and bar…even better to know what I have to look forward to in the future.

I made it back to Legon around 4:30 today, chatted with the American boys and an Irish girl who are staying downstairs, and then took Amos to dinner as a thank you for his many kindnesses. We ate at a nice African restaurant back down in Osu, and I had my first truly Ghanaian dish--plantains and yams (which are not orange but rather a tougher version of white Irish potatoes) served with a mixture of spinach, tomatoes, and beef. The spices tasted somewhat reminiscent of Indian food, but it was definitely different from anything I’ve ever had.

On the way home I saw another great billboard near the Accra Mall. It was advertising for a local hair salon, and it had three photos of African women with different hairstyles on it. The first woman had big curls in her hair and the description underneath her photo read “Super Curly.” The second woman had more natural looking hair, and she was labeled “Freaky.” Lastly, there was a woman at the bottom with relaxed hair that was kind of flipped at the ends, and her hairstyle was labeled “Oprah.” Anyone who knows my fascination/obsession with Oprah can appreciate how this one really amused me ☺

Alright, signing off…