Adventures in Ghana

We arrived in Accra on June 11.  Our new and wonderful friend, Bill Houssian (who is serving a mission with his beautiful wife, Helen, as the Africa West Area Family History Advisors) picked us up at the airport and took us to the Accra, Ghana Temple.  We stayed our first night in temple housing for 4 cedi ($2).  We went to the temple Wednesday morning and Wednesday afternoon we rode the bus out to Cape Coast.

We stayed at the Hans Cottage Botel, which is a hostel.  Our room had twelve beds and one bathroom.  Luckily, we were the only ones (unlike some of the hostels I stayed in in New Zealand and Australia:))

In the morning, we went crocodile hunting.  We walked down the trail along the swamp and saw a little croc swimming out in the water.

 We had to get some chicken to try and entice them out of the water.  It was early in the morning and a little cool so they didn't want to come out of the water.

 We didn't get to touch one, but we were pretty close and had a fun time trying to get them out of the water with the chicken.  Eventually the chicken pieces were all eaten up and all we had left were our toes.  Thankfully, they didn't seem too interested!!!

We went to Kakum National Park, which is a rain forest.

 They have a canopy walk with a total of eight bridges.  We loved it.  It was amazing and beautiful.

 Russ loved the corn fields and the termite mounds.  I'm glad we don't have a termite problem.

Cape Coast Castle was a little sombering.  We enjoyed learning the history of the slave trade, but were truly reminded that we are all human and God's children and should be treated equally and fairly.

 

The dungeon.  The light is a modern addition.

People we met on the street became instant friends.  Part of the reason we love Ghana so much!

Old, used and broken bottles, turned into beads. 

The glass is crushed into small pieces and put into molds.

 

The molds are placed into the firing kiln and the glass is melted and glowing hot.

The molds are taken out and the melted glass is shaped into beads!!!

 

So fun to watch the process and then purchase some beautiful, colorful beads.

Our new friend, Faustina, made us a wonderful Ghanaian meal: joloff rice, kenke, peanut soup, fried plantains, and beans.