Maybe it's because we come from such industrial societies, but Jürgen and I are always interested in seeing craftsmen ply their trade. The only hand-crafted products back home are the friendship bracelets your nieces force upon you. So when we're in a place like Ghana and we see people producing actual goods, it's exciting. What are those, coal pots? Sure, we'll watch you make coal pots! The lucky subjects of our attention were a couple guys holed…
Jamestown was the first neighborhood we explored in Accra, and upon the conclusion of that stressful but successful day, we thought, "Good! Done and dusted, and that's the last time we visit Jamestown!" Wrong, wrong, and wrong. During our time in Accra, we returned frequently. Somehow, our path always seem to lead back here to this neighborhood by the sea.
Soccer has a strong tradition in Ghana, but boxing is the sport in which it most excels. This small country has produced a number of champions, and legions of kids attend class in boxing gyms around Jamestown, hoping to become the next Azumah Nelson or Jospeh Clottey. We had the chance to check out one of the training sessions at the Black Panter Boxing Gym, in Jamestown. We were received warmly by the head coach of the…
As agreed upon with Emmanuel after our weekend tour of Jamestown, we showed up on Wednesday afternoon at the doors of the Jamestown Gbekebii school, ready to meet the kids. Well, at least we thought we were ready. From the moment we stepped inside, we were swarmed by dozens of children and their curious, grabby little hands. It was unlike anything we've ever experienced. The school is a project of necessity. From what we gathered, the community of fisherman…
Normally, it's good to stick to your principles. But there are times when the correct course of action is to take stock of a situation, and bend accordingly. This happens more often than usual when you're in a foreign country. And when you're traveling in Africa, it's practically the only way to get along. Today, we violated our sacred practice of ignoring bothersome local "guides" ... and it was the best decision we could have made.
Heralded as one of Africa's friendliest and most stable countries, Ghana is going to be our home for the next three months. This will be our first time in Africa, and we couldn't be more excited. We plan on diving right in, and immersing ourselves in the country's culture, cuisine, and history. We'll hopefully get to meet some of the locals ... and we'll definitely be eating loads of fufu. The next 91 days are going to be a wild ride.
