Greetings from Ghana!

Where to begin......the people, the warmth, the sights, the sounds, the tastes...

Today we ate breakfast outside on a college campus. Then we tended to business in the Ossu section of Accra. The markets run from outdoors, to small convenience looking stores and larger supermarkets. The meat counter even featured tongue and a meat of an endangered animal.
The larger market was very western and had just about everything. The small one is probably more what I will experience in Bechem. The outdoors markets are fun...you bargain and haggle.

While on our bus I haggled out the window to purchase a map of poster-like map of Ghana. First I was told it would cost 25,000 cedi..I purchased for 15,000. Every American dollar is worht 9000 cedis. I also discovered that Traveler's cheques do not work everywhere. They work here but they deduct a fee when cashing. For lunch we ate at the Coconust Grove hotel, my choice of meal, Red Red is a Ghanain favorite. It is red beans cooked in a palm oil and tomatoe pepper sauce with fish and fried plantains on the side...absolutely deelectable. It is also a custom here when dining out to share dished because all meals are delivered as ready so you wait; while waiting taste what's available because the portions are generous.

While driving around I was struck today by several images. Women carrying huge baskets and bowls on their heads (hands free) with whole or cut up bagged fruit, fresh bread, lotions and soaps. Children in yellow and borwn uniforms at school and staying until 5PM on Fridays to engage in physical activities, willingly! Passing a large grove of fruit trees, three women emerged with baskets on their heads filled with the gruits from the grove. When in the states we pick from huge piles already there for us! The housing: wealthy people live in gated communities in cement and brick homes, the "haves"live in communities with running water and plumbing of varying degrees; the "have -nots" live in corrugated tin roof shanties with no plumbing,etc. These shanties are no bigger than a small bedroom and the entire family lives there.

I have taken in so much and I am sure there is oh so much more!