The time around Christmas and New Year were full of relaxation and good vibes!
I spent the Christmas days in Wa with Evelyn, Alex and Alice and 30 degrees with some wind and dust. Since Wa has a high Muslim population and many people that don't have extra pennies to spent, there was no Christmas decoration and not really a sense of Christmas in the air.
However, I was thankful that we had a small (plastic) tree in our house and Christmas music was playing. This way I did have my moments.
The 24th is not really a celebrated day around here and I even went to work. In the evening we went to midnight service at Cathedral, afterwards we went home and drank some incredibly sweet red wine, exchanged presents (we did Secret Santa) and went to sleep. It was really great to only buy one gift and receive something small in exchange. Christmas for the first time was not about shopping and big and expensive gifts.
The 25th and 26th were the days of the main celebration where I would go around town and visit people. Many prepared drinks and food at home to be able to receive visitors at any time of the day. So I went, sat, talked, drank....
In the evening of the 27th I got on the bus to Accra. The next morning I met the other 5 volunteers that came with the same German organization "Eine Welt Netz NRW" to Ghana. This was the first time in 4 months since I left the plane that I got to see them again. The six of us had the whole next week to spent with each other.
We got on a tro-tro direction BEACH!
We had a great week in Cape 3 Points, the most beautiful place I have seen in Ghana, so far.
We stayed at Escape 3 Points, an Eco-lodge, that was like an Oasis. It is beach front, all is made of bamboo and wood, there is a beach bar, a clean beach, no plastic bags in the water. And if they hadn't stolen a camera from one of our group members it would have been perfect. Well, I have to admit that it was a "white people's bubble", away from the real Ghana. To get in touch with the real world we walked to the fishing village next to us and met some wonderful people who proudly showed us around and let us feel the Ghanaian hospitality.
One of the best moments was when we met young Lydia. She asked us if we could help her carry her plantains to her village. We agreed and ended up walking an hour through thick vegetation where nobody would have expected to find a village. In the end we came to a fishing village where incredible excitement broke loose the moment we entered. 20 children were running and shouting in joy around us, everybody greeted us and welcomed us, we were shown around and because it was getting dark they even escorted us halfway back to make sure that we get home safely. This is one of those Ghana moments that stick!
New Year's Eve was also of a special kind. We were asked to bring white cloths and everybody did. Dressed in white we were served wine and enjoyed an amazing 4 course dinner. Afterwards there was a band playing at the beach bar and we got to listen to surf style jack johnson music until midnight. At midnight there was even a small firework on the beach.
With a bit of a headache we went the next day to see the real Cape of Cape Three Points. The view was a real New Year's present.
In the area we also visited the Trinity Yard School which is a school for some 15 Ghanaian students, run by US American volunteers, where math and English skills are improved and they learn the traditional Kente Weaving and Batik. Those must be the luckiest students of all Ghana. The school is ocean front, build out of wood, has a beautiful library and is a perfect place to find your peace of mind.
I had to leave a day early because I had to take care of immigration stuff in Accra. And wooop wooop, I am finally a legal resident of Ghana for one year.
Instead of going back to Wa I decided to meet a friend at Kokrobite Beach for another two nights. This was the total contrast. We stayed at Big Milleys Backyard and I got to experience real Rastafarian culture. Cabooooom. Reggae music everywhere, people of all ages with big ass dread locks (I don't know if the kids or the elderly with dreads fascinated me more). People smoking, dancing, enjoying everywhere. This blended with the local fishermen who had a totally different lifestyle. But there was this deep respect from all sides that made everybody just live together in peace without any reason for complains.
This is a lesson I have learnt in Wa and again around here. People respect each other, no matter who you pray to. Ghana people have a kind of peace of mind that I have not experienced in Germany.
Unfortunately I didn't take pictures as it was safer to keep my valuables locked for several reasons =) Please do google Kokrobite and Big Millys to get an impression.
I spent the Christmas days in Wa with Evelyn, Alex and Alice and 30 degrees with some wind and dust. Since Wa has a high Muslim population and many people that don't have extra pennies to spent, there was no Christmas decoration and not really a sense of Christmas in the air.
However, I was thankful that we had a small (plastic) tree in our house and Christmas music was playing. This way I did have my moments.
The 24th is not really a celebrated day around here and I even went to work. In the evening we went to midnight service at Cathedral, afterwards we went home and drank some incredibly sweet red wine, exchanged presents (we did Secret Santa) and went to sleep. It was really great to only buy one gift and receive something small in exchange. Christmas for the first time was not about shopping and big and expensive gifts.
The 25th and 26th were the days of the main celebration where I would go around town and visit people. Many prepared drinks and food at home to be able to receive visitors at any time of the day. So I went, sat, talked, drank....
 |
| Sitting with wine after church |
In the evening of the 27th I got on the bus to Accra. The next morning I met the other 5 volunteers that came with the same German organization "Eine Welt Netz NRW" to Ghana. This was the first time in 4 months since I left the plane that I got to see them again. The six of us had the whole next week to spent with each other.
We got on a tro-tro direction BEACH!
We had a great week in Cape 3 Points, the most beautiful place I have seen in Ghana, so far.
We stayed at Escape 3 Points, an Eco-lodge, that was like an Oasis. It is beach front, all is made of bamboo and wood, there is a beach bar, a clean beach, no plastic bags in the water. And if they hadn't stolen a camera from one of our group members it would have been perfect. Well, I have to admit that it was a "white people's bubble", away from the real Ghana. To get in touch with the real world we walked to the fishing village next to us and met some wonderful people who proudly showed us around and let us feel the Ghanaian hospitality.
One of the best moments was when we met young Lydia. She asked us if we could help her carry her plantains to her village. We agreed and ended up walking an hour through thick vegetation where nobody would have expected to find a village. In the end we came to a fishing village where incredible excitement broke loose the moment we entered. 20 children were running and shouting in joy around us, everybody greeted us and welcomed us, we were shown around and because it was getting dark they even escorted us halfway back to make sure that we get home safely. This is one of those Ghana moments that stick!
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| in the tro-tro |
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| our dorm (Jorinde and Babette) |
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| the restaurant at escape 3 points lodge (and Paul) |
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| Escape 3 points lodge |
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| escape three points lodge |
New Year's Eve was also of a special kind. We were asked to bring white cloths and everybody did. Dressed in white we were served wine and enjoyed an amazing 4 course dinner. Afterwards there was a band playing at the beach bar and we got to listen to surf style jack johnson music until midnight. At midnight there was even a small firework on the beach.
 |
| Lennart and beautiful Jacob the Angel on New Year's |
With a bit of a headache we went the next day to see the real Cape of Cape Three Points. The view was a real New Year's present.
 |
| Lighthouse at the Cape |
 |
| At Cape Three Points |
 |
| At Cape Three Points |
 |
| At Cape Three Points |
In the area we also visited the Trinity Yard School which is a school for some 15 Ghanaian students, run by US American volunteers, where math and English skills are improved and they learn the traditional Kente Weaving and Batik. Those must be the luckiest students of all Ghana. The school is ocean front, build out of wood, has a beautiful library and is a perfect place to find your peace of mind.
 |
| Kente weaving at Trinity Yards School |
 |
| A peace of Kente cloth |
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| Library at Trinity Yards School |
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| View from the library |
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| View from the terrace at the library |
I had to leave a day early because I had to take care of immigration stuff in Accra. And wooop wooop, I am finally a legal resident of Ghana for one year.
Instead of going back to Wa I decided to meet a friend at Kokrobite Beach for another two nights. This was the total contrast. We stayed at Big Milleys Backyard and I got to experience real Rastafarian culture. Cabooooom. Reggae music everywhere, people of all ages with big ass dread locks (I don't know if the kids or the elderly with dreads fascinated me more). People smoking, dancing, enjoying everywhere. This blended with the local fishermen who had a totally different lifestyle. But there was this deep respect from all sides that made everybody just live together in peace without any reason for complains.
This is a lesson I have learnt in Wa and again around here. People respect each other, no matter who you pray to. Ghana people have a kind of peace of mind that I have not experienced in Germany.
Unfortunately I didn't take pictures as it was safer to keep my valuables locked for several reasons =) Please do google Kokrobite and Big Millys to get an impression.
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