Going, Going, "Ghana"

Visiting new countries always excites me.  I get to experience and learn about the country which also allows me to see things from a different perspective.  Ghana was a new country for me to visit and just this sort of experience. 

Let's face it, Ghana isn't on anyone's vacation destination list.  That doesn't mean you shouldn't go there nor that that there aren't some really fascinating things about Ghana.  Here are some take aways:

The Women Are Strong

And I don't just mean by a little bit.  Ghanaians in general are hard workers and most work is manual labor so in some regards they have to be stronger.  These women would not only carry some crazy heavy load on top of their heads but they would also simultaneously have a kid strapped to their back and another big purse or kid on an arm.  Add to the fact that they would do this for MILES and I was astounded.  I'll admit I was astounded not only because of the weight they carried but the fact that I have such crappy balance I could never carry something on my head that gracefully (okay, or at all). 

I'll note that the men are strong too :)

There May Not Be Lots of Motorized Equipment But Gas Stations are Everywhere

This was one of those funny things to me.  Not a lot of people have cars or motorbikes but you didn't have to go very far in order to find a gas station.  Sometimes gas stations were freakishly modern and nice while other times it was an old hand pump.

Roads are Crap

Very few roads are paved in Ghana.  And even if they were paved you still had to dodge major potholes.  Sometimes a dirt road was better - sometimes you just had to have faith that there was a road that way.  Here's the funny thing...Google Maps has these many of the tiny two tire track roads on their maps.  Kudos to them.

(yes, this really is a road!)

You Can Buy Anything Roadside

Unlike America or Europe you don't go to a store to get something.  At most there is a 5'x5' shed which people operate out of.  Otherwise, its either on the roadside or on their heads (see above about strong women!).  It didn't matter if you wanted a bra (I'd hate to have a fitting for that on the roadside), a TV, a sofa, a coffin, or food. 

(Their coffins are a bit on the eccentric side)

One tasty thing you can buy everywhere is FanYogo or FanChoco's.  These are frozen treats that have an incredible distribution system. You can buy these cold treats on the roadside in the middle of the jungle and they are frozen solid!

And, let's not forget that all of these places have awesome religiously toned names.

 

The Food is Chicken and Rice or Rice and Chicken

Yes, there is a difference.  One has chicken with a side of rice and the other is rice with a side of chicken.  Got it?  It doesn't matter if its lunch or dinner.

 

Menus Are For Reading, Not For Ordering

Nothing cracked me up more than going into a restaurant and seeing a big menu.  It would get exciting to see the options.  You would order and they would tell you they didn't have it.  Okay, I'll go for the local items.  You would order off of that area a few times until you realized it was better to just ask, "What do you have?"  You know the answer....Chicken and Rice.

The Jungle Is Amazing

Ghana was much prettier than I expected.  It truly is a jungle with beautiful mountains and waterfalls.

 

 

The People are What Make It Special

The real treasure are the people of Ghana.  Everyone I met was happy and helpful.  They put up with me asking them funny questions and trying to learn how to balance things on my head or staring at things I'd never seen before.  Plus, I'm jealous of how beautiful their smiles are with their straight teeth!

You can find these pictures and more from my trip posted in the NEW gallery until my next post. After that, you can find them under their respective "location" or "type" gallery. You can view additional pictures in my Public Gallery or by clicking on the Photo Gallery Tabs above. All pictures are available for purchase.