From the ridiculous to the sublime

 

Not only are Deon and Roz wonderful, entertaining, easy company, they are also trying hard to give their girls as many experiences as possible.  Fortunately for me, I am invited along on all their excursions.  They decided that they wanted to drive to Kumasi, fly to Accra and spend the weekend there with their South African friend Dave Howland. They invited us to join them. Porks had strongly declined without my knowledge. When they asked me I was keen but then heard that he had not agreed.  So I just asked "Please can we go, Porks?", and he changed his mind.  Deon now calls him "180 degree Porky!"  So on Friday they left at 5am as Deon had a meeting in Kumasi before the flight at 15.05 hours and we followed in another vehicle at 9.30am with Hans Kisseih who is the Husqvarna chainsaw Sales Manager in Accra and Sam 4 who is the company's environmental officer. 

 

Hans and Sam were extremely informative and patient with my many questions en route while you know who from you know where was doing you know what.

 

When I asked him about Kente souvenirs, Hans was quick to phone a South African lady friend to ask her advice. He gave me his business card and said that if we need anything from Accra in the future, we should advise him and he would do his best to put it on a flight to Kumasi for us.  He also kindly bought us lunch at the Kumasi airport.

 Well spoken Sam who lives in Kumasi was on his way home for the weekend for a funeral. 

They advised me that for an unexpected death, the family and friends of the deceased would wear black or black and red.  For a death that was expected or is a relief to the deceased, the community would then normally wear black and white.  If the deceased was well to do, the family might buy a certain pattern of material in bulk and sell it to the mourners so that most people would wear a similar outfit.  It could cost up to 500 Cedis for a man's outfit.
Ghanaians would mostly wear plain white to an "out dooring" or a Christening.  All very interesting.

We met up with the von Benecke's at Kumasi airport and all travelled together in an non-working air-conditioned propeller driven aircraft to Accra. Our normal Fly540 plane was grounded for maintenance so we travelled in an alternative company's plane.

We were met at the airport by Dave Howland who used to be a rep for chemicals in South Africa but is now in charge of erecting and co-ordinating roadside billboard advertising.  He is the "it's who you know" man to have around. Dave worked for Deon's South African company for a while and knew Porky when Dave worked as a rep to the timber companies.

Dave's home is filled with a blended marriage of the cultures of South Africa and Ghana. A beautiful Inguni skin carpet covers the floor and photos of Sani Pass, the Wild coast and other South African landmarks can be found in unexpected corners of his house. 

These little Ghanaian important people stand guard in his lounge and this proud policeman welcomed us at the front door.

Dave managed to find a traditional bed that he uses as a coffee table (one cannot see the legs - it is knee height) and one can see where the person's ankles and head should go.

 He keeps the table covered with a beautiful Kente cloth runner.

A traditional stool.

We rested a while in his lovely home and then went out to Rhapsody's, not Rhipsody's, at the Accra Mall for dinner.

 Deon and the girls.

 The girls and Roz.

 Shan, Dave and Porks.

Dave has three bedrooms in his home and was so generous that he was even prepared to give up his own room for the girls to sleep in!

The next morning we went to the five star Labadi Beach Hotel for a buffet breakfast and this is one of the times that the 'who he knows' kicked in. Adrian Landry is the manager and we were treated to great hospitality and generosity from another ex-South African.  Breakfast should have cost us 60 Cedis each but somehow we didn't ever see the bill.

 We walked through the hotel to the private Labadi Beach Hotel's view of the sea.



 

Fishermen pulling in the nets.

Then we went in for breakfast.  Choices. choices, choices!

 

 Another view of the lovely hotel.

Dave had warned us that he had previously arranged a birthday party at his house on the Saturday night for a friend and that he would be otherwise preoccupied that Saturday morning in order to get ready.  We were welcome to join in and come and go as we pleased and he would not be offended no matter what our choice.  That Saturday morning we were planning to do a quick shop early in the morning as well as pick up a few souvenirs for the girls' friends and other members of our families.

 

We woke up to Dave having arranged coffee and biscuits from Woolworths from South Africa.  What a treat!

 

Deon, Roz, Hannah, Emma and I wanted to catch a taxi to the Accra Mall to fill up on necessities.  Dave advised that it would be easy to hail one outside in the street.  He lives in a very quiet residential area so we were sceptical. All we did was go out of his yard, walk a few metres and wragtig, a taxi drove past at the T-junction about 100 metres away.  We just raised our hands and he stopped, reversed and came to fetch us. This happened twice during the weekend so it wasn't a co-incidence. Dave does not live on a main road where one would expect that and no other vehicle drove past while we were hailing the taxi! Amazing!

 

We asked the driver to first take us to a much longed for Woolworths.  We asked him to wait for us then take us to the Mall.  We weren't too long as it is a tiny shop and not stocked as well as we are used to. We asked to meet Hein, the manager from Pretoria, with whom we swapped telephone numbers.  After purchasing a few items we got into the taxi and when he turned the key, "krkrkrkrkrkr" - flat battery!  We had to get out and push!

While we were shopping people had started arriving for the party.  A truly eclectic mix of visitors.  Alan Bouwer, an ex-S.African, and his Ghanaian/Russian wife Lucy who is the sister of the first lady to Equatorial Guinea and their daughters were there. The German Ambassador and her husband and daughter arrived.  An ex-major in the SA permanent force was there.  Adrian, Catherine and little Emma of Labadia Beach Hotel fame were there.  We were there.  Chris Fourie, another ex-Seffrican, birthday boy and the ex-manager of Rhapsody's, was there.   He and a New Zealander now own and run Cuzzy Bro's, a restaurant and pub in Accra. A few of these people Dave actually knew beforehand! Some he had never met before!

When we returned from shopping there were some people swimming in the large pool, some outside under the umbrellas chatting and some in the lounge watching rugby.

Adrian Landry in the pool. 

 Darling little Emma, his daughter!  See who is watching rugby?

 

The mixed bunch of children spent most of the afternoon keeping cool in the beautifully clean pool.   We adults floated around for a few hours too while Porks who was doing you know what....no, not this time.... braaing!!

 

 

 

There were other people there that Dave did not know previously. One of Dave's friends had seen them in their truck in the Accra Mall and invited them to join the party.  They were stand up comedian Mark Samson, his wife Sam Pearce originally from the UK but residing in Cape Town for the last 22 years.  They had their biological daughter, 12 year old Ruby with them as well as their 9 year old adopted Xhosa son, Zola.  They both attended a Xhosa pre-school in the neighbouring township of Masiphumelele before going to Fish Hoek Primary School. What an interesting family.  They are in Accra having left Noordhoek 7 months ago on a trip around Africa, clockwise, which is also their blog and website name.  They are on a quest to spend two or three years travelling in their big green 1978 truck on the generosity of hotels and other institutes giving them their old cooking oil to be used as fuel.

They collect the old cooking oil and place it in the large plastic bag, filter it and place it into the smaller plastic containers to be used later. They want to try and break the Guinness world record of the longest journey made on alternative fuel.

Mark, Sam, Ruby and Zola.  

They sleep, eat, wash and school their children in this bus and use their home rental money from South Africa as their income.  To say thank you to communities for allowing them to use their land and facilities, Mark will perform juggling acts and magic, as do the children and Sam does a fire dance.  Whenever they have had to bribe anyone, because they have very little cash, Mark performs his disappearing red handkerchief trick which apparently usually works.

 

Dave had braaied a huge three foot piece of sirloin from South Africa for the many guests. Every time I walked past the dining room table, Mark was there having another slice of meat.  He explained, "This is the first time I have had red meat in 7 months". 

 

The family were kindly invited to sleep at another couples house and another couple took their washing home to be done in a machine.  Good old South African now Ghanaian hospitality.  They are planning on staying in Accra for about three months.

 

We arrived back after shopping to find Mark making extra large bubbles for the children in the pool. We found out Mark's story later. 

 

 

That evening, to say thank you to Dave and the other strangers whom they had just met, Mark performed his red handkerchief trick for us all to the fascination and amazement of Hannah, Em and Caitlyn.

 

Sam performed her fire dance to the music of "Fever".

 

 

 

Then, at about 8pm a Rastafarian band arrived to sing happy birthday to Chris and to perform for the party goers. Dave had arranged for them to arrive at 5pm but true to GMT, Ghana maybe time, they were three hours late. If only I could let you hear the fabulously catchy songs they played by Bob Marley like "No woman, no cry", "One love" and "Buffalo Soldier."  I just loved the dude in the middle with his white teeth white eyes and naughty, naughty attitude.

He played a tune on his flute while blowing through his nose!  Half way through their show, in typical and smile causing secrecy, they had a quick puff around the corner! 

 

 His colourful seemingly too big for him shoes were eye catching.

 Dave's 50th was on the 19 February and Chris celebrated his birthday on the 10th of March.

Shiree, an American, who is the director of an International School in Accra trying hard to teach a very happy Dave to line-dance.

 

 

It was only the next morning that we found out that even Dave didn't know all his guests.  We just presumed everyone else knew each other and that we were the strangers!

 

I got up at 6.45am to make coffee for Porks who makes me coffee every other morning, only to find Dave in the kitchen sweeping! I don't know whether he even went to bed but he was wide eyed and bushy tailed, so I presume that he did.

 

His helper Theresa, who had worked solidly all the day before was also up and cleaning with a smile.  By the time the others had surfaced the house downstairs was tidy and one would never have believed there had been such a tremendous party the day and night before.

 

After coffee, yoghurt and Woolworths treats, we sadly said our goodbyes and travelled back to Accra airport to await our return flight to Kumasi.

The air-conditioner at Accra airport!

So our weekend, just to get away, ended up being full of new found friends, entertainment, good food and wonderfully interesting company.  Every minute of the weekend was chock-a-block with busyness, well for some of us anyway.

The air conditioner on our return flight was also not working as one can see.

But nothing could put a dampener, ironically, on our fabulous weekend holiday away from the bush.

Kumasi and Yegi

Oh, we are so much happier now that Roz, Hannah and Emma are here.  Along with Deon, they have made our lives here more fulfilled and normal. We have a month left with these ladies so are making the most of their company while we are able to.
 

Roz needed to stock up on groceries so she, Hannah and I travelled with Arno and the driver, Joe, to Kumasi.  Little Emma is not a shopper and chose to stay at home and Buddy sit.  We left early in the morning and I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the two of them.  Here is a previous one.

While we were away, Emma was a very good mommy and took great care of Buddy.  She took this photo and I could not leave this special picture off my blog.

Spoiled little chap! 

 

 

We left at 6.30am and eventually arrived home after 7pm.

 

Ghana is well known for its Kente weaving. We passed a small town where they make and sell the material and the lady in the shop, Florence, was very helpful in explaining how this beautiful fabric is woven and sold. 

Florence has just wrapped a rectangle of fabric around her waist for us to see how it should be worn.

The little strips hanging behind Arno and Florence are samples of the weaving packages one can buy. 

 

Arno bought one to use as a table cloth and I took a photo.  They are made in approximately 15cm strips and then sewn together.

 

We were told that this pattern is called Fathia Fata Nkrumah translated into "Fathia is a befitting wife for Nkrumah."  Fathia was an Egyptian woman who married Nkrumah, the first president of the Republic of Ghana.

It is quite a thick fabric and must be quite difficult to wear in the heat.

Just outside the village we took photos of the weavers who were all men.  They seem to be the main weavers in this activity.  The looms are placed under the trees for shade.

They separate the two lines of thread and pass a shuttle with the coloured cotton through each time then the two rows are changed and the shuttle passed through again.

 

 

This gentleman was combining these cones of cotton together.

 

 

It is even printed on the local chocolate wrappers. This chocolate has a hard, crumbly texture and it does not melt!

Kente cloth is usually worn for ceremonies, festivals and other sacred occasions. 

It is also given as gifts for weddings, graduations and other special events.

Women wear the cloth in 2 pieces - 1 piece about 2 metres long and approximately 120 centimetres wide is wrapped round the waist to form a floor-length skirt worn over a blouse specially sewn in plain material. The other Kente piece is either hung loosely over the arm or used as a shawl or stole. Men wear the one piece cloth in much the same way as the 'Toga' was worn by the ancient Greeks.     On the way home we saw camels that had come from Burkino Faso.  We have not found out when they had come or for what purpose.     We managed to find Buddy a chew-bone in Kumasi which is not half as much fun as my arm but does serve the purpose.       Ian Crawford had been a number of times to us and we decided to go and visit him and the Jatropha plantation in Yegi where he is working. In one of the villages a gentleman was selling this smoked grass cutter and when we asked the price he said 65 Cedis which amount to approximately R325! The farmers have nowhere convenient to dry their yams and cassava, so end up placing the cut pieces on the small tar road that runs near their plot.    We made toasties under the biggest and shadiest tree we could find in the plantation. After the braai we drove along the edge of the Volta dam. Emma and Hannah standing on the edge of the lake.  We tried to go to a place as remote as possible where there were not too many people. Travelling in Ian's vehicle were Deon and Emma and suddenly the left hand side of their vehicle sank.   In Ghana there are spots of sinking sand.  It is dry on the top and with any pressure from above, the thick crust gives way and underneath is soft runny mud. If one stands on the ground it is like walking on a firm sponge.  The vehicles at Porks' work often end up sinking even during this dry season. As you can see, there is nothing in the sand to give any indication of the consistency other than its slightly darker soil.        We had a small rope in our vehicle but pulling it out was impossible.   As we were watching the tyres were sinking lower and lower in the ground. Gradually the local villagers started coming to see what was happening. More and more people arrived.     Soon there were dozens of people watching the afternoon's entertainment.   After much consultation, these Ghanaians who probably have never owned their own vehicle, managed to get children to bring hoes from nearby houses and worked at digging the soft soil away from the tyres.    "Bring rocks now!" or something to that effect was shouted by the largest man because even before his bark had died down, without questioning, the children ran around gathering the stones lying around and made a quick pile.   After digging and placing some of the gathered rocks behind the tyres, approximately eight Ghanaians lifted the vehicle while Ian reversed and with ease the truck was free.    Success!   Celebration. They were thrilled that they had managed to be of assistance and we asked them to pose for a  photo.   Then I threw my hands up in the air and they copied me.   How humbling!  Those who have so little, give so much!