Nomadic Adventures in Town Planning

Nicaragua

2008-10-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

Back in May of 2008, I went off on another trip and this time to visit my girlfriend in Nicaragua. No, Leah is not Nicaraguan herself but she decided to go on a four month tour of Central America.

Nicaragua is considered the second poorest country in the western hemisphere after Haiti. Reading the history of the country it seemed that it had been in a continual state of war. There were the Spanish conquistadors, the wars between the conservatives and liberals, American interventions, the Sandinista revolution and the Contra war. And in between all that were earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and hurricanes. However, it looks like the country may have finally turned a corner and is now considered the safest country in Central America. In addition, the people are proud and are not going to allow any outside nation or corrupt leader ruin what they have achieved.

Managua

I arrived in Managua and after getting through customs I could see Leah waiting for me. She looked like something straight out of a Roxy advertisement; blond curly hair, hippy outfit and a super deep tan. After exchanging a Hollywood moment it was off to the Best Western Hotel which was only across the street from the airport. Next day we got up and started on our adventure.

Our first destination was the Managua bus station which ended up living to its reputation for sketchiness. As soon as the taxi driver opened up the trunk of the car, two guys went and grabbed our bags. Not very amused by this, I ran after them leaving Leah to pay the driver. Fortunately, they were just being overly eager for us to get on their bus and not out to snatch our stuff. After looking at their packed vehicle we decided on another more comfortable one to take us to Granada.

Granada

Upon arriving in Granada we tracked down Hostel Oasis which was only a few blocks away from the bus station. We went through the front gate and found ourselves in a beautiful interior court yard with the rooms facing onto it. There was a swimming pool, free internet, a garden, and self serve beer and pop (just write down your room number). My favourite was of course the hammocks tied to the pillars around the court yard. Reading a book and swinging in a hammock while drinking a beer is the perfect way to relax after a long day.

Speaking of hammocks…they were definitely a staple of Nicaragua. You would often see them strung out in front of Nicaraguan homes and at most hostels. At one hostel, you could pay $5 to sleep in a hammock for the night. Not sure how comfortable that would be.

After dropping our stuff off, we walked to Granada’s town square to check things out. Around the square were a few fancy hotels, some beautiful cultural buildings and a stunning Catholic church. In the square itself there was a gazebo (took Leah and I the longest time to remember what one of those was called?!), some statues, benches, and a few fountains. The locals were selling some tourist items, snacks and drinks. This was a great place for to sit back and people watch, especially the old dudes as they discussed life. As we would continue our travels, it seemed that if you were going to be any sort of town, it was a requirement to have a town square with a church anchoring it.

From the square we then headed down a street that led to the shores of Lake Nicaragua. This tidy little road, with amazing restaurants, but a general lack of locals would be nicknamed by some as Gringo Street. On this day however, we were surprised by a parade of cowboys and cowgirls riding there magnificent horses. Intermingled with the horses were a couple bands, street performers, and ladies pushing beer carts. It was kind of surreal considering this was our first day in Granada. After following the crowd to the water, we headed back up to have dinner at a fusion restaurant. We would end up finding that Nicaragua was full of restaurants with delicious food, great ambience, and at affordable prices.

The next day we went to visit a few of the many beautiful churches in town. The San Francisco was attached to a museum which had a very detailed model of the city. I stared at it for about ten minutes to Leah’s amusement. Later we headed to La Merced where we were allowed to go to the roof and also the bell tower to get a view of the city. We were literally on the edge of the bell tower with a metre to spare before you would have thrilling end. From there you could see all the colourful buildings with there internal courtyards and the surrounding volcanoes.

I found Granada to be a very picturesque city that was perfect for tourists. However, it seemed that the centre of town was more of a living museum rather than a gathering place for the people. You would have to go to the local market to find the locals going about their everyday life. With its narrow lanes, corrugated metal roofs held up by wooden poles, the market held all the necessities such as fruits, vegetables, fish and Leah’s favourite…mmm…meat (not).

Mombacho

The following day it was a stop at Cathy’s Waffle House and on to hike Volcano Mombacho. A massive off road passenger truck took us up a windy road and stopped off a coffee plantation where we tried the local brew…hmm…I don’t understand why you guys drink this stuff. After buying a pack of coffee for my mom (yeah, I am sweet) we got back in the truck and met up with our guide Alex at the rangers station. He would be the one leading us up and down the trail that must have been the inspiration for the Stairmaster. Talk about buns of steel at the end of 3 hours…and Alex wasn’t even breathing hard in his jeans and t-shirt. The gruelling hike would take us to see some wonderful views of the surrounding area including Granada and Volcano Lake. We also saw wildflowers, butterflies and smelled the rotten egg goodness coming from the volcano steam vents. We celebrated our accomplishment by going to a restaurant called Nectar and watching some kids break dance on the street.

Masaya

Our next destination was Masaya to check out a couple of cultural markets. The chicken bus…oh, wait you have not heard of these yet. Well, they are converted school buses that are now used as public transit. While not the most luxurious or fast way to travel, they are cheap, more comfortable than a Ghanaian tro tro, you get to rub shoulder to shoulder with the locals (literally) and of course they bring back memories of when you were a kid.

The bus stopped at the station, which was a large open dirt field. After talking to a few people we figured out where to head to get to the market. Masaya looked like a decent enough place but its narrow sidewalks and traffic did not allow for strolling; you had to keep on your toes or you might get hit by something. The market was surrounded by an old wall where you finally get a bit of peace from the chaos outside. The amount of souvenirs was mind boggling. I ended up buying some wine holder, cigars, and a belt. Then we headed back to the bus station where we found a more authentic market where they were making souvenirs. Back at Granada we went to a Café and watched a friendly drunk guy serenade the passer-bys.

Ometepe Island

The following day we went for breakfast at the Garden Café which ended up being Leah’s favourite restaurant. We chatted with a Canadian who was running his online business from Nicaragua while making American cash. Pretty nice idea. After we headed to Ometepe Island via the chicken bus and ferry.

On the ferry, we met a three fine people from Utah who were travelling around South and Central America. They called themselves the non-Mormon support group and we would later play cards and drink rum with them at the hostel. We headed to Charco Verde but were warned that it was not the most exciting place in the world by our friends…and they were right. The beach was not the nicest and there was really no hiking around. It also didn’t help when we were trying to sleep there were people outside our door partying, bugs bouncing off the wall, dogs barking and…and a rooster crowing?! Well, the next day we left right after breakfast for Santa Cruz and found the El Encanto hostel.

El Encanto was such a treasure. A dirt road led up a hill to the hostel which was situated on a small farm. The friendly owners were Helen from Australia and Carlos from El Salvador and they hooked us up with our own little cabin. They also had a fine restaurant with tasty meals. After having a bite we headed to the beach and had a nice warm swim. However, we did not choose the best spot to lay our towels as little spiders wrapped their cobwebs around us. In then evening we played cribbage and watched the sunset from the restaurant patio.

Volcano Maderas

The following day we decided to hike one of Ometepe’s two volcanoes called Maderas. We met our guide Felix who was about 40 years old, wore rubber boats and only spoke Spanish. Being young and fit and wearing our sporty clothes we thought we could easily keep up with this veteran. Well, Maderas proved to be one of the most difficult hikes we had ever done. The trail included very few switch backs, was not very well maintained and at times muddy. And Felix was always waiting for us. We would later learn that he hikes the volcano every day.

Nevertheless, our efforts were rewarded. We walked through the jungle and saw a hummingbird’s nest, some beautiful views, and hieroglyphs. After four hours we reached the volcano’s crater where there was a lake. On the way back we saw some howler monkeys whose calls rumbled through the trees. Felix amused us by calling them tigers. At the end of eight hours a coke never tasted so refreshing.

Eye of the Water

Next day we rented a couple of bikes and rode along the beach to a place called 'the Eye of the Water'. A smart entrepreneur went and damned up a spring and created a very pleasant swimming pool. Surrounded by jungle it was very refreshing place to cool off. I made one impressive splat on the water as I swung off a rope. Leah was very amused. On the way back we rode past a bunch of the locals who were playing soccer on the beach.

Leon

After leaving Ometepe, and another stop in Granada, Leon was the next destination. In some ways it had a similar feel and character as Granada; big churches, public squares, internal courtyards, nice restaurants, markets, etc. However, the city felt more alive and engaging than Granada. As you walked around the streets you saw many murals depicting the history of the revolution along with a good dose of anti-American graffiti. Nicaraguans would frequent the same bars and restaurants as the tourists. The central square had live entertainment in the evening and much of the crowd were locals. They also had a few universities. No wonder this place was the political, artistic and academic hub of Nicaragua.

The first day we went and got ourselves familiar with Leon. We checked out the central square and visited the biggest church in Central America. The roof provided a great view of the city. Then we headed to Prison 21 which was a prison during the Somoza dictatorship. It is now a memorial to the political prisoners and a Traditions and Legends museum. The place has a bit of a dual personality; there were murals depicting how prisoners were tortured and then there were really amateur mannequins presenting the myths and legends of Nicaragua.

Later, we went for some food at a pub called the Shark Pit and happened to notice a Flames jersey hanging on the wall. In the evening we saw the new Indiana Jones; Harrison Ford is still Indy but otherwise a disappointment.

We stayed our first evening in Leon at Bigfoot Hostel. This was one of the sketchiest hostels I have every stayed in. Our room had a vault like door, no windows, a mattress on the floor, a small wood bench and all illuminated by a dull incandescent light bulb. They must have used this room for a torture scene in a movie. The washrooms were not much better. I was thinking that maybe we were spoiled in Granada.

Next day however, we went across the street and miraculously found a room at Via Via. This place was easily as nice as Oasis Hostel in Granada and even had a restaurant, bar, pool table and foosball. The tour guide office, run by a couple from Netherlands, offered us lots of good advice.

We continued our tour of Leon. Our first stop was the Casa de Cultura which was a centre that supported the arts in Leon. There were some Nicaraguan paintings, sculptures, and school children practicing traditional dance. Next was the Leon Art Gallery which was had many outstanding paintings from Nicaraguan artists. Easily as good as any other art gallery I have seen.

We took a break and had some tasty licuados (smoothies) before meeting up with Harry, our Dutch tour guide, who gave us a history tour of Leon. Harry and his wife were an interesting couple. They had been volunteering in a slum in Guatemala on and off for a year. After things got a little tense with the gangs they moved on to Nicaragua and helped Via Via set up a tour office. They focus of their tours is on meeting the locals and learning the culture.

We first checked out the oldest church in Leon. After we went to see a former fort/prison used during the Somoza era. Situated on a hill, we could see a wonderful view of Leon. The site is now falling into disrepair but it is hoped that it will one day be a tourist site. However, in the opposite direction we saw a very sad sight where some people were scouring a landfill for what they could use or sell. There is thought about moving the dump to another spot however, it is not understood how this will affect the people living in the area.

In the evening we went to a café/bar. There was some great live music and the owner was the singer. It was another place where there was a great mix of both locals and tourists.

The next morning we ended up getting a surprise. Typically the rain in Nicaragua came either early in the morning or in the early evening. However, this day was a lot different; it would not stop. We eventually heard from Harry that a tropical storm was heading our direction. By the end of the morning it was just pouring down and we decided to stay put and enjoy a cigar while watching the storm.

After finishing our stogy, we eventually decided to go and check things out. Most of the shops were closed in the street but hey, why don’t we check out the Sandinista museum?! Funny enough it was open and we were welcomed inside by some Sandinista party members. The museum was held in a grand building that was a former headquarters for the Somoza government. The exhibits were held in one room and while there was an abundant amount of information, it primarily consisted of newspaper clippings and photo copies taped onto construction paper; it looked like something from a high school project. A Sandinista gave us a tour and Leah showed off her Spanish skills by translating what he was saying. The guide stated that they wanted to make this a proper museum but helping the people must come first. Got to respect that. After, they took us to the roof of the building where we could see the rain and wind blowing off the neighbouring buildings.

On our return, we stocked up at the local super market as we weren’t sure what the next day would bring. We ended up finding that we were not the only ones as locals were doing the same. The highlight of our purchases was Leah picking up a Jesus candle to keep us through the night. Soaking wet, we headed back to the hostel and changed into dry clothes. Later in the evening I would join our fellow hostellers for a few beers by candle light. It almost felt like WWII with our meager provisions and the pounding of rain outside.

Poneloya

Well, we survived the night and the next day was a sunny one. Unfortunately, the volcano boarding trip (yes, like snowboarding but down the shale of a volcano) we had reserved was canceled due to muddy roads. Instead we went to the pacific coast for some swimming. After listening to some sweet 80s tunes on the bus (seemed that everyone still had their old cassette players) we arrived at the beach. Poneloya looked like it got the brunt of the wind and rain with roofs torn off and trees uprooted. However, the restaurant we stopped at looked untouched. We took a walk along the beach and enjoyed the crashing of the waves. However, swimming was little bit dangerous as you were slammed down by the crashing water.

Cockfighting (yeah, you heard me)

I had seen the advertisement for cockfighting and jokingly suggested it to Leah. She of course dismissed it right away. But our trustworthy guide, Harry, would later convince us by saying “you get the meet the family who runs the place, checkout the farm, see the roasters, and eat some local foods”. We were like 'awesome, let’s do it!'

We arrived at “the farm” which is more in the suburbs of Leon then out in the country. There were a few trees, bare dirt, a shack, and a small ring with stands. We were given the local rum (cough, cough, hard stuff), soft tacos, and coke. The owner came by and spoke to us and yes we saw the roosters. Then we got to see the fights…

So, this is not your typical boxing match. In a boxing match you win by knock or by score. Not here…you win, and only win, if the opposing roaster dies. Kind of sick really but when you are poor and do not have much money, a rooster fight is cheap entertainment.

At first it is interesting to watch the whole process. For example, the roasters have a claw on the back of their leg to fight with. The owners cut it off and replace it with a small blade. Also, there is a swing rooster that they show the two fighters to get them riled up. Then they put the roosters next to each other and off they go. The crowd would like be any crowd watching a hockey fight or ultimate fighting. The difference though is that something dies at the end.

After feeling disturbed enough, we sat and chatted with other travelers and then made it back to our hostel.

Final Night

To recover from our shock, Leah and I ended up going to a fabulous restaurant with wine, an entrée and desert. It was a great way to end the trip.

To the Airport!

I got dropped off at the bus station in Managua and went to find a taxi. I had previously asked Harry how much I should expect to pay to get to the airport. If you are a total tourist, no more than $5 he said. Fine, I offer the driver $5 (my bartering skills are not so good in Spanish) and off we go. He ends up picking up 2 other people along the way! And then charges me $6! I sucked it up knowing that in Canada it would have been a $40 cab ride. Love how Nicaragua keeps you on your toes.

Hong Kong

2008-04-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I have written here. Well, the latest adventure was to Hong Kong to visit my sister and brother-in-law who are living there. As soon as I get off the plane the smell suddenly brings me back to

Taiwan

; a fragrant smell that is a mix of flowers, moisture, incense, Chinese food, and sewer. Anne Marie and Tom met us at the station and took us to their apartment. It is a small but decent one bedroom in the 8^th floor of a 20 storey building. I got the sleep on the floor (on a very comfy mattress I might add; thanks Anne Marie).

This city of 7 million is almost the definition of cosmopolitan. You would be hard pressed to find a building that was less than 10 stories tall unless you went to the country side. One building might even house a school and then residential on top. Many of the big banks in the region have their headquarters here in their grand tall skyscrapers. What was nice about the residential towers was that they were very slender which allowed for light to reach the street. You would also find all the big name clothing stories such as Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Gucci, etc. Their bill boards were every where. The one that seemed a little ridiculous was that 20 storey sign of a guy in a pair of Calvin Klein tighty whiteys…ewww!

What was also a surprise was how hilly Hong Kong was. It is built on the side of a rocky and hilly island! The roads tend to follow the contours but sometimes the streets would run perpendicular to them. Talk about a steep climb to the next street. Sometimes I wondered if the only reason that Hong Kong exists at all, is because it was the only land that the Brits had to work with. Supposedly, Queen Victoria found it amusing that her Admiral was so proud of having gained a rock island from China.

The Hong Kong people seem very go, go, go. They have business to do. And I was surprised that with the amount of fashion outlets, everyone was dressed rather conservatively. No anime here.

A couple of interesting places we checked out in the City included the ladies market in Mong Kok (say that fast), a street lined with antiques, and Lan Kwai Fong (the expat place to hang out and have a drink).

Trains, planes, automobiles and….

This city is crisscrossed with transportation networks. There is the metro, trams, buses, mini-buses, ferries, and even helicopters. Skywalks take you between buildings and roads and the airport is a hub for the region. It is amazing to watch the waterfront and see a helicopter, a plane, and boats all simultaneously. There is just no excuse not to take public transit for where you need to go.

One adventure for us was the airline we had flown on, Oasis, went out of business. Fortunately, I had had a good conversation with a flight attendant on the flight over and she notified me of the liquidation of Oasis. Otherwise, we would have arrived at the airport with no way home. We booked another flight with Air Canada in the end.

Octopus Card

Pure genius I tell you! The octopus card in Hong Kong has to be one of the best inventions since sliced bread. Like London, you can put money on this card to use to pay for public transit. Just place by the scanner, beep, and go. What is better though is that you do not have to fill out any forms to get one. Just go to the 7-Eleven and add some money to it. If you lose it, well, maybe you lost $20. Not only that though, I even understand you can use the card to buy groceries and other goods. None of this pin and signature stuff. Scan and go! I even saw a pop machine that took the card! Hello world!? Shouldn’t we all be using this?

Outside the Big City

A nice aspect of Hong Kong was because of the high density and because of the amount of hills; there was a lot of open space preserved. We hiked up one of these lush hills to the “peak” to get a view of the city. I was expecting something like Mount Royal in Montreal at the top. Unfortunately, we were greeted by a large viewing tower and two malls?!

We were also able to visit this one village that is called Tai O. The people have their homes built on stilts along the inlets. I guess after one fire, the government was willing to build new accommodations for everyone. Well, the locals protested and they still live on stilts. There were also the legendary pink dolphins to see. Hmm, I have concluded they are mythical after spending 30 minutes on the water in a boat and not seeing anything. What a great way to bring in tourists. After we off course had to go to the Outlet mall. Yay! Outline Mall! It was not so great but the food court was fun. The mall was surrounded by 20 storey condos.

Another day was spent in Stanley; a nice but touristy town along the ocean. The place reminded me of a town in Croatia. There was a picturesque waterfront with shops and such. We also toured through the market and bought a few goodies. My dad and I had to stop and enjoy a Chinese beer.

Lamma Island (which has no Lamas, booo) was another place we visited. We took a four kilometer hike between two of the towns. There were a few beaches along the way and even the coal fired power plant…time for a family photo. The end town was where we stopped at an amazing vegetarian restaurant (see I am not always a carnivorous meat eater) and chilled out to folk tunes and looked through the library of books.

Food

I had heard some rumours that the food was not so good in Hong Kong. I beg to defer…it is amazing! And so much variety too. It could be because Tom and Anne Marie know where to go but I am not sure. We tried everything from Dim Sum to vegetarian to Sichuan. Had to love the fruit slushy and yogurt desert, mmmm! Not so hot was the dish that had chicken feet and a chicken head on it. Probably our favourite was the hole in the wall Indian restaurant. Along with great Indian there was pizza! The Tandori pizza was my favourite.

Zhuhai, China

For me, the highlight of the trip was Zhuhai in China. There is just something about developing countries that make travelling way more interesting. Perhaps it is because you are seeing a way of life different from your own. Anyway, I was not really sure what to expect when I arrived. All I new was this city was one of China’s first Special Economic Zones (where taxes and regulations are reduced to attract companies) and it has gone from a fishing village in the 1980s to a city of 500,000 people. The Lonely Planet made the joke that the only fishnets you will find around here are the ones on the hookers, ha, ha!

When we arrived, I was surprised by the place. The city was really well laid out with grand avenues, buildings that were built proportionate to the street, large parks, and a waterfront promenade that stretched from one end of town to the other. Along the pedestrian only street were a variety of flashy shops, hotels, bars, and restaurants. The bars were interesting as they were just small square tables that were manned by a couple of cute girls. You could see them drinking and gambling with the guys and sometimes families (?) that were perched on a stole. When my dad and I walked by alone, the girls would calls us over for a drink at their bar, ha, ha. Of course we were good.

The one thing you had to be careful about was crossing at the crosswalks. Cars paid no attention to them and would just zoom right through. You watched the locals as they made it across one lane, stopped, waited for the cars to go by, and then on to cross the next lane. Reminded me of the old Atari game Frogger.

The most fun was in the maze of back lanes which acted as a market for the locals. You would see everything from places to eat, tea shops, food vendors, antique stories, etc. You felt like you were really seeing how life was in this town. I was surprised that something so haphazard could spring up in such a new city. Where was the planner!?

I was expecting to see a lot of variances between rich and poor. However, most people seemed to be pretty middle class, easy going and friendly. You would see in the markets people playing Chinese card games and others strolling along the waterfront. One garbage collector found a glass fishing float and gave it to Tom. The guy even went into the ocean to clean it up!

Fun times were also at the restaurant we found after a long day of shopping. There, we were waited on hand and foot! First are the hostesses who are dressed in tradition slim fitting, long slit up the side, traditional (?) Chinese dresses. They take you to your table where a server takes your order. Then there are two busers who stand only a few feet away to help you with anything you need.

I ended up buying a tea pot at a tea shop. I was really surprised at how expensive tea pots could be; up to $200 sometimes! They were beautiful though. I ended up paying maybe $25 for my own.

It was too bad we were only there 1 night; would have been great to explore more. It was back to Hong Kong and then next day back to Canada. Anne Marie and Tom were supreme tour guides.

Mostar

2007-07-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

Originally, I had planned to head to Italy after Croatia. However, travelling through Western Europe just seemed too easy especially after

Ghana

. Clare, from Britain, and I decided to head to Mostar in Bosnia & Herzegovina. Her and I had been running into each other continuously from Hvar to Korcula to Durbrovnik.

We had been recommended to go to Majdas’s Guesthouse by a couple of Swedes. When we arrived in Mostar, we were going to give the place a call to pick us up (calling card says free pick up) after heading to the bank. However, on our way to the bank, a white panel van rolls up asking if we were going to Majdas’s Guesthouse. We say yes and he says hop in. So, what would you do in this situation? Well, we decided to hop in the van. Fortunately, it was the real deal and we were not taken to some secluded area and beaten to death.

We are amused to find that the guesthouse was run by a friendly family of a brother, his sister, and mother. We met an American girl named Justine there and we invited her to do a tour of the town. There we would run into a Canadian named Mike who had previously met in Hvar.

In town we discovered the beautiful Stari Most old (now new) bridge. It is a structure you could stare at for hours. This bridge was completely destroyed during the Balkan war and has since been rebuilt with money from donor countries. If you give some money to one of the macho speedo wearing local divers, he will leap off the 21m high bridge for you. However, there are consequences to jumping off the bridge yourself with out paying. According to one American I would later meet, he jumped off the bridge, swam to shore, and then was beaten up by the divers in speedos.

Some background on Mostar. This place was mostly home to Bosnians (Muslims) and Croatians (Catholics). During the war, the Serbians laid siege to the city. However, the Bosnians and Croatians were later able to repel them. In turn, the Croatians then decided to try and use military force to push all the Bosnians to one side of the river. The result was a lot of damage to mosques, churches, bridges, and buildings along with many deaths. Today, there are still evidence of the war with shelled out/bullet holed riddle buildings, graveyards, bad memories, and bitterness. However, donor countries have provided aid to help rehabilitate many of the old mosques, churches and other buildings damaged during the war.

The guesthouse also gave tours of the surrounding area. So, the following day about ten of us piled into the now familiar white panelled van where we would be taken to a secluded area and killed…just kidding. Instead the brother took us to a small town called Pocitelj where we visited a mosque, climbed a medieval tour, and had Turkish coffee. Then it was off to a winery and finally to the amazing Kravice Waterfalls where we swam around the falling water. The brother, our guide, was very informative and funny. One joke was that he was going to take us to see Boris and his harem. Well Boris turned out to be a rooster.

In the evening we all went out for dinner at a local restaurant. We had each picked a dish for ourselves but decided we all had to try…fried brain…yay! It was surprisingly good taste but the texture was well…like brain. Later we would sit on cushions drinking alcohol and then go to a bar located in a cave to drink some more.

All the people I had met were incredibly interesting. Mike and I we were born on the same day, in the same year. I shared a conversation with a French girl who was also a town planner. Then there was the young couple who were planning to do a documentary on Kosovo as it nears independence. Finally, there were Diane and Stacy from Newfoundland; Newfounlanders are always a riot.

Dubrovnik

2007-07-23T15:49:00.000-07:00

Dubrovnik has often been called the pearl of Adriatic. The old town does fit the bill with its limestone medieval wall, limestone street pavers, limestone buildings, and clay tile roofs. The narrow streets lead you to churches, museums, art galleries, restaurants, bars, and shops. Residential homes can be identified with laundry being strung out their windows.

Understandably, this place is flooded with tourists and the locals have gone out of their way to make it easy as possible for you to spend your money. Practically every sign for example is in English. Also, in the evening are a number of events including music, performances, and fashion shows. Oddly, the tourist map of the town does not identify places of interests but where “damages caused by the aggression on Dubrovnik by the Yugoslav army, Serbs, and Montenegrians 1991-1992”.

Without an intense search, you would think that all there was to eat in Dubrovnik was pizza and ice cream. Fortunately, I met a New Zealand guy who showed us an amazing sea food restaurant by the harbour. The four of us together shared these huge boles of calamari, squid, and shrimp, downed them with beer, and mopped up the sauce with bread. The only complaint was we had to ask that our beer mugs be topped up after receiving them half empty (or half full?).

Side Note: Filling ones beer mug half full seems to be typical of such countries as Croatia and the Czech Republic. Instead of pouring the beer in slowly, with the glass tilted, they just pour until the foam reaches the top. If your glass ends up half empty, well sucks to be you.

Outside the town walls however is a different story. In fact the rest of Dubrovnik is terribly boring with not much else to see. It seems the people of Dubrovnik were not inspired enough by their old town to make the rest of the city attractive or interesting.

There was quite a disagreement occurring between the hostel I was staying at and the guesthouses located nearby. As you walked up the stairs to the hostel, little old ladies would say “I got a nice room, come see”. While I ignored them, the odd traveller would stop and take a look. However, these guesthouses did not have licences and the hostel would threaten the women with calling the cops if they let a disgruntled hosteller (I thought the place was decent) stay with them.

Another side note: You were often confronted at train stations, bus stations, and ferry terminals by little old ladies who were pushing you to stay at their guesthouse. “I got a nice room, come see” and “it’s close, come, come”.

Korcula

2007-06-26T01:39:00.000-07:00

From Hvar I took a ferry to Korcula. This is another fantastic place. The old town juts out into the ocean and has a wall around it. There are a maze of streets on the inside. I thought this would be the place where I would try the local food. I stopped for lunch at one small restaurant where I had dish with boiled beef, potatoes, pees with gravy. The beef was so tender and the Croatian beer washed it down nicely.

In the evening I had a fish dish. When they brought it out I suddenly thought I was in Ghana. There was this blob of potatoes in the middle of the plate, fish on the side, with sort of a soap/sauce poured over it. Fortunately, it tasted a lot better than fufu. The local white wine was also nice.

I made a trip to one a nearby town. The captain of the taxi ferry was super nice and had lots of stories about Croatia. He had also been the captain of a cargo ship for thirty years and travelled around the world. I guess for 2 months running his taxi ferry he can make enough to live on for 6 months. Guess the tourism is bringing in the dollars. Also, he said that he could sell his land that he owned in Dubronik for about 1 million Euros.

The beach I was heading to was supposed to be the best around but I was very disappointed. It was a pretty small sandy beach and it was full of people. Two Aussies girls came along and they were not that happy about it either. They thought it was not secluded enough for them to go topless...now I was really, really disappointed...

I stayed at a hostel run by South Africans. The certainly cram you in there however the bar was super cool. You sit on comfy pillows with exotic carpets on the wall and warm lamps. I ended up meeting again one of the people from the UK I saw in Hvar. We all later went out that evening for a few drinks.

Island of Hvar

2007-06-26T01:01:00.000-07:00

Went to the Island of Hvar and stayed at the town of the same name. The town was absolutely stunning with white stone buildings and streets. It seems to be a theme for people to live on narrow back lanes and hang their laundry between buildings. Lots of beautiful yachts are in the harbour.

I stayed at the Green Lizard hostel and it so far been the best I have stayed. Large rooms, a kitchen, chillin outdoor common areas, and so clean. I met a bunch of travellers from the likes of the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Sweden. We hit one of the bars where some fellow Canadians got ridiculously drunk.

Ten of us rented a boat one day and took off to a nearby island to swim and sunbath. I got to drive the boat on the way there and no, we did not crash. Well, it was challenging with the two Swedish girls sunbathing on the bow of the boat.

Watch out for sea urchins, one of our crew ended up stepping on one. Ouch! I wore my sandals while swimming after that. The water is so clear and blue and calm. And I cannot believe how buoyant the sea is. You can lie on your back and float with out treading water. The beaches are not especially great here. Most of them are small pebble beaches and the odd sand one. Nothing to make a sand castle with.

That evening there was a power outrages which turned out to be fun. Everyone was walking around town and enjoying the night. Next day some of us went to visit a fortress on the hill of the town and I walked through some of the backstreets of down.

Talk about being hot and humid! It is reminding me of Ghana. I think I saw 35 degrees at one point. I can handle it but being sweaty all the time leads to many showers and doing laundry more often.

About Croatians: The Lonely Planet (or Mr. Planet for some) warned about the high fashion sense of Croatians. Well, they were not joking. The crowd looks like they walked out of a Gucci magazine (especially the women) with Hollywood glasses, black skirts and dresses, expensive jeans, and fancy shoes and all. Lets say I feel a little under dressed. Where they get the money from to buy that stuff, I do not know.

Croatians also keep things clean. The streets are clear of garbage and their hostels are the cleanest I have been to. Someone is always sweeping up in the grocery stores too.

Split...no, not the verb but the city

2007-06-23T06:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. This place was not given high enough of a recommendation, which actually is good because most people strolling around are Croatian. The city is centred around an old Roman fortress that was built on the coast. During the middle ages, people moved within its walls to start a new life for themselves. The result is a maze of squares, back lanes, churches, shops, bars, restaurants and apartments. The place is not just some giant tourist site but a community. For example, as you walk through the lanes you see people have clothes lines running between the upper stories. And just when you think you have hit a dead end, you discover a restaurant, a shop, or something else of interest.

Outside the fortress is a beautiful harbour with white stone which blinds the eyes. There is also a cool market with clothes and food being sold. The ocean looked so clear and blue!

I stayed a great hostel called Hostel Split. It was difficult to find as a I walked up and down this one lane. Finally a young teenager asked me what I was looking for and in turn showed me the way. The hostel does not appear to have a sign. When you open the gate, three town houses split off and you go to the one on the right. It was just a tiny place but had lots of character. In the evening, the women at the hostel gave us a tour of the town and showed us a cool bar where you could drink beer in one of the lanes. We had a great conversation with her about Croatia.

Next day it was off to the Island of Hvar.

Zagreb

2007-06-23T05:38:00.000-07:00

I do not think that I have ever seen a city with such a distinctive transition between historical neighbourhoods. At the top of the hill is the old town with medieval cobble stone streets, squares, and churches. South is something out of the city beautiful movement with a semi grid of streets, monumental buildings, parks, fountains, and a beautiful train station. Then right across the tracks is a very "modern" area with ugly concrete buildings, ridiculously wide roads with boulevards, and to much useless open space.

Zagreb is great for strolling around. The parks, cafes, bars, and restaurants keep you interested. There is a nice market in the centre of town. I also got some history on the development of the city at the Zagreb City Museum. However, there is nothing in the city that really stands out. One day was enough.

Pecs

2007-06-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

Decided to go to a nice little town called Pecs in Hungary. The Ottomans left a few mosques behind and the place is supposed to make you think you are close to the sea. When I arrived, I found myself in the middle of a music festival. I was able to take in a few Hungarian bands that had an interesting array of folk and electronic music. There were also a couple of lazer light shows and booths selling food and wine.

The town has a number squares, churches, and pedestrian streets. Some squares have white marble and beautiful fountains.

The Mecset Templom (Mosque Church) was very interesting. It used to be a mosques but after the Ottomans left it was turned into a Catholic church. It is a square shape with a huge dome on top and is crowned with a star and half moon....oh sorry, that is a cross and half moon.

St. Peter,s Bayilika with its four tours was a great sight. I also went to another former mosque (now museum) and a jewish synagogue. Weird being to three different religious buildings in one day.

I have to say that Hungarian food is winning the best ethnic food contest. Along with pork, chicken, and beef you get onions, tomatoes and lots of paprika mixed in. Yum. Also the goulash is excellent.

Budapest

2007-06-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Budapest appears to have been once a grand city but now things are starting to look a little run down. However, do not let this dissuade you. Once you start exploring, you find many old gems. Plus there are way less tourists!

The first is the many bathhouses in the city. An Aussie and I decided to spend a whole day at the Syechenyi themeral baths which are located in a huge city park. There are a number of saunas, indoor and outdoor pools, and fountains within the grand confines of the building.

The saunas are so HOT that it feels like you are eyes are going to melt (is this healthy!? And then there is the guy at the top level of the sauna reading newspaper). The worst is moving to leave the sauna where your skin feels like it is going to evaporate. To cool off, you jump in a cold pool, then a warmer one, and then finally the hottest. Now you are ready for the sauna again.

The best pool had an area sectioned off like a doughnut. Along the walls of the doughnut were jets which pushed you along in a clock wise direction. Everyone from old to young loved being whirled around like they where in a washing machine.

It was funny seeing the range of bodies (old, young, fat, skinny, hot, not) enjoying the water. Reminded me of the hot springs in Banff.

One church of note is within the castle walls. It is a gothic cathedral. However, the vibrant bright paint on the inside is like nothing else i have seen in such a church. Found out later that the Ottoman Empire occupied Hungary for 150 years and at one point turned the church into a mosque. Guess they the Christains like the paint job.

Another evening was off to the Opera. Spent about $4 which was worth it just for the architecture. You could imagine the place if it was 100 years ago if everyone was in fancy dresses and suits. Fortunately, the opera had subtitles scrowling across a screen; otherwise I would be lost. I think operas are better than musicles.

Then there is the Hungarian Parliament with its big dome. It was very spectacular inside. The funny part is the crown jewels. For some reason, the cross on the crown is bent and no one knows why. So, even the crown on their coat of arms has a bent crown.

Last to note is the Terror House. It was a museum about the Hungarian secret police during the communist era. I was really blown away with this museum as not only did it try and present history but also make you feel it. Almost like a haunted house but more serious (serious people).

Ceske Krumlov

2007-06-11T07:54:00.000-07:00

I decided to head to this little town based on suggestions from other travellers. It is described in the LP (Lonely Planet) as a pocket sized Prague. It is a fantastic place with excellent views in every direction. Cobblestone streets wind there way between shops, churches, and squares. You will find back lanes leading to further discoveries. You can even go canoeing on the river or go relax in one of the parks. A castle is also there with a huge formal garden. My favorite is the tall tower that provides a view to the surrounding area.

The hostel (hostel 99) is of note being just inside the city walls. It has lots of character with out being run down. I love the room as it as a view to the down.

I am also happy to state that the Czech Republic is actually affordable. Most prices are about the same as in Canada or a little less. I worried though that once the Euro comes in, things are going to get ridiculous.

Prague...living up to expectations

2007-06-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

I was expecting to be completely let down when I reached Prague. To illustrate, not a single person had said a negative thing about the place (with the exception of a lot of tourists) up until I arrived. I am now happy to say that the rumours are true.

While lacking the sophistication of Vienna, Prague is a medival playground with narrow streets, huge squares, city gates, churches and a castle to top it all off. Added to the mix is a mini Eiffle tower on one of the hills. You can even find left overs of the communist era at the ugly concreate sports university and stadium (which is conveniently hidden behind a hill). In the distance are lots of concrete mass housing complexes.

However, word has got around that Prague is a pretty nice place and now it has been overtaken by a sea of tourists. You might as well be in London or Paris considering the numbers. The English have taken to hosting their legendary stag and hen parties in this town. 30 rowdy guys with a funny accent wearing the same shirt with the grooms name on it is not uncommon.

In regard to historical background, I was hoping to see even more remnats of communism (yes, a weird desire). However, it seems that hyper capitalism has gripped the city. Ever chain store known to man is here and there are signs advertising products every where. If you are in a group of four or more people, expect guys to come to you and urge you to go to there bar. Nevertheless, I did see what was left of a momument to Stalin. His huge statue was blown up and now the base it has been taken over by skateboarders.

I did go to the Museum of Communism which was started by an American and next to the McDonalds. While it gave a nice overview of Czech life under communism, it seemed to have a very one sided view. Ok, I am not a big believer in communism but I am sure there are some positive aspects like good health care, education, jobs, or something.

One interesting evening was spent on a pub crawl that ended up going till 8 am. I hung out with 3 poles and 2 americans. The Poles had arrived in Prague that evening from Krakow via hitch hiking and planned to return that morning. Crazy! I guess there jobs in Krakow are also running around the city trying to get people to their bar.

Oh, and I have decided that Mucha is one of my favorite artists based on my visit to his museum.

On the train with the Polish guy

2007-06-06T12:29:00.001-07:00

I forgot to tell this story. So, I was on the train and this Polish 40 year old guy asks in German if he can sit down across from me. I motion in the direction of a free seat. He asks if I speak German and I say no. I thought that would be the end of the conversation.

But no...he starts rambling off in Polish and uses motions and whatever English he knows to find out my name and where I am from. "Patrick, Canada". As time passes he then he shows me pictures of his family. "Yes, very nice family". Next he reading a magazine and pointing out Paris Hilton to me. "Yes, I do know her". The guy never stops! I was starting to have images of something from the eurotrip movie where a foreign guy of a similar age on a similar train starts hitting on one of the male backpackers. Fortunately, nothing like that happened and I had an interesting "conversation".

Vienna

2007-06-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

Random paintings and photos of Vienna caught my attention at UW. However, I had never heard much about the place tourist wise. So, I finally made the journey and I am happy I went. This was the centre of the Hasburg Austria-Hungary Empire until 1918. It has a number of large palaces, beautiful churches, museums, art galleries, and coffee shops. While it may not be Paris or London it should be listed up there as one of the most beautiful capitals in the world.

That evening a group of us followed a Brazilian to this bar on the river. It was one weird place with half the people being Turkish, paid dancers showing us how its done, and no toilets in the club. It looked like you were at a beach resort and not Austria.

The first day I walked around with some Canadians where we walked passed closed shop and after closed shop (being Sunday). We ended up stopping at one of Vienna's numerous coffeehouses (no, no weed at these ones). I had a half Espresso melange (half steamed milk/half coffee) and this amazing desert: chocolate dipped waffle cone with strawberries and strawberry moose inside. YUM!

Next was the Museum of Military History. It spanned from about the 1600-1945 with lots of exhibits and displays. It also gave me a sense of Austria before the Austria-Hungary Empire was dissolved. I spent like a half a day here!

That night I went on a another pub crawl which was better than the one in Munich. However, I embarrassed myself at the next bar when I asked a pretty looking girl if she spoke English. She looked at me and said this was an international students bar and of course everyone spoke English (she was from Spain)...the conversation did not last long after that. Well, how the hell was I supposed to know...we are in Austria right?!

I ended up fitting in a museum and a art gallery on my last day. The Kaiser-Apartments and "Sissi" museum at the Imperial Palace was interesting. It really gave a good idea of the life of the Emperor and his family...quite tragic for the most part. His wife "Sissi" was considered one of the most beautiful women in Europe at the time, however she could not handle court life. Check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_of_Bavaria

Later was the Oberes Belvedere Palace which is known for its set of Klimt paintings such as the Kiss. While I was impressed with them, I found the other paints in the palace just as interesting.

Before I left, I went to check out KunstHausWien which is a crazy museum similar in design to Gaudi's stuff in Barcelona. Did not do the tour but was amused by the uneven floors and wacky tiles on the outside. Even though it was wacked, the museum had a similar building envelope to the neighbouring buildings and fit in. It even had a green roof with trees!

Oh yes, and there were the lovely bike paths built along many of the major roads. I think I could have stayed in the city for a few more days...however there is still lots more of europe to see.

A good quote: "If it is not Baroque, don't fix it"

Innsbruck

2007-06-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

I had some high expectations for this place. I was thinking it would be a medieval Banff nestled in the mountains. Instead it was a large city which required a bus to get to the hiking trails. I picked one such hiking trail but sadly it was cloudy and rainy most of the day. The highlight of the town, if there is one, is the local indoor market where you can find Austrians sampling wine and beer at 10am.

The hostel turned out to have an interesting set of guests. On this rare occasion there were six people in my room, all travelling alone and all from different countries. Countries included Belgium, Columbia, Brazil, Japan, US, and Me. We enjoyed a few beers at the local pizza shop and the next day the Japanese guy and I at an Austrian restaurant.

Salzburg

2007-06-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

Salzburg is famous for the birth place of Morzart and the Sound of Music (did you know the Von Trapp family actually existed?!) . And you can understand how the city inspired such creativity with its postcard beauty. From the river you can see a number of churches with their domes and spires. In the background is a large castle on the hill which I visited. Finally, it is all nestled in a mountain valley.

I visited one of Mozart's family homes were I learned that he and his family travelled constantly around Europe to show off the talent of their little musician. Sort of related to this travelling myself...unfortunately i cannot play an instrument to impress the masses.

The Schloss Mirabell gardens were beautiful with their roses, statues, and fountains.

No, I did not go on the Sound of Music Tour.

Bavarian Alps

2007-05-30T10:05:00.000-07:00

I wanted to go deep into the Bavarian Alps. So, I took a train too Berchtesgaden which is very close to Austria. Along the way you can see the typical bavarian "gingerbread" houses scattered through out the green countryside. I was mighty impressed with how strong the the architectual controls were to keep even new barns and houses to the bavarian style of architecture. However, after seeing one building after another, you did get tired of seeing the same white stucco walls, pitched clay tile roves, and decroative balconies. Can there not at least be one house that looks different!?

The night I arrived I met some friendly Germans. They invited me on a hike the next day which was fantastic. There lots of views into the surrounding valleys. At the highest point we had lunch and there was a group holding church. We ending up going for some applestruddle afterwards.

It is funny how there are similar issues in every country. From the conversation I had with my German friends, I guess many Bavarians are keen on seperating from the rest of Germany. Kind of reminds me of Scotland or Quebec.

The following day was rainy so I could not go to the Eagle's Nest (Hitler's Bavarian guest house) or Lake Konigsee. Instead I went to a museum about the Obersalzberg which Hitler had built as a retreat. It was an extremly in depth museum and even included a tour of his former bunker. It was also interesting seeing WWII from a German perspective. They did not try and gloss over anything.

I would like to say that Germans are really friendly. There was of course the example above. Another is the first day I arrived in Munich and was taking the train from the airport. A German girl struck up a conversation with me after seeing that I was reading Lonely Planet. Then, back in Berchtesgaden, an older fellow and his son helped me with a phone call to a German relative.

As I was walking around Germany, I found it really had to tell who was German and who was not. I was thinking that there would be a certain look or style but I could not see anything. My Australian friend agreed with me on this. On the flip side, many people would start speaking German with me. To bad my vocabular was so limited but it was a nice compliment. I guess this is one of the few countries where I look like the locals (as some have said).

Disneyland...I mean Castle Neuschwanstein

2007-05-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

After sometime in Munich I headed for Castle Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian Alps. This castle was supposively the one that Disney based the design of his own on. Ironically, the Bavarian King, Ludwig II, was also trying to live out a fantasy with the contstruction of Neuschwanstein. He wanted a fairytale castle and he had a theatre set designer to come up with the design. The King only lived there a total of 170 days before being declared insane and removed from the thrown. The castle is very stunning but a little over the top considering that this King seemed to be mostly a figure head. The surrounding area is beautiful with lakes, trees, and waterfalls.

I also had a chance to see the castle that Ludwig had visit as his a boy with the rest of the royal family. It was smaller but I appreciated it more. You could really see where Ludwig got his ideas as the walls were painted with historic battles and fairytail stories.

I am sooo glad I went to see the place before prime tourist seaon. It was the first tourist site that I have seen where you are given a number and you have to wait until it is called . Once again, lots of American tourists. Where they expecting Mickey Mouse?

Munich and Beer

2007-05-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

Started out in Munich and stayed there for a couple of days. This is the home of Octoberfest where you can still find a few beer gardens and brew houses outside the festival dates. I got an introduction of the city through a bike tour. Afterwards was a horrible pub crawl that took you to everthing (American bar, Irish pub, hostel bar) but german brew houses. Fortunately, met some cool people through the tour including an Australian and some planners from Waterloo who had just finished at Oxford! Petite Monde!

Munich really mixes things up. There are a couple grand boulevards, churches, palaces, and squares built by the former bavarian kings. More modern buildings can be found outside the city walls. Bike paths weave through the city and along the streets. The transit system includes trains, subways, street cars, and buses. There is a large park sytems which includes the English Gardens.

The English Gardens is supposed to be bigger than Central Park and has lots of character. There is this canal that goes through the park and creates a strong enough current in one section that people surf on it! In the centre is a large beer garden. And best (or worst of all, depending on who you see) there are areas where running around nude is considered fine.

While Munich was nice the level of tourist activity was ridiculous. I could not believe how many Americans there were! You just could not get away from them!

Jet lagged in England

2007-05-20T11:32:00.000-07:00

Back in England after about 9 months. It is a wierd feeling being back. It feels like I have been away but everything is so familar. Topped up my Oyster card (underground pass), got my train tickets from the fast ticket booth, bought one of those packaged sandwiches, grabbed a pint at a pub...yeah, I understand the UK game. Unfortunately, my mobile (not cell) is locked so I cannot get in touch with old friends till I get that fixed.

York is looking wonderful as ever. Walked from my hostel along the river. The place smelled so nice and everything is green. The old buildings are still amazing to look at. I hope I can get a job back here after my travels. Well, I need to sleep...will tell you all more later.

Sustainability

2007-05-08T21:31:00.000-07:00

My one friend prophesied that I would come home with from Ghana with a new found awareness of how unsustainable Canada is. Well, I have come home and I have to say that I have mixed feelings. Let me illustrate:

Ghanaians do not treat their environment very well. People tend to throw their trash anywhere and they almost seem to not feel guilty about it. You will often see informal garbage dumps created on the most sensitive land such as the banks of streams or in forests. There is a considerable amount of deforestation as natural habitat is converted to farmland. Some will even burn the bush to flush out wild game. A variety of older vehicles can be found on the road that produces more emissions then newer models.

Where Ghanaians do achieve some sense of sustainability (and probably allows 20 million people to survive in a country less than the size of Alberta) is in their limited use of resources. Here are a few points

The clothes they buy are often second hand from some developed country.
To get around, people will usually share a private vehicle to their destination and in turn use less fuel per person.
People simple use less electricity because of the limited supply of in the country.
It is actually cost effective to fix broken items rather than throwing them out because labour is so cheap. To illustrate, when my electric kettle died I was thinking that maybe I should go and buy a new $20 item. However, I took a chance and went to see if I could get it fixed at the local electric store. I left it there and returned to find that it was fixed for a total fee of $1.
They use very little water for their domestic duties. For example, I estimate that I used approximately 60 litres of water a day while in Ghana (that is 30 litres for a bucket shower and washing, 24 litres flushing a toilet twice, 3 litres for drinking, and 3 litres thrown in for miscellaneous such as laundry). Now in Canada we use 335 litres per day!
They are continually fixing their old vehicles rather than buying new ones.
For those who live in villages, a lot of their building material comes from the land they live upon; wood for cooking and building homes, clay for walls, thatch for roofs, water from a well or creek, food from their farm and grazing animals.
Pop and beer bottles are expected to be returned to the vendor.
There is very little industrialisation

So, sure, Ghanaians are overall more sustainable then we are, even will considering how they use their land. The question one should ask though is, “for how long?” I say this because most of the Ghanaians I met want the lifestyle of the west. They want to buy fancy cell phones, new cars, new clothes, computers, digital cameras, etc. They want power to be available everyday. They want paved roads, clean water, schools, and health care. They want their country to be “modern”. And if you read such books as The End of Poverty: How We Can Make it Happen in Our Lifetime this may actually be achievable.

Great right? Well, one has to consider that if everyone lived like we did in Canada, we would need a few more planet Earths. We drive in our individual cars, we buy products with layers of packaging, our power is produced by the likes of coal, natural gas and nuclear energy, we are continual expanding our communities and destroying habitat, etc, etc. I just do not think that there are enough resources to sustain a western lifestyle for the entire world.

So what do we say to Ghana? “Sorry mate but you will have to live in the Stone Age; there are just not enough resources to go around”. I think that would be rather selfish, to say the least. However, some countries, China and the US in particular, are working to make that happen by insuring that the world’s resources all flow to them.

Alternatively, I personally believe that the civilisations of this world are going to have to find a means to “meet in the middle” if everyone is going to be able to enjoy a healthy and fruitful life with out completely destroying the planet. What I mean is that while developing countries become more modern, and produce more pollution in the process, developed countries such as Canada are going to have to cut down on the amount of resources they use. Hopefully, this will lead to a point where all the countries of the world achieve a balanced level of both development and sustainability.

How will this happen in Canada? Well, I do not think that we have to go back to living on the family farm. Nevertheless, we may have to make some significant changes in our lifestyle by simple learning how to live with less. This means less electricity, less water, less fuel, and less junk. This may be achieved through technology advances, adopting more sustainable modes of transportation and energy production, by building sustainable communities, etc. However, it may entail just buying fewer things (wild idea I know).

My point in all this is that the development of a country also has to be considered in the context of sustainability. And not only the sustainability of one particular country but the entire world. We are all in this together.

Bruni back Home

2007-04-09T22:18:00.000-07:00

I am now back in Canada and Cowtown (Calgary). It has been quite the adventurous 7 months. I was able to complete my project and take in 9 out of the 10 regions in Ghana. Met some wonderful people along the way too. All this with two or three bouts of malaria. Oh yes, I am all better, so no worries. So, here is a summary of the rest of my adventures along with my first impressions of coming home.

A Ghanaian Christmas

It was interesting spending Christmas in a country where you see very little in terms of Christmas decorations, Santa Clause, or nativity scenes. However, crowded markets made up for the lack of packed shopping malls.

Sam the engineer at the office invited Lia and myself to spend Christmas with his family in Kpandu, in the Volta Region. Well, at least December 22-24 because it is supposedly much “cooler” to be in Accra on Christmas Day.

Lia and I had spoken through text about what to get his family. She first suggested a goat. Yes, an odd suggestion but it is Ghana. “Umm”, I say “but I am not sure if Sam’s family raises goats”. Lia responds “no silly, to eat. Everyone is doing it and they are only about $30”. We decide to look in to buying a goat when we arrived in Kpandu.

On December 22, I go to Sam’s house in Konongo with my bag. I noticed that someone has tied a goat to Sam’s car. I did not think much of it at the time. As I am waiting to leave, Sam and his friends first loaded the bags into the trunk, then a bushel of plantain, and then…the goat?! Sam must have stolen our idea! So, off we go to pick up Lia and Sam’s sister in Koforidua with a baying goat in the trunk of the car.

We arrived in Kpandu and we meet Sam’s mother and father who are very welcoming. We unload the goat and find he has eaten a lot of the plantain. No wonder it became quiet after a while. Sam’s mother had arranged for us to stay at a friend’s place which was very nice and comfortable.

On December 23, Sam’s mother decides she wants to go to the nearby port town of Kpandu-Torkor to buy a few things. Sam, Lia, and I accompany her there. The town has a large market and a ferry that takes people across the Volta River. Because of the lack of asphalt, the place reminds me of a makeshift concert venue in a farmer’s field. Also, there is a market with a barb wire fence around it. Reminded me of a concentration camp. After a tour of the waterfront we discover that one of the fishermen have caught a huge fish that is about 3 feet long. He plans to sell it to an Accra restaurant for about $100.

As we were walking back to the car, we see in the distance a man pulling a cow by its tail towards a waiting taxi which is a station wagon. Sam tells us that they are trying to put the cow in the taxi (?!) and it is being very stubborn. I would be too. As we approach the scene, the men have now tied the feet of the live cow and are hauling it towards the taxi. With the seats down they somehow get the animal in the back. I guess hauling livestock is another use of a taxi.

Sam’s girlfriend, mother, and sister had been working hard to prepare us dinner. We ended up having banku with, (you guessed it) goat and snail (which we had picked up along the road to Kpandu). It was an odd combination of flavours to the say the least. Goat has a very unique taste that is difficult to describe, where snail has an earthy flavour. Overall, it was surprisingly quite nice.

It was hard to find Christmassy moments but one was when Lia and I gave Sam’s family the gifts we purchased for them. Gifts including soap, a photo album, key chains, and Christmas ornaments. Lia and Sam’s mom took a nice moment to hang the ornaments on a small fake Christmas tree. In return, Lia and I were both given traditional Kente cloth.

The following day we went to a pottery factory where we bought some items. Then it was off to Accra. We dropped Lia off and then went to visit Sam’s friends.

Christmas Day was spent on the beach with Sam, his girlfriend, friend, and her two nieces. Seeing that the nieces were bored I showed them how to build sand castles. Ghanaians kept on coming up to us and asking what I was doing. After we left, the Ghanaians decided the castles would make good goal posts for soccer. The rest of the time was spent at Sam’s friends place eating and watching TV. A very different type of Christmas I must say.

Baobeng-Fiena Monkey Sanctuary

For New Years, Lia and I decided to head to see monkeys. We travelled with her friend Andrea who travelled from Morocco to visit her. The sanctuary is known as an eco-tourism site and situated between the two villages of Baobeng-Fiena. The villagers consider the monkeys sacred and in turn do not kill them. They are considered so sacred that they bury the animals when they die in a monkey cemetery which we saw. The locals provide tours and a portion of the money you pay goes towards the villages.

We saw two types of monkeys. The mona monkeys are very friendly and come down from the tree tops to eat at the garbage dump. They come up really close and you get some great pictures including one with a baby. The Colobus monkey spends most of the time in the upper canopy of the trees. We saw them jump incredible distances from one tree to another.

The guest house we stayed at was quaint and friendly. They even had solar panels to provide some electricity. Unfortunately, we did not have the energy to stay up till midnight to celebrate the New Year. Instead we celebrated at 11 where we were sure that some country was also celebrating. Maybe Egypt?

Hippos in Bui National Park

The following day we set off to see hippos. We reached our destination in the most packed tro tros I have ever been on. We needed to reach a certain village and there was only one tro tro a day to get there. The tro had 22 seats and in the end there were 40 people inside. That was not including the people on the roof. As we approached a police checkpoint, the people on the roof would jump off. They would then jump on again after running past the checkpoint. I have never felt so crammed. It was also the worst road I have every travelled on in Ghana. Talk about happy to get off when we reached our destination.

The village was the most isolated I have been to in Ghana. There was no electricity, no shops, and no where to buy food. Fortunately, the local ranger found someone to make some food for us.

We arrived too late to go see the hippos. So, we hung out with some other visitors and a park ranger took us to a drinking spot about a 30 minute walk away (the next day we found a drinking spot in the village itself, thanks for nothing Mr. Ranger). After we got back to the other village we went to a local dance. The kids were surprised to see us brunis dancing with them.

The following day the ranger took us to the river where we would get canoes to see the hippos. It was a 1 hour walk and through 2 other villages. Upon reaching the river, the three of us were given each our own canoe and two paddlers. So, all we had to do was sit and take in the scenery.

We went up river and eventually we saw a group of hippos on the shore. This was a big moment because usually you only see these animals in the water with their ears and eyes just above the surface. Sadly, they all moved into the river after noticing us. We had to keep our distance though because hippos are probably the most dangerous animal in Ghana; very territorial. After spending some time there and seeing a bunch of eyes and ears sticking out of the water, we head back down stream. I guess the paddlers usually are fisherman if they are not taking tourists around. They hoped more tourists would come but I told them it is a difficult place to get to with the crappy road and one tro tro a day.

We heard later from the villagers and in the newspapers that the government is thinking of damming the river to produce electricity. Some of the villages will have to be moved as a result and the people compensated. The Chinese government is designing the dam and are paying for 2/3 of the project. The future of the hippos was not mentioned.

Handing in the Plan

Finally, after collecting data and writing page after page, I finished a final draft of the Development Plan. It ended up being 200 pages long. It was just in time because the Ashanti Regional Government was demanding we hand it in to them or else we would have to go all the way to Accra to do so. Victor and I travelled to Kumasi on January 18, 2007 and gave the Plan to his Regional boss. Only 13 of the 22 districts in the Region handed their plan in on time. It was a relief to see it finished as I was very tired of working on it.

The last 1.5 months I spent doing a number of things. It included writing a set of implementation tools for the Plan, a presentation on planning in Canada, and a proposal for undertaking a tourism development plan.

Lake Bosumtwi

I had been to Lake Bosumtwi before but only for a few minutes. So, my friend Kate from Canada and I decided go there. When we arrived a man calling himself a chief was asking for donations to plant trees around the lake. We were considering giving him something. Fortunately, we had the Bradt Guide which said:

“Still, you can safely ignore any ‘caretaker’ who demands a donation before allowing you to walk to the lakeshore, as well the persistent old fellow who evidently makes a living from persuading gullible tourists that the chief of Abono has nothing better to do with himself than wander around telling gullible tourists that he’s the chief of Abono”.

We safely ignored him. Thank goodness for the Bradt Guide. As we left the “chief’s” friend yelled out, “that guide is old!”

It was a really eerie place. To the left of the dock we saw the local villages washing their clothes, fishing, and their children playing in the water. To the right were a number of beach resorts for which middle class Ghanaians and tourists frequented for a dip in the lake. Talk about two different worlds. After walking to the right, we were getting tired of the harassment. To our luck, we happened upon a real canoe (real as in fibreglass) for which a resort was renting. We took the canoe out in the middle of the lake and went for a dip. It was also easy to take pictures without someone getting too upset.

Ghanaian Church

Some of you have been asking if I had gone to church in Ghana. Well, I did go twice to two different Ghanaian churches. I was first invited by my friend Bassi to his church which was called “Spoken Word”. It was in this little wooden building with wooden benches. I think Bassi’s family of five kids made up half the church. The preacher was away so Bassi used a bible study to do a sermon in both Twi and English. The service lasted 2 hours (which seems to be the minimum in Ghana). Overall, things seemed pretty normal other than when everyone prays out load, about the same subject, but in each their own words. Sounds kind of like speaking in tongues or something.

The second church I went to was with Joe and Sam. They were invited by the pastor’s daughter to attend the New Life Pentecost church. It had a bigger congregation and a bigger church then the last I went to. As people sang and played instruments some of the members would go up and dance which was neat. The odd part was when the congregation was asked to match donations that others had brought forward. Also, it was hard to follow since most of it was in Twi.

I should mention that my Sunday evenings in Konongo were punctuated by the wail and noise from the people using the local school as a church. They would go on and on with their drums and chatting until 3 am! The first time I heard it, which was my first night in Konongo, I thought they were some kind of cult worshippers chatting in preparation of sacrificing the bruni (me) to their god.

Bruni Church

While staying in Kumasi, Kate would invite me to “bruni church”. It was started by a group of foreigners who decided that Ghanaian churches were not for them. Church would be held at this South African family’s beautiful home. Attendance included people from Canada, South Africa, Holland, and the US. There would be singing and we usually watched a Christian video and discussed it later. It was really nice and we would go for lunch to Sir Max afterwards. The restaurant served up a half chicken dinner for a big $3. Sooo, yummy.

One day after church we went swimming at one of the member’s homes. He was working for a cocoa company and they set him up in this old colonial house. It was so beautiful with palm trees, old architecture, large grounds, and a pool. It did not feel like you were in Ghana.

Kyiriyawa Waterfalls

The District Assembly had identified a handful of potential tourist sites in the District. Kyiriyawa Waterfalls was one of them. After finishing the Development Plan, I proposed that I write a physical plan for developing the site. Everyone was happy with the proposal, however when the $200 price tag came up for the drawing of maps by a drafter and the need for an ink cartridge, it was poo pooed by the Finance Officer. “There is no money” he would say in his deep voice.

So, after taking the disappointment, I decided I should at least visit the falls. Joe and Sam knew where they were and we went there together. It was a short walk through a town and then along a trail. A creek ran through a meadow (that is what it looked like) and then it dropped off a cliff at one point. We walked down to the cliff and decided to take photos and get a shower under the falling water. It was really fantastic. Also, it was nice to go somewhere not mentioned in the Bradt Guide.

Shai Hills and the Baboons

Kate and I decided to meet up with her friend Corrine in Korforidua one weekend. Corrine’s boss allowed her and two Ghanaians friends to drive us to Shai Hills to see baboons. The Shai hills are located near Accra and in an area that could be considered savannah. Before reaching the place, we thought we would stop by a disused tourist site. The site was at the base of a large rocky hill where women who reached puberty would be expected to climb as part of their puberty rights ritual. Not much really to see though.

At the Shai Hills we went with a guide to visit the baboons. One group of them was really friendly and lived near the entrance gates. We got a few pictures of the animals taking food from Corrine’s hand. We then went on to drive through the park to more baboons. These ones kept more of a distance from us. Finally, there was the bat cave where in the past, local chiefs had hid from their enemies including the British.

On the way back we passed through a beautiful little town on a hill that looked extremely European. It had narrow streets and a large church with a tower. Unfortunately, our Ghanaian friends decided not to keep track of the fuel gage and we ran out of gas. So, one of them took a taxi and returned with more fuel. It was funny just because we had the money to fill the tank so our Ghanaian guides had no need to see if they could reach their destination on only the fuel they had.

Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Sanctuary

Bobiri Forest was only about 30 minutes from Konongo and I had heard a lot of good things about it. However, that weekend my Bruni friends were not interested in going or had already been there before. So, I invited one of my Ghanaian friends, Selina, for the trip. We took a trot tro to a town and from there walked to the sanctuary.

At the park is a large diversity of trees and butterflies. We were given a 3 kilometre tour by a guide (and his cousins) through the jungle. The trees were just huge and the guide let us know what the lumber from each of the trees was used for. There were so many butterflies it was amazing. You had to be careful in the forest because you might get a silk line of a caterpillar in your face.

After the hike we sat at the guesthouse were we could buy some lunch and enjoy playing board games. Selina kicked my butt at Ghanaian checkers 4-1. Also I played a game called Owarhe which is a box that folds open and has six pots on each side. The idea was to capture the seeds from the pots of the opposing player. An excellent game. I think my stay at the sanctuary was the most pleasant (i.e. no annoying people bugging you about being a bruni) experience I had in Ghana.

Mpraeso

I finished work on February 28 and decided to travel some more around Ghana. I first met up with Lia in Mpraeso and then later that evening with Toon and his friend Mikkal from Denmark. Lia decided that for $6 we should stay at a hotel with the following sign posted on the entrance by the Ghana Tourist Board:

NOTICE OF CLOSURE

The pubic is hereby informed that this facility has been closed down for failing to meet the requirements provided under L.I. 1205. Patrons who use this facility do so at their own risk.

We asked the manager and he said, “oh, don’t mind the sign”. The place was the worst I stayed in. The floors were dirty, the bed not especially comfortable, and the bathroom was not the best. It was for just one night and we survived.

The next day we went up to a hill for what could have been an impressive view. Unfortunately, the dry season (called the Hamattan by Ghanaians) is characterised by a wind from the northeast which brings dust from the Sahara desert and reduces visibility to less than 1 kilometre. After that Lia had to go back to Korforidua for a going away party and her next trip to South Africa.

Across the Afram Plains

Toon, Mikkal and I decided to make the trip across the Afram Plains. These are plains that run along the west side of Lake Volta. It is a pretty flat and isolated area but interesting nonetheless. We started from Mpraeso and had to cross Lake Volta twice. At the first crossing we decided instead of the ferry, we would hitch a ride on a small boat with a number of Ghanaians. On the other side we waited for a tro tro to take us to Donkorkrom.

Before leaving we decided to grab some food and eat it at a drinking spot. The music was super loud and Toon asked for them to play the music “softer”. Well, instead of turning it down they played Celion Dion.

The tro tro took us to Donkorkrom where we stayed in a hotel. We woke up and had some breakfast which was first announced by the blast of music from a huge set of speakers. After asking them to turn down the blaring, we asked what the speakers were for. I guess some hairdressers were having a party in the afternoon. Must have been some party.

From Donkorkrom we took a shared taxi to the next ferry. We thought it was a smart idea rather than taking a tro tro because there would be more room. Well, the taxi ended up having nine people in it! Three in front and six in the back. This included the driver, six adults, a kid, and a baby. Poor Mikkal; the guy is like 6’4”. I was sitting in the front and the other guy was practically sitting on my lap. Fortunately, the trip was short and the road was paved.

We reached the ferry and waited for it the leave. Bizarrely, a man decided to get into a fist fight with a women. Another man came to the rescue a slapped the guy in the head a few times. The crowd then broke them up. This was the first time that I saw anything this violent before in Ghana. Finally, the ship left and we made it safely to the other side in Kpandu (where I was for Christmas). This was the first trip I had ever made in Ghana with all guys as there are so many women volunteers and interns.

Mountain Paradise Lodge

From Kpandu, we headed for Mountain Paradise Lodge which is situated in the hilly Volta region. From the main road we had to hike up a gravel road to the lodge. The place was beautiful as it was situated on top of a hill overlooking a treed valley. Unfortunately, we had to sleep in tents provided by the lodge because all the rooms were taken up.

The next day our destination was the second highest mountain (rocky hill) in Ghana. We walked through a village, the jungle, and then another village to reach the base. At the top was a cross erected by some German missionaries (the Volta region was originally colonised by the Germans). After some time looking out over the hazy view, we went back down to the village. We rested there under a tree with some of the locals. An older fellow gave us some wise advice while another played his flute.

We made our way back to the lodge and had a nap on some cots. After we went for another hike through the river valley. This was really strenuous as we often had to use rope hand rails and even repel down cliff once. We saw a few potentially nice waterfalls (being the dry season, there was not much water) and lots of jungle vegetation. After the hike we were disgustingly sweaty. Toon thought maybe he was sick because he was sweating so much. In the evening we got a room and played some poker to pass the time.

Independence Day

March 6, 2007 marked the 50^th Anniversary of Ghana’s impendence from Britain. The government was pouring out money for decorating government buildings, advertising, upgrade ceremonial roads, building parade grounds, and distributing t-shirts and other souvenirs. Toon, Mikkal, and I decided we should go where the hart of the action was and travel to the capital, Accra, from Paradise Lodge.

We fortunately found some lodging when we arrived at the Salvation Army Hostel. The evening of March 5 we went to watch the President’s Show which was featuring a number of live acts. The advertisements stated that the show started at 6:30pm. Well, after arriving at 9pm, they still had not finished setting up. I guess it is normal considering people work on African time here. We waited and in the end only saw one act. It was still good because I recognised the music from what was always being played in the drinking spots. We decided to leave around 10pm in order to get back to the hostel not too late.

The main event for Independence Day was happening at Independence Square on March 6^th. We were told to arrive ultra early. So, after pulling ourselves out of bed we reached the square at 6am. By that time most of the seats were taken in the stands. Fortunately, we were able to grab some at the ground level for not a bad view. Within minutes, all the seats were taken and people were standing within any space they could find. Talk about no crowd control.

The event started at 8:30am with presidents, ambassadors, diplomats, dignitaries, and chiefs arriving. The chiefs were carried in under colourful umbrellas and waded through the cheering crowd. Then the different arms of the military and police arrived and formed rows across the square. Finally, the performing school children arrived.

The action included inspection of the guard by the President, marches by the military, flyovers by jets and helicopters, dancing school children, and speeches. It reminded me of old documentaries showing similar events put on in communist countries.

An incident also included the passing out of three military men. With the exception of the odd march, they were to stand at attention for six hours in the blazing sun. Fortunately, paramedics were on hand to cart them away. We decided by 12 pm and six hours of sweating, we had enough and headed back to the hostel. On the way we saw many people in the street with colourful Ghana@50 t-shirts and flags. Considering we were running out of clean underwear, we left for home the following day.

Kakum National Park

After Accra, I stayed in Konongo for a week to relax. Then, Tarek (Kate’s roommate) and I went to Cape Coast, which he had never been to. We stayed a night and the next day we went for a short trip up to Kakum National Park. This park is as close as you can get to an actually rainforest in Ghana. It also is known for its forest elephants and monkeys. However, the big tourist highlight is the canopy walk which consists of a 350 metre long, 40 metre high (13 stories) wood and rope walkway suspended between seven trees. The canopy walk was designed by Canadian engineers and paid for with USAID funds.

Upon arrival I was surprised to see the quality of the tourist buildings. Most tourist sites in Ghana are composed of rickety old shakes or boring old concrete buildings. Here there was a museum, a gift shop, a restaurant, and washrooms all with high quality architecture. You might as well have been in Banff or Jasper.

In the end, we decided to just do the canopy walk. It looked like something from the Ewoke village in Star Wars. It was a good thrill walking between trees and provided amazing views of the surrounding jungle. The one disappointment I had was that I thought it was a little too high up as were in fact above the canopy. I thought it would have been so cool to be walking through the middle stores of the trees and seeing what life you could find. Otherwise, it was a great time.

After spending sometime in Cape Coast and Elmina, Tarek headed home and I headed for the west.

Green Turtle Lodge

I decided to go by myself to the Western Region. This was the 9^thregion in Ghana I had visited. At this point I had only been twice to the ocean to swim. And both times in Accra which is not especially nice. Many of my friends said a great beach resort was the Green Turtle Lodge.

The Green Turtle Lodge is a resort started by an English couple. They wanted to make it an eco-tourism development. Features included solar panels on each of the huts, compositing toilets, buildings made out of local materials, architecture that fits into the landscape, a percentage of all revenue going to the local villages, and the hiring of local villagers to work at the resort. There were opportunities for tours around the area by the local guides. My favourite part was the showers which had rock walls and no roof except for an overhanging palm tree.

The beach was just beautiful with hardly anyone around. Once in a while you would see the odd villager or a fishing boat. The waves were really strong though and you would sometimes get wiped out by one while you were swimming. Most of the people at the resort were brunis doing internships and volunteers. I met a few nice Germans during my stay. You never needed a wallet as when ever you were thirsty or hungry the servers would just add it to your tab. While the food was excellent, I ended up with a case of the runs after eating a cheese and tuna melt. Not so fun but I recovered.

Takoradi

On the way back to Konongo, I passed through Takoradi. The physical planner at my office noted that this was one of the only places in Ghana that followed zoning bylaws. The town had the most interesting road network. The outer roads formed a triangle. Inside the triangle were road radiating out from a large traffic circle in the centre. The circle itself was the cities market. And most of the buildings were three stories tall. In a country where random is the norm, this place really stood for its organisation.

Kumasi Going Away Party

After returning to Konongo, I went to Kumasi for one finally bash with Kate, Tarek, Toon, Mikkal, and our American friend (I always forget his name). Kate, her friend, and I went to Sir Max for the half chicken dinner. After, it was off to Cheers (yes cheers, but no Norm) for a few drinks, pool, and foosball with Toon and the gang. It was a nice way to end my time in Kumasi.

Konongo Going Away Party

The District Assembly put on a nice party on the night before I was leaving for Accra. It was at the Blue Moon Hotel. Many of the members of the administration showed up for the event. Victor organised some appetizers which were great. The DCE (mayor) said a speech thanking me and requesting that I keep in touch. I made a speech (more like rambling) in return. Finally, to my surprise, they gave me a big present which included a traditional poncho made by the Gonja tribe and a pair of (gaudy) sandals that a chief might wear. In return I gave everyone some maple leaf pins.

But of course I was given another cultural curve ball before I left. Food was brought out for everyone in Styrofoam containers. I was thinking we would all sit down and eat and enjoy the night. Instead, everyone got up and left with their container of food. In the end I ate alone with the exception of two of the administration members who stayed behind. Guess food is not the most important part of such an event. Afterwards, I headed to Sam the engineer’s place for a final farewell.

Back Home

The District Assembly was kind of enough to drive me back to Accra where I stayed in a hotel for the night. I tried to take in as much Ghana food as possible before I left including roasted plantain and Castle Milk Stout beer. The following day I was my flight home.

Here are some initial observations as I have been getting re-accustomed to life back in Canada:

It is so quite on the streets here. At first I thought there was something wrong with my ears since all I was hearing was the sound of traffic. There are no taxis honking their horn, no tro tros yelling out their destination (Kumasi! Kumasi! Kumasi!), no hip life music blaring from the drinking spots, no one yelling out the price of goods, no one saying "obruni!", no hawkers.
It is really, really nice to have a hot shower. You feel so clean and warm afterwards. And I don’t even need to go to the well to fetch water.
Man is it cold and wearing anything more than a t-shirt feels odd. Will someone turn up the heat? What do you mean you want to save on your gas bill? 20 degrees in the house feels like an icebox!
Where did everyone go? The streets seem almost deserted. I guess with 20 million people living in an area 2/3 the size of Alberta, of course Ghana will feel crowded.
Holy luxury batman. Carpet, hardwood floors, oven, microwave, laundry machine, dishwasher, garage, vehicle, TV, computer, internet (INTERNET!), running water, electricity, etc. I will never have to leave my house again!
My skin is drying up! Even in Toronto, which is quite humid, my skin felt like it was being stretched to no end. Get out the moisturiser.
The fridge is full of FOOD! It is practically a mini-market in my house. What will I have? Hmm, maybe some chicken, bread, cheese, fruit, ahh, some beer. Yes, beer will be fine.
Things look really grey here. The sky is grey, the streets are grey, the houses look grey, the clothes are grey, the people look grey. Where are the brightly painted buildings, people in colourful traditional clothes, vibrant green vegetation, and a red soil?
What do you mean $40 for a taxi to the Toronto airport??!? In Accra it only cost me $4 to get there.
I have energy and I am exercising again. When it was so hot in Ghana, you just wanted to find a cool place to relax.
Canadians are passively friendly. They will hold the door open for you, when you leave they say, "have a nice day", they patiently wait while you get your things together to leave the plane, and they will strike up a pleasant conversation. However, Canadians generally avoid intruding on your space and privacy. Ghanaians on the other hand are aggressively friendly. If you look slightly lost, not only will they direct you to a place but insist on taking you there. If you are browsing a store they instantly think you must be looking for something particular and need help. They request your friendship and phone number within one minute of introducing yourself. I guess there are different ways of being friendly.
What is this really weird accent I am hearing? It sounds kind of a hickish drawl. Oh, that just us Canadians talking.
Why do the cities seem to have just been inserted in the middle of no where? Kind of feels like we live in remote outpost in the northern part of the world.
No more sleeping under a mosquito net (i.e. no more malaria!)

Merry Christmas from the Bruni

2006-12-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from the Bruni

So, much for writing an entry every few weeks. It has been crazy busy the past month or so. Lots of travelling and work. I have been trying to get this development plan finished so I can move on to doing some physical planning. But the sucker just won’t die!
As to my health, I am 100% cured of malaria. I recovered completely about week after my last entry. It is sooo nice feeling healthy! As to the response to your question, the malaria parasites that I had in my body will never return. They are as dead as door nail. However, if I get bitten buy a mosquito again in Ghana and the ant-malaria drugs do not work, I could get a new strain of malaria parasites. Lets hope not.

It is now the dry season and the weather has changed from hot and humid to dry and relatively mild. In the morning it is actually cool. Well, not so cool that you need a jacket but definitely not hot. There hasn’t been any ran probably for almost a month. Fortunately, the water is still running at my place but I expect to take more bucket showers in the future.
So, I have written another long entry. First there is travelling and then a few observations. Enjoy (as it says on the coca-cola bottle).

Kumasi Fort

On the Saturday of November 3, I went to Kumasi to visit the Kumasi Fort. It was originally built by the British to control the city. However, now it is a military museum for the Ghanaian military. It has some interesting exhibits from World War I and World War II. The Ghanaians fought for the British against the Germans in Togo in WWI and the Italians in Ethiopia in WWII. Funny how the colonial powers would get there own colonies to fight each other.
Toon’s Belgium Hotel (i.e. teachers’ accommodation)
That evening I travelled to Tanaso to visit my friend Toon from Belgium. He is volunteering at a school there and lives with an American and a Ghanaian. The American is trying to set up a computer server for the school. Toon’s place is like a hotel with five bedrooms but only three people. So, the other Europeans who are part of his program often come to stay for the weekend so they can get some time away from their Ghanaian families that they are living with. That evening a total of seven of us stayed and enjoyed Toon’s hospitality.

Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary

The next day Toon, Sarah (Swiss) and I went to Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary. I had stopped there with Victor previously but only for a short time. Now we were going to go for a hike around the reservoir. I guide took us around and it was a great hike through the jungle. We did not see very many animals with the exception of a giant squirrel (no Toon, that is not a small monkey) and a black cobra snake (cool). I guess that the wet season is not the best time for seeing animals. The sanctuary felt like walking through the atrium in the Calgary Zoo.

Along the way we saw two guys with incredibly long bamboo logs on there heads. They were from the local village and cut down the logs. In turn, the warden was giving them heck because they are not allowed to take anything from the sanctuary. He let them off this time.
The highlight of the hike was the "bamboo celebration". A celebration indeed. In this one area were hundreds of bamboo trees with a clearing in the middle. Inside you felt like you were in a bamboo cathedral. It was simply amazing! Even the benches were made out of bamboo.

Asenemaso Traditional Shrine

On our way back to Toon’s, we stopped at the Asenemaso Traditional Shrine. The shrine was quite small but had interesting carvings on the outside. It was also painted red/brown at the base and the rest was white. The man who showed us the way called on the caretaker to open the place up for us. The lady wanted to charge us $10 to go in, which is an absolutely ridiculous amount in Ghana. We got her down to $5 for all of us and I offered to pay as it was my idea and I was only one not a volunteer. There was really not much to see inside but a small alter where the priest used to place his sacrifices. There is no longer a priest as most Ghanaians have converted to Christianity or Muslim.

Go Kotoko!

I took the next weekend off to rest. However, I did catch one more match between Kotoko and Sportive. It was high flying action, let me tell you. There was no holding back by the players and if someone got injured, they were limping off the field. None of this diving stuff. Kotoko was behind 1 – 0 but came back at the end to win 2 – 1. The crowd loved it. Sam (the engineer from the office) and I went to the match. It was interesting to watch the commentators yelling the play-by-play through their mobile phones for their radio audience.

Cape Coast

The weekend of November 18-19 was a trip to Cape Coast and Elmina with Lia and a couple of her friends. Cape Coast is the home of the Cape Coast Castle which the Swedes started in 1653 and later the British captured in 1665. The castle is one the many slave forts that were built along the coast of Ghana. Back in the day African tribes would bring captured prisoners to the castle and sell them to the British as slaves. Now the castle is a World Heritage Site and is extremely well preserved. We were given a tour of the building and shown the women’s and men’s cells. There was even a tunnel from the men’s cell to the "door of no return" where slaves were to go through in order to board the ships to the new world. We also went through the museum they had.

Considering all that happened there, the place was rather solemn. There were very few tourists and often the only sound was the waves hitting the rocky shore. With its white washed walls, the castle almost seemed like a monument in itself to all those who were enslaved.
The rest of Cape Coast was really interesting. It is quite urban with lots of old colonial buildings. There is even a very unimposing "London Bridge" which crosses a creek. On one hill is Fort Victoria and another was Fort William. We went up to Fort William and got a great view of the town. The Fort is being used as a light house/tourist site. When we were there the caretaker was drying his laundry on one of the old cannons. At night in Cape there is good a vibe going along some of the streets with night food vendors and drinking spots. The street food was yummy!

Elmina

From there we went to Elmina. Now if there is any place that is a postcard picture, it is this town. There is a lagoon where the fisherman bring there colourful boats to mourn and unload their fish. There are the beautiful beaches with white sand and palm trees. In the background is the biggest and oldest slave fort in Ghana: Castle St. George. Also, on one hill is Fort St Jago which was built to protect the Castle.

Castle St. George was established by the Portuguese in 1482 but later captured by the Dutch in 1637. This Castle is huge and imposing. There is little solemn feeling here as the castle is under renovation and there were a lot more tourists. We were given an interesting tour of the place by a very informative guide. The "highlight" of the tour was the cell where unruly slaves were put and left to starve to death. The tour guide put us all in the cell, closed the door, and then said "alright, see you on Monday". Is it right to laugh when you are at a former slave fort?

So, I was thinking of what a slave had to go through. He/she was first captured by an opposing African trip. In turn, they were marched to one of the forts along the coast. If they survived the march, they would be sold to the Europeans. The Europeans would then put them in a large dark sell with other slaves where they would have to wait about six weeks. If they survived the wait, they would be put on a boat to take them to the new world. If they survived the trip, they would be forced to work at someone’s plantation. And this person was the lucky one?! Crazy world.

Traditional Wear

The President of Ghana has decided that all government workers should wear traditional clothing at the office on Fridays. It is quite a spectacle with the women in their extremely colourful dresses and men in their tie and dye/batik shirts. People at the office have been bugging me to buy traditional wear for myself. So, finally I went with my friend Sammy (the engineer) and picked out some material. I got seven yards for $8. Then we went to a seamstress and she made four shirts out of it, for $3 each. When I wore it to the office, everyone was commenting on how good I looked, ha, ha.

Go North

Lia, the other Canadian intern, come up with the idea that we should take a week off work and visit the northern city of Tamale. This city is well known for being a well planned. Since we were already going to Tamale, we thought we should go all the way to Bolgatanga first, back down to Tamale, and then to Mole National Park.

The Bus Ride from Hell

Bolgatange (or Bolga for short) is one of Ghana’s most northern cities and very close to Burkina Faso. The plan was to leave Saturday in the morning from Kumasi and meet Lia there. I had heard that as you go north, the climate and vegetation changes from humid and jungle to dry and savannah. I was all excited about this bus trip because I would be able to see the transition along the way.

The State Transit Commission (STC) is known to be the most reliable. Of course, being Ghana, the bus is an hour late. Ok, no problem, what is one hour. So, we get going about 11am and we are on the road. I’ve got a prime window seat, a Star Wars magazine from my mom, and the Bradt guide ready for getting descriptions of places. Hmm, why is the bus circling Kumasi? Why are we now at the STC workshop? Oh, the bus has a mechanical problem…great.

So, we all disembark. Fortunately, the workshop is also a stopping point for other STC buses and there is a place to eat and rest. I go and get some lunch in the hopes that upon finishing the bus will be fixed. Nope. Not until FIVE GRUELLING HOURS LATER the bus is finally fixed. Why they did just get us another bus is beyond me (this a bit of foreshadowing by the way). The most of exciting thing during the wait was watching the Muslims praying at their set required times.
So, it is about 5pm now and we are on the road. Of course, by six it is dark and you cannot see anything. We reach Tamale and guess what? The bus breaks down again. Who would have predicted that? Fortunately, there is a STC yard nearby and the driver goes and gets us another bus (again, why not in the first place?). It is about 1am and we end up waiting an hour along the road. Finally the bus rolls up, we unload and reload the other bus and get going to reach Bolga at 4:30 am. 17.5 hours later we have arrived. I let Lia know and one of her friends came to meet me. And the funny thing was the length of time it took me to get there was not that big a deal; it was the disappointment of not seeing the countryside.

Bolgatanga

Bolga reminds me of Devon, Alberta, Canada. It is flat, has a highway cutting the town in two, and the centre of city is offset to the east. If you haven’t been to Devon, I guess this does not help. Bolga is also extremely dry, hot, and brown. However, it does have a very relaxed atmosphere. The highlight is the bike lanes along the highway. The lanes are really popular with the locals and you have to be careful to not get hit.

Bicycles are an important mode of transport in the north. So popular that southern Ghanaians call bicycles "Busanga Volvos". The Busangas are a trip in northern Ghana who is known to use bikes as their mode of transport.

The main purpose of going to Bolga was to see Lia’s friend Rachael. Rachael is Canadian living with two other Canadians and a Dutch girl. Ella and Rachael are working with CUSO.
After sleeping in, the first day was pretty chill. It was even more chill when we went to Roots for coffee. This is a Ghanaian hand craft store which was started by a Ghanaian-Canadian. His Rasta-man brother is now running it. Ella and Rachael are friends with the Rasta-man and he was very Rasta with his dreads and bright coloured clothes. I ended up buying a few things from his shop.

The next day was off to Tamale but before we went we stopped at the straw basket market. Not only were there straw baskets but also straw hats, fans, and bags. Lots of great stuff for affordable prices.

Tamale

Do the transport problems ever end? It all starts with Lia, myself, and on other guy in the back of a tro. There is the necessary amount of room for all of us. Then some guy is approaching us to sit. In the end, four of us are expected to squeeze in the back of this metal box on wheels. Along with being very squished, the tro ends up breaking down three times before reaching Tamale. We arrived though in the end.

Next was the search for a hotel. We went to one place and it had to be of the worst I had ever seen. There was half a toilet seat, a big curve in the middle of the mattress, and very drab walls. It was clean and very cheap though. Thank goodness we decided to leave. We ended up at the International Centre for Cultural Studies (TICCS) which had to be the best hotel I have stayed in Ghana, for the price. The hotel had a beautiful garden, a jungle bar, a library (for university students), and even a swing! So awesome. The rooms were also very clean and the beds comfortable.

Tamale is bigger than bolga and has more vegetation but is still flat. Tamale also has bicycle lanes along the side of the main highway. The amount of bicycles, scooters, and motorbikes reminded me of Taiwan. Unfortunately, the scooters and motorbikes take to using the bicycle lanes which can be hazardous.

The city has a very interesting design. At the centre of the city are the STC station, the taxi/tro tro station, and the market. A road circles the centre and from there roads radiate outwards towards various destinations in Ghana. The city is looped by several sets of ring roads. There we even parks for people sit. The city felt very well organised and relatively clean.
A number of very large mosques were built around the city (there is a large Muslim population in the north). The historical centre of the city appeared to be at the chief’s place which behind looked to be the original community buildings with round walls and thatched roofs. Some have called this a slum but we walked through it and while old and run down, the people seemed not to be in too bad a situation by Ghanaian comparisons.

The following day we went to the Municipal Assembly in search of the physical planner. Our timing could not have been better. When we arrived, we met with the planner and found out there was a meeting on the subject of beautifying the city in time for the African Nations Cup football championship. He invited us to stay for it and it had to be one of the highlights of my internship.

The meeting was to talk about the progress on the beautification project. In addition, an architect was presenting his digital 3D model of how Tamale could look after the beautification. The architect was from Tamale, studied in Britain, worked in the US, and was friends with the mayor. There were proposals for treed boulevards, fountains, garbage bins, billboards, new buildings, street signs, and entrance features. It was so refreshing to see people actually thinking about how to make a city inviting and comfortable in Ghana.

Afterwards we had lunch with the planner. We learned that a lot of the good planning that has happened in Tamale has been not because of strong enforcement (they have practically no building inspector) but because of good interventions and great vision. Examples:

The city had a made a Physical Development Plan in 1970 which laid the foundation for the shape of Tamale today.
A past District Coordinating Director had done his thesis on bicycle lanes and had insisted that they be incorporated in the highway running through town.

USAID assisted with putting in services (roads, water, electricity) into a new community BEFORE any house was built. This is unheard of in Ghana from my knowledge. The initiative helped attract people to the area and they built their houses as per the subdivision plan.

We were invited by the architect to a reception in the evening. In the end, the reception was being put on by a hotel owner in recognition of the mayor’s recent marriage. There was a buffet, drinks, speeches, and dancing. It was a great time but hard to talk about planning with the music so load. I am such a geek.

The next day we went to the physical planner’s office and read the 1970-85 Physical Development Plan. It was an extremely interesting read and provided the explanation of how the city was laid out. The plan policies have never been updated; however the planners use the maps as basis for drawing new maps of the city. They were just completing an update and it was interesting to see a greenbelt planned for the city. Sadly, they plan on expanding into the greenbelt once they have used all the land within the current boundaries.

Afterwards, we went to the Tamale market in search of the Gonja cloth weavers. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the weavers we found by the people who take the woven cloth and sew it into smocks which are traditional clothes in the north. The smocks looked like Mexican ponchos but without the hood.

On the Thursday, we were to go and see the Canadian Governor General who was in town and having a luncheon. However, after letting the High Commission know our plans they telephoned us back to see we were not invited and to stay away. Thank you Canada. So, instead we went to Mole National Park early.

Mole National Park

Lia and I got on the afternoon bus for Tamale to Mole. The first hour was fine but then the tarmac ended and we hit the dirt road. That had to be the most bone jarring 3 hours of my life. However, we got there and surprisingly with no breakdowns. The National Park had setup a hotel on top of a large escarpment where we ended up staying. The place had a restaurant, a pool, and a beautiful view of the park. Our room was not bad but there was an ant problem and you still had to have bucket showers. So, not absolutely luxury but great overall.

In the morning of Friday, we went on the scheduled guided tour in search of animals and specifically elephants. Before we walked down the escarpment the guide, in his kaki outfit and armed with a rifle, gave us instructions on what to do and not to do around the animals. There was also a strong hint that at the end he expected a tip.

So, off we went. At the bottom of the escarpment are a couple of watering holes where the elephants are known to have a drink and bath. No elephants so far. However, we did see a variety of types of antelope, warthogs, and birds. After sometime the guide got a call on his cell that the elephants had arrived. We dashed over to where they were. Wow! What a site. I have seen elephants in the zoo but these creatures looked incredibly majestic with the morning mist and in the savannah. There were two of them walking along and taking their time to eat. We could only get within about 50 metres of them. The guide was very happy because he knew that he was going to get a big tip.

We went on a second tour after some Dutch girls spotted four elephants in the pond below the escarpment. They rushed and got a guide. In that case, we got within 20 metres of three elephants bathing in the water. There was also another in the bush near by. Lots of pictures to be had.

That evening Lia’s friends Rachael, Ella, and another girl showed up. They had taken a cab from Tamale and were covered in red dust from the road. It was hard to recognise them, ha, ha.
In the evening we also went with a Canadian couple for tour in their truck. Lots of antelope, warthogs, and birds again but no elephants. It was fun sitting in the back with people from the US, Austria, Holland, and Canada. A weird site was seeing the warthogs and baboons sharing a meal at the local garbage dump.

The rest of the time at Mole was spent by the pool or at viewing platform drinking cheap beer. I think this was the first real resort I had ever been to. It was a total bruni party with all these random travellers from all over the world. There were some US army guys visiting the park also. I overheard one saying "you had to keep your seat belt off just in case someone through a grenade into your vehicle". Wonder what tour of duty that was.

Even at the hotel there were animals. The warthogs were eating grass. Monkeys ran by your door. The craziest event was a baboon that came right up to the swimming pool. At first everyone was very fascinated. That changed to concern when it tried to run off with a couple of peoples purses. Fortunately, when we stood up in protest it got frightened and ran away.
Larabanga

On Saturday, Rachael and I decided to go to Larabanga to see a famous mosque. The only way to get there was by biking six kilometres along a dirt road. So, we got on our one speed Busanga Volvos we rented from the hotel and made the trek.

No one is quite sure when the mosque was built but I guess the villagers are stuck on 1421. The mosque was one of the oddest but most interesting buildings I had ever seen. It is a mud-and-thatch mosque, with a rectangular floor plan. What makes the building interesting are these I-teeth like shapes situated along the length of each wall. Wooden beams also jut out periodically as the building gets higher. The mosque is not especially large but it has this imposing feel. We were not allowed to enter the mosque but we did see the Imam and witnessed the call to prayer.
Larabanga was interesting for its set of mud huts that the villagers live in. However, it seemed like a relatively poor place with dirty children running around in their underwear and most people with holes in their clothes. I guess the village had depended on the animals in the park for food. However, since it was a protected area, the only source of income now seems to be tourism and perhaps some agriculture.

The Trip Home

We boarded the bus at 4am on the Sunday. The trip back took me 16 hours two buses and a tro tro. Fortunately, Lia and I never encountered any breakdowns or late buses. It was nice to see the countryside during the day. The land changed sharply when we crossed the Black Volta River. In the north were deciduous trees and grassland. The villages had round mud huts with thatched roofs. These huts were connected by mud walls to form a compound for each family. The agriculture in the north was primarily rice, cotton, and yam. Also, the people typically leave you alone up north. It was like another country. As we moved south it was back into the jungle with rectangular mud huts, palm, plantain, and coco trees, and a lot of obruni cat calls. Ahh, welcome back home.

Physical Planning

So, I told you how there are two different types of planning in Ghana: Economic Planning and Physical Planning. Well, economic planning appears to be the rich kid. Right now, I am working with the economic planner and we have three computers, gas money, and lots of support from the big bosses. People see this office as important since it coordinates all the local and internationally supported projects within the District.

Physical planning on the other hand has no computers, no gas money, little support, and often no money to even draw subdivision plans. And sometimes there is not even a building inspector to ensure that the plans are being followed. To show how little support there is, this coming year, the office has been given ZERO dollars to draw plans.

However, I do not understand this lack of interest in physical planning. This office is one of the top generators of local revenue through the registration of plots and the provision of building permits. And it could be making even more money if more plans were drawn, more building inspectors were hired, and people were educated about physical planning. It was suggested by the physical planner that 30% of development in urban areas are not registered in the office and 50% in rural areas. Wow!

Ok, ok, maybe I am just going off because it is so sad to see my profession so not respected in another country. However, if the Assembly wants to wean itself off of national and international contributions, they are really going to have to start supporting this office. With good planning you get high land values. With high land values you get high property taxes. With property tax money you can build your communities.

And there are all those other issues with a lack of planning. Why are garbage dumps being put by rivers? Why is a gasoline storage area next to a guy selling meat? Why is there poor drainage? Why are the roads all over the place? What is going on!
There is my planning rant for the evening. Hope you enjoyed it.

Indiscriminate Defecation

I think that is what I am going to call my next punk band. Hmm, I guess I have to learn an instrument first. Anyway, yes, I found the phrase indiscriminate defecation in a planning document I was reading. It is a bureaucratic way of describing the common site of people free-range urinating and crapping in the street or bush. Guys will just whip it out in the middle of a busy street and piss in the gutter. I have also heard stories of women with skirts just spread their legs over a gutter and doing there business.

So, what is the deal? Well, there is a real shortage of toilets in this country. The problem stems from the fact that many houses and commercial buildings do not have toilets in them. Even if the house is supposed to have a washroom, it will often get turned into an additional room as families are so large. Or, the septic tank will get full and the family does not have the money to get it cleaned out.

To combat the problem, public toilets will be built in the community. But in turn, no one is willing to clean them. So, a caretaker is appointed to charge a service fee to be used for the cleaning of the toilet. Well, then people do not want to pay so they go back to the street or bush. Vicious cycle.

I have to say it is nice to be a guy here. I try to find a toilet when I need to relieve myself. However, when worse comes to worse, there is always a wall or tree. Doing a number two though can be sometimes worrisome, especially with the threat of the runs. I really worry I’ll be caught some where with no place to go. At work, I have to access to the toilet using the golden guy held by the big bosses. And it is literally the golden key. Guess they don’t want anyone dirtying their toilet.

The overall message: Toilet paper, do not leave home with out it.

Garbage, Garbage, Everywhere

Along with a shortage of toilets, there is a shortage of garbage bins, garbage trucks, and garbage dumps. So, people just randomly toss their garbage everywhere; in the street, in the market, in the bus station, in the gutters, etc. The most common piece of garbage you see are the black plastic bags that people are given when ever they purchase something. I heard that one African country has banned the bags. Sometimes you see unofficial dumps located in places where no one else is willing to build…like along waterways. Nice. Fortunately, most tourist sites have garbage bins near by.

In Konongo, I only know of one actual garbage bin and it is at the District Assembly building. So, I do my best to get my garbage there even though it is two taxis away. The alternative is, according to the locals…behind the mango tree….yes, that is the unofficial dump near my place.
However, there are times when you have to just do as the Romans do. This is especially when you are travelling. You could just carry the garbage with you but it maybe another day or two before you find an actual garbage bin. So, off it goes on to the ground. It was painful the first time…so painful. The poor whales.

Friendliest People in the World?

One Australian I know described Canadians as being "horribly friendly". And I have to admit, we are pretty nice people. Of the people I have met before going to Ghana I found that Canadians and the Irish were the friendliest. Well, expect that one Irish guy when he drank…get off the cider! Inside joke with my museum hostel friends.

Ghanaians. Wow! These people really cut the cake (do people say that?). As soon as they see you it is what is your name? Where are you from? Where are you going? If you look slightly lost they will direct you and even sometimes take you where you need to go. They will fetch water for you, carry your food basket, and carry you groceries even if you say it is not necessary. They are always offering their food to you. You say hi on the street and you often get a big smile and a hello in return. There is often an invitation to ones home. It is truly amazing.
Of course, this makes it difficult to tell the difference between someone who is just trying to get something out of you and someone who is genuinely interested in helping you out. However, you learn that most of the people trying to rip you off hangout at the tourist sites and the taxi/tro tro stations. But exceptions aside, most Ghanaians are great.

Give me, Give me

While Ghanaians are friendly, some will be asking for things. Do you have money for me? Can I have your number? Can I have your address? Can I have your e-mail address? Can you be my friend? Can you be my bother? Did you bring anything back for me from you trip? Can you help me to get a visa for Canada? Can you help me get into university in Canada? It gets tiring coming up with friendly ways of denying these requests.

Safety First

I think I mentioned before that Ghana is a safe country to live in. But let me reemphasis it. For example, not one bruni has told be that they have been involved violent incident. With the exception of the odd scuffle, I never witnessed anything in terms of violence. And with the exception of an evening in downtown Kumasi, I have never felt unsafe walking home in the dark. Of course, there is violence here and I have heard in the news of armed robberies and vigilante justice. And in any country, it is never good to let down your guard. However, for all the wrap that Africa gets in the news about violence, Ghana is not one of those countries.

IT without Borders

So, practically ever computer in the office has a computer virus. And the funny thing is that they do not even have internet. The viruses get around by saving themselves onto your memory stick (or pen drive as they call them here) and infecting the next computer you insert it into. It is as if my memory stick is a digital STD. The computers do have antivirus but a lot the time the virus definitions are outdated. Fortunately my computer’s antivirus is updated enough that it can clear my memory stick. They really need IT without Borders here.

The Bradt Guide

This guide was written by Philip Briggs and is the only English guide to Ghana. I am aware of a German guide but I don’t read German. So, every bruni you meet will have this guide with them. What does the Bradt Guide say? Do you have you Bradt with you? Can I borrow you Bradt? It is like we are all part of one big giant book club.

Philip Briggs is a funny guy. Unlike Lonely Planet, which tries to be overly objective, Mr. Briggs just tells it like it is. And with the exception of the bus times, the cost of anything (inflation is 10%), and some maps it has some extremely accurate descriptions. There is a lot of amusing information such as the following description of first Tamale and second Takoradi:
"Hot, flat and quite incredibly dusty: first impressions are less than flattering, unless you’re a homesick construction worker".

"While one recent letter characterising the city centre as a rat-infested, smelly dump does seem unduly harsh, the reality is that the city is of interest primarily as a well-equipped staging post for forays to more inherently attractive places."

Did I mention that Mr. Briggs is British and a birder? Ahh, that explains it.

The Search for Shaving Cream

One day, I noticed that I was running out of shaving cream. So, off I go to the market in search of some. Nobody sells it!?! But how is this so? The Ghanaian men I see all have shaved faces. I find out that most men here using something called shaving power. You just put it on your face, leave it there for a few minutes, and then whip the hair off. However, the label has all these warnings about not using it within 24 hours of the next application and not mixing with other products. My guy friends have told me that sometimes it causes a rash. I think the stuff is like Neat. Why I know about Neat, I do not know.

So, I am thinking the women must shave here and use some kind of shaving cream. Well, guess, what? The women do not shave their legs in Ghana. In fact, guys find hairy legs quite attractive.
I end up resorting to using suntan lotion which actually worked find. In Kumasi, an Irish girl took me around and showed me where to get some. It is nice having Bruni stores in Ghana.

New Friends and Neighbours

So, I have some new neighbours in the other unit of my duplex. There are two guys doing there National Service in Konongo. There is no military service in Ghana but those who have graduated from university are expected to spend a year doing service for the government. Joe and Sam are their names and they are doing a GPS survey of the existing community structures in the District. Really a good bunch of guys and we often hangout. When I am in a good mood, I will take them out for drinks. The whole $6 for two rounds does not really break the bank.
Also, there are two Ghanaian women leaving in the next door complex to me. The have recently graduated to and hang out with Joe, Sam and I.

Then there is Baraka who is doing her National Service under my boss Victor. Victor does not know what to do with her, so has assigned her to help me with the development plan. Along with doing the odd work I give her, we have some amusing conversations about Ghanaian life.

Another Cultural Lesson

In Canada, when a person accepts your invitation to buy them a drink, it is the understanding they will accompany you to the selected establishment where you will be purchasing the beverages. In some sense, you are paying for the company of your friend.
In Ghana, the same invitation could lead to different results. For example, it was my friend Sam’s birthday and I was planning to treat him and our friends at a drinking spot. I decided to invite my boss along. He stated that he was too tired to join us but could I bring him back a Coke and a Malta for him. Sounds pretty rude right?

Fortunately, Lia had told me of a similar story of her offering to buy lunch for her boss. She too had thought that if he accepted, he would come to the establishment with her. Instead, he said he was too busy but could she bring back lunch for him.

I guess the explanation is that I am offering a gift of drinks and where and when you enjoy those gifts is not of concern. So, I was disappointed that Victor was not coming along but I decided not to protest. His request was completely normal Ghanaian.

Bruni gets a Haircut

2006-11-03T10:02:00.000-08:00

This has been a long time coming. I have been playing catch up every since I returned from Accra. As to my health, since everyone asks, I do get tired once in a while but I am feeling much, much better. Hopefully, in the next week or so, things will be back to normal.

By the way, I posted a few pictures on flickr if you want to check them out: www.flickr.com/photos/patrick Sorry, it is by far not all of them but it took me 2 hours to just get those ones posted.

I believe I have finally settled in Ghana and I am very keen to see the country. I will have to admit, I was asking myself why the hell I was here for the first month. But now I have adapted to life here and it is becoming second nature.

By the way, thanks mom and dad, Anne Marie and Tom, and Aunt Lilli and Uncle Paul for the postcard.

Here are a few of the adventure I have been on since the good times at the hospital. Sorry for the length.

ACCRA TO KONOGO BUS RIDE

The bus ride back was not overly interesting other then the challenge to get on the bus. See, at the station people are given a ticket with a time on it to board. When the bus arrives, people with that time can board. If there is any more space then later times can board also. Unfortunately, the 11 am bus was 1.5 hours late and instead of forming an organised single file line, everyone just goes and crowds the entrance. After one fist fight the bus finally filled. Sad for me, my time was not till 4 pm.

Finally, a bus arrived for us to take and there was no hassle. However, it was funny seeing us 4 brunni’s (Chinese people are also considered brunni’s here) repetitively asking the driver if the bus was going where we wanted it to go. All the Ghanaians were probably thinking those silly brunni’s.

REST TIME

The doctor recommended that I take off my first week back at work. I ended up working a couple of half days but felt wise to stay at home and rest. I didn’t do any travelling that weekend but returned back to work the following week.

DEVELOPMENT PLAN

However, I found out that no work had been done on the development plan since I was gone. My boss, Victor, had been too busy and the others did not know how to follow the guidelines. Victor decided to hand me the job of completing it. I really appreciated his confidence in me and I really want to do a stiller job. However, we are now way past the September 30 deadline and Victor is really pushing me to finish it.

BATTLE WITH THE BUGS

After returning from Accra, I was scared of what I was going to find in terms of bugs. As I expected, I went and killed what I think were (but not sure are) 10 cockroaches. This really pissed me off as I didn’t want to spend my whole time here on bug patrol. I finally did an inspection of my house and found a large gash in the screen of one of my windows. Ahh, that is where they came from. I got the caretaker to fix it and now I maybe get a big bug about once a week.

But it doesn’t end there. I found out that the Mayor had a couch he did not need so I decided to borough one for my place. I took it to my porch to clean. However, between two of the cushions I found the biggest spider I had ever seen in my life (about the size of my hand) outside a zoo! I tossed the cushion and it ran under the couch. So, I got the good old bug spray out and scared it off. That was freaky. I thoroughly cleaned the couch and sprayed it down before bringing it into my place. So far, so good.

However, the geckos seem much smarter and I once in a while catch a glimpse of them in my place. They are harmless other than the like to leave little presents (turds) behind.

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

I decided to buy two oranges from the vendor (she sits under a tree with her children and sells them) at the Assembly. I took them to the office that the planning officer (Victor) and I share. I arrive and there is the Deputy Coordinating Director and a caterer speaking with him. I was going to give one of the oranges to Victor (they are a whole 5 cents each) but he looked busy.

So, I started eating one and at that moment the caterer asked Victor something in Twi. Victor translated that she was asking me why I had not offered her one of the oranges. I was a little ticked off by this as I hardly knew this woman and why is she asking me for my oranges? So, to avoid a confrontation I say well, she can one if she likes.

Seeing as I did not understand, the Deputy (who I think does not like me) asked me if I was aware of Ghanaian hospitality. I said yes. He then explained that in Ghanaian culture, no matter how little food you have, you are always supposed to offer some to those within the room. At first I thought he was joking but everyone was staring at me quite seriously. I felt very embarrassed but of course, how was I supposed to know. Now I notice all the time people offering food to others and I have since remembered to conform.

My personal culture (not sure if it is Canadian or not) is to only offer when I have extra or when I have specifically bought something for someone. My habit is a bit selfish I guess; the idea of offering food that I plan on eating just results in me having to buy more which is just so inconvenient. On the other hand, if someone offered me food when that was all they could afford, I would feel very guilty to deprive them of any. So, let’s be honest here, do you want me to have your food or not?

HAIRCUT

The week back from work made me decide I really needed a haircut as it was getting to hot at night. I knew barbers were around as they identified their shops with painted signs of a black man's head and an electric razor floating around it. However, do they know how to cut a brunni’s hair? Finally, I asked my friend Sam and he suggested his barber, who also the DCE (the mayor) uses. If the mayor uses him, he must be good, right? So, we set up a time and date. I was expecting to go to a shop but this guy just showed up a Sam’s house with scissors and comb in hand. I sat on a chair outside and wondered what would happen next.

The guy attached a blade to a comb. Then he would flick the comb at my hair until it was “slashed” to the right length. I was afraid he was going to cut my head open. While it wasn’t the cleanest cut (I had to do some trimming at home) it was overall one of the best haircuts I had ever had. The guy told me this was the first time he cut a brunni’s hair. I asked if there was a difference and he said my head was very rubbery. Ha, ha, I guess I have a rubber melon. That was so not funny….

LAUNDRY

I had mentioned in a previous entry how I spent $18 at the laundromat to get my clothes done. Well, I took my one Ghanaian friend to see if he could bargain for a better price. He ended up getting him down to $8! So, I thought, ok, that is still not cheap but I guess I need one luxury while I am here. I am not going to spend all my time hand washing my clothes while I am here.

However, I returned one day to get my clothes cleaned and the laundry man declared he could not wash them today. Umm, why? Well, because there is no electricity. Oh.

So, I came to the decision I needed a reliable way to get my clothes done. Seeing my plight, a friend at work suggested a friend of his to do the laundry. After negotiating a price with him (a whole $5) the women comes over in the middle of the week and returns the next day with the laundry clean. She does a good job and we often chat about life while she is over. Now before you suggest I am a cheap bastard, please read below.

MONEY

So, I was trying to figure out what things were truly worth to people here in Ghana. My baseline was the lunch I sometimes have at one of the two restaurants in town. For my coke, fried chicken, and friend rice I spend a whole $2. I sometimes see people there but very few of my colleagues from work. I thought to them it was what would be a $20 dinner to us.

But then, my one friend bought 4 DVDs for $10. I blurted out that is cheap! Cheap? he responded, it would take me 2.5 days to make up the money for these. I was in total shock. I thought I had not heard right. That means he was making about $3 per day and my $2 meal to him is what would be a $100 meal to us in Canada. I better watch what I say.

To confirm I talked to another friend and he said he brought home about $100 per month after taxes for his family. Also, the last intern did a survey of 18 communities in the District and found that the average household spends $118 per month. Just to put it in perspective, I spend about $200 a month on myself, not considering travelling. No wonder Brunni’s are seen as rich. I honestly feel quite guilty now that I know all this.

However, as I say this I should mention that this is just in the area where I live and may not mean the whole country or every person. I believe people in the larger cities make more money. And I believe there is a large discrepancy between the rich and poor here.

NOT THE ONLY BRUNNI IN TOWN

I was at the restaurant in town when in walks two Mormon Missionaries. After eating, they came up to me and said hello. One was Ghanaian and the other was a brunni from US. We had a friendly chat and the American asked me if I new Joe (or some other name) from Calgary. Of course I did not and explained that Calgary had 1 million people. Why are Americans so American? As per protocol, they offered an invitation to their church. I felt bad for them because they are in their black pants and white shirts and walking around all day in the hot, hot sun. I see them once in a while as their church is near my office.

Sorry, sorry, there is another brunni but he is a Chinese engineer and his name is Tan. Yes, Chinese people are considered brunni’s too. Tan is a cool guy but does not consider himself a brunni.

ANIMALS

I have really great conversations with Solomon the Community Development Officer. I mentioned how we are not allowed to keep farm animals at our houses unless we live on a farm. He asked me whether this was because Canadians did not like killing there own animals. I laughed and said Canadians don’t even like to know where their food comes from.

TRAINING CENTRES

My boss has been taking me around to some of the development sights he is responsible for. One day we went to two training centres. One was to train people in tie-die and batik and the other was in soap making. The participants, mostly women, are given a loan to attend the training centres. They had some really nice things. The hope is that they will use their new skills to start their own businesses.
A WEEKEND WITH MY BOSS

The weekend of October 21-23 was a long weekend in Ghana in celebration of the end of Ramadan for the Muslims. My boss, Victor, invited me to Kumasi where his wife and children live. Kumasi is where he grew up and attended university. He commutes there on weekends to stay with his family and visit his farm. He set me up in a hotel near his house which was a whole $10 a night.

UNIVERSITY

On the Friday Victor took me to the technical university he attended. There I met one of his former classmate’s who is now working to be a professor of geography. His speciality was rural settlements patterns. It would have been nice to talk further with him but Victor had lots of things for us to see. The university looks incredibly modern compared to the rest of Ghana I’ve seen. Lots of 1970 modern buildings, well maintained open spaces, and sharp looking students. There were even surveyors practicing with their modern equipment.

FAST FOOD NATION

Later, Victor decided I needed western food after picking up his kids. So, we went to this gas station which included an On the Run (I believe we have them at Esso gas stations). This was one of the nicest gas bars I had ever seen! It had a mini food court where you could chose from pizza, fried chicken, Mexican, and hamburgers. There was air conditioning, it was clean, and even had washrooms! So, out of place for Ghana. The pizza, water, and fanta I had was about $5. However, I felt bad because the food I was eating in front of Victor and his kids was quite expensive for them. Fortunately, Victor bought his kids a coke so I was not completely alone enjoying my meal.

HOUSE

That evening I went to Victor’s house. He started it about 7 years ago and it is still under construction, which is typical here. The walls are made of concrete blocks and he has an aluminium-zinc (so it doesn’t rust) corrugated roof. It is one storey with a walkout basement. A concrete wall surrounds the property. The inside is not complete as the ceiling panels have not been put in place and the floor is bear concrete. Kind of reminded me of when my family first moved into our home in Deer Ridge when it was still under construction.

Aside: When I was in Accra, I was wondering why I was seeing all these abandoned buildings or buildings with just the main floor built. In fact, they are not abandoned but simply unfinished. The owner, like Victor, is just building as funds become available.

Victor’s brother died sometime back and he is now responsible for his 5 children. Victor has one child of his own. At the moment, I believe 2 of his brother’s live with him and the rest are with the sister in-law. Also, Victor’s mother lives in the basement.
ON TO THE FARM

On the Saturday the entire family (Grandmother, wife, Victor, 2 kids, 3 neighbour kids) and I pilled into Victor’s truck (yes very safe, fortunately I sat in the front) and went to Victor’s farm which is about 45 minutes from Kumasi. I guess he makes this a trip every Saturday with his family. He employs 2 young guys to do the clearing which is essentially done by a machete to cut the weeds and a stick to pull them back. The main crops will be cocoa (for chocolate) and palm (for palm oil). However, he has also planted plantain, oranges, and cassava for his family. There are also some chickens running around. The workers cook and sleep in two buildings made of clay blocks. There is also a caretaker but Victor wants to fire him because he is lazy and steals from the farm.

So, we spent the day there and I followed Victor around on his inspection. He showed me what a cocoa tree is versus a palm tree versus a plantain tree (they originally all looked the same to me). I found out the boundaries of farms are marked with a certain yellow plant.

During our inspection, Victor’s wife and a neighbour’s daughter were slaving away making food. They made mpc (that is completely not the spelling but that is how it sounds) and fufu. Mpc is a sauce with fish, tomatoes, onions, and palm oil which you eat with cooked yam and/or plantain. Fufu is plantain/cassava/yam that is put in a wooden boil and bashed with the head of a log (the pistol) until it is a sticky blob. The blob (oh, I mean fufu) is put in soup. You take the blob with your right hand and soak up soup. This is essentially like banku but banku is made with maize. I like banku better because it actually has some flavour and texture. Victor’s wife made me think of my Oma (German for grandmother) and how she must have worked hard in the kitchen to feed 9 kids.

It was odd seeing Victor with his family. There appeared to be distinct rolls for women (cooking) and men (farm work). Victor himself looked like he was the king lording over his land. He would ask for simple task to be preformed for him by his kids like taking off his boots. Victor and I even ate first before the women and children. I could go into equality and the western culture of waiting for everyone to sit down before eating. However, I felt that I am the guest and it was not my place to intercede.

Victor has a wonderful mother. She does not shy away from saying her opinion and likes to crack a few jokes. Well, that is what I gathered from everyone’s body language because she didn’t speak English. I was taking pictures of things and she came up to me and demanded I take a picture of her. I was surprised but I snapped away and I think I got a nice one.

After a long day at the farm we pilled in the truck with a crop of plantain and oranges.

LAKE BOSUMTWI

Now, I am not sure this is with all Ghanaians but Victor appears to think that drive by sight seeing is the way to go. On the Sunday he took me to a Lake Bosumtwi which is south of Kumasi. To get there you drive down a step road into a large valley. At the bottom is a round lake which was formed by a meteorite. I was looking forward to relaxing by the tranquil lakeshore but as soon as I got out of the car, teenagers were swarming me saying brunni, brunni. Some of them hope you will ask for a tour of the lake and give a few dollars at the end. However, we were also greeted by a middle aged who appeared to be the unofficial greeter for the town. He gave us an overview of the place and I bought a guide book as a souvenir. Victor of course tipped him at the end. The lake reminded me of Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan but with the impolite children. One unique thing is that there is a taboo about using traditional boats for fishing on the lake. As such, the locals get around this by laying down on what looks like handcrafted surfboards and paddle through the water with their hands. After a whole 20 minutes there, Victor decided it was time to go.

KUMASI

We returned back to Kumasi where Victor did some more drive by sight seeing. Now Kumasi is about 1 million people in size and the second largest in Ghana. It is also the home of the King of the Ashanti tribe which I believe is the biggest in Ghana. The city is about 1 hour away from Konongo. The sights we drove by included the Ashanti King’s Palace, the market (which has 10,000 stalls and is the largest in western Africa. Must return!), the cultural centre (handicraft market), the old British Fort, and the downtown.

I really like Kumasi. Unlike Accra, it has a rolling topography which provides for impressive views. There is also a more urban and prosperous feel to the city. For example, many of the colonial buildings in the centre are two – four stores in height and are built up to the street, which helps define the street and provide a sense of proportion. Also every large traffic circle was well landscaped and included a statue. Overall, the city seemed to have a cosmopolitan feel, a sense of place, and character.

However, the suburbs of Kumasi where Victor lives could have been better laid out. The dirt road to his place for example is full of ruts, meanders all over the place, and is quite steep. He doesn’t like to drive down there when it has rained. I believe he lives in a richer area because all the buildings have concrete walls surrounding them. Does not provide for a sense of community what so ever.

THE PALACE

Well, not the King’s palace but close. A surprise for me was when Victor took me to see one of the sub chiefs to the King. He lives in this square apartment building, about 3 storeys, with a courtyard in the middle. The chief lives at the top floor and the rest of his extended family lives in the other apartments. The chief’s apartment was better furnished than many houses in Canada; polished tile floors, leather couches, big screen TV. We waited a few minutes during which time Victor told me the chief had gone to school in the UK to study as an archaeologist. The chief came out and I was a little nervous (how do you act around a chief). Victor introduced me and in turn the chief welcomed me. He was a strongly built middle-aged man. After finding out I was an urban planner he decided I needed a lecture on protecting Kumasi’s reservoir from pollution. After some conversation, he seemed to lose interest in me and was more into the TV. Finally, Victor decided it was time to leave and wished the chief farewell.

Aside: Chiefs are very important people in Ghana. For one, chiefs are the stewards of the land and if you want any, you have to go to the chief and ask for a plot. Also, they are very effective at mobilising people in the participation of community projects and spreading educational messages. In addition, they mediate disputes.

WATER RESERVOIR

On the Sunday he took me first to Kumasi’s water reservoir and treatment plant. We got a tour of the facility and I was impressed by how comprehensive it was. It made me think I could actually drink the tape water in Kumasi but I don’t think I will risk it. However, they only are able to treat 18 million gallons a day and the city requires 40 million. The city generally has 3-4 days a week of water. They are hoping to expand the treatment facility, which was built in 1970. There were a few people fishing in the reservoir and Victor bought some fish.

OWABI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

We then went to Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary. It protects a chuck of land around the Owabi reservoir which was built by the British in 1928. There I met 3 European girls who were volunteering in Ghana. Victor and I chatted with them for a bit after which they invited me to a Halloween party on the following weekend, which was cool. Then they went on their tour of the sanctuary while I stuck around and took some pictures. Then it was off again.

FAUSTINA

The evening before, I had met Victor’s friend Faustina who was teaching accounting at a school. Now, I am not sure if he was trying to set me up with her or just needed sometime alone with his family but he arranged it so that she and I would spend the afternoon together.

So, Faustina and I went to the Cultural Centre to check things out. We wandered around but unfortunately being a holiday, few things were open. However, we did go to the Prempreh II Jubilee Museum who was the King of the Ashanti from 1931 to 1979. It had an interesting display of artefacts relating to the King. I also bought a book on Ashanti culture. Afterwards, we went to a drinking spot (bar) to have a couple beers. The Milk Stout I had was excellent and reminded me of Traditional in Alberta.

This was the first time I have had a long conversation with a Ghanaian women. Before that, I found Ghanaian women to be rather reserved and even cool towards me. Faustina is an independent minded woman but easy going also. It was fun talking with her about western culture, Ghanaian family structure, and taboos in Ghanaian society. However, for all those wondering, there was nothing there beyond friends for me. Afterwards Victor picked me up and took me back to my hotel. We returned to Kumasi the next day.

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Last weekend was the Halloween Party in Wiamoase. To get there I had to take the President’s Bus (an intercity bus; I guess they do have some mass transit here) to Kumasi and then take a tro tro (rickety mini bus/van) north for an hour. The other intern, Lia, also met me in Kumasi for the party. It was a very odd coincidence but the rest of the people heading to the party ended up being on the same tro tro as us.

We reached Wiamose and man, what a backwater town; all dirt roads, sketchy drinking spots, and lots of locals just milling about. Also, the local drunk decided to follow us around. Ha, ha, and we must have looked like the Brunni Invasion. After getting some beer, we headed to the house.

The place we went to was a huge house at the Salvation Army Medical Centre. An American girl and a Danish girl were volunteering there. In the end there were 12 of us hailing from Canada, Denmark, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Iceland, and the US. There were also two friendly Ghanaians who participated in the fun. The Americans and Europeans were all part a volunteer program and were either teaching or in medicine. I was totally the oldster (thanks Naomi for coining that) as they were all extremely young (19-24) compared to Lia and I. Fortunately, the one girl thought I was 24. Yes! I don’t look that old!

It was a fantastic time and a lot of great costumes. Everyone’s favourite was the Icelandic girl dressed up as a giant mosquito. Also, one of the Ghanaians dressed up as an old school headmaster which was hilarious. Mine was very last minute as I dressed up as a Kumasi Kotoko football fan. The Ghanaians loved it: The best! Fabulous! goes the chant.

It was great exchanging all our experiences; everything from the Ghanaian English, to bathing, to food, to getting hit on, to bugs, to the brunni cat calls, to getting sick. I also chatted with a girl from Denmark who also got Malaria. I guess she had it much worse than me as she had a fever, was throwing up severely and ended up in the hospital. It took her a month to recover. I suppose I was lucky. That means there is one week to go for me.

I especially enjoyed the drawings the American had on her wall. Each week she would do a new picture summarising her experience. The first week she drew pictures of an electrical outlet and a water tape both crossed out. Next was her in a taxi going blah, blah, blah and the Ghanaian responding Food? (not all Ghanaians speak English).

We stayed up till 2:30 and crashed all over the house. The next day we got up and went for a short but beautiful hike in the jungle. Then it was off to the tro tro and back to Kumasi and then home.

Aside: Tro tros only leave after they are completely full. You can wait from 30min to 4 hours to go somewhere.

We had to wait 30 minutes for our tro tro to leave. Unfortunately, before we left, we met up with not just one but the two local drunks. The one was simply annoying but friendly. The other may have been crazy though. He was harassing us, drooling, stealing oranges from the local vendors, and throwing them. The locals didn’t appreciate this and started pushing him away. He would keep on coming back and finally the orange vendor started hitting him with a stick. Just when things were getting a little too intense, our tro tro filled up and we left. In Canada, we would simply call the cops in that type of situation. But being in such a backwater place, it would take the police probably a few hours to arrive. You kind of appreciate security after an incident like that.

Well, this weekend is back to Kumasi. I have to extend my visa so I must go to the immigration office. I hope to see some of the things that Victor drove me by. Hope you are all doing great.

When You Are Sitting Around Bored at a Hotel on Thanksgiving

2006-10-08T14:11:00.000-07:00

No, they do not celebrate Thanksgiving here. But I have good news! I went to the doctor last Friday for a blood test and the results are in: No more malaria! The doctor wants me to stay till Monday (tomorrow) so he can make sure I am on the mend. I guess it will take a few weeks before I am all better.

As soon as I hear the news that I am going to get better from some illness, I always expect that I’ll wake up the next day and feel completely 100%. Of course, it ends up being a gradual thing and then one day you realize “oh, I guess I recovered”. This does not help when you are an impatient person like me. I just want to get up and be able to run a marathon. Well, maybe more like 10k.

Well, since I do not have a lot energy to run around, I thought I would write more about my experience here.

Photography

Ghanaians are really anal about being photographed. Either it is because they are worried they will be put on the net in some demeaning manner (at least according to my one Ghana friend), they see it as an opportunity to make some cash (from my experience), or the building is sensitive (prisons, military, etc.).

If you are to photography someone, the etiquette is to ask them first. In the case of buildings, you ask someone nearby if it is ok. Even if you follow etiquette, you can still get into trouble from what others have told me.

I personally haven’t run into any problems but that could be because I have been really carefully. I try to avoid taking pictures of people unless I have their permission. I have found that photographing buildings and landscapes won’t get you into much trouble if you are quick about it. That is fine with me because as many of you pointed out that is what I take the most pictures of. After taking a photo, I try and move on as quickly as possible. Some people will argue that you caught them in the photo and in turn expect some money. But I just call their bluff and say they weren’t in the frame. Also, if you have an official/unofficial guide with you, he will back you up if you are taking photos in return for some cash at the end.

Also, Africans are really hard to take a photo of with their dark skin. If you don't let in enough light, they look like dark blurs. Hard to get a balance with a light background.

Transportation

Transportation in Ghana is surprisingly cheap and effective. You can get to almost anywhere you want if you inquire. Getting around ranges from buses, to tro-tros, to taxis.

Buses are run by the government and usually take you between the larger cities. You can get dropped off earlier if you want but you still have to pay the full fair to the final stop. The cost from Kumasi to Accra is a mere $5! I have not taken one yet but they are known to be the safest mode of transport.

Tro-tros go to almost any village, town, or city. The ones I am used to are vans/mini-buses that carry about 16 people. However, I guess there are others like big buses or trucks that could be called tro-tros. They are very cheap but are crammed full of people, not very comfortable, and not the safest way to go. I took one from Korforidua to Accra.

Taxis are really interesting. I’d say every fourth car is a taxi in Ghana. I think this is because there appears to be no public transport (exception of intercity buses) in Ghana. You can either get a dropping taxi or shared taxis. The dropping taxi is like in Canada where it picks you up and drops you off where ever you want. However, they are relatively more expensive ($1 to $5). Shared taxis are like public transport and run the same route. They pick up different people along the route for a fair from as low as $0.20 per person. Kind of interesting jumping into the same taxi with people you don’t know. From what I understand, dropping and shared taxis are the same car depending on what you want. I wonder how that system would work in Canada? Hmm, seems to clog up the roads in Accra.

Time Management

I have heard a lot of theories about how people conceive time in Africa. One person described it as circular concept versus linear like in the West. Well, leaving oddball theories behind let me describe a few situations.

I went to a workshop about two weeks ago and we were supposed to leave by 9pm to get to Agogo. I get to the office at 8:30, ready to go. Well, it ends up that the flip charts are still being written up. So, 10:00 rolls around I am thinking, how embarrassing is this for the District Assembly to arrive so late? We finally leave at 10:30 and arrive at 11:00. When we get there though, not even all the workshop participants have showed up!!! Guess this is normal as the workshop ends up going ahead without a problem.

Another example. The development planner one day has this rush job to undertake. So, I am thinking he will not be taking any appointments that day in order to get the job done. Then a few people show up and want to speak with him. He spends a third of the day with them before they leave. He notices that I don’t get it. He says that some people come from a long distance to see you and you cannot just turn them away. I guess people do not make appointments here.

Finally, I arrived to a meeting that was supposed to be at 2:00. I show up five minutes late thinking that everyone will be there already. Well, I am the first one and the rest of the crew does not show up for another half an hour. We have the meeting and at the end of it, everyone gets paid $3. I guess it is tough to get people to go to meetings.

Let's Talk Malaria

2006-10-04T14:34:00.000-07:00

First off, I would like to thank everyone for there e-mails. I finally got through them all and it is wonderful to hear about what everyone is up to. Please keep them coming.

Many asked about how hot it was. Right now, it is spring and the temperature gets to around 26-30 Celsius. The hottest is when there are no clouds and the sun beats down on you. With that exception, I would almost say that it is a mild heat and not overly humid. I find I tolerate it quite well.

I left off where I was talking about my experience with malaria. Well, the adventure continues with this friendly parasite. Since my last update, I have been continually experiencing low energy and aches in my arms and legs. So, as per my dad’s pestering and the recommendation of the health insurance company, I decided to visit a doctor in Accra (the capital and biggest city in the country). I arrived Sunday, October 1 at the Korle Bu Hospital and got some blood taken the following day. The results came back today and I guess the malaria parasites were not all killed off by the last dose of medication. This is not uncommon. I have been prescribed new drugs (coartem) and the doc wants me to stay in Accra until Friday to get retested to ensure that the malaria is gone.

I learned though that the anti-malaria pills (doxycycline) I was taking were not a complete waste. The doctor suspects that the reason my condition is not that severe (i.e. no fever, no headaches, no loss of appetite, etc.) is because the doxycycline may have blunted the effect of the malaria. He has recommended for me to continue to take them. Also, he says my liver and kidneys are fine.

It is funny the attitude Ghanaians have about malaria. To them is almost just like having a cold because it is so common. For example, my boss decided to just take an herbal medicine because he was feeling he had malaria. Actually, many have built up immunity to the parasite because they have had it so often. Here are some stats: about 38% of all hospital visits are due to malaria. You hear about millions dieing from the disease but most of them are children (no immunity) or pregnant mothers (there system is run down). Many of you had questions about malaria. Well here is a website for your interest: http://www-micro.msb.le.ac.uk/224/Malaria.html

With the exception of the aches and low energy, I have been able to follow my daily routine and go on a few adventures:

On Sunday, October 24, I went and saw the soccer team called Kumasi Kotoko play against the All Blacks. These teams are in the premiere division of the Ghana football league. The game was in Konongo because Kotoko’s stadium is being renovated for the Africa Cup in 2007. It was some excellent soccer with an enthusiastic crowd. With the exception of a small set of stands for VIPs, everyone stood either up against the fence or on a small rise in the topography to watch the action. I bought a Kotoko (a kotoko is a porcupine) flag and scarf as a souvenir. A 23 year old guy I met came along with me; he’s studying to be a catholic priest.

On the Wednesday, a team of us from the District Assembly went to the town of Agogo. The 30 minute trip there was great with lots of views into the surrounding valleys. We provided a presentation to the local area council on a new project to be implemented by the District. The purpose project is to assist those living on a $1 a day within the town. You can buy about two meals for a $1 and that is about it.

Victor (the Planning Officer) and Sam (the Engineer) took me out for banku for lunch. Banku is corn mashed into a soft blob. It is eaten with either soup or stew. In this case it was soup with grass cutter (hedgehog) in it. You take the banku with your right hand (and only your right hand) and soak it in the soup. The banku (corn) was alright, the grass cutter was very tasty and tender (like roast beef) but the soup was oily, spicy, and had a gritty taste. The gritty taste came from ground granite (like peanuts) put in the soap. This was my first experience with banku and I was not overly impressed. Afterwards, you wash your hand in a bowl with soap.

On the Friday, my friend Sam from work invited me over to his place to watch a Nigerian movie. It was a film about this guy who wanted to marry a rich women and the steps he takes to achieve it. I was very impressed with the acting and the quality of the film.

Saturday was a big day and completely revitalized my interest in Ghana. Sam had a funeral to go to in Koforidua that day and coincidently the other Canadian intern is working there. I thought it would be great to see what the place was like and Sam was happy to drive me there if I chipped in for gas.

Korforidua is situated at the base of a huge hill (which the locals call a mountain). The city has a pleasant atmosphere, mostly paved streets, and a variety of shops and restaurants. The people dress more sophisticated then in Konongo. There is a wonderful view towards the mountain which is punctuated by the spires of a white catholic church. The city seemed big enough to discover new things but small enough not to be overwhelming.

So, we first made a quick stop at the funeral and then we met up with the other Canadian intern, Lia. Sam then had sometime so he drove us to the Boti Falls just outside town. The falls are beautiful and include a male fall (the larger one) and a female one (a smaller one). The falls plummet into a basin where it gradually drains into a creek.

Next was off to Sam’s sister’s place for lunch. She made Banku (remember from above). But this time it tasted simply amazing. She included stew with the banku and it had onions and other vegetables with goat meat. So filling! My right hand was very sticky and messy afterwards.

Lia and I left Sam to go to the rest of the funeral. She showed me her office and the market. The market was very exciting. There was a whole maze of stalls with each section selling something different. There was a section for clothes, tomatoes, fish, brooms, buckets, plantains, etc. I was totally lost.

We ended up finding a round building where the butchers were. Inside, there was a huge round table with different types of meat laid on top of them. After passing the guy cutting up a goat, we found the butcher selling beef. Lia decided to get 2 pounds and the butcher went to slicing up the slap of cow in front of him. It was quite an experience watching all these carcasses buying sliced and diced in front of you. And the smell was not that bad. Don’t think the beef would pass inspection in Canada but we ate it anyway and had no problems.

Then we walked up to the white catholic church to get a view of the town. We also stopped at a drinking spot for some Star Beer which is sort of like Corrona. Very nice.

Lia’s place is much nicer than mine with a comfortable living room and kitchen. The one thing I would not trade for is the fact she only gets running water once a week; enough time to fill the barrels with water. Here electricity is more predictable though. Lia is a great host, cooked me dinner, and let me sleep on her couch. Hopefully I can return the favour in Konogo.

The next day I headed to Accra to get checked out. I have been staying at a nice hotel near the hospital and have been enjoying watching TV, the speedy internet, AC, and sleeping in. The cost is normally $45 but I got a deal for the next few nights of $25 a night.

I thought I should make the most of the time I have in Accra, so I did some site seeing in the town centre today. I started off at the colonial-era lighthouse and then went to the harbour where all the carved out fishing boats are moored. A fellow decided to give me an informal tour, without me asking, of the area. It actually was great because it allowed me to take pictures without being hassled. I got to see people applying their trade, the boats, and what they caught. As I well expected, they young tour guide (Mark) asked for some money but the $2 was worth it.

Then it was off to Fort Usher which used to be a Dutch-built slave fort and in turn a prison until the 1990s. There are plans for it to be turned into a tourist site but for now the caretaker is holding the fort (ha, ha). $5 for a tour and $2 for photos is the informal price of admission. The guide didn’t really know his dates very well but he could tell you what each of the rooms was used for. However, it was hard to determine if we were talking about the slaves or the prisoners or both.

Afterwards was the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in honour of Ghana’s first President. The park had some nice gardens and a huge mausoleum which was amazing. There was also a small museum documenting the president’s life.

Finally, I made it to Independence Square, which is essentially a parade ground. It is supposed to fit 30,000 people and there is a set of stands surrounding the square. At the back of the stadium is a big yellow platform with literally “golden arches” holding it together. Quite amusing but a good view of the ocean from the first platform.

This stretch of sites I have described in Accra have the potential to be strung together to become a monumental avenue. However, at the moment, they seem to be just random buildings, food stales, dirt, trees, and broken sidewalks in between.

Bruni goes to Market – September 22, 2006

2006-10-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

Here is my first update from my new home in Ghana. Where do I start!

Ghana is a weird mix of stereotypes and surprises. There are people carrying things on their head, the buildings are very worn-down, most roads are not paved, toilets are not well kept or non-existent, and the electricity and water often goes out. People will often have 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet. Kids play soccer in their bare feet. Dense jungle surrounds the area. Most cultivation and raising of animals is free-range.

Surprises: First, people dress extremely well here; their clothes are very well mended and clean. And while they are by no means rich, no one looks ragged or impoverished. People have cell phones and own TVs. Some even own cars. There are lots of radio stations with talk shows and music. Most children go to school. People are extremely friendly and helpful. You can buy Coke, Guinness, candy, etc. And during the day I feel very safe. The country seems to be at a crossroads between poverty and success.

I got in two weekends ago Sunday and met the mayor and the Assembly manager for dinner and some beer. We had a great conversation about the differences between of local government in Canada and Ghana. I was shown to my place in the evening which overall was fine.

The following day I met the Assembly staff and shown my office. I’ll be working under the Planning Officer for the 6 months. His name is Victor and has been really helpful in showing me around and getting the things I need. Right away I had to hit the ground running and assist him with updating the District’s Local Development Plan which is due at the end of the month. So much for easing into things.

One highlight of the first week was going to the final Assembly meeting before the local elections. While everything was conducted in the local language (Twi) I caught the odd word of English to understand what was going on. Victor was also helpful in translating. I was also introduced to the Assembly and I found out the Mayor (appointed by the National Government) and the Presiding Member (elected and chair of the Assembly) had both gone to Vancouver for the World Urban Forum.

There was a celebration at the end of the meeting in recognition of the end of the 4 year term for the Assembly. We had fried chicken and beer. The funny thing was that some Assembly members complained that others got bigger pieces of chicken. So, to put down a near riot (no joke), all the members got two pieces. Sadly, some of the staff were left without as a result.

The following weekend I went to town and found the laundry mat. This is not a typical laundry mat as the guy takes the clothes from you, washes them and irons them. However, the price, in Ghana terms, was crazy. $18 American, which is a lot when you consider lunch with a drink is $2. My Assembly friends think the guy ripped me off because I was foreign. The other option is to clean my clothes myself or find a nice old lady to do it. I think you know what I’d choose.

I also went to the market to pick up some supplies to clean my place. People where helpful in showing me where to go and find a mop and broom. But it is weird being the centre of all of the attention because I am white. What, am I some walking freak show? I got what I needed and cleaned my place the next day.

Unfortunately, I was feeling tired, achy, and disorientated last Sunday. So, I go to the doctor, get a blood test (yes, they use new needles) and guess what: I have malaria. No joke. This is even though I have been taking a pill everyday to prevent the virus but I guess it is not 100%. Stupid mosquito went and bit me. It must have been a day or two after I arrived because the malaria takes a week to incubate.

Yes, malaria is very serious if you don’t treat it. However, I was given medication for it and I am already starting to feel better. I took one day off work so I could spend the day on the toilet. I plan to take it easy the rest of the weekend. One should consider that malaria is extremely common and most Ghanaians end up getting it at some point. However, I was hoping for a better introduction to Ghana. Guess what I pickup in Ghana!?

Anyway, I have written some more below and put them into categories. I will do my best to e-mail you all but I have to warn you the internet here is exxxtremely slow. In turn, I do not think I will be getting many photos onto my website.

I have not found a good long distance plan yet. However, it is free, for me, if you phone my number. Would love to hear from you! Miss you all lots, lots, and lots.

Patrick!

Bruni

By the way bruni means white man in Twi and you hear people saying it where ever you go. In the case of little kids, they just go nuts when they see you. They say Bruni! Bruni! Bruni! over and over again as if I am some kind of mythical unicorn. They love it if you wave to them. Some kids, as you walk by will actually grab your arm just to see if you are real.

Teenagers try and be all cool but you say hello and they get this big smile on there face and say hello back. Adults are generally friendly and love to talk with the bruni. Where are you going? How are you?

The sad side of being a bruni is that some treat you like you are a walking ATM. People at the market are all about ripping you off (my skills are not so hot in the bargaining department). Others want a TIP for doing very little. One teenager even went to my house, knocked on the door and asked for food. I told him sorry. That was disturbing.

Konongo

I live in a small town of 20,000 called Konongo. The town centre has lots of activity and many 1 – 2 storey buildings crammed together. There is a huge market where you can buy anything from food, to clothes, to hardware, to household supplies. Most of the buildings are of concrete and look quite worn down. Other than the main street, all the roads are unpaved. Down the road from town centre is the Assembly building where I work.

My house is located in the community of Low Cost which is a suburb of Konongo. It is a community made up of Assembly staff housing. A lot of the staff are actually not from Konongo but have been appointed by the national government to work here. So, the Assembly has built housing for them to live. Hmm, is that why it is called Low Cost? I usually get a ride to work from the Assembly driver.

House

Well, I live in a bungalow/duplex. Inside is sort of like a bachelor pad with a washroom, a desk, bed, dresser, fridge, ceiling fan, and table. No kitchen though. The place is not bad overall: the screens keep most of the bugs out, the bed is comfortable, and there is lots of room. However, the roof does leak when there is a bad storm (bring out the buckets), some big spiders find there way in (get out the raid), and the shower has one setting: cold.

Fun times are had when the electricity goes out, which happens a least 3 times a week. Fortunately, the mayor gave me a rechargeable radio/lamp and the computer has a 3.5 hour battery. What also often occurs is the water will not run. I’ve had a few showers using a bucket already. Yes, good times.

Outside the house is a water well where all the kids of the area hang out. Obruni they yell. Then there are chickens and goats running around. The one maintenance guy raises HUGE snails and grass cutters (look like hedgehogs). Sometimes you see little lizards running around. There are also some tall trees to shade the area.

Food

People here love their starches whether it is spaghetti, rice, cassava, plantain, and yam. Usually it is served with a stew, meat sauce, soap, or chilli. Often there is a side dish of meat such as fish, chicken, or beef which is usually very tasty. They tend to put a lot of spices in the meals which give it some flavour. They do not put many vegetables or fruit in there food which I think is where the meals fall short. Everyone says I need to try fufu which is cassava, plantain, or yam mashed into a pulp and put in soap. Breakfast is unusually omelettes.

I think the food has the potential to be very good but there is no thought put in the combination. Example of one meal I had: plan rice, meat sauce, fried chicken. How does that go together?

My overall experience with Ghanaian food has not been wide but also not great. The Mayor’s cook prepares breakfast for me and while the breakfast is good the dinner ranges from tolerable to awful. Usually there is layer of some oily substance at the bottom, it has no flavour, and he always adds fish to the meal. I even told him that I also like chicken and beef. What do I get the next day? More fish. Anyway, the chef is a nice guy and I will have to see how it goes.

Development Projects

For those interested, there are is a long list of development projects occurring in Ghana. They include micro-credit for small businesses, cooperatives, credit unions (yes, Aunt Milley, there are credit unions), health insurance, etc. I believe that something like 40% to 60% of the government’s budgets is from other countries.

Work

I found out something very interesting (at least for us planning geeks) about planning in Ghana. I guess in Ghana there are two types of planners. There is a physical planner and there is a development planner. Physical planners design site layouts/masterplans and undertake site plan control, which is typical for urban planners in Canada. Development planners on the other hand coordinate development projects, identify priorities, and ensure that the development is carried through. While some planners in Canada may do this, I would say that it is not standard.

So, guess who I am working under? A development planner. Which does not make sense because according to my Canadian boss, I was supposed to be writing a physical plan for the District? Instead I am working on the Development Plan which has no spatial strategy what so ever. After that they want me to work on data collection. I sent an e-mail to my Canadian boss to ask what is going on.

23 Jan 2006

2006-09-03T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hi peoples,

Yes, I have arrived safe and sound to the land of crisps, trousers, loos, lifts, birds, and blokes. So far, so good.

I spent the first night at the London Backpacker hostel north of central London. Nice place to recharge but to far from the centre and I didn't really meet very many interesting people there.

Now I have a place at the Astor Museum Hostel. Awesome hostel so far. My first night I met tones of cool people from places like Australia, France, Ireland, Holland, and of course Canada. Us Canadians were going on and on about the election. I got into the long term stay accomodations at the hostel to save some money and I already have become friends with a few people. And listen you museum addicts: the hostel is right across the street from the British Museum. And the British Museum is free too!

But unfortunately, I have not had the time to take in very many of the sites. Today has been travelling around London on the tube and meeting up with the hiring agencies. If anything, it is a really good way to see the city. I have two interviews setup so far but not anything I am quite interested in yet. There are still three other agencies to meet with so we'll see.

My cell phone should be activated on Wednesday (yes, john, jason, and stan, I broke down and got one. Standing in a cold phone both gets uncomfortable after a while. I did a phone interview in the British Museum because I was tired of the weather). So, I may have a number for those rich kids to phone. And the best thing ever is that I don't pay when you call me, ha, ha. That is for all cell phones in the UK!

Alright, well, that is the news from here. Sorry to those who e-mailed before and I didn't get back to. Things have been busy, blah, blah, excuse, excuse and will do my best to get back to you. And one day, I will get a blog up and going. Take care, miss you all lots.

Patrick!