Out to see the sights

24 May 

Asante was walking around the compound and stopped to talk with Amberlee, our new intern for OGC. He expressed his concern that she wasn't seeing much of Ghana besides the compound. So we decided to go on Saturday and let him show her around a bit.

On Friday while shopping, I asked Eugene to stop at the basket makers and ask if we could come by and video tape him weaving. The man said yes. So on Saturday that is the first place that we stopped.

Sister Braunberger, Amberlee, I, and Asante went out Saturday for the morning to look and see sights in Ghana.

I Marco Polo-ed the basket weaver and we all asked questions. Asante is the one who found out that the cane used to make the strips for the baskets, chairs, end tables, lamps, etc. is from Cape Coast and is grown only there. The owner was concerned because the cane hadn't arrived. He wants us to come back when the cane arrives. I bought two baskets for 100 cedis, and Amberlee bought a little plate basket for 40 cedis, I told them all that we paid the Oborni price because I had gotten the same baskets for only 40 cedis the last time I bought baskets and Amberlee's was way overpriced. I told Asante he hadn't negotiated.   He laughed.  Oh well, it's the white tax.

We stopped at the Italian Embassy turn off to pick up fresh produce. I told Amberlee she needed to take a picture as this was one of the most beautiful displays of produce and makes a good title page to any show and tell she begins about her adventures.

Lots of senior missionaries buy from here

We took pictures of the president's Jubilee house in the shape of a stool on our way to historic Jamestown.

I started telling Amberlee about the stool and its significance to Ghana and politics and asked Asante to tell what he knew. He referred to me and said I was doing a good job. Ahhh, I am American.....

You can read here or the bigger story about it here.

Then off we went to historic Jamestown. It has changed so much since the last time I was here in 2021! You can hardly see the old fort and Light house. New installations from the Chinese have covered the old port. In fact the Chinese transferred the people who lived here to another beach.  I was just a little shocked at how much had been wiped out. The fishermen come in from the sea to the dock and all of their goods (fish) is taken up the hill between the Chinese buildings past the guards and straight to the market about a mile away. All the Chinese produce (fish) are taken to the buildings on either side behind electric and barb wire fences. Our guide told us the Chinese have hired some Ghanaians. I'm thinking whole families have lost their livelihoods and this port has been commandeered by the Chinese - though our guide never said so. 

There are school boxing clubs and basketball clubs on what was once the fort

Jamestown lighthouse still exits but much of the rest is gone

Chinese installations cover what was once rubbish, rubble, and a fishing industry 

A little of what is left of the old fort and the grounds around it

Going down into what once was the storage sheds where people were kept till they rode off in ships

Last remnants of the old fort

Modern buildings cover the old port

Jamestown lighthouse

Warehouse storage

Part of the fishing fleet

Coming back up

Then we went to the Black Star Square to look at the Black Star Gate for freedom and justice. Asante couldn't tell us much about that either.

But you can read about it here and here and the symbolism here.

Asante is a great driver - not a tour guide.