My friend Marina and I have been walking early in the mornings 3 days a week for a little exercise over the past few weeks. We walk from about 6-7am which is great because it is a little cooler outside and we get to watch Accra get started in the mornings. We have a few different routes but all of them wind up being a little like an obstacle course and cultural lesson mixed together. I thought I'd share some of the challenges along the way as it gives a view into the streets of Accra.
1) The gutter system, which is a canal alongside the road that is covered by cement blocks that are most often cracked and loose so at any point a mis-step could lead to falling inside the nastiness that lies below, serves as a pedestrian sidewalk. Recently workman unloaded piles of dirt and filth from the gutters onto the road next to them so that created another little obstacle as we had to sidestep piles of gross mud and avoid falling in. It only took them about a week to clear the mud so finally today we had a little more room to walk.
2) The constant horn blowing of taxis eventually just blends in to the cacophany of other sounds around us. Taxis see white people and must think that we don't like walking because each taxi honks multiple times and slows down each time they pass us despite the fact we are clearly happy to be on our walk and don't look the slightest bit like we are looking for a taxi. They even do it when we turn the corner into our apartment complex's driveway. Why someone would want a taxi when they are walking into their building's driveway is still a mystery to me. I was imagining what NYC would be like if all the taxi's honked at every pedestrian in an attempt to get a passenger.
3) Tro tro's seem to have little regard for pedestrians. Tro tro's are old beat up vans that act as the public transport system here in and in many places in Africa. Today on our walk, a tro tro pulled into a a driveway right as we were walking in front of the driveway almost knocking us over. We stopped to let it go but then it quickly swerved in towards us almost running over our feet. We screamed and knocked on the van to let them know what they did but the driver just laughed. Oh well!
4) Yummm....Car exhaust - Marina and I often find ourselves holding our breath and covering our mouths as black exhaust pours out of cars and tro tro's. Not so refreshing to breath that in while exercising but we'll survive.
5) Goats and chickens wander around here like the land is theirs and so often we walk alongside them or slow down to let them cross in front or almost trip over them. They're not so much a threat but just a curious part of street life that I'm still getting used to I suppose. Alan is also still getting used to the goats. The other day he pointed out our window in the kitchen and said, "Look! Is that a lion?" I guess to him the goat looked like a lion but no, we don't have lions in Accra.
6) But, today, a monkey crossed our path or more like we crossed his path. Monkeys are not common in Ghana, especially in Accra. In fact, we've never seen one around. But today, as we passed a big truck that was unloading on the side of the road, I saw some movement on the top of the truck and figured maybe it was a dog. But when I looked up, I saw a monkey tied up and hissing at us. I screamed and almost pushed Marina into an oncoming tro tro. That was the last thing I expected to see but I'll just add it to my list of curious things to see while on our morning walk.
The more pleasant part of our walk includes admiring some of the mansion-like homes on our path and wondering what diplomat or business person lives in them. Also bringing smiles to our faces are the little children that sometimes scream "Obruni Obruni!" which is the Twi word for white person. And then of course there is the occasional old man who walks along saying "good morning" to everyone he passes. And the ladies setting up shop alongside the road (or on their heads) selling everything from piles of boiled eggs to big white rolls spread with margarine for breakfast.
The walks are really enjoyable...both the good and the bad so hopefully we keep it up!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Friends Who Love to Cook
I thought I'd just post a few more pictures from recent gatherings with some of our newest friends here in Ghana. Given that there is not tons to do on the weekends here, we have decided that simple get togethers with friends are the way to go to stay busy and entertained. We pretty much figured that out when we got here but were just lacking the friends so now we have the friends, we're all set! And plus, the food that our friends make is better than we could find in any restaurant in Accra so what's the point of going out?
Last week Gilda (on the far right) and her husband Allan hosted a potluck to send Gilda on her way back to DC for a few weeks (she comes back in October).
Gilda is of Iraqi descent and made some really yummy dishes like baked chicken, rice, and a sweet and sour eggplant. Marina (far left) made a delicious salad and Dyane (in the middle) brought great wine. And you guessed it...I made dessert...chocolate, hazelnut and espresso biscotti.
Then on Saturday we went to Uxoa and Carlos' place for lunch. Again...an amazing meal. We had baked grouper with fried plantains (almost made into a pancake like a latke for the Jews reading this) and an avocado/tomato salad and beans. It was so delicious and then afterwards we let our food settle by the pool while their ridiculously cute girls played in the water.
We've all been discussing the idea of a gourmet club where we take turns hosting dinners centered around some food theme. And our friend Dyane proposed having a chilli club which is an idea she her husband took from their time in Zimbabwe where everyone brings a dish prepared with chillies. Everyone from our network, including us, are going to be travelling in the next month or so or have family in town visiting but I am sure when we are all back in October, we're going to get something started!
It's going to be hard to keep up with these expat chefs but I'll do my best.
Last week Gilda (on the far right) and her husband Allan hosted a potluck to send Gilda on her way back to DC for a few weeks (she comes back in October).
Gilda is of Iraqi descent and made some really yummy dishes like baked chicken, rice, and a sweet and sour eggplant. Marina (far left) made a delicious salad and Dyane (in the middle) brought great wine. And you guessed it...I made dessert...chocolate, hazelnut and espresso biscotti.
Then on Saturday we went to Uxoa and Carlos' place for lunch. Again...an amazing meal. We had baked grouper with fried plantains (almost made into a pancake like a latke for the Jews reading this) and an avocado/tomato salad and beans. It was so delicious and then afterwards we let our food settle by the pool while their ridiculously cute girls played in the water.
We've all been discussing the idea of a gourmet club where we take turns hosting dinners centered around some food theme. And our friend Dyane proposed having a chilli club which is an idea she her husband took from their time in Zimbabwe where everyone brings a dish prepared with chillies. Everyone from our network, including us, are going to be travelling in the next month or so or have family in town visiting but I am sure when we are all back in October, we're going to get something started!
It's going to be hard to keep up with these expat chefs but I'll do my best.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Sad News about Pop Pop
On Thursday night week we learned of my Grandpa Sam's passing which despite trying to prepare myself for, was still very difficult to hear. He's been quite sick for the past few weeks and between my mom and uncle taking shifts in Florida with him trying to see if a recovery was possible, his body simply failed. He lived a long life though and I was thankful that my mom and uncle got to spend time with him in his last few weeks even though I know it must have been very difficult to see him like that. None of us wanted to see him suffer any longer. Sadder, is perhaps that fact that my grandmother, who has Alzheimer's, may not even realize what has happened to her husband. Perhaps she has some sense of something but I can't imagine any of it making much sense.
Alan and I feel worlds away from his passing. I'm so thankful that Alan got to meet Pop Pop, as we called him when we were younger. We had visited them last summer and he was so excited about our wedding and the move to Ghana. My family is planning a memorial service for him next week which unfortunately we won't be able to be at, which is quite frustrating but that is the way it is. We will be thinking of him a lot these next few days and weeks though.
Alan and I feel worlds away from his passing. I'm so thankful that Alan got to meet Pop Pop, as we called him when we were younger. We had visited them last summer and he was so excited about our wedding and the move to Ghana. My family is planning a memorial service for him next week which unfortunately we won't be able to be at, which is quite frustrating but that is the way it is. We will be thinking of him a lot these next few days and weeks though.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Week Full of Activities
Alan and I have had a busy week and weekend and thus, not much time for blogging but it was all full of fun and interesting events. Last weekend we met some new friends in our apartment complex, Gilda and Allan, from DC via Montreal. Gilda and I got together with another woman from the apartment complex, Marina, who is also our yoga instructor and made a few excursions this week. We went for coffee one day and then Marina, who is becoming an accomplished, Mahjong player, decided that she'd like to teach Gilda and I how to play the game. It was a lot of fun and I might become a Mahjong addict. In fact my mother informed me that my grandmother used to play Mahjong and has a beautiful set that I might take back to Ghana. Then the next day we all got together again along with my friend Uxoa and her baby Malaika and we made an excursion to a Kente cloth shop and production site. This is a traditional type of weaving done here in Ghana that is really beautiful. Sometimes the cloth is worn for special occasions but it is also produced for table settings, bed spreads, wall hangings, etc. 
It is an extremely time consuming process. We were overwhelmed by the huge inventory there and the beautiful colors and patterns of all the cloth. We bought a few things but are going back next week to get more! Then on Thursday, Frank and I went on an expedition for supplies I need for my baking business like cake boxes and cardboard supports for the cakes. In the US, it's possible to just go to a cake supply store and get all of this, but here, it's a major challenge. I began by searching for cardboard manufactorers hoping that they might be able to produce a cake box for me. The first place we went which was a massive factory said the minimum order quantity of boxes was 4000 - a little much for my very small scale operation. Then we went to another place that doesn't do boxes but was willing to sell me huge sheets of cardboard from which I can cut my own cake supports. Then we went to a printing press where they print and fold cardboard boxes for various retail companies and after Frank translated between Twi and English for me, we finally understand that they can produce the boxes for me but I will have to draw my own design for the box. After feeling somewhat successful with the mission so far, we went to one of the markets to look for used cake mixers, as I am still borrowing my friend's mixer which will soon have to be returned. It was a really interesting process by which we pulled over our car on a busy street, hissed to get a man's attention who came over to the car. We explained what I was looking for and he then made some phone calls and ran in and out of nearby stores looking for a used Kenwood mixer. Low and behold, 10 minutes later, the man is walking down the street with a used Kenwood mixer on his shoulder. My excitment soon was extinguished when he told me how much it was - as much as a new Kitchen Aid mixer in the states. Despite my attempt to bargain hard, it was clear this guy was not going to reduce it low enough to my liking so we left empty handed. All of this baking-focused searching was inspired by receiving my first "real" cake order on Wednesday. A woman ordered a cake for her son's 21st birthday. So I delivered the cake and am crossing my fingers they liked it! And finally, the weekend arrived which we had packed full of activity. Friday night was the final Ghana Malta Guinness Street Dance Competition which, if you remember from an earlier blog, is a competition that Alan's company, Guinness Ghana, sponsors each year. It is a competition all over Africa and the countries' winners then compete to become the winner for Africa. So this was the national competition's finals and was held the major conference center here. After dining with Guinness friends along with our friends Uxoa and Carlos at a local Indian restaurant, 
we made our way to a packed and chaotic conference center. It was just brimming with excitment, music was blaring and fans had made banners and even brought their vuvuzelas (those aweful noise makers from the World Cup). It was great fun, despite almost going deaf from sitting right in front of the speakers. 6 teams competed through 3 different stages of the competition battling with theatrics, break dancing, props, and dance moves. Team names included High Spirits, Buggi Bust, Heroes Dance Crew, Rockers of All Time, and No Limit Crew. Four judges, all dance experts or music producers scored the teams and finally picked a winner. The event was televised and so television cameras and still cameras were all over the place. Because we were with Guinness and wore our bright orange branded t-shirts for the competition we sat in the first two rows and got lots of face time on T.V. Too bad Alan and I had our fingers in our ears for most of it because our ear drums were aching - probably not the shot they wanted of the competition! Here are some shots of the competition.
Then on Saturday, we had an impromput bagel party with our friends from the complex. First, our friend Antonio came over to learn the bagel making process. We made almost 3 dozen bagels! Then the friends arrived - Marina and Jonathon, Dyane and Antonio, and Gilda and Allan. Marina, who recently went home to Moscow, brought some smoked fish to the brunch all the way from Russia which was gobbled down in a few seconds. We had a great time and indulged in bagels since we don't have any here and dreamed about opening a bagel shop in Accra. 
And finally to finish our activity filled weekend, we went to the one movie theater in Accra to see Inception with Leonardo Dicaprio. Despite having to fight with the crowds to get popcorn (making a line is unheard of here), which is hugely popular at the movie theater, it was really nice to sit back and enjoy the simple past time. We then were planning to go out for dinner but soon realized when we got to the parking lot that we were not going anywhere. City planning, particularly street planning, is so poor here that despite having this modern mall, the parking lot and entrance and exit to the mall are so ridiculously non-sensical that cars just get jammed packed in the parking lot trying to get in or out but not going anywhere. So we grabbed some African cuisine in the mall and by the time we finished (service was very slow!) the parking lot had unjammed and we were able to drive home.
It is an extremely time consuming process. We were overwhelmed by the huge inventory there and the beautiful colors and patterns of all the cloth. We bought a few things but are going back next week to get more! Then on Thursday, Frank and I went on an expedition for supplies I need for my baking business like cake boxes and cardboard supports for the cakes. In the US, it's possible to just go to a cake supply store and get all of this, but here, it's a major challenge. I began by searching for cardboard manufactorers hoping that they might be able to produce a cake box for me. The first place we went which was a massive factory said the minimum order quantity of boxes was 4000 - a little much for my very small scale operation. Then we went to another place that doesn't do boxes but was willing to sell me huge sheets of cardboard from which I can cut my own cake supports. Then we went to a printing press where they print and fold cardboard boxes for various retail companies and after Frank translated between Twi and English for me, we finally understand that they can produce the boxes for me but I will have to draw my own design for the box. After feeling somewhat successful with the mission so far, we went to one of the markets to look for used cake mixers, as I am still borrowing my friend's mixer which will soon have to be returned. It was a really interesting process by which we pulled over our car on a busy street, hissed to get a man's attention who came over to the car. We explained what I was looking for and he then made some phone calls and ran in and out of nearby stores looking for a used Kenwood mixer. Low and behold, 10 minutes later, the man is walking down the street with a used Kenwood mixer on his shoulder. My excitment soon was extinguished when he told me how much it was - as much as a new Kitchen Aid mixer in the states. Despite my attempt to bargain hard, it was clear this guy was not going to reduce it low enough to my liking so we left empty handed. All of this baking-focused searching was inspired by receiving my first "real" cake order on Wednesday. A woman ordered a cake for her son's 21st birthday. So I delivered the cake and am crossing my fingers they liked it! And finally, the weekend arrived which we had packed full of activity. Friday night was the final Ghana Malta Guinness Street Dance Competition which, if you remember from an earlier blog, is a competition that Alan's company, Guinness Ghana, sponsors each year. It is a competition all over Africa and the countries' winners then compete to become the winner for Africa. So this was the national competition's finals and was held the major conference center here. After dining with Guinness friends along with our friends Uxoa and Carlos at a local Indian restaurant, 
we made our way to a packed and chaotic conference center. It was just brimming with excitment, music was blaring and fans had made banners and even brought their vuvuzelas (those aweful noise makers from the World Cup). It was great fun, despite almost going deaf from sitting right in front of the speakers. 6 teams competed through 3 different stages of the competition battling with theatrics, break dancing, props, and dance moves. Team names included High Spirits, Buggi Bust, Heroes Dance Crew, Rockers of All Time, and No Limit Crew. Four judges, all dance experts or music producers scored the teams and finally picked a winner. The event was televised and so television cameras and still cameras were all over the place. Because we were with Guinness and wore our bright orange branded t-shirts for the competition we sat in the first two rows and got lots of face time on T.V. Too bad Alan and I had our fingers in our ears for most of it because our ear drums were aching - probably not the shot they wanted of the competition! Here are some shots of the competition. 
Then on Saturday, we had an impromput bagel party with our friends from the complex. First, our friend Antonio came over to learn the bagel making process. We made almost 3 dozen bagels! Then the friends arrived - Marina and Jonathon, Dyane and Antonio, and Gilda and Allan. Marina, who recently went home to Moscow, brought some smoked fish to the brunch all the way from Russia which was gobbled down in a few seconds. We had a great time and indulged in bagels since we don't have any here and dreamed about opening a bagel shop in Accra. 
And finally to finish our activity filled weekend, we went to the one movie theater in Accra to see Inception with Leonardo Dicaprio. Despite having to fight with the crowds to get popcorn (making a line is unheard of here), which is hugely popular at the movie theater, it was really nice to sit back and enjoy the simple past time. We then were planning to go out for dinner but soon realized when we got to the parking lot that we were not going anywhere. City planning, particularly street planning, is so poor here that despite having this modern mall, the parking lot and entrance and exit to the mall are so ridiculously non-sensical that cars just get jammed packed in the parking lot trying to get in or out but not going anywhere. So we grabbed some African cuisine in the mall and by the time we finished (service was very slow!) the parking lot had unjammed and we were able to drive home.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Life's a Beach
We had another great day at the beach today with our friends Uxoa, Carlos, and their two girls. The weather was perfect, the drive was relatively traffic-free, the fresh fish was delicious, and we realized Alan has hit his 6 month anniversary of being in Ghana this weekend so it was a good excuse to celebrate.
Our perfect weather and almost desserted beach and one of the many people selling their wares to the few obruni's (white people).
Uxoa and I getting surprised by a wave's spray of water. The water was a little chilly.
Carlos and Malaika and Maite posing for the camera.
Uxoa trying to get our order straightened out for the waiter.
Our lunch. I can't remember the name of the fish but it was good...just an unusual texture. Something none of us had tried before.
These women were selling large shells for souvenirs. They were pretty but no one there seemed very interested in buying so they were doing a lot of standing around.
This was the funniest part of the day. Malaika found this little Ghanaian boy on the beach and be-friended him which included just grabbing his hand. He didn't say a word but just allowed her to walk around with him pulling him where she wanted to go. At one point, she brought him to Uxoa to show him off. Not sure what he made of all this but when Malaika tried to give him some rock she found on the ground, he quickly lost interest and went to climb a tree and dig holes with his friends and Malaika got a little distressed but waved him goodbye and that was the end of a short-lived courtship. It was all very cute.
Our perfect weather and almost desserted beach and one of the many people selling their wares to the few obruni's (white people).
Uxoa and I getting surprised by a wave's spray of water. The water was a little chilly.
Carlos and Malaika and Maite posing for the camera.
Uxoa trying to get our order straightened out for the waiter.
Our lunch. I can't remember the name of the fish but it was good...just an unusual texture. Something none of us had tried before.
These women were selling large shells for souvenirs. They were pretty but no one there seemed very interested in buying so they were doing a lot of standing around.
This was the funniest part of the day. Malaika found this little Ghanaian boy on the beach and be-friended him which included just grabbing his hand. He didn't say a word but just allowed her to walk around with him pulling him where she wanted to go. At one point, she brought him to Uxoa to show him off. Not sure what he made of all this but when Malaika tried to give him some rock she found on the ground, he quickly lost interest and went to climb a tree and dig holes with his friends and Malaika got a little distressed but waved him goodbye and that was the end of a short-lived courtship. It was all very cute.
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