Today’s post is 2475 words, 50 photos, 2 videos, a 10 minute read. Enjoy!
Hi everyone,
Welcome to the ninth and final post from our March trip to Ghana. This week I’ll take you on a long bus ride north to Kumasi, a stop at my friend Patrick’s fish farm, a look at traditional Adinkra fabric printing, watch Papa wheel and deal on a stool, and detail a hair-raising bus ride back to Accra. I hope you’ll enjoy the stories and photos. If you missed the previous eight articles on Ghana, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
The Trail to Kumasi
After dropping off the rest of the group at the airport late in the afternoon, Martin, the bus driver, took my Traveling Partner, Papa, and me to the KNUST Guest House where we would spend the night before heading out the next morning to Kumasi in Central Ghana. There we would meet up with Patrick, one of the people that looked after me when I did a volunteer gig working with farmers in Ghana in 2016. Patrick chauffeured me everyday to and from the village where I met with the farmers. I kept in touch with Patrick over the years, inquiring about his family and some of the people I met while I was in Ghana. I wanted my Traveling Partner to see where I stayed and worked during the two weeks I was away. I contracted with Papa to take us to the area near Kumasi for a couple day visit.
It was a leisurely rise the next morning, we didn’t have to leave until around 9 AM. We had a nice breakfast at KNUST before meeting Papa in the lobby. Pictured below are Martin, the bus driver, and Martin, Papa’s cousin and business partner. They were heading home after we said a final farewell to these wonderful people. 
Soon we were in a car on the way to the Accra bus terminal. As we approached, there were crowds of people coming and going. We pulled into the bus station where several buses were parked. We waited while Papa purchased the bus tickets for our ride to Kumasi. After stowing our luggage, we climbed on to the big bus. We had comfortable seats near the back. 
After the bus left the terminal, a gentleman stood up and began walking up and down the aisle loudly preaching a sermon. Papa told us this is common when departing big cities. When the preacher asked for an offering, he walked up the aisle and stopped in front of the only white man on the bus, me! He waited for a donation, I offered nothing, I didn’t expect to have to listen to a lengthy sermon about hell and damnation and certainly wasn’t going to reward him. He got off the bus just before we left the outskirts of Accra.
After nearly four hours of riding through a few construction zones, some rough roads, and heavy traffic, Papa called out for the bus driver to let us off on the side of the road. My Traveling Partner and I weren’t sure what was happening but we got off on the narrow shoulder of the two-lane road. Apparently, Patrick was meeting us at this stop.
In a couple of minutes Patrick pulled up and so did a taxi. After greeting Patrick and introducing him to my Traveling Partner, he told us that the air-conditioning wasn’t working in his car so Papa hired a car to take us around while we were in town. Met Godried, our driver for the next couple of days. We learned he was driving to make a living to support his wife and young child. He wanted to go to the university to get a better job. He told us there were a lot of taxis on the road, fares were low, and it was hard to make enough to live on. He was another of the smart, pleasant people we met on this trip.
Godfried took us to the Kuduro Hotel in nearby Konongo. This hotel is owned by Patrick’s brother who now lives in Toronto, Ontario. We checked into a nice room on the second floor. For lunch, we went to the nearby Barika Hotel and Restaurant where we enjoyed a nice meal and cool drinks on the hot day. Patrick and I talked about some of the people that I met when I was in Ghana in 2016. I found out that his boss at the time had retired and died a few years ago. After lunch, Patrick took us to meet his new boss at a nearby church where the Ministry of Agriculture was having a meeting. Patrick had been excused because of our arrival.
School Visit in Juansa
We were up early the next morning and after breakfast, we all (Papa, Patrick, my Traveling Partner, and I) piled into Godfried’s taxi and we headed out for a tour of the area. Our first stop was in Juansa, the town where Patrick and his family live. He took us to the school where his boys go to school, St. John the Baptist Catholic School. As we walked down the path to the school, we saw some kids carrying water to the school.
The photo below is one of the classrooms, very typical of many of the schools in Ghana. 
Here’s a photo of Patrick and two of his sons, Martin and John. They were quite shy around us white Americans. 
We met the principal, Sister Gladys. She told us a little about the school with 125 students. When we were ready to depart, the good Sister walked us up the path to the car. As we talked, I asked if she would accept a small donation for the school. She readily agreed and I gave her 200 Cedis (less than $20 USD). Her face lit up and she would buy two bags of concrete mix to make some repairs to the school. I wish I could have given her more.
The Fish Farm
Our next stop was at Patrick’s fish farm where he raises tilapia and catfish. Even though he has a full-time job with the Ministry of Agriculture as an Extension Agent, these jobs often don’t pay very well so many have side hustles. When I was there in 2016, I remember Patrick talking on the phone negotiating for the delivery of some fingerlings. Then I thought he had some tanks where he raised a few fish to sell. I was uninformed, he has two large ponds dug into a hillside with over 15,000 fish. We walked down a path to the pond, there were a couple of guys waiting for us. He apparently employs some workers to help him with stocking, feeding, and harvesting the fish.
After we arrived, one of the workers, tossed some pellets into the water. In seconds, the water was boiling as the fish grabbed for the nutritious food. Patrick told us that he is trying to meet the licensing requirements to export fish to Europe, a lucrative market for catfish. For years tilapia was the preferred fish, easy to raise and reasonably priced but consumer preferences are gradually changing. He hopes that at some point in the future, he can fish farm full time. In fact, as funds allow, he’s working on a PHD in Aquaculture.
As we were leaving the fish farm, I noticed these four kids watching us. I wonder what they were thinking.
Adinkra – A Traditional African Fabric
After a drive around Agogo where I stayed while I was in Ghana in 2016, we went past the village where I met with the farmers. It hasn’t changed much, still a busy market city. The road to the village was much improved, I remember it as being more primitive. It looks like the village has grown with some new buildings. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to stop, it would have been nice to show my Traveling Partner.
Our next stop on the tour was at an Adinkra weaving, dyeing, and fabric printing shop. Adinkra is a traditional African fabric made by stamping with dye. The cloth is hand-woven (some artists use manufactured cloth) then stamped with traditional Akan symbols with ink made from natural materials. Koji, the artist, showed us the dye making process.
The bark and roots of a tree that grows in northern Ghana is soaked, pounded, then boiled to make the black dye. 
The stamps are hand carved and all have some meaning in the Akan culture. There are 122 symbols that represent values, concepts, proverbs, and aphorisms that communicate meaning. As you can see from the photos, the artistry is beautiful.
For a small fee, 100 Cedis (about $8 USD) my Traveling Partner applied symbols to a length of cloth. Here Koji is showing how it’s done.
The finished product.
Koji took her to a small show room where he enticed her to purchase a much larger piece for 700 Cedis (about $40 USD). Even though our suitcases were over flowing, this would be the only chance to purchase the artwork to be used as a table runner.
Papa showed us one of the uses of a finished product, a ceremonial toga. During our time in Ghana, we would occasionally see men wearing a toga when going to a funeral or meeting with a dignitary.
As we were leaving, we noticed this fellow weaving the cloth on a loom. Papa sat down at the next loom and gave it a try. He was pretty good at it too.
Shopping for a Stool
After leaving the Adinkra gallery, Papa wanted to stop at a wood shop to check out a “stool” for his cousin, the tribal chief, I featured in a previous post. The stool is a symbol of royalty, customs, and tradition. The first shop wanted 2500 Cedis, it was too much for Papa. He went down the street then to a back alley where he purchased a nice stool for 700 Cedis. While he was wheeling and dealing, I was taking some photos.
Kumasi
We had to drive through Kumasi to return to our lodging in Konongo. The traffic was heavy and slow. That allowed me to take some photos of the many markets that we passed. In one case, the taxi was stopped by police directing traffic. A lot of discussion went back and forth in the Twi language. Apparently, taxis are limited to a zone, Godfried was out of his zone. It took awhile but we were able to proceed after he paid a 50 Cedi fine (about $3.50 USD) or maybe it was a bribe. But whatever it was, we were on our way.
The King’s Palace
In Kumasi, we swung by Manhyia Palace, the home of the Ashanti king, the monarch of the Asante people. We couldn’t go in, the gates were locked so we peered through the fence. I shot a few photos that prompted a man in a nearby car to yell at me something like: “How would you like it if we did that in your country?” I didn’t respond and walked away but I thought it would be ok in the US, it’s the house of the people. 
Here are some photos of photos of the current king.
Okomfo Anokye Sword Site
As we moved through Kumasi, we stopped by the Okomfo Anokye Sword Site. It’s located on the grounds of the largest teaching hospital in Kumasi. Legend has it that Okomfo Anokye, a traditional priest in the Asante Empire, over 400 years ago thrust the sword into the ground to make peace between warring tribes and declared that no one would be able to remove it. At the same time, the area was designated as a place of healing and eventually became a hospital. We were told that even Muhammad Ali tried to pull out the sword and failed. An interesting historical stop.
We had a great day with Patrick and would see him in the morning before we left for Accra. We were up early the next morning, we were leaving for home that night. But first we had to get back to Accra. Papa and Patrick went to the bus station in Konongo to check on the bus schedule and purchase our tickets. When they came back, we visited for a while longer then loaded our luggage in Godfried’s taxi for the short ride to the bus station. He dropped us off and headed back to hunting for fares. Patrick said a quick farewell as the bus was honking at him to get out of the bus stop. As luck would have it, we had the seats in the front row behind the bus driver. It was a ride we’ll never forget.
The Ride Back to Accra
Here are a few of the many words I can use to describe this ride and the bus driver: hair-raising, hanging on for dear life, white-knuckled, dangerous, reckless, careless, and etc. I could go on and on. The driver passed cars up hill, aggressively squeezed other driver out of their lane, both coming and going, and drove as fast as he could over the many places where there were many potholes and in areas under construction. The trip lasted nearly four hours, we were glad when it was over. 
We saw all kinds of things, an overloaded truck being repaired on the side of the road, a few smashed up vehicles included the carcass of a bus, and these guys pushing a small truck.
Back in Accra
In Accra, Papa took us to the largest modern mall in the city. We had a very nice, relaxing lunch. We needed it after that bus ride. After lunch, we had some time to kill before going to the airport so walked around looking at the many stores. It was similar to what you’d see in a typical American mall, what’s left of them. There was a large supermarket at one end of the mall. During our time in Ghana, we saw many street vendors and a few times went to a small neighborhood grocery so it was a new experience for us to see a Ghanaian supermarket.
Soon it was time for us to head to the airport for our evening flight back to the U.S. By the time we got home the next afternoon, we were gone for nearly five weeks, two of those in Ghana. We met so many nice people and had many great experiences that we will never forget.
Thanks to the travel agent that made our flight arrangements, we were upgraded to first class. It was nice, a real meal and plenty of room to stretch out for the overnight flight to JFK. But I wasn’t feeling well, I was really happy to crawl in my bed at home that night and get a good rest.
I’ll be back next week with a new series. Stay tuned.
Until then, happy travels!
Tom
PS: Click here for a link to the post about my book “Farm Boy.” Contact me if you are interested in purchasing a copy. Thanks to all have plunked down your hard earned dollars and read the book. TM