|
12th April, 2006
Because of homework, fields trips, the slower internet connections we've been experiencing in Kumasi, and getting accustomed to a new location, I've fallen a bit behind on updating this page. The Augie group is now staying in Kumasi at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology campus. It is a beautiful campus with lots of open space. I've likened it to SIUE's campus in that it takes a while to walk to some buildings or to get out into the city of Kumasi, but there are wonderful plants, animals, and landscapes to experience on your way. These pictures below are of our last several days in Accra and nearby areas. Leaving Accra was good and bad. We had mixed experiences with people in Accra. Some of us were more than ready for a change of scenery and pace, but others were really enjoying themselves. Accra has a variety of things to offer. It is a quickly changing place which mixes urban settings with some rural goods and services, new with old, the overtly religious with the secular. After living there for around a month, I soaked some of the culture and history of the place, but so much more remains unknown to me.
|
|
2006-03-20. Me outside the Artists' Alliance Gallery. After a long day doing dyeing and batiking at Aba House and then waiting for others in the gallery shop, I was a little tuckered out. So I took the opportunity to lay down and relax.
|
|
2006-03-24. The scene out at Next Door restaurant along the beach. We were there to study the behavior of the African rainbow lizards for Dr. Hager's biology class.
|
|
2006-03-24. An African rainbow lizard (Agama agama) at Next Door
|
|
2006-03-25. A dam at Lake Volta with lots of birds soaring around. Lake Volta is the largest man-made lake in the world, according to surface area, I believe. I think this is the only dam holding the water back, but you might want to consult an encyclopedia or a tour guide to find out more accurate info.
|
|
2006-03-25. A view from Dodi Island in Lake Volta.
|
|
2006-03-25. A view of the shore of Lake Volta from inside the cruise ship. I think the ship's name was the Princess Dodi.
|
|
2006-03-26. The view of Ring Road in Accra as a friend and I walk to the Chick'n Lick'n restaurant
|
|
2006-03-28. Me holding cornbread in Accra. I like eating it a lot, even for lunch several days in a row. I'm have not yet ascertained its real name, so I always just point to it when I buy it from vendors. It can be bought for 1,000 cedis from guys with bike carts in Accra. The price when you buy it from a stand is usually 2,000 cedis. I like this bread so much that I get a slight urge to buy it when I simply hear a bell ring that sounds like the bike vendors' bells. I think that's called behavior conditioning.
|
|
2006-03-29. The sun at 9:07 AM as viewed from a courtyard at the Coconut Regency Hotel in Accra. The solar eclipse amazes us all. As I told a friend in a letter, it's nice to know that the natural world can mystify and astound people of all ages and worldviews.
|
|
2006-03-29. The sun at 9:09 AM. Even though it is still being partially blocked by the moon, the sunlight has already begun to return to almost full intensity.
|
|
2006-03-29. Ryan's Irish Pub.
|
|
2006-04-01. The roundabout near the Koala grocery store in Osu. Osu is one of the areas in Accra with which we became very familiar over time. This picture is from the last day we spent in Accra before traveling to Kumasi.
|
|
2006-04-01. The participants in "Stars of the Future" sing together on stage. "Stars of the Future" is a show similar to "American Idol" in the U.S.A. and other such talent competition shows across the world. The show is filming at our hotel this night. One of the performers named Seth is a friend of my friend Selorm, so we cheer loudly for his performance. Selorm was once classmates with another one of the contestants. Seth and Selorm's former classmate both were chosen to go on to the next round. Woo hoo!
|
