So we are staying in the Holiday Inn Accra Airport while in Accra with the profs. Sweet accommodations. Much nicer that my usual international dwellings. Breakfast is included and it may be the best part of staying here. The buffet is extensive. There is the usual, bacon and potatoes (they have a different style each day!) and omelette station. But then they also have the English breakfast option (beans and mushrooms) and Ghanaian style (kelewele, that's spicy plantains, jollof rice, and a stew of sorts that also changes daily). Then there is an assortment of breads and pastries and fruit. So you know with my love of breakfast, I'm in heaven every morning here.
OK. Started writing this 2 days ago. lol. Well, let me try to at least finish Day 2 quickly...
After breakfast on the second day, that was Saturday, we ventured out to do a bit of site seeing. First stop, Independence Square. We actually were able to go into the square and even to the beach behind it. Next we visited the arts market....for the first time. There were all sorts of dresses and carvings and paintings and jewelry, lots of jewelry. I managed to come out with just a couple of pairs of earrings and a painting. Next stop was the mausoleum of Kwame Nkrumah. Great opportunity to learn some Ghanaian history. Also learned (thanks Jacob) that Nkrumah was frat. Blue Phi. For lunch we headed back to Oxford Street to eat at what was supposed to be the best seafood restaurant around, Monsoon. As we walked in I had the feeling that either someone had lied to us or the place wasn't open yet. Turns out it was the latter. No food until 6. So we ended up going to the food court nearby. The sign assured us that we would "Luv dat chicken." It was actually pretty good (chicken kebabs and rice). And it gave us a chance to chat with the TAs from KNUST (oh yeah, I guess I didn't mention that we had tour guides from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology). After lunch, we, or at least the ladies, spent quite a while deciding between fabrics in Woodin (fabric and clothing store) so that we could have dresses made. And when we had finally secured some pretty prints we went to Makola Market. IDK that I can describe it to you. It's a HUGE local open air market area where you can buy anything you need from deodorant to smoked fish, and it is teeming with people and vendors. More than any other market I have been too. And what was awesome was that after the arts market where we were hounded to purchase wares, we were able to just walk around sans assault. We didn't stay too long though because a storm was rolling in. And just as we got back to the hotel, it started pouring and the accompanying wind was no joke either. But it eventually ended and the resulting cool made an outdoor dinner desirable. So we (the students & Dr. Meyer, or as the market vendors called him "Papa") ate poolside. Shrimp fried rice. And it wouldn't be the last time. Dessert was on Papa, chocolate tart. And...then I think we all just went to bed.
Sorry if that was a bit rushed but I am very far behind but I still don't have time to catch up. It took me three days to get this written. And now I am off to experience a bit of Accra night life. Oh and pictures are to come too.
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