Okay, so I'm writing this in our suite while all of my friends are out whooping it up for our last night here. Whoever thought that an all-you-can-eat buffet was a good idea must have had a stomach of steel. I realize I didn't have to eat ALL those desserts, the sushi, the Turkish sausage, the potato/cheese thingies, and God knows what else --- nor did I have to go back for seconds --- but damn they were yummy, and damn my stomach is so mad at me right now. After the All You Can Eat fiasco (halfway through I remembered to breathe --- why do we eat faster at buffets?), we strolled (practically rolled) around the strip, visiting the M&M store (way, way overpriced) and then the Coca Cola store (way over priced BUT more ... read more

Concrete canals and gutters criss cross all over Ghana. Yesterday, I looked upstream while walking over the wood planks that served as a canal bridge. An evergreen-colored wave carrying trash and waste from the living sloppily made its way to my bridge; I quickly made my way over it, holding my breath as long as I could. I shouldn’t have bothered. I could taste the putrid odor way past the sludge because what sloshes around in the canal works its way into the gutters that line every street. Thankfully, there is also a lot of trash that is burned --- you smell it at dusk when the mosquitoes come out. The people of Ghana are very clean --- their streets and alleyways not so much. I’m sharing this because while there is so much beauty and ... read more

July ? When you stare at bamboo and palm bushes long enough you see the weave of baskets and fabric, and you finally realize where some of those amazing patterns came from. Ghanaians work hard but they also do a lot of sitting. I think they see more of life’s intricate designs than we do. I believe it’s their nature to observe, inhale and share when the time is right. I haven’t been here long enough to not get frustrated by their just-right time way of living, but when it shows up in their art and their language I understand it just a little bit. We need to learn to sit, stare and listen more. That said they also live very much in the now. We know their traditional dances and music, which is still very ... read more

There's so much more to write, but I don't have a lot of time. We're getting ready to eat breakfast and go for a long walk on the beach. We're told that there's another beach and fishing village at the other side. We had an awesome day yesterday, but I'll tell you all about it when I get the chance. First I must post those pics I promised. And, yes, there will be more pics to come.... read more

July 15, 2010: Cape Coast Day One: First off let me say I am typing this from our balcony, which overlooks an infinity of palm trees on a beach as infinite. You can also hear the children playing and laughing at the nearby school. Right below us is a lot of weathered concrete, some chickens and goats, and some tiny box homes with rusted tin roofs. The air is thick with salt, cooking smoke and a hint of rain --- always a hint; we have yet to experience a full-fledged down pour. Vineta, Rosie, Paul, Ted and I went swimming in the surf, although I’d call it more of Mother Nature’s version of a bitch slapping. The waves and undertow threw us around like rag dolls, but we loved every minute of it. Nothing says beach ... read more