Ghana 2010: Day 57

I went to Cape Coast...FINALLY! I got sick of waiting on folks to give me a ride up there so we took the betta cousin of the trotro, the Ford. Someone please correct me it thats not how its spelled but thats what it sounded like. So we pull up to the bus station and my cousin is like we're goin to catch a Ford. So my simple self is looking for an ACTUAL Ford. I was thinking, who knew Ford was big bizness here, cuz you couldnt get me to take one how for free. C-R-A-P. But instead we load up into this no name van. Im all where's the Ford?

The drive to Cape Coast was scenically beautiful but the driver's are jerks and go full speed over speed bumps. I think a speed bump got me pregnant, Im not sure which one either. Maury will figure it out for me. Anywho, the scenery is beautiful. Its quiet, the fruit trees, the big freakin rats...wait...OMG a rat! A big freakin rat! So we're driving down the highway and there's this man standing by the roadside holding a rat the size of a fat house cat. I was like ma! What is that??? She laughs at me and says "eh, Grasscutta" Apparently its like a delicacy in Ghana. Everyone keep saying it makes delicious soup. Whateva ITS A BIG FREAKIN RAT! My ma is still laughing at my horrified expression and then tells me she bought one. Ugh! Yet another reason Im a veggie. Some meats should not be consumed just upon appearance. Thats my biased opinion but Im told the meat is so good because the are grass cutters are veggies and eat...wait for it...grass. To each its own on meat eating.

We got to the castle and the ambush began. Hey rasta, sista ras...come look at my stuff. Oy! Im not....neva mind. Im tired of correcting folk. They were like whats your name? Claudia. doh! big mistake...I'll explain later. We told them we have to go to the castle now. They were all we'll see you after. Umm...whateva.

We approach the castle and Im in awe. Finally, Im seeing a monument that played such an important role in the lives of so many africans. Im looking at history. I just stood in front for a minute. We got inside and are assigned a tour guide Not too happy with the group we got paired with. They seemed a lil too "stoked" to be in a slave castle. Calm your ass down and show some respect. This is a learning experience. For some reason it bothered me that they were posing in front of the slave castle like they were taking spring break pics. It just felt out of place, wrong. Someone can call it an overaction if they want, but thats how I felt. I made sure there were no people in my pics as I was taking pics of the rooms. I just wanted it to be about the castle and capture the images of what happened there.

It was crazy how the cells the prisoners were kept in still had this smell. It was eerie, like they were still there. In a way they were. The stench was faint but it smelled of washed away urine and feces. It wasnt a horrible smell but it was like they washed it but the smell didnt go away fully because its imbedded in the walls. We were shown the tiny air passages put in the cells for the slaves to get air, the food hole on the ceiling that the Europeans used to lower food down to them because they didnt want to have any contact with the slaves. The most jarring images were the death chamber with the skull and cross bones and the point of no return. They both go hand in hand.

Wow, after this tour I was just emotionally drained but felt so blessed to have had the opportunity to come. At this time, its time for us to head out. Ambushed again! The boy that asked my name pushes a conk in my face with my name written on it. I didnt ask for this but of course Im obligated to buy this now cuz he made it by force. I dont like these tactics. Im so annoyed by sellers in Ghana. I understand they are trying to make money, but the forcefullness turns people off. Back off and let folks breath and they might be more apt to talk to you and do bizness.

Before we headed back to Accra we stopped at a nearby restaurant and had the most delicious okra stew and kenkey...mmm. This is my favorite dish....And through my experience in Ghana, the Fanti and the Ga...they can cook their waist beads off. Im telling you.

Ghana 2010: Day 57