I went on an adventure recently. I got to go to a new continent before Dear One did! (That is unheard of!) Unlike Bilbo Baggins, I had been anticipating this adventure for quite some time, I wasn't at all sure when it was going to happen, but I knew it was coming. I had been packed for awhile, except for the last minute things, of course.
Finally, word came to send for my visa, and book my flight! I did both, and in less than a week, I was on my way! Knoxville to Dallas, Dallas to London, London to Accra, Ghana. ( I know one step backwards and two steps forward, it couldn't be helped!) I was met at the airport by my SIL, we soon joined my daughter, and off we went on the adventure of a lifetime.
We were bound for the village of Cape Coast. We stayed right on the beach, in fact this it the view from our front porch!
On the beach, if you look one direction, you see some of the local fishing fleet. They go out every morning early early, and are back by noon, when they pull the nets onto the sand, and gather their catch.
In the opposite direction, you can see one of the biggest slave trade castles in the area. There are tours, but I did not have a chance to do that.
The beach was beautiful and during the weekdays wasn't crowded at all. The food was delicious! Fresh fish and rosemary chicken were frequently on the table in our room. I also saw many things that made my jaw drop, did you know that they actually do walk around balancing most things on their heads!
Men and women, from the youngest age I saw, to well on up in years! I saw, the youngest little school girls balancing their water bottles on their heads as they walked home from school. Suitcases, bags of feed, the days market run, yep you guessed it, in a basket or on a platter on top of their heads!
At every red light in town, there were "merchants" of all ages selling food, drinks and trinkets, from containers on their heads. One day our driver, got a bag of chips for us to try. They were made from a yam, that is not the same as our yams or sweet potatoes. Though the taste did remind me of some of the sweet potato chips I have tasted here.
Another thing that intrigued me was the fact that livestock wandered loose in the neighborhood. Goats, sheep, and chickens were everywhere, eating any bit of green they could find. Presumably they return home at night. They don't use the wool in this tropical climate, so I suppose they raise the sheep to eat.
Among the livestock were a family of pigs that wandered freely around the neighborhood and on the beach as well. There were at least 3 adult pigs and at least 3 half grown piglets.
All these interesting things however, were of secondary interest to me. I was there for a completely different reason. My youngest daughter and her husband are in the final stages of adopting 2 young boys. My SIL wasn't able to stay as long as he needed to, so I was on standby to take his place, should the need arise. I went as chief diaper washer outer, general gopher and snuggle stealer!
Until next time, Happy Weaving, Spinning, and Baby Snuggling, Tina
Finally, word came to send for my visa, and book my flight! I did both, and in less than a week, I was on my way! Knoxville to Dallas, Dallas to London, London to Accra, Ghana. ( I know one step backwards and two steps forward, it couldn't be helped!) I was met at the airport by my SIL, we soon joined my daughter, and off we went on the adventure of a lifetime.
Here is the flip side of the previous photo. Yes, that is a palm frond thatched roof. On the inside they have woven mats as the ceiling. There was a huge powerful ceiling fan as well, which worked wonderfully, as long as the power stayed on. Since we were on the beach, the constant breeze kept it from getting as hot as it could have been.
On the beach, if you look one direction, you see some of the local fishing fleet. They go out every morning early early, and are back by noon, when they pull the nets onto the sand, and gather their catch.
In the opposite direction, you can see one of the biggest slave trade castles in the area. There are tours, but I did not have a chance to do that.
The beach was beautiful and during the weekdays wasn't crowded at all. The food was delicious! Fresh fish and rosemary chicken were frequently on the table in our room. I also saw many things that made my jaw drop, did you know that they actually do walk around balancing most things on their heads!
Men and women, from the youngest age I saw, to well on up in years! I saw, the youngest little school girls balancing their water bottles on their heads as they walked home from school. Suitcases, bags of feed, the days market run, yep you guessed it, in a basket or on a platter on top of their heads!
At every red light in town, there were "merchants" of all ages selling food, drinks and trinkets, from containers on their heads. One day our driver, got a bag of chips for us to try. They were made from a yam, that is not the same as our yams or sweet potatoes. Though the taste did remind me of some of the sweet potato chips I have tasted here.
Another thing that intrigued me was the fact that livestock wandered loose in the neighborhood. Goats, sheep, and chickens were everywhere, eating any bit of green they could find. Presumably they return home at night. They don't use the wool in this tropical climate, so I suppose they raise the sheep to eat.
Among the livestock were a family of pigs that wandered freely around the neighborhood and on the beach as well. There were at least 3 adult pigs and at least 3 half grown piglets.
All these interesting things however, were of secondary interest to me. I was there for a completely different reason. My youngest daughter and her husband are in the final stages of adopting 2 young boys. My SIL wasn't able to stay as long as he needed to, so I was on standby to take his place, should the need arise. I went as chief diaper washer outer, general gopher and snuggle stealer!
Once we made it through the court system and the boys were officially "ours", we finalized the arrangements for their care, and headed back home. There will be a lot of paper work flying around the globe in the next few months, and we can't wait to go back and bring the boys to their new family and new home.
2 comments:
What an adventure!!!! But, I'm glad you're back!
What a sweet photo of Mama and the new babies!
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