Saturday January 26th - A Boat Trip in Ada Foah

On Saturday, we went with many other couples to Ada Foah, which is the District Capital.  It is a small coastal town in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.  The town is located along the Volta River.  It is also the capital of the Dangme East District and the seat of the District Assembly.

The Dutch were the first to open trade between Europe and Ada in the 16th Century and they built a new trading post i 1775.  Later the Danes took over, who at this time had power over the whole coast east of Accra.  They remained in Ada for more than 100 years.  To defend their trading post against the attacking neighboring tribes the Danes built Fort Kognenstein in 1783.  This fort actually gave Ada Foah its name.  Ada Fort, village of the fort.

When the British arrived at the end of the 19th century, the Danish sold their forts and trading posts to them.  During this time of trading with the Europeans Ada also became a major market for the slave trade.   After slave trade had been abolished, the Adas traded products of the African tropical forest such as palm oil, palm kernels and rubber.

We all met at Alema Court - this is where many of the couple missionaries live.  I took a few pictures.

Sister Smith from England and Sister Taylor from Illinois

Sister Warner from Provo and Sister Assard from Ivory Coast

Sister Klein from Arizona and Sister Curtis from Salt Lake

Brother & Sister Ribera from Logan and Brother Haws from Hooper, Utah

Sister & Brother Avery from Nevada and Sister Haws from Hooper, Utah

Bother & Sister Haws

Brother Slater and Elder Heid giving us last minute instructions
We divided into cars and left for Ada Foah

The first stop that we made was at the Ada Foah Radio Station
We were going to pick up our guide - but he was not there
People used the Restroom and they got in touch with the guide
This looked like a place that was used for gatherings.

Elder Warner, The Avery's, Elder Assard and Kent in the background

The Plants were awesome and there was even a Cactus!

Elder Houssian - It was Hot

The Curtis's and the Kleins visiting

This was the Radio Station and they were even on the Air

The Radio Announcer invited us in - so I took his picture

While we were waiting some brothers and sister wondered in and wanted us to buy some Tomatoes

The kids are really fun - we bought  some tomatoes from them

We were on the road again, only to run into a traffic jam of COWS
Check out how thin he is!

They came in all shapes and sizes

They finally moved to the side of  the road, so that we could pass

We went through a small village and the children came out and waved at us

Some were selling oranges

A small goat greeted us as we arrived at the Boat Dock

Our Guide and Boat were still not there - so we tried to find some shade to sit in

Dad tried poking fun at Elder Taylor
In the distant you can see a village where people live

This was a family that lived in the village, just laying on the sand

This little girl wanted me to give her my water bottle.

Before I got on the boat, I gave her my bottle and half of my sandwich

The children immediately went to the river ad began filling it up

My Favorite Picture - Drinking from the River - check out the Pot - it has holes in it

On the River at Last - we had two boats and we spent about 1 hour going down to the bottom
of the River where it meets the ocean

Some of the sites along the river

People live in villages that line the river

Some young boys out fishing

One of the villages

This is a resort and the trees were decorated with the Colors of Ghana

It was very pleasant and fun to see

This is Elder & Sister Heid, they are leaving Ghana on Wednesday - they planned the trip, they will be missed

After the river, some of us went to Ada

This Presbyterian Church was built by the first generation of Ghanaian Christians.  Next to it is the old Missionary cemetery.  When the missionaries first came to Ghaa they faced harsh conditions and many died very young.

This is the old Fort that is being washed into the Sea - soon there will be nothing left of it.

Me -  What am I doing - gathering Sea Shells - there are always shells and many are unbroken.

Beautiful Beaches - never anyone on them and the water is warm!!

Coming home, we pulled into a rest stop that had these awesome giraffe's

We also passed a home that had these great carvings

We had a terrific day.  Africa is indeed an interesting place.  On the way home, we had a rain storm - most cars had to pull off the roads which were quickly becoming flooded.  It was good when we finally got back.  We love you all -  Kent and Judy

Us - The Cooper's, The Haw's and Sister Taylor
on top of  Jamestown Lighthouse.

January 24 - A Trip to Jamestown

Jamestown is located east of the Korle Lagoon and is the oldest district in the city of Accra.  The communities emerged around the 17th century when the British built the James Fort.  Today Jamestown remains a fishing community and is inhabited primarily by the Ga.  It is really in a state of decay.  The district is a popular tourist destination if you want to see the remnants of Accra's colonial past.

The first place that we visited was the Jamestown Lighthouse, it was built by the British at James Fort in 1871.  However, it was replaced in the 1930's by the current Accra Light, which is 93 feet tall with a visibility of 16 nautical miles.  We went with three other couples, The Haws, the Taylors and the Coopers.

This was our guide - his name Nice-One
He met us and helped us get into the Parking Lot

This is Sister Taylor and Sister Haws

This the Lighthouse

We had to pay to get inside the Lighthouse, I took a picture of two Ghanian Women sitting on the bench outside of the Lighthouse.  Sometimes, they do not like you to take their pictures.

The two Ghanain Women

The Light is on for 12 Hours and then off for 12 Hours
It is run by a battery

The Stairs inside the Lighthouse - when you get near the top you have to go
up a ladder and squeeze through a small opening

From the top you could see the city of Accra

Looking towards the sea - you could see the fishing village and the boats
Look how run-down it is - It would be awful to live there.

This is Fort James from atop the lighthouse

The people often dry their clothes on the sand.  I can't figure out why they don't blow away.

This was the first Hotel in Jamestown

Walking from the Lighthouse to Fort James,, we passed by some Cool Art Work

It is amazing some of their talents.

The Jamestown Palace

Right by the lighthouse and the James Fort is the old Palace, where the king of Ghana lived.

Accra has been Ghana's capital since 1877, and is today one of the most populated and fast growing Metropolis of Africa.  Accra is from the Akan "nkran" meaning "an army of ants".  It is apparent that the name is attributed to the thousands of anthills, which dotted the Accra plains.

Fort James was built by the British in 1673.  It was built because of the Port and also the slave trade.  Ghana is the place that almost all slaves were brought to for export around the world.  Fort James was converted into a prison and there were prisoners there until the year 2007.

The Doors to the Prison

Kent & Elder Haws waiting for the doors to open

These were our guides in the Fort

This is the courtyard where the slaves were auctioned before being shipped  around the world
It was often called the Door of No Return

There were these hook  in the floor, where they were chained

I should have turned this around, but it was a tombstone on the wall of a young British soldier who died in 1820
The often died of the tropical diseases that were in Africa, such as Malaria

This was one of the cells.  There were often up to ten prisoners in one cell.

Some of the Cell doors were written on - the was a Cry for Freedom

Coming out of one of the cells was this chicken - Maybe a last meal!!

This was the courtyard - it may not look bad, but it truly awful and falling apart.

This is the kitchen or where the meals were cooked

It States - "We live with experience - Cell 6 - Eat What 'U' Get

The Toilet Facilities

The Showers

There was also a woman's side of the prison - this was their kitchen

The Women's courtyard

Their Showers

Imagine being able to see this everyday, but never be able to leave.  Many of these people were not
even guilty of any crimes - but were kept in the prison for over three years.

It was a very interesting day - but I was very happy to be out of the Fort.  They want to fix it up for a museum, but they have a very long ways to go.  Afterwards, we went to a very nice hotel and had lunch.
It was a very fun day.