18th September 2011
Silver Wedding
Twenty five years is quite a milestone isn’t it? I didn’t mind marking the occasion last night because for us it has been a turbulent but exciting journey.
George and I met first I think at an audition or rehearsal, not sure which, in 1979, at McMaster University for a play written by the university librarian, Walter Reedy. It was called Losers Keepers and was about the Celts…Walter himself was Welsh. I have to confess that I found the play confusing, it was a collection of strange and comic scenes. Fortunately I was cast as the Welsh mother in a mining family. The set was the interior of the small miner’s cottage: the front room…combined kitchen dining/living room. George was cast as my husband, my youngest daughter Fiona was asked to play our daughter….a foretaste of things to come! This turned out to be the most realistic and ‘normal’ scene in the play. I loved the entrance music…We’ll keep a welcome in the hillsides…”, whatever I sounded I felt Welsh as I walked on stage.
George and I didn’t get on particularly well, I thought he mugged too much and he thought I was a prima donna…something no one else has ever accused me of! What I considered practical questions which I asked our director, David Inman, George thought proved my prima-donna status! One had to do with the basic furniture for heaven’s sake…I believe his mind was already made up! Anyway he was engaged to someone else and preoccupied so apart from playing husband and wife on stage we had little interaction off it.
I met him again at an audition for ‘Hamlet’ when I was auditioning for the role of Gertrude. That play came to naught and we never heard why. There were at least three drama groups functioning at the University in those days and our paths crossed numerous times over the years. Both our marriages ended in divorce and we were cast together once again in Charlie’s Aunt at the Players Guild in Hamilton…I playing the ‘real’ Aunt. That was in 1984.
After rehearsals we would wander off to the nearest pub, sometimes with other cast members but often on our own. We had a few drinks and long conversations and then George would see me on to the Dundas bus. On one occasion having been asked to a work colleague’s wedding I asked George to accompany me not particularly wanting to go on my own. I had given up my car to save money so borrowed an old cloncker from a neighbour in the Co-op we shared in a huge old Dundas house . It was an automatic but one had to drive it as a standard which I had got down to a fine art. George was impressed with my success in making the car go at all and offered to lend me his Le Car whilst he was on summer holiday in Europe. I accepted gladly and had to remind myself how to drive a standard correctly which I had not done for many years. It was such a generous offer and enabled Fiona, her friend Katie and I to drive to Southampton (In Ontario) and have a lovely holiday ourselves beside Lake Huron.
George , my great friend Audrey Diemert and I had taken to going up to Toronto together to see plays and movies so we had become friends and enjoyed each other’s company. When he was returning from Europe Audrey and I had gone together to pick him up at the airport. On this occasion Audrey suggested that I should go alone and I protested…why should I? I asked….’Because I think he would like that’ she replied. I was taken aback having noticed no preference on his part for my company. Besides I hated that drive to the airport, it was confusing and very fast and I needed her company. No said my most amenable friend, I had never known her so uncooperative. So I picked George up on my own and he seemed fairly happy to see me.
One night George called me at home where I was snuggled up with Fiona watching TV. ‘Would you like to come to the Dominican Republic with me?’ he asked. ‘Sounds lovely’ I replied ‘But there is no way I can afford it’, ‘Oh I’ll pay’ he said ‘I would enjoy your company’. I asked for time to think about it and conferred with Fiona, Audrey and my friend Liz Inman. Their combined opinion was that I should accept ‘But’ said Liz ‘Don’t hurt George!’ what? I thought…this is my friend telling me not to hurt a man! I was stunned. It was not my habit to do so and I still have trouble understanding the warning! However, Liz had known George for many more years than I had so I overlooked the remark.
We had an eventful holiday in the DR. First of all I lost my reading glasses on the beach and we could not find them in the sand….this meant that George started reading to me in the evenings which I loved. The second point of interest was that I was in 7th heaven being in the tropics again amidst swaying palms and sunny skies. George didn’t like our room and the constant and fairly strong breeze, in fact was disappointed with the place. I hadn’t had a holiday like this for some years and it was like a gift from the Gods…I was as happy as I could possibly be with everything! Last but definitely not least George became very ill with vomiting and diarrhoea…as did about 50% of the visitors at the resort. I was fine! There was a doctor on site fortunately so she visited George and put him on an antibiotic. He had somewhat recovered by or last day and we flew home.
George had been visiting Hvar in Yugoslavia for some years and was preparing to go again in the following summer. I decided to take out a loan from the bank and follow him there during my own much shorter holidays. I flew to Munich and then on to Split by train and from there took a beautiful ferry ride to Hvar. There as we drew nearer I spied a figure sitting near the harbour sitting on the rocks reading a book….George. I met his friends and loved the place and the ambience. We were married before the next summer when we both visited again. Shortly afterwards the war broke out and we have never been back….I think George still misses it.
George proposed to me on a camping trip to the Algonquin Park in Ontario. We had been camping overnight on an island with my little dog ‘Fiki. We awoke to rain and a strong wind but decided to try to make it back to the centre from which we had rented our canoe. It involved at least two portages and a few hours on the lake…it was rough and choppy and, between paddling hard, I held up one of G’s shirts to act as a sail and speed us along! Eventually, tired and wet, we decided to tie up the canoe and rest on a smooth, pancake shaped rock. We each had a swig of reviving brandy and George proposed. I had a splitting headache, was hungry and irritable and I couldn’t at first believe my ears. Then I thought that if he could ask me to marry him seeing me at my worst; no make up, possibly scowling, hair like a birds nest….then I should accept quickly before he changed his mind. So I did!
We were married on the 18th September 1986 in the Hamilton registry Office on James South. Only my daughters and a few good friends were present: Sheona, Tessa (our photographer) and Fiona, Audrey Diemert, Bob Johnston and Gerard Valee. We held our tiny reception lunch in the Winking Judge, a pub nearby. Not an auspicious start perhaps but here we are, still together 25 years later!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Sailing day...
Of course when we arrived at our lovely open air dining room, sharp at 6.30 am, there were no people, let alone breakfast. I made my way towards the kitchen and bumped into Abigail. She clapped her hand to her mouth and turned to run shouting "I will fetch them!' A few moments later she reappeared followed by the whole kitchen contingent and they cooked us the fastest meal ever....eggs and toast, apple juice and coffee. We departed from our beautiful haven soon afterwards heading now towards Akosombo for one night and then returning to the ship the following day.
We travelled on a remarkably smooth road. When I remarked on its good condition William said "This was the government before the last. they were trying so hard to improve things in Ghana. If you want to compare that regime with the last one, look at the parallel road which we took from Tema. Those potholes tell you at once about that government....they were terrible, corrupt through and through." An interesting analogy for the two differing presidents too, one conscientious and one corrupt. William approves of the present President but thinks he needs more 'courage' to clean up the corruption and malaise which has 'infected' the Ghanaian people.
It was on our way to Akosombo that we passed a horrendous bus accident which had taken place a few hours before. The fronts of each bus were destroyed and burnt going back about a third....seats crumpled and blackened. I remarked to Brenda that there must have been loss of life. She picked up a newspaper the next day in which the head line read '22 people killed in bus crash on Kumasi to Accra road'. The driving in Ghana as I mentioned before is chaotic and insane. How there are not many more accidents I cannot tell but what we witnessed filled me with amazement and fear.
We had a very, very early 'lunch' of coffee, snack and washroom break at 10.30 am...the same restaurant we had patronised and waited so long in on our way north. They remembered us and moved minimally more swiftly!
We arrived at the Akosombo Dam in the late afternoon and were shown around by a young man, Fred, who was a Legon university engineering student working his holiday there. We were driven right above the dam, looking down on 6 huge pipes, 6 enormous water gates and the 'embankment' dam. My eventual photos will illustrate this better. Suffice to say that this was our most impressive sight in Ghana. It supplies electricity to 99% of the Ghanaian people, to Togo and Benbin and Bukina Faso and the Cote d'Ivoire, also a small part of Northern Nigeria. Certainly there has been a huge amount of aid from Canada in the form of experts and engineers and the fact that we were Canadian thrilled Fred to bits. I was interested to see on the top of a hill opposie the dam the house which Kwame Nkrumah built for himself...what a view he had of the dam, built partly during his regime.
We spent the night right on the river in a rather pretty little hotel. We sat that night on our balcony, drinking wine and eating supper, and feeling so fortunate to have experienced Ghana as we had. In the morning (after sharing a Queen sized bed...they had no 'twins') we drank our tea and coffee on a gazebo built out into the river right opposite our cottage. We set off for Tema after breakfast at about 8 am.
We arrived back in Tema shortly before noon and bade fond farewell and gave many, many thanks to William for being such a wondeful mentor and guide for Ghana. We realised when we heard other adventures how extraordinarily lucky we had been.
We both heaved a sigh of contentment as we sailed through our on-board security check and walked into our 'home'....welcoming and cool! The gangway was level with the quay on the second deck making our boarding smooth and easy.
It was good to flop down in our cabin, throw all the dirty clothes into the laundry and finally be horizontal on the bed! And it was good to see George again.
Today, on our 25th wedding anniversary I give silent thanks that 47 years after I lived in Ghana I have been able to return, seen new parts and loved every minute.
We travelled on a remarkably smooth road. When I remarked on its good condition William said "This was the government before the last. they were trying so hard to improve things in Ghana. If you want to compare that regime with the last one, look at the parallel road which we took from Tema. Those potholes tell you at once about that government....they were terrible, corrupt through and through." An interesting analogy for the two differing presidents too, one conscientious and one corrupt. William approves of the present President but thinks he needs more 'courage' to clean up the corruption and malaise which has 'infected' the Ghanaian people.
It was on our way to Akosombo that we passed a horrendous bus accident which had taken place a few hours before. The fronts of each bus were destroyed and burnt going back about a third....seats crumpled and blackened. I remarked to Brenda that there must have been loss of life. She picked up a newspaper the next day in which the head line read '22 people killed in bus crash on Kumasi to Accra road'. The driving in Ghana as I mentioned before is chaotic and insane. How there are not many more accidents I cannot tell but what we witnessed filled me with amazement and fear.
We had a very, very early 'lunch' of coffee, snack and washroom break at 10.30 am...the same restaurant we had patronised and waited so long in on our way north. They remembered us and moved minimally more swiftly!
We arrived at the Akosombo Dam in the late afternoon and were shown around by a young man, Fred, who was a Legon university engineering student working his holiday there. We were driven right above the dam, looking down on 6 huge pipes, 6 enormous water gates and the 'embankment' dam. My eventual photos will illustrate this better. Suffice to say that this was our most impressive sight in Ghana. It supplies electricity to 99% of the Ghanaian people, to Togo and Benbin and Bukina Faso and the Cote d'Ivoire, also a small part of Northern Nigeria. Certainly there has been a huge amount of aid from Canada in the form of experts and engineers and the fact that we were Canadian thrilled Fred to bits. I was interested to see on the top of a hill opposie the dam the house which Kwame Nkrumah built for himself...what a view he had of the dam, built partly during his regime.
We spent the night right on the river in a rather pretty little hotel. We sat that night on our balcony, drinking wine and eating supper, and feeling so fortunate to have experienced Ghana as we had. In the morning (after sharing a Queen sized bed...they had no 'twins') we drank our tea and coffee on a gazebo built out into the river right opposite our cottage. We set off for Tema after breakfast at about 8 am.
We arrived back in Tema shortly before noon and bade fond farewell and gave many, many thanks to William for being such a wondeful mentor and guide for Ghana. We realised when we heard other adventures how extraordinarily lucky we had been.
We both heaved a sigh of contentment as we sailed through our on-board security check and walked into our 'home'....welcoming and cool! The gangway was level with the quay on the second deck making our boarding smooth and easy.
It was good to flop down in our cabin, throw all the dirty clothes into the laundry and finally be horizontal on the bed! And it was good to see George again.
Today, on our 25th wedding anniversary I give silent thanks that 47 years after I lived in Ghana I have been able to return, seen new parts and loved every minute.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Goodbye Ghana....
We were indeed the only visitors to the Lake Bosomtwe Paradise resort. It was lovely to walk around this beautiful place and have it all to ourselves except for the very laid back staff. I say laid back because they had time to play table tennis and drafts off the dining room area. They chatted and laughed , watched the TV which was behind their service counter and in a rather languid manner brought us breakfast and supper. They were wonderfully friendly and we exchanged email addresses before we left. I asked Abigail, the young woman serving meals to us 'Would you like to travel?' and she responded 'It is my dream!' It was also William's dream and the Legon university student's who showed us around the Akosombo Dam. He was more specific: because many of the expatriots who are working on the dam site are Canadian, Fred's dream is to come to Canada and study engineering.
We spent our first morning relaxing. It was great to take our time and have no deadlines....not until 1 pm anyway when we were to meet William at the car. We would go to lunch at noon and have plenty of time. We read our books on the balcony, looking out at heavy dark skies which threatened to drown our afternoon in Kumasi, and our visit to the bead market.
We turned up a little late for lunch so ordered a Ghanaian dish of Red-red (spicy beans and onion), fried plantains and chips...easy and quick we thought. It came after about 40 minutes. William shook his head in disgust and wandered outside to wait for us. He was fortunately very forgiving and always blamed the Ghanaian side of the equation. We set off for Kumasi...the big city.
Brenda had some requests: beads for her daughter and a Ghanaian football jersey for her son. So we first searched for the soccer jersey and eventually found one the right colour and size. It started to rain! Brenda kindly offered to share her umbrella but I decided to soak up and enjoy the moisture. We continued our searches whilst drops of water and sweat drenched my hair and face...what a sight (I should say 'fright') I was!
After also finding a bottle of wine we headed off to the bead market which only operates on a Thursday so we were in luck. What a colourful sight it was: tables loaded with all shapes, sizes and colours of beads. A feast for the eyes. We wandered slowly round and made our individual choices. There were Brits there and it was good to hear their accents! It struck me that, unusually, we had not met one person or group from Semester at Sea...and we never did until the shuttle bus back to the ship in Tema.
Our next stop was the Coti waterfalls. This was about an hour's drive away and William casually informed us that there were 125 steps down to the Falls and of course....back up again. I inwardly groaned...it was hot and humid and I felt that my asthma was not far off. In the event I managed the steps easily down and slowly up. William and Brenda were kind and patient so all was well.
The twin falls were absolutely stunning falling sharply down about 400 ft with a smokey mist rising over the swirling pool below. There was a small beach with whispy trees and a welcome coolness in the shade. We stood riveted, it was such a soothing therapeutic sight and we were reluctant to leave.... I was naturally postponing the inevitable climb back to the car!
Climb back we did and returned to Bosomtwe, stopping only to take photos of some incredible views over 'our' lake! We had a supper of boiled yams and Palava sauce....delicious! The sauce contained spinach, tomatoes, beans, onions and spices: the boiled yams were like white round slices of a very crumbly bread....strange but a perfect accompaniment for the sauce.
We went to bed at about 9 pm that night tired and relaxed....after a glass or two of wine! We left instructions for our 6.30 am breakfast as we were to make the 250km journey to Akosombo for our last night.
I really will finish this tomorrow! George is sound asleep and my lids are heavy. The computer lab is going to take a look at my connection to my pictures tomorrow and see why I cannot get them to the blogsite. I truly hope to be able to add some soon.
For now Kwaheri, sleep well!
We spent our first morning relaxing. It was great to take our time and have no deadlines....not until 1 pm anyway when we were to meet William at the car. We would go to lunch at noon and have plenty of time. We read our books on the balcony, looking out at heavy dark skies which threatened to drown our afternoon in Kumasi, and our visit to the bead market.
We turned up a little late for lunch so ordered a Ghanaian dish of Red-red (spicy beans and onion), fried plantains and chips...easy and quick we thought. It came after about 40 minutes. William shook his head in disgust and wandered outside to wait for us. He was fortunately very forgiving and always blamed the Ghanaian side of the equation. We set off for Kumasi...the big city.
Brenda had some requests: beads for her daughter and a Ghanaian football jersey for her son. So we first searched for the soccer jersey and eventually found one the right colour and size. It started to rain! Brenda kindly offered to share her umbrella but I decided to soak up and enjoy the moisture. We continued our searches whilst drops of water and sweat drenched my hair and face...what a sight (I should say 'fright') I was!
After also finding a bottle of wine we headed off to the bead market which only operates on a Thursday so we were in luck. What a colourful sight it was: tables loaded with all shapes, sizes and colours of beads. A feast for the eyes. We wandered slowly round and made our individual choices. There were Brits there and it was good to hear their accents! It struck me that, unusually, we had not met one person or group from Semester at Sea...and we never did until the shuttle bus back to the ship in Tema.
Our next stop was the Coti waterfalls. This was about an hour's drive away and William casually informed us that there were 125 steps down to the Falls and of course....back up again. I inwardly groaned...it was hot and humid and I felt that my asthma was not far off. In the event I managed the steps easily down and slowly up. William and Brenda were kind and patient so all was well.
The twin falls were absolutely stunning falling sharply down about 400 ft with a smokey mist rising over the swirling pool below. There was a small beach with whispy trees and a welcome coolness in the shade. We stood riveted, it was such a soothing therapeutic sight and we were reluctant to leave.... I was naturally postponing the inevitable climb back to the car!
Climb back we did and returned to Bosomtwe, stopping only to take photos of some incredible views over 'our' lake! We had a supper of boiled yams and Palava sauce....delicious! The sauce contained spinach, tomatoes, beans, onions and spices: the boiled yams were like white round slices of a very crumbly bread....strange but a perfect accompaniment for the sauce.
We went to bed at about 9 pm that night tired and relaxed....after a glass or two of wine! We left instructions for our 6.30 am breakfast as we were to make the 250km journey to Akosombo for our last night.
I really will finish this tomorrow! George is sound asleep and my lids are heavy. The computer lab is going to take a look at my connection to my pictures tomorrow and see why I cannot get them to the blogsite. I truly hope to be able to add some soon.
For now Kwaheri, sleep well!
More Ghana...
The storm continued unabated....fork and sheet lightening, the odd deafening clap of thunder, and the rain...what magnificent tropical rain, I LOVED it! William seemed unfazed as we bumped over non paved rocky roads in an almost solid blackness. 'Everybody goes inside and they turn off all their lights' William said and he was right, not a soul was to be seen anywhere and there were no comforting lighted windows. I couldn't believe I had remarked to George in the morning 'I wonder why we need a four wheel drive?' Had I totally forgotten West African roads.
Aside: I drove all over Nigeria with John in an ordinary Vauxhall over some pretty shoddy trails and unpaved roads. Driven always during working hours by a company driver, Johnson. He was perhaps my greatest friend in Nigeria because we spent many happy hours together talking, talking....waiting for John to conclude business in some out of the way agency or simply food shopping in the market. More important he was a superb driver and I shall not forget the first time he told me to 'Belt up Madam, this is a rotten road!' I should add that he was the most gentle and respectful of men. I remember him especially when I plunged into the crowded Onitsha market (the biggest in Africa?) where he had warned me white women did not often go. He was always one step behind me, or in front if he perceived any sort of threat be it an aggressive seller or someone asking me a ridiculous price. Oh Johnson where are you now?
Another Aside: We have just crossed the Equator! The captain warned us of the bump and the visibility of that significant line if we looked overboard down upon the water?! It was exactly 15.05 pm Saturday 17th Sept..both Brendas and many others were dunked in the pool this morning. Father Neptune watched over all the procedures, green from head to foot..alias Captain Jeremy Kingston. There was a head shaving ceremony...don't worry Frank, Brenda's hair is still all there!
We finally arrived at the Lake Bosomtwe Paradise Resort. We were greeted warmly and our bags taken to our room.
'By the way' I said immediately to the manager 'we are very, very hungry, where may we have supper?'
'Oh Madam' was the reply 'the kitchen has closed.'!
William jumped in
"it is not yet 9 o'clock, they should not have closed'
'But there was no one here' said Samuel, the manager.
'You were expecting us?' asked William,
'That is true' said Samuel....long pause and...stalemate.
'What can you give us?' I asked 'do you have chips?'
'Ah you would like chips?' Samuel's face brightens 'And chicken?'
'Fantastic!' say Brenda and I in one voice.
'And wine?' asks my on-the-ball friend
'$35.00' says Samuel
'Wha...?' I start...
'We'll have it!' says Brenda. I told you she was great to travel with!
So we eat our first dinner ashore in our lovely big room with the fan and air conditioner belting away....aaaah, cool, wonderful....pouf! The whole lot go off, there is a dark, deafening silence. We sit there stunned, blinking into the silent darkness and I think again
'Africa bloody Africa!'
About ten minutes later the power returned and we were able to see what we were devouring....both of us used lots of ketchup! We were enjoying ourselves....we had running water, hot and cold, comfortable firm beds and we were cooling down again.
We fell into bed after supper and slept soundly until day break. We awoke almost simultaneously and drew back the curtains. There in front of us was Lake Bosomtwe, surrounded by forest covered hills. Immediately below our balcony were manicured lawns and palm trees. There were two or three fishermen out on the lake. They sat on boards of wood looking for all the world as if they were wading. They appeared to be setting up their underwater nets. We could hear bird song and there were a multitude of tiny birds, crows, kingfishers and wagtails. I later spotted vultures and we saw a few hawks. Everywhere were gekos and larger coloured lizards. Hibiscus bushes bloomed, beauganvillia, morning glory and lots of varied bushes with multi coloured and patterned leaves. I felt a cloak of pure happiness descend on me...I was back in Africa, even the air felt familiar!
More later....I'll try to finish this tonight.
Aside: I drove all over Nigeria with John in an ordinary Vauxhall over some pretty shoddy trails and unpaved roads. Driven always during working hours by a company driver, Johnson. He was perhaps my greatest friend in Nigeria because we spent many happy hours together talking, talking....waiting for John to conclude business in some out of the way agency or simply food shopping in the market. More important he was a superb driver and I shall not forget the first time he told me to 'Belt up Madam, this is a rotten road!' I should add that he was the most gentle and respectful of men. I remember him especially when I plunged into the crowded Onitsha market (the biggest in Africa?) where he had warned me white women did not often go. He was always one step behind me, or in front if he perceived any sort of threat be it an aggressive seller or someone asking me a ridiculous price. Oh Johnson where are you now?
Another Aside: We have just crossed the Equator! The captain warned us of the bump and the visibility of that significant line if we looked overboard down upon the water?! It was exactly 15.05 pm Saturday 17th Sept..both Brendas and many others were dunked in the pool this morning. Father Neptune watched over all the procedures, green from head to foot..alias Captain Jeremy Kingston. There was a head shaving ceremony...don't worry Frank, Brenda's hair is still all there!
We finally arrived at the Lake Bosomtwe Paradise Resort. We were greeted warmly and our bags taken to our room.
'By the way' I said immediately to the manager 'we are very, very hungry, where may we have supper?'
'Oh Madam' was the reply 'the kitchen has closed.'!
William jumped in
"it is not yet 9 o'clock, they should not have closed'
'But there was no one here' said Samuel, the manager.
'You were expecting us?' asked William,
'That is true' said Samuel....long pause and...stalemate.
'What can you give us?' I asked 'do you have chips?'
'Ah you would like chips?' Samuel's face brightens 'And chicken?'
'Fantastic!' say Brenda and I in one voice.
'And wine?' asks my on-the-ball friend
'$35.00' says Samuel
'Wha...?' I start...
'We'll have it!' says Brenda. I told you she was great to travel with!
So we eat our first dinner ashore in our lovely big room with the fan and air conditioner belting away....aaaah, cool, wonderful....pouf! The whole lot go off, there is a dark, deafening silence. We sit there stunned, blinking into the silent darkness and I think again
'Africa bloody Africa!'
About ten minutes later the power returned and we were able to see what we were devouring....both of us used lots of ketchup! We were enjoying ourselves....we had running water, hot and cold, comfortable firm beds and we were cooling down again.
We fell into bed after supper and slept soundly until day break. We awoke almost simultaneously and drew back the curtains. There in front of us was Lake Bosomtwe, surrounded by forest covered hills. Immediately below our balcony were manicured lawns and palm trees. There were two or three fishermen out on the lake. They sat on boards of wood looking for all the world as if they were wading. They appeared to be setting up their underwater nets. We could hear bird song and there were a multitude of tiny birds, crows, kingfishers and wagtails. I later spotted vultures and we saw a few hawks. Everywhere were gekos and larger coloured lizards. Hibiscus bushes bloomed, beauganvillia, morning glory and lots of varied bushes with multi coloured and patterned leaves. I felt a cloak of pure happiness descend on me...I was back in Africa, even the air felt familiar!
More later....I'll try to finish this tonight.
Ghana
September 17th
Well it's over...we've been and seen and been conquered! Ghana is a state of mind, one experiences it rather than visits. It is a mixture of delights: grinning faces, friendly voices, hands grabbing yours to shake and welcome you, laughter, greetings being shouted across the crowded places "WELKOM! please buy my things, here I show you more, MADAM! don't walk away....stay!' then they run after you. For some of the women (more particularly I think) on board this was all too much and they were relieved to sail away last night. One person (Brenda 1) barely left the ship and when she went shopping with Amy found it all overwhelming...so stayed aboard after that. Sad I thought.
As I wrote in my last blog I had concerns about paying for our tour via Ghanaian ATM machines. This turned out to be a justified concern. I read on our Green sheet (which we are given in each port, containing valuable info. re emergency phone numbers, money, tips etc etc) and I saw that only 2 banks would take Mastercard: The Ghana Commercial Bank and the Stanbic. However, having withdrawn money all over the world with my McMaster Credit Union debit card I thought hopefully that I would be OK.
To start at the beginning there was no sign of our car or William when we descended the gangway at about 10. 30AM. The quay side was already swarming with activity: SAS tour buses, stalls with colourful fabrics. drums, carvings and clothes had quickly set up right opposite the ship. There were drivers, dockworkers, tour guides and general hubbub.
We wandered for a time waiting and then decided to take the shuttle bus to the gate of the port. George came with us carrying my back pack (which was nice) and we were driven (past what I would have considered the entrance) to a large gas station with taxis waiting and which had been designated as the gathering point. Still no sign of William (Africa bloody Africa I muttered to myself...our dirge from bygone days in West Africa!) At last a very nice, very large Ghanaian man who seemed to be the taxi coordinator let me use his cell phone and I contacted Mimi who contacted William. A few minutes later he arrived with our very nice, solid looking 4x4 a/c car. We bade George a fond farewell and climbed (it was one believe me!) aboard.
I guess we should go to a bank first William I said. No problem he replied. An hour later having tried umpteen ATMs I could not get a penny...what a horrible word 'Declined' is! Brenda was successful but not I! However we had still not found the two Mastercard-taking banks. Eventually I decided Tema was a traffic nightmare and we were wasting time under hot skies in very high humidity. So I suggested we wait until Kumasi or a quieter place at least. William agreed with some relief and we went on our way.
It takes quite a time to leave behind the heavy traffic, and at times terrifying driving that goes with it. We didn't leave the port environs really for a couple of hours.
The countryside opened up eventually and we picked up some speed. William turned out to be a good conversationalist and guide during the next few days and we had a great feeling of security being looked after by him. He stopped for us to get lunch and our breath about 1 o'clock. It was a bright blue rondavel open all round. There were dining tables and white and black clad waiters. We ordered an easy meal ..soup and bread. William had given us an hour to relax. Almost an hour later we were still waiting. I approached a table where there were three unoccupied waitresses, one clerk sitting writing out bills and a manageress.
Good afternoon I said pleasantly how are you? They looked concerned ...why was I there? I explained the situation including our imminent departure time and the (canned with uncooked veg!) soup appeared within minutes with huge apologies. I believe they had never received the order... or had been madly chopping and boiling carrots and potatoes to create the stroganoff soup it was supposed to be.
We left a little late and took an indirect road (not the official one) towards Kumasi. It was in very poor shape, filled with huge pot holes and numerous speed bumps. William seemed to anticipate each well in advance and I suspect he has driven it many. many times.
Lake Bosomtwe is at the end of a long turn off on the Kumasi road, well before the city. There were forested mountains of wierd shapes and sizes on both sides, a further deterioration in the road surface and we passed through small villages rather than towns. It was quite spectacular, a beautiful area of Ghana I had never imagined, living in Accra and only driving along the coast.
The skies were darkening and rain seemed ineveitable. We hoped we could beat it to Lake Bosomtwe. However it was not to be.
More later!
Well it's over...we've been and seen and been conquered! Ghana is a state of mind, one experiences it rather than visits. It is a mixture of delights: grinning faces, friendly voices, hands grabbing yours to shake and welcome you, laughter, greetings being shouted across the crowded places "WELKOM! please buy my things, here I show you more, MADAM! don't walk away....stay!' then they run after you. For some of the women (more particularly I think) on board this was all too much and they were relieved to sail away last night. One person (Brenda 1) barely left the ship and when she went shopping with Amy found it all overwhelming...so stayed aboard after that. Sad I thought.
As I wrote in my last blog I had concerns about paying for our tour via Ghanaian ATM machines. This turned out to be a justified concern. I read on our Green sheet (which we are given in each port, containing valuable info. re emergency phone numbers, money, tips etc etc) and I saw that only 2 banks would take Mastercard: The Ghana Commercial Bank and the Stanbic. However, having withdrawn money all over the world with my McMaster Credit Union debit card I thought hopefully that I would be OK.
To start at the beginning there was no sign of our car or William when we descended the gangway at about 10. 30AM. The quay side was already swarming with activity: SAS tour buses, stalls with colourful fabrics. drums, carvings and clothes had quickly set up right opposite the ship. There were drivers, dockworkers, tour guides and general hubbub.
We wandered for a time waiting and then decided to take the shuttle bus to the gate of the port. George came with us carrying my back pack (which was nice) and we were driven (past what I would have considered the entrance) to a large gas station with taxis waiting and which had been designated as the gathering point. Still no sign of William (Africa bloody Africa I muttered to myself...our dirge from bygone days in West Africa!) At last a very nice, very large Ghanaian man who seemed to be the taxi coordinator let me use his cell phone and I contacted Mimi who contacted William. A few minutes later he arrived with our very nice, solid looking 4x4 a/c car. We bade George a fond farewell and climbed (it was one believe me!) aboard.
I guess we should go to a bank first William I said. No problem he replied. An hour later having tried umpteen ATMs I could not get a penny...what a horrible word 'Declined' is! Brenda was successful but not I! However we had still not found the two Mastercard-taking banks. Eventually I decided Tema was a traffic nightmare and we were wasting time under hot skies in very high humidity. So I suggested we wait until Kumasi or a quieter place at least. William agreed with some relief and we went on our way.
It takes quite a time to leave behind the heavy traffic, and at times terrifying driving that goes with it. We didn't leave the port environs really for a couple of hours.
The countryside opened up eventually and we picked up some speed. William turned out to be a good conversationalist and guide during the next few days and we had a great feeling of security being looked after by him. He stopped for us to get lunch and our breath about 1 o'clock. It was a bright blue rondavel open all round. There were dining tables and white and black clad waiters. We ordered an easy meal ..soup and bread. William had given us an hour to relax. Almost an hour later we were still waiting. I approached a table where there were three unoccupied waitresses, one clerk sitting writing out bills and a manageress.
Good afternoon I said pleasantly how are you? They looked concerned ...why was I there? I explained the situation including our imminent departure time and the (canned with uncooked veg!) soup appeared within minutes with huge apologies. I believe they had never received the order... or had been madly chopping and boiling carrots and potatoes to create the stroganoff soup it was supposed to be.
We left a little late and took an indirect road (not the official one) towards Kumasi. It was in very poor shape, filled with huge pot holes and numerous speed bumps. William seemed to anticipate each well in advance and I suspect he has driven it many. many times.
Lake Bosomtwe is at the end of a long turn off on the Kumasi road, well before the city. There were forested mountains of wierd shapes and sizes on both sides, a further deterioration in the road surface and we passed through small villages rather than towns. It was quite spectacular, a beautiful area of Ghana I had never imagined, living in Accra and only driving along the coast.
The skies were darkening and rain seemed ineveitable. We hoped we could beat it to Lake Bosomtwe. However it was not to be.
More later!
Monday, September 12, 2011
Strange Day...
12th September
It was grey this morning, the beginning of rains in Ghana and it was reflected here at sea. I was almost awake very early worrying about how we were going to pay for our Ghanaian trip. What if no ATM will accept my card? What if the car breaks down? What if we're not back in time? You know how lying half asleep can intensify our concerns? So I got up, took a shower and made tea with my $3.00 Value Village coffee percolator. Actually I had woken George at 1.35 am telling him it was 5 past 7 and he was pretty forgiving....I love luminous clocks and watches but they are deceptive..this was the least I could do.
George had a class at 8 am, was speaking in Global Studies this morning on Pidgins and Creoles and then had another class at 10.45. He left his first class early because he was sweating and feeling dizzy. I was worried and wondered if he should cancel Global studies but, trooper that he is, he went and delivered a great lecture and then went on to teach his second class. I had been sitting at the back in GS in case he collapsed!
We have been planning our Silver Wedding celebration on the 18th September which we are sharing with Alfred and Terry Hunt because Alfred has his 70th birthday on the same day. So far we have 16 guests I believe and 3 tables. The guests have to pay $ 40.00 each (ex SAS-ers will realise the price has increased by $15.00!) so we are grateful for their presences. We shall do the wine and SAS provide the champagne...so that's not a bad deal. It will be strange to celebrate this miraculous (!) day without family and friends so we are fortunate indeed to have met people on board this year with whom we have 'clicked' so beautifully
George has fallen asleep. It's only three and a half days away but I shall miss him terribly. Isn't life strange? Love creeps up...
Kwaheri. See you in a few days. Ghana here we come!
It was grey this morning, the beginning of rains in Ghana and it was reflected here at sea. I was almost awake very early worrying about how we were going to pay for our Ghanaian trip. What if no ATM will accept my card? What if the car breaks down? What if we're not back in time? You know how lying half asleep can intensify our concerns? So I got up, took a shower and made tea with my $3.00 Value Village coffee percolator. Actually I had woken George at 1.35 am telling him it was 5 past 7 and he was pretty forgiving....I love luminous clocks and watches but they are deceptive..this was the least I could do.
George had a class at 8 am, was speaking in Global Studies this morning on Pidgins and Creoles and then had another class at 10.45. He left his first class early because he was sweating and feeling dizzy. I was worried and wondered if he should cancel Global studies but, trooper that he is, he went and delivered a great lecture and then went on to teach his second class. I had been sitting at the back in GS in case he collapsed!
We have been planning our Silver Wedding celebration on the 18th September which we are sharing with Alfred and Terry Hunt because Alfred has his 70th birthday on the same day. So far we have 16 guests I believe and 3 tables. The guests have to pay $ 40.00 each (ex SAS-ers will realise the price has increased by $15.00!) so we are grateful for their presences. We shall do the wine and SAS provide the champagne...so that's not a bad deal. It will be strange to celebrate this miraculous (!) day without family and friends so we are fortunate indeed to have met people on board this year with whom we have 'clicked' so beautifully
George has fallen asleep. It's only three and a half days away but I shall miss him terribly. Isn't life strange? Love creeps up...
Kwaheri. See you in a few days. Ghana here we come!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Sea Musings
One of the most off-the-mark comments to George and me when we return home is: "How was the cruise?" Why? you ask. Well this voyage is the furthest thing from a 'cruise' that you can imagine. Let me first define cruise as I see it.
1) A cruise is usually 2-3 weeks long at most and purely for pleasure and relaxation.
2) The food attempts to be gourmet and is usually spactacularly presented.
3) Meals are menued and 'served'
4) There are many lounges, reading rooms, bars and dining rooms, often an orchestra and entertainment.
5) Passengers are tourists and cruise lovers, there are no students on board to learn.
6) There is no faculty on board to teach
7) There are no classrooms
8) There is no Students Union
9) There is a grandiose spa and hairdressing salon
10) There is a comprehensive and spacious excersise room.
We on Semester at Sea have a somewhat different agenda.
1) The sea voyage lasts three and a half months and is primarily educational.
2) The food is wholesome but not gourmet and is self-served from a buffet cafeteria style.
3) Stewards assist but do not serve us. ie They often offer to bring coffee or dessert but do not serve us each course. They are rarely pompous and always cheerful! They address us all by our first names.
4) We have classrooms, an academic library with a tiny section for book swops.
5) We have one lounge solely for the use of faculty, family/hangers-on like me, life-long-learners and staff. Students do not have access on a normal day to day basis.
6) We have a piano bar frequented mostly by students with their computers working during the day and partying at night! You can get a great latte or espresso there.
7) We have a pool deck with a (minute by anyone's standards) pool, soft drink, snack and hamburger bar.
8) Passengers are for the most part students (400-600) with a faculty of about 35,
30 staff, on this voyage there are nearly 70 life long learners, faculty and staff dependents take their numbers up to around 100. Counting the crew and housekeeping staff the total number of people on board touches about 1000. Fewer on this voyage as we have only 450 students.
9) Because the whole focus of the voyage is educational our SAS excusions ashore often skip the shopping component.
10) We have a relatively small Wellness Spa including a hair dressing salon, sauna and exercise room....very crowded with fewer machines.
11) We have a Students Union which doubles as a large classroom. Everyone is required to attend Global Study lectures there, Logistical and Diplomatic pre-port briefings. It is used for theatrical performances and classes.
12) We stop in a number of ports for about 5-6 days as opposed to the one or two on popular cruises.
13) The students (and others) attend lectures for which they receive their university credits. This is a true floating university.
I wanted to explain Semester at Sea because the faculty and students work so hard and the latter receive credits just as they would during a land based semester.
Perhaps I have taken the word 'cruise' out of your greeting to us and replaced it with voyage, journey or even semester. That would make us very happy indeed!
1) A cruise is usually 2-3 weeks long at most and purely for pleasure and relaxation.
2) The food attempts to be gourmet and is usually spactacularly presented.
3) Meals are menued and 'served'
4) There are many lounges, reading rooms, bars and dining rooms, often an orchestra and entertainment.
5) Passengers are tourists and cruise lovers, there are no students on board to learn.
6) There is no faculty on board to teach
7) There are no classrooms
8) There is no Students Union
9) There is a grandiose spa and hairdressing salon
10) There is a comprehensive and spacious excersise room.
We on Semester at Sea have a somewhat different agenda.
1) The sea voyage lasts three and a half months and is primarily educational.
2) The food is wholesome but not gourmet and is self-served from a buffet cafeteria style.
3) Stewards assist but do not serve us. ie They often offer to bring coffee or dessert but do not serve us each course. They are rarely pompous and always cheerful! They address us all by our first names.
4) We have classrooms, an academic library with a tiny section for book swops.
5) We have one lounge solely for the use of faculty, family/hangers-on like me, life-long-learners and staff. Students do not have access on a normal day to day basis.
6) We have a piano bar frequented mostly by students with their computers working during the day and partying at night! You can get a great latte or espresso there.
7) We have a pool deck with a (minute by anyone's standards) pool, soft drink, snack and hamburger bar.
8) Passengers are for the most part students (400-600) with a faculty of about 35,
30 staff, on this voyage there are nearly 70 life long learners, faculty and staff dependents take their numbers up to around 100. Counting the crew and housekeeping staff the total number of people on board touches about 1000. Fewer on this voyage as we have only 450 students.
9) Because the whole focus of the voyage is educational our SAS excusions ashore often skip the shopping component.
10) We have a relatively small Wellness Spa including a hair dressing salon, sauna and exercise room....very crowded with fewer machines.
11) We have a Students Union which doubles as a large classroom. Everyone is required to attend Global Study lectures there, Logistical and Diplomatic pre-port briefings. It is used for theatrical performances and classes.
12) We stop in a number of ports for about 5-6 days as opposed to the one or two on popular cruises.
13) The students (and others) attend lectures for which they receive their university credits. This is a true floating university.
I wanted to explain Semester at Sea because the faculty and students work so hard and the latter receive credits just as they would during a land based semester.
Perhaps I have taken the word 'cruise' out of your greeting to us and replaced it with voyage, journey or even semester. That would make us very happy indeed!
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