Takoradi, Ghana
Our second day in Ghana brought us to some of the most colorful and picturesque communities that we have seen so far on this voyage, and led us to delve into the long and often dark history of European interaction with West Africa.
We arrived at the Takoradi Port around 7:00AM, and after a relatively smooth clearance process, boarded the buses for a day of exploration. Takoradi is Ghana’s main export port and we passed large piles of manganese and bauxite waiting to be loaded onto ships. We also drove by storehouses for cacao, another of Ghana’s main exports, then headed east towards Ghana’s Central Region.
Sakoradi, Takoradi’s sister city, is home to numerous crumbling yet beautiful buildings that had been constructed by the various European powers that have held sway over the region since the Portuguese built their first nearby trading post in 1482. Reminiscent at times of Havana, Cuba, the elegant buildings that once housed the infrastructure of colonial rule and the opulent private residences of the elite are now decrepit reminders of an era that many Ghanaians would likely prefer to forget.
Our first stop was the bustling Albert Busomtwi-Sam fishing harbor. As we stepped off the bus I was reminded that words and pictures only tell a part of the story – the full experience also included the potent aroma of fish rotting in the hot African sun, the sounds of fish traders shouting out prices, roaming chickens crowing and local music blasting out of seedy beer shacks.
Wandering through the harbor, past colorfully painted boats, women carrying large bowls of fish on their heads and men unloading blocks of ice onto their boats to keep their catch just fresh enough to make it back to shore was a magnificent sensory overload. I’m sure the locals were just as amused as we were, as suddenly they were bombarded with over one hundred obvious outsiders wandering in their midst, clicking away with their cameras in joy at the striking scene.
From there we continued our journey east to Cape Coast Castle, one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites that dot Ghana’s coast. Originally built by Swedish traders in the 1650s, the Castle changed hands numerous times, controlled at various points by the Danes, the British, the Dutch, and ultimately, the British again.
It’s a magnificent building with thick white-washed walls reminiscent of a Greek island village, yet it was one of the central transfer stations for the barbaric slave trade. As we explored the dank and dark dungeons, which for centuries were used to hold Africans destined for slavery overseas, it was a sad and shocking reminder of the horrors that humans can unleash on their own kind. In the Men’s Dungeon, the guide pointed out narrow trenches in the floor. These were the only outlets for human waste that accumulated to the point that two feet of it needed to be excavated to even find the original floor when the building was restored. Walking down the slanted central courtyard to the Door of No Return that led out to the ship loading docks, I couldn’t even imagine the fear felt by the shackled souls heading towards a terrible and unknown fate that would tear them apart from everything they had ever known.
The Smithsonian Institute helped create the West African Historical Museum, which is located in Cape Coast Castle. There’s also a plaque that was unveiled by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama when they visited the site in 2009.
From there, we headed off to a small fishing village where we were honored with a traditional welcome ceremony presented by the local Chief. As we wandered through the community we observed fish being smoked in the traditional manner and watched the process in which cassava root is ground, sifted and roasted to create Gari, a staple food of the region. A group of children from the nearby school treated us to a music and dance performance, which was made even more entertaining when some members of our group joined in on the dancing.
Finally, it was time for lunch! Our host was the Coconut Grove Beach Resort, a lovely seaside hotel with extensive grounds (including an 18-hole golf course!). I ate far more then I should have of the delicious coconut rice, chicken, fish and tomato sauces, washed down with a local beer. I even managed to convince the chefs to send me on my way with a bottle of their homemade hot sauce.
Our last stop for the day was Elmina Castle, the oldest European building below the Sahara. First established as a trade settlement, the castle later became one of the most important stops on the Atlantic slave trade. The setting for the Castle couldn’t be more picturesque, as it is nestled on a bluff next to a colorful and active fishing community. The equally impressive St. Jago Castle dominated a nearby hill. The village contained many large colonial-era buildings as well.
I could have spent many hours roaming through Elmina’s streets and getting to know the people there, but unfortunately it was time for us to return to the port. As I crossed the bridge over an ocean inlet local children demonstrated their acrobatic skills as they lept off the railing into the murky waters. Don’t think I wasn’t tempted to join them!
I was thoroughly enchanted by this region of Ghana and look forward to returning some day with more time. We have stopped in many wonderful places on our journey so far, but none where such striking architecture from the past is woven so seamlessly into the vibrant and colorful present.
