Ghana – 128th Country
Ghana - 128th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Ghana is my 128th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Present day Ghana took shape in the 11th century, with numerous kingdoms waxing and waning over the centuries. Multiple European powers jockeyed for position starting in the 15th century, with the British eventually winning out. Ghana is an English speaking countries surrounded by many Francophone nations. In 1957, this nation of 28 million people gained independence from the British in 1957. I continued my West African roadtrip when I left Togo and drove into Ghana. There were some true highlights during my visit to Ghana. A fantastic experience was visiting Kumasi in central Ghana where I attended the Akwasidae Festival. This festival is a tradition of the Ashanti Kingdom. I spent some time on the coast visiting both the Cape Coast and Elmina Castle. These castles played a tragic [...]
Visiting the Akwasidae Festival At The Ashanti Kingdom In Ghana
Akwasidae Festival Ashanti Kingdom Travel serendipity. Very little was showing on TripAdvisor in Akosombo, Ghana. The first hotel was sold out. The second was a little too local. We headed into town to find some food and was unsuccessful. We then turned the car around and planned to head back to the local hotel but spied another hotel on the lake. We pulled the car in at dusk and the hotel seemed like a decent fit. We walked to the lake to eat dinner and spied two docks with tables. As I decided which table to sit at, a couple beckoned me over. It was a Canadian couple on a 4-week trip of Ghana. They were heading to Kumasi to visit the Ashanti Kingdom the following day, just like me. Except, they knew something I didn’t. The Ashanti Kingdom holds an incredible and colorful ceremony every 6th Sunday. Lake Volta, where I met the Canadian couple But, I nearly visited Kumasi and missed all of this. My poor research, actually very little research resulted in [...]
Visiting The Great Mosque Of Djenne, Mali
Visiting Great Mosque Djenne Mali. My three and half week West African road trip was to end in Mali. It was going to be a drive from Bobo, Burkina Faso’s second largest city to Bamako, the capital of Mali, with a quick visit before flying home. Mali is well known in travel lore for the ancient city of Timbuktu, a name that is said in the same breath as other exotic locals like Easter Island or Tibet. But the north of Mali is considered a dangerous place. Today, the north is considered a lawless area which is ruled by Al Qaeda, ISIS, and Tuareg rebels. Timbuktu is considered off-limits. As I was driving through West Africa (Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Mali) with my friend/guide/driver, Marlon (of Thiosane Travel), mentioned the name Djenne. Djenne is another ancient city on the old Sahara trading routes in Mali. And Djenne is well known for its historic, mud mosque, considered the largest in the world. And from a security perspective, Djenne is considered on the safety bubble, [...]
Togo – 127th Country
Togo – 127th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Togo is my 127th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Togo is a skinny country nestled between Benin and Ghana, which is located on the Atlantic Ocean. This nation of less than 8 million became independent from France in 1960. Togo was another country that was part of the Slave Coast, providing slaves to the Europeans. Togo is a multi-lingual country with 39 distinct nations with French being the official language of the country. Togo also shares many multiple faiths with over 50% of the nation practicing indigenous beliefs also known as voodoo. I crossed overland from Benin to Togo along the coast and made my way to the capital of Lome. I stayed at a small hotel on the outskirts on the ocean. Lome is known for hosting the largest voodoo market in the world, Akodessewa Fetish Market. Voodoo plays [...]
Benin – 126th Country
Benin – 126th Country. To see where I have been so far, check out my map as I count down the final 93 countries on the road to all 193 UN countries. Benin is my 126th country. Check out the best 193 travel books to read! Benin sits in the corner of Africa between giant Nigeria and twin sliver Togo on the Gulf of Guinea. It is a nation of 10 million with many earning a living from subsistence agriculture. Benin earned its independence from the French in 1960. From the 17th-19th Benin was ruled by the Dahomey Kingdom. I arrived in tropical Cotonou after a long flight, Benin’s biggest city located on the coast. I spent time visiting the UNESCO Royal Palaces of Dahomey, the stilt village of Ganvie, and Ouidah. Ouidah was part of the Slave Route, playing a role in the slave trade from the 17th-19th century. Read about my visit to the Ganvie, the stilt village. Gate of No Return Benin – 126th Count
Visiting Ganvie Lake Village Benin
Visiting Ganvie Lake Village Benin. I sauntered onto the dock, which edged out into the lake. A sharp sun beat down on me despite the morning hour. A series of staircases met a multitude of pirogues that bobbed in the water, which magically hovered just above the waterline. The pirogues were filled with wares, coming and going. Fish coming in from the village on stilts and everything else that a town of 20,000 required heading out. Ganvie was founded in either the 16th or 17th century as the natives of present-day Benin moved to the lake to avoid slavers. These were the Tofinu people who were avoiding the Fon tribesmen who were trading slaves with the Europeans. In reality, the lake provided minimum impediments to the Fon, but the tribesmen’s religious practices forbid raids dwelling on water. This provided the catalyst for this community on the lake. Check out this great overview of Benin. A unique culture developed for generations on Lake Nokoue. Ganvie is a fully functional town built on stilts. The town [...]
