Sir Max Hotel, i find out, is for some reason off the city electricity grid … instead they have this monster that is suppose to be a generator that shakes, groans and moans, spouts water, hisses steam and leaks oil … quite the contraption! …. just after supper which was a very nice pizza!… the sun was well down… it collapsed and instant blackness – like you can’t see in front of your face! None of the restaurant clients panic or move .. they just calmly turn their phones’ flashlights on so you you can see winking of lights .. then the proprietor starts to get candles going.. i get two to take to my room … And then, about an hour or so later: presto! The monster is working again and the lights fade open, wobbling but there is light again… just in time for bed :)
The gasping wheezing generator!
The next morning i have cornflakes, pineapple and bananas … nice change from eggs, eggs and more eggs.. and of course the stuff they call coffee .. instant nestcafe in little plastic pouches. Then we set off for the Kofrofrom Co-operative … bumping and shaking down the streets i am sure the Wild West had …… in fact the whole area does have the feel of a dusty frontier town in the Wild West way back when …
the Wild West Ghana style!
After the Kofrofrom gang has set me up with a chair and table …we start the Trading Process …. Bano is great . He talks for the men and every so often wild bickering breaks out amongst them but Bano is firm and gets the fair price i ask for … takes such a lot of stress off. It is still stressful though … imagine me sitting at a rickety table sorting through the goodies, Dela counting them, me putting them in the order form book i brought with about 6 men looming keeping a sharp eye on every move!!! This time i pre-ordered which also took a lot of stress off but still every so often a Bead Artisan wouldn’t be able to help himself and he would break our concentration, thrusting his goodies under my nose trying to get me to bite … but nope i could just shake my head and get back to counting the mound i already had!! The men are all so eager and kind it is so hard for me to say no so as you see i set up all these things so it would take the sting out of the no somehow…
Kofrofrom Gang
Then after i had handed over quite a stack of cedis we were ready to tackle the market… We took the tro tro there as it is absolutely impossible to find parking let alone drive around the market. It was fun to be back in a tro tro … brought back the days when we would go every where in them – wow! Made me appreciate the luxury of the car … even if it is a beaten up old thing …. it has a very strong heart (read engine) and i have named him Bertie … beautiful Bertie!
On the road in a tro tro
Kumasi is a chaotic city but around the market it is absolutely nuts! Cars, cars, cars, people, people, people all jostling and manouevering in a tiny space … That’s outside the market … in the market there are no cars – just people and Stuff …. everything you can even imagine .. i am sure you will find it there. And lots of people rushing down these lanes that are like a huge maze … the stalls are small shacks with tin roofs … It is Teaming Humanity and i just love it … i could just walk there all day but it is exhausting so could only actually do it for a couple hours … we eventually found the Bead Stalls but they have thinned out considerable … there was only on Trader from the old gang … definitely the Bead Trade is changing …
This is just outside the Market … with endless cars and people… and don’t forget it is Hot!
You can just see the stairs that will take you over to the Market..
Climbing the stairs that will take you up and over to the Market…
This is in the Market.. you can see the narrow lane through the stalls that are basically small huts with tin roofs…
The Kumasi Market
the Kumasi Market
the Kumasi Market
… she is packing Pink Rash Powder
I found a higher place so you could see a birds eye view … this goes on for miles and miles as far as the eye can see!!
more …you get the idea
I got back to Sir Max completely pooped hence i just took the evening off !!
We got up to an early start today as we are really starting to head North … we drove for about 5 hours and now Bertie and Dela are having a much deserved rest while i pound the keys … :) The drive was as usual quite hair raising especially now as we have the long distance Trucks hauling goods up north and even further to Burkina …. These trucks are loaded to the hilt and have to crawl up the hills … and Dela has to go around them of course cause he it the Cowboy in the Wild West…. good thing i am there telling him to slow down every two minutes … But him and Bertie, his bronco make an amazing team!
…. not too loaded right??
Dela Fumador, best guide and driver in Ghana!! … he says hi!
I have included some small video clips … you just click on the titles ‘Rooftops’ and ‘Walking through the Market’ … and then go for a walk with me in the Market!