We started the 2nd day of the 2024 Bead Hunt early.. the haze of the Harmattan casts an eerie light on the cityscape! We are not the only ones starting early… Accra is bustling with cars and people.. we finally start to see more countryside that has a dusting of red earth over everything. The ride is incredibly bumpy and we are swerving like drunken sailors on roads that are continually washed out by the rainy season.. the deep ruts are definitely in competition with Montreal’s potholes!! In Montreal we would be thinking there was a really gigantic thunderstorm on its way but no … it is sand blown in from the Sahara desert that muffles the sun here .. it actually makes it cooler! For once i am not completely soaked in sweat!! It is actually a delicious breezy, warm day. Finally we make it to the market.. I soak up the atmosphere that to me is unbeatable.. the bustle of humanity-just a lot of humans rushing around buying fruits and vegetables, selling pots and pans everyone smiling and chattering with each other.
It is a pleasure to see the Queen of the market at her stall – spend some time sorting through her beads. Then go through the market stopping here and there… seeing familiar faces and trying hard not to buy too much!!
Finally we’ve checked out each stall and so we head off to Koforidua to spend the night. Glad to report the road got much better till we hit the outskirts of Koforidua .. the good news is it looks like the road is being re surfaced.
Just a heads up to fellow travellers! In Koforidua we tried to change some American dollars but since they were not the new bills no one wants to buy them or they want to exchange them for way less than what they are worth!! Such a strange reaction!! Who knew? Turning your nose up at legal tender??? Getting Ghanaian money while visiting this country has always been a complicated and expensive affair. The banks will only allow visa cards to be used in the ATM machines and the exchange rate for Canadian money is really horrendous.. and now if you don’t have the spanking new American $$ you will be ripped off again. Ghana, Ghana we want to spend some money in your country, why do you make it so hard to do???? So fellow travellers now you know more than i did. All worth it though!!