Futbol

Been enjoying playing football with the locals. I'm amazed at how beautifully they move and work the ball around the field. More impressive is the pitch which they play is composed of half sand, half dirt, with creek beds running through the center. I've been trying not to break my ankle and end up being patient in the hospital. Luckily we have Jeff here with some orthopedic knowledge if anything happens.

HEAT

         It has been over a week now since our arrival in Ghana. The weather here is a far cry from the dreary and cold rain we were met with in Amsterdam during the layover from the U.S. The first couple of days in Ghana we were fortunate to have very little humidity adding to the 100 degree F. temps, but now the humidity has returned giving the heat an almost down home feeling of Southern Georgia in the middle of August. I am thankful everyday for the overhead fans that are constantly running, except for times like now when the power goes out. The fans have two main functions: helping to give a sensation of a cool breeze when the air hits the sweat the body is constantly producing and also blowing away any mosquitoes that are looking for their next meal. Our nightly routine is to take cold showers and lay under the fans. The theory is that we might fall asleep while not thinking about how hot it may get overnight. As hot as it may be, the group is handling it very well and everyone seems to be in good spirits. The locals say the rain will be coming next month as a start to the rainy season and this should cool things down a bit. For now, we will continue to work in the heat and treat the meningitis that often comes along with it.  

People

The market day provided a good time to see the town and grab some fresh mangos. We stood out like a sore thumb, walking the dusty streets filled with locals selling everything from fresh fruit, snake skins, and local textiles. The top picture was a group of boys who wanted to take a picture of me with their cell phone. They knew some english so wanted to practice. In return they let me snap a few shots. Top right was exactly what it looks like. Pants are not the coolest item to wear in this heat, but for the most part not many people wears shorts. Bottom left are two young buys who were selling carpet viper heads and horse tails, among other things, for use as home medical remedies. Bottom left is a muslim meat market. Had I realized this before the shot I would not have dared to take out my camera as they were adamant against having their picture taken.

Castles of Cape Coast, Ghana