We made the most of Amy’s last month in Ghana, celebrating Camille’s 59th birthday at The Green Ranch, looking at fine Ghanaian art at the Artists’ Alliance in Accra and strolling the Botanical Gardens at Aburi. We also made a trip to the Kumasi Zoo, toured the Guinness Brewery and located one of Bob’s childhood homes.
SCENES FROM THE WAY BACK MACHINE CIRCA 1968
Bob, in his brown tee shirt and nearly matching socks and his 4th grade? classmates pose with the concrete snake on the Valco School playground in Tema, Ghana. Were this a modern-day snapshot, the girl in the green dress on the right would be talking on her cell phone.
Meanwhile, 5,000 miles away in New Jersey, U.S.A. Camille proudly graduated from the 8th grade.
JUNE BIRTHDAYS
Camille turned 59 on June 4th and her good friend Stephanie turned 43 on June 8th. Interestingly, both women celebrated their birthdays overseas this year. Camille in Africa and Stephanie in Costa Rica.
BIRTHDAY PRESENTS
Eric gave Camille a beautiful purple dress, Jeremy a wooden zebra which he had painted with a spot in the appropriate place and Bob, a painting one of Phillip’s nature paintings.
CHOCOLATE – NOT JUST FOR BREAKFAST ANYMORE!
Camille’s morning beverage of choice is cocoa with ‘cream’ and sugar. Our friend Mano makes a delicious chocolate cake. We make a distinction between our time in Ghana before we discovered this and the time after. This cake was specially made for one of our household potlucks. Camille’s 59th Birthday
FRIENDS HAPPEN NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE
We are amazed at the richness of our expat social life! Steve and Laura invited a group of us to tour the Guinness Brewery and Nauzley introduced us to two of her friends. For more pictures of our healthy social life, check out: Obroni Friends
THE KUMASI ZOO
When Camille discovered there was a zoo in town, she had to go. Nauzley, Allison and Jeremy joined her for many close encounters of the animal kind. More, here: The Kumasi Zoo
ABURI BOTANICAL GARDENS
Picnic lunches at the botanical gardens outside Accra were part of Bob’s childhood. So off we went to share the experience. Among the show stoppers were giant Ceibas and a beautifully carved Sandlewood. Check out the pictures at: Aburi Botanical Gardens
BACK TO THE BIG PINEAPPLE
The main reason for our trip to Accra (now, this is just sad) was to take Amy to the airport for her flight back home. We made good use of our time in Accra by going out to dinner with the Waste Enterprisers crowd, visiting the Artists Alliance, Aburi Gardens and locating one of Bob’s childhood homes – the one with the roof shaped like a chief’s stool. More fun here: Accra Revisited
MEN AT WORK
Tim and Carol spent a couple of nights in Kumasi and Tim took the opportunity to join Wilson, Dan and Jeremy in a pipe fitting party in the courtyard.
A NEW HOUSEMATE
Jay detests dirt and disorder and so has been a welcome addition to Casa Kumasi.
SPOT HITS IT OFF WITH THE LADIES
Jane spotted Camille, Jeremy and Allison in Adum one afternoon and gave them a ride home so she got put on the spot. When Kirsten and Ingrid came to Nauzley’s potluck farewell dinner, they also had their moment with our zebra. We are rich in friends, indeed!
FABRIC
Bob went to the Cultural Center and Central Market with Allison and Jay and brought back a beautiful oil painting for Camille. And fabric, lots of fabric. Camille is wondering which of these patterns is best suited for a traditional two-piece Ghanaian outfit.
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THIS MONTH’S QUOTES:
“The classic African failed state is composed of a busy capital city where politicians on large salaries hold court and drive big cars; dense and hopeless slums surrounding the capital; and the great empty hinterland, ignored by the government and more or less managed by foreign charities, which in many cases are big businesses run by highly paid executives.” – Paul Theroux – The Last Train to Zona Verde (2013)
“We are way past those save-the-whales days.” – Rebekah Wren – Small Stories Big Changes (2013)
“Ninety percent of leadership is showing up – once you have survived long enough to become an elder, with your health and your reputation intact.” – Dmitry Orlov – The Five Stages of Collapse (2013)
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