In which we fly to Accra to hook up with the Waste Enterprisers crowd, take in an art gallery, see Amy off at the airport and find another one of Bob’s childhood homes – June 11-13, 2013
WE OFFICE AND ART GALLERY
Things were hopping at Waste Enterpriser’s office in Osu. After working most of the day, the whole gang went out for dinner.
The Artists Alliance was a “must see” according to both Tim and Carole. So the three Trouts went to the Omanye House to look at some fine art. I have to admit that we were skeptical after living for a year in a cultural wasteland. What we found in this three-story building opened our eyes to a whole new world! The sea breeze blew gently into the rooms as one piece after another beckoned to us and held our attention. We had discovered the interpreters of every day life, the artists who tell beautiful stories with their work. We left refreshed, inspired and reassured that man-made beauty is alive and well here, if you know where to look. Founded by the artist Ablade Glover in 2008, the Artist Alliance is, indeed, a “must see.” Below is a sampling of some of the art to be found there.
ABLADE GLOVER
“Yellow Forest”
“Facing the Storm”
“Lorry Station”
KWABENA NYARKO
“Around Joy”
“Entrance”
DELAQUIS ATO
“Horsemen of the Southern Grassland”
GOKAH AUGUSTINE
“Baobab”
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J C SARPONG
“Passion” and “Mother Africa”
BETTY ACQUAH
“At Peace with Nature” and “Timeless Elegance”
BEN AGBEE AND AGYEI AGYEMANG
“Forever Yours” and “Daughter of the Moon”
AIRPORT TRADITION
Beer and french fries are an airport tradition, so after Amy checked her bags we pulled up a chair and ordered some of that good stuff. These were our last moments with Amy and we aimed to make the best of them. The last five months in Ghana were unforgettable and Amy was able to take away a better understanding of her father’s roots.
SEARCH FOR A CHILDHOOD HOME
With the help of Mr. Fred and Google Earth, Bob was able to locate one of his childhood homes. Fred is our preferred taxi driver in Accra because he is easy to be around, keeps a nice car, knows his way around and gets the job done. The home was build by president Nkrumah and featured rooftop wings that resembled a chief stool and a heart-shaped swimming pool. You can see one of the wings above Bob’s head in the second photo.
LUSH GARDENS
You can see the wing motif over the main entrance to the house. Bob held the camera as high as he could over the wall but was unable to catch much of the pool. You can see the wall around the pool beyond the curved raised garden bed.
STEWARDS QUARTERS
At one point, Bob moved from the main house into the room atop the stairs in the stewards quarters. As we peered over the fence, we saw a man working in the gardens. Here is one more picture of the house behind the pink wall.
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[Latest] * [Troutsfarm] * [Camille’s 59th Birthday] * [Obroni Friends] *[The Kumasi Zoo] * [Aburi Botanical Gardens] * [Accra Revisited]
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