Flora and Fauna

It's great to be home! It took longer than expected (surprise, surprise!) but we are back and enjoying the things we have taken for granted.

One of the many exciting things that one experiences in travel is the difference in nature that you encounter. Our trip was no exception. Though I was not able to capture all of the different animals that we saw, we did have the opportunity to see a huge variety of birds, insects, goats, sheep, bats, monkeys, goats, and goats. I was so excited to see weaver birds outside of Cape Coast, and got to see them in action--I could have stayed and watched all day. When we were driving, we kept encountering a red (really scarlet red) bird that only migrates to Ghana during the rainy season. Madeline and I were both excited to see an exotic long-tailed bird on our tour of Cedi's bead factory--I am not sure of the name of either of these, but am researching. Of course, chickens are everywhere, and goats abound. In the city or rural areas, goats are a presence--at one point, we were near the border of Burkina Faso and I noticed a bus with goats on top. I was flabbergasted and confused. Why did they stop the bus to feed the goats on the roof? I asked someone--he said there was no room in the boot. I tried again--"But--there are goats on the roof of the bus..." He said, as if talking to a simpleton, "Yes. There is nothing wrong with that." I realized then that they were tied to the roof--I couldn't see the ropes. It was one of those many moments where cultures collide.

Madeline is quite sure that she can now speak goat. The neighborhood goats bid her goodbye as we left. I asked Talk True if the chickens, goats and sheep know who they belong to. He laughed--he said that though they may wander during the day, they know where home is. Sure enough, the next night I saw his sheep running for home, bleating all the way. I kept trying to speak to them, but I don't speak Twi. Or sheep.

Not surprisingly, there are all sorts of palms, and we would drive by piles of different harvests as we travelled. The palm fruit is fascinating, and I loved how people would stand roadside with bowls of HUGE snails for sale between Kumasi and Accra. There was also this rodent-like animal that would be roasted akimbo and then offered on a stick. Musah was very interested in one, but declined at 45 Ghana cedi apiece. Always an adenture.