Cape Coast

Before I get into Cape Coast I have poopy news! My flight to DC has been delayed by 13 hours! Barf. I hate it. I'm so sad I am not going home this evening. I was SO excited to go home. So now I am supposed to get home at 6:45 pm. I was to arrive in DC at 5:45am tomorrow.

Now to Cape Coast...

(Elmina Castle from the Road Leading to the Town of Elmina)

(Inside the Castle)

Yesterday I travelled to the University of Cape Coast to conduct a few interviews. We left the hotel at 6:30am. Like the rest of my trip, the interviews (that I scheduled at least three weeks ahead of time) were delayed rescheduled, blah, blah, blah.

(this is where they chained slaves for punishment in the Sun)

So instead of waiting for an hour and half (and what turned out to be longer) in a small, hot office where the air conditioning barely worked, the driver took me to Elmina Castle. Elimina is an old Castle that was a trading post erected by the Portuguese. It later turned into a castle where slaves were traded. The conditions were dispicable and unimaginable. The driver (Alex-who is the absolute best--he and Isaac) walked me around and told me a little bit about the Castle.

 (If you look closely it is ALL people. I'm not sure I have seen anything so crowded!)

Elmina is also an area where the fishermen come to unload their catches and sell their fish. It is so incredibly packed. The boats are all wooden. There were some expert carpenters making the boats on the beach. I wonder how long it would take to make one boat? Everything takes so long here. You see half built buildings deserted and you wonder when was the last time someone came to work on the building.

Anyhoo...we left late to return and I didn't get back to the hotel until close to 8pm. I had to still do work because I had my final out brief for two different projects I'm working on. So I stayed up late and got up early to try to finish my write-ups. It was a bit miserable but I guess worth it because today went fine.

I'm ready to go...not really because I haven't packed yet but I'm eating dinner in the hotel lobby of spiced chicken and jollof rice again. Keep your fingers crossed my dinner agrees with me.

I miss my family SO much!