Makola Market Madness

Imagine an entire inner-city suburb is a market place. Now quadruple the number of stalls, narrow the streets to a little more than 2 people wide, and add 5 levels high of stalls as what might have been apartment blocks or offices have all been converted to market space. This is just the beginning of the Makola Market experience. This is where the locals go to shop, everything from mobile phones, clothes, imports, to smoked fish, and giant snails. The butcher is here too, bloody carcass lying sprawled across the stall, meat clever at the ready for any cut you want. But there is no refrigeration here, aside from what the shade offers. I bought shoe polish and a brush for 1 Cedi 20, which is about 70 cents. What an experience! It's like being in the world's biggest mosh-pit! The whole city is a market, you can truly get lost here, especially in the undercover rabbit warren of stalls.

We managed to get back to the bus for another visit to the art and cultural centre market for souvenirs. Now Internet in all of Ghana was down, and has been down since last night, broadband, wifi, 3G - all out. But just as we rock up here, internet comes back, complete with instructions from Vanessa for colored bead necklaces! There is a conspiracy going on here. I take a deep breath, grit my teeth, and dive into the melee of haggling and soliciting. Having successfully stalked my prey and returned with my bounty, I jump back into our bus expecting praise for my selfless bravery, but alas further instruction is waiting for me....."and earrings"!!! The nerve! The abuse!




Next stop is the natural history museum for a cultural experience. No cameras allowed in here. Lots of interesting artifacts for stone age man, articles on passage of rites, a necklace made of human teeth...no matching earings.

Last tourist destination for today, we head off to Arubi, the Hilltop area of the Eastern region to see the botanical gardens. This was a good way to chill out after a busy morning of haggling.

View from the hilltops:








The Botanic gardens:
















Finally we get back to the hotel, however there are renovations taking place and the air is so thick of dust from whatever is being ground off the walls, we can't see from one end of the hotel hallway to the other. They did give us a note to say they were doing some work, but the letter was a major understatement of what is happening. The rooms thankfully have avoided getting a lot of the dust in them, but it is slowly leeching through, so we've had to pack up and move to another hotel for 2 nights. This room is more expensive, but much smaller and less facilities, however much better shower water pressure!

My new little room:




Dinner was at a place called Buka that specializes in local cuisine. Tonight I tried Waakye, which is fried rice with beans in it, and of course, grilled chicken. The condiments were a chilli based sauce, very spicy, and Shito which seems to come with everything!

Waakye:





- Keep on Rockin'. Dwight.

Location:Fifth Avenue Extension,Accra,Ghana