Recap: Weekend in Paradise and more

Well, it's definitely been awhile since I last posted. Time is flying now and just one short week stands between me and home. It's bittersweet really - I am going to miss some things dearly...the azonto dance and people's unbelievably friendly natures in particular. On the other hand, I'm down a few pounds and can't wait to get some American food in me again.

Anyway, down to business, lots of pictures to share.

Starting most recently, I'll share pictures from our group's last weekend trip to Busua Beach. This is one of the few areas in Ghana where the water is clean and safe to swim in, and I have to say, it takes the cake for my favorite spot in Ghana. I swear that there is nowhere else on earth where one can find such a beautiful beach with so few people at such a low price....I soon might eat this words when visiting the beaches of Koh Samui, Thailand, but until then, I'm sticking to it. The first thing that I liked about our stay in Busua was what I found in our hotel's 'backyard'. Dozens of yellow birds (really wish I knew the name) live in the trees behind the hotel, making for a great photoshoot.

I spent an hour or so shooting the birds from different angles and was able to get some pretty sharp pictures. As everyone on my Ghana trip has come to realize, I really love animals and wildlife photography, so this was a nice opportunity for me.

I'm still hoping to get to the zoo in Kumasi before I leave, but will be hard pressed to find the time. I might not be able to risk making the 4-5 hour trip there in case the road is shut down and I'm not able to get back in time for my flight.

Of course, I didn't ride 5 hours in a cramped van just to take pictures of birds, there was a beach to experience too. The waves were big, big enough to surf, but for me, doing some bodysurfing was more than enough. It's been a long time since I felt ocean water that wasn't freezing - not a huge fan of the New England side of the Atlantic - and I have to say I really enjoyed the warmer temperature.

I might have to reupload this picture when I get home. The size is limited because I don't have unlimited data to use, and it just kind of looks bad.

The guys also got in some solid beach football, thanks to Dawn for capturing the action. She said I didn't have any pictures of myself and offered to take some more. Not sure they're the most flattering self-portraits, but at least I can prove I was in Ghana now.

Totally missed the ball, but it looks cool.

Who gets the pass interference penalty?

Being the good guy I am, helping Max up.

Now part of what makes Busua so special is what makes Ghana so special for me. The people there, from bartenders to hotel staff to rastafarian juicemaking beach bums, are wonderful. One kid in particular caught my attention and had really warmed up to Catherine, so I had an opportunity to take some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Joe does his best, but really can't compare to the kid in the awesome factor.

Naptime on Catherine's lap

Rocking Catherine's shades, a bit too big for her face I guess.

Still trying to figure out exactly what kind of expression this is. Almost like she's saying, 'are you done with the camera yet?'

It's a good thing adoption isn't an easy process.

This trip really was what we all needed. It served as one final chance to really get away and enjoy Ghana's best parts. Accra can sometimes be overwhelming, stressful, and noisy - sound familiar? Sitting on a beach listening to a live reggae band and watching a bonfire burn all night is a nice change of pace.

Max and Eric with drinks from the bar, enjoying life.

Bonus points if you can guess which two aren't local (just kidding).

Brian and Mike enjoying Busua at its finest. I had to convince them that I could take an awesome picture of them, so hopefully they can thank me now.

Either they celebrate birthdays just like we do in America, or our hotel has had plenty of guests from the States before. The cooks put together this surprise birthday cake for Dawn and Mahlet's birthdays.

Happy times.

This was by far my most enjoyable weekend yet and I left Busua with the feeling that I was going to miss a lot about Ghana. It just isn't every day that you get to dance like a fool on the beach and be surrounded by nothing but support and other foolish dancing.

Couldn't figure out where to incorporate this in the article, but I like the picture, so consider it a bonus?

I'm also posting some pictures from the weekend prior to last. I was very, very sick all weekend, so many of  my pictures from the weekend were taken by Ashley. I'll try and give credit where credit is due.

Our first stop was in Ada Foah, where Bentley has some close contacts. Isaac, our closest friend in Ada Foah, works with local farmers, many of whom are disabled, to teach sustainable farming techniques. The results have been very successful and his farmers make more profit than most others with bigger plots of land do.

Joe in the maize field.

Capturing Dan's flow, one unwilling portrait shot at a time.

Got the entire group together for a picture - 15 cameras later, it hurt to smile.

After visiting one of the farms, we took a boat tour out to a few of the surrounding islands. I was already throwing up with whatever illness (probably Malaria) that I had come down with, and I get seasick. I was miserable most of the time, but felt decent enough to take a few pictures on the first island.

I'm really not sure if this boy knew what my camera was. He had this sort of stare going on the whole time.

Not sure what these guys were doing out on the water  as I don't see fishing nets or anything. It's possible they needed to get to the mainland I suppose, as many people do live on islands.

I was impressed to see a boat rowed by all women.

Shortly after taking the picture above, I was leaning over the side of the boat throwing up. Ashley proved that I have absolutely no skill though, and took some really great pictures like those below.

A portrait (caricature?) of Max.

Most pets one sees in Ghana are strays it seems, but one hotel we stopped at for lunch had some cats. I had no interest and put my head down to rest, but Ashley seemed to feel otherwise.

To conclude, I'll show a pretty bad picture I took of a classic tro tro in Accra. This van, old and rundown as it is, is likely carrying at least 15 people and, as you can see, a huge amount of baggage. It amazes me that these things don't just fall apart in motion (they do sometimes actually).

I hope you enjoyed the photos and writing. It's tough to find the time to really write in depth, but I at least tried to get my thoughts across. Stay tuned for many more photos when I get back to the U.S. and have unlimited net access again.