Guestpost : Mama, I have walked on ropeways

First guestpost is from Esra, who currently lives in Ghana. You can view her blog here (in Turkish) and if you liked it, can vote here in Blog Awards Competition. Esra, thank you very much for your support and wish you an enjoyable and exciting time in Ghana.

Noone has died because of anxiety, right ? But probably, some have fainted. For example, who would rescue me if I have a panic attack here and how ? Worse than this, if I faint because of fear, where would I fall down ? Harriet, please don`t go away, slower please. Oh, sorry !

I am afraid of height. Long time ago, when we were going to Samsun, the car, which I and my mother were sitting inside, slided back to the cliff just while my father and brother were fixing the tyre chains. That`s the oldest memory I remember. I would say I am afraid of height since then, but afterwards I had climbed to the top of Uludag and Alanya Castle. If I really had a phobia, would I still climb ? Yes, in fact, I have been frozen on both of them and they helped me go down.

- Sweetie, do they force you to climb there ?

- What can I do ? I came to Ghana, a real rain forrest just half an hour far away from amazing coast city, Cape Coast and a crazy experience on these ropeways - hanging 30 metres over the ground - is waiting for me. Tell me, what can I do ?

I have gone.

There are seven 50 metres long bridges for a unique tarzan experience. You are jumping from one tree to another. You should stay with two feet very next to each other on these bridges, that`s it. So, you should move like a ballerina so that you wouldn`t shake the whole bridge.

I was damn afraid to tell the truth, but it worthed. Majesty of trees, colours in the forest, feeling of continuous rains...I will remember this day as `the day  I was walking on ropeways in Ghana`s rain forrests` . Of course, I would not skip such a day from my future memories..

Our overnight stay was in a beach hotel.

Atlantic ocean, limitless beach, palm trees, a pub and our bungalows. And lobsters :) All these can lengthen one`s life..

On our second day, we had a castle visit called Elmina.

Castle reminds me of  war, guns, defence, citadel and so on... For me, visiting a castle is not a mandatory and not so enjoyable but just must be ticked activity. You walk through empty interiors, a short tour inside, 2 photos on the top and go down.

 

The castle I saw today, was out of my perception, unthinkable, inexplicable. It was a place where I cried for the people I had never known. Insistent, despairing...I can not even describe how I really felt..

For Africans, the word `castle` means the harbour where they were selling slaves. As Ghana was the entry to West Africa, these three castles were used to bring the slaves from other countries, stamped with red hot anchors. The biggest of these 3, is the Elmina in Cape Coast. Approximately, out of 7 million slaves brought here, 3 million died inside. (I was thinking the worst side of being a slave is to be sold as a slave, but after visiting this castle I started that could be even a happy ending for them.)

Rooms are seperated, male and female. These are the people who were kept in Nazi camp-like rooms - even more cruel -  which have no toilets, bathrooms and for many months no way to go out. The ones who got sick are filled in dungeons as group of 30. There should be at least 15 dead inside to let the doors of dungeons open.

They always raped women, grew up the born babies and sent them to other villages. Afterwards, these whiter skin kids have been called with their own names, De Souza from Portugal, Van Vicker from Holland, etc..These names still exist in Ghana, as those grown up kids named their kids with those names as well, thinking that they come from `Herrenvolk. These names differ according to the autonomy of the country. Elmina is built by Portuguese (name comes from `La Mina`) and then by Dutch. So, that`s why, these ethnic names are common around Cape Coast.

And most inspring part was the heavy smell in the rooms where the slaves were kept. We could not stay inside, even for 5 minutes.

I am cutting it here. I can write dozens of more, but am so sure I will come here again, in time. When my mother and brother comes here on the new year, I know where to take them, now :)

ps : Rest of the photos are on the facebook page, with a link below. You can like it and start following all the posts

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Anne-ben-afrikaya-ta%C5%9F%C4%B1n%C4%B1yorum/199743423431912?sk=wall

Love, Esra