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West Africa
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West Africa

We're excited to visit Senegal and Ghana for the first time. Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 24, 2023
    Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Dakar

    July 25, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We finally made it to Dakar last night after a 24 hour layover in Paris. We're getting a early start this morning on the ferry to Goree Island where we'll visit the Door of No Return.

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler
    This is piece of art was made using sand of different hues. Take a look at the video. Amazing!

    Goree Island

    July 25, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    It was hard not to be overcome with emotion visiting the slave castles on Goree Island. The beauty of the island juxtaposed with the atrocities that occured here is striking. Entering the slave quarters the air was so thick and heavy I could barely breathe, the weight of sadness, pain and longing still stagnants, trapped within the damp dark walls.

    I said a prayer for the ancestors who were torn from their families and everything they knew to face a cruel and uncertain future. And a prayer for the African diaspora -- we are strong and resilient people. May we always remember the courage, tenacity, and the will to survive and thrive under any and all circumstances that is in our blood. May my life be a gift to those who knew freedom only in spirit.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Downtown Dakar

    July 25, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    After Goree Island we visited took a walk thought the busy downtown area stopping at the train station and Kermel Market.

    It's super hot here so we stopped at the Pullman to relax and have drinks. We enjoyed the gorgeous views and much needed cools breezes from the patio.

    We opted to stay at one of the less expensive hotel option for our days in Dakar, but we both agreed that next time we choose one of the more upscale options like the Radisson Blu or the Pullman.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Beluga

    July 25, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    We met Sam's friend Moustapha for dinner at Beluga, a Peruvian inspired restaurant owned by friends of his. The food was excellent! Take a look at the menu here:https://groupelaparrilla.com/beluga.

    We had a great evening of conversation including all the best topics: religion, politics, health care, womans rights, business, life philosophy, family and more. We learned so much about Senegalese culture. He was the perfect embodiment of the Sengalese principal 'teranga', to welcome guests with generosity and hospitality.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    African Renaissance Monument

    July 26, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F

    I asked ChatGPT to share some facts about the African Renaissance Monument. It did pretty well with a little guidance on the symbolism:

    The African Renaissance Monument in Dakar stands tall as an awe-inspiring symbol of African heritage, resilience, and renewal. This majestic bronze statue, inaugurated in 2010, soars to a height of 49 meters (160 feet), making it the tallest statue in Africa and one of the tallest in the world. Its commanding presence overlooks the Atlantic Ocean, projecting a sense of unity and hope across the African continent. The monument depicts a strong man holding a child on his shoulder, with the child's outstretched arm pointing towards the future, signifying a vision for a brighter and promising tomorrow. The symbolism of the man's muscular physique represents the strength of Africa's people, while the child symbolizes the continent's potential and the importance of investing in the younger generations.

    The woman stands beside the man, one arm gracefully extended back towards the past. This gesture represents the acknowledgment and respect for Africa's history, the wisdom of the ancestors, and the cultural roots that have shaped the continent's identity. It serves as a poignant reminder to learn from both the triumphs and challenges faced by previous generations, embracing the collective memory of African cultures and civilizations, preserving their knowledge, and using it as a foundation for growth, development, and progress. In this way, the African Renaissance Monument becomes a powerful symbol of hope, resilience, and commitment to creating a bright future.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Mosquée Massalikoul Djinane

    July 26, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    Mosquée Massalikoul Djinane is the largest mosque in West Africa, built to host as many as 30,000 worshippers. It was inaugurated in 2019 after 7 years of construction with more than 500 artisans and workers. I didn't get the sense that they see many tourists, but they welcomed us in for look around. So beautiful!Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler
    Photo with Ouma
    Nom nom

    Casa Teranga

    July 26, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ⛅ 84 °F

    We've been amazed at the kindness we've encountered on our journey. This evening we got to meet Bindu and Ouma in person. We were introduced on Whatsapp to both women through mutual friends and had been in contact prior to our arrival. They helped us figure out where to stay, plan our itinerary, arranged transport from the airport, and answered all of the many questions before and after we arrived.

    We met Ouma for an afternoon snack at Casa Teranga (https://casateranga.com/), a plant based restaurant on the northern coast of Dakar. We had fun learning about her life here and her work with women in entrepreneurship.

    We met Bindu in the evening for a drive to the beautiful beach resort Lemantian in the coastal city Salle south of Dakar. When Bindu offered to take us we didn't realize it would be a 2.5 hrs drive making it a 5 hour round trip for her and her husband. We spent the drive learning about her work to bring economic empowerment to women in a small village outside Dakar, and her project to decrease infant mortality rates and medical emergencies during childbirth in a remote mountain village in Liberia where her family is from.

    We found that we had any common interests and Bindu invited me to come and work for a few months with women who run the community birthing center that her organization built and supports.

    We are so thankful to both Bindu and Ouma for their generosity. They helped to make it a really special visit.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Saly

    July 27, 2023 in Senegal ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    We had some tours planned but decided to spend some time relaxing and enjoying the beach and spa instead. The hydrotherapy pool in the spa was specially nice.

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    We made it to Ghana!!!

    July 28, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Ghana has been on our list for years and we're so happy to be here. We've received a warm welcome so far and expect it to be an amazing experience.

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler
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    Warm Welcomes

    July 28, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌧 75 °F

    We messaged my Aunt back home on our way to our hotel to see if she could connect us with her friends who live here in Accra. Within a few minutes we’re getting calls and messages from Mercy and her daughter Lady asking when they could come and greet us and why we did let them know sooner so they could give us a big welcome at the airport.

    By time we were checked in and settled they were on their way. They arrived with warm hugs and joyful exuberance. Mercy’s son Junior also came along. They were eager to make sure we were comfortable and excited to help us get to know Ghana. After spending some time chatting at the hotel they chose a great place for us to have dinner.

    We went to a restaurant called Buka in Osu, https://bukarestaurant.com/files/buka-food-drin…, where we could try some of the local cuisine. Lady, Mercy and Junior all agreed that we should start with Banku, fermented maize rolled into a ball and served with a stew. I choose okra stew and Sam tried the curried chicken with plantains. Lady ordered the Tilapia for us to try.

    All of the dishes were delicious and we had a great time discussing Ghanian food, music and culture. Mercy, Lady and Junior offered to spend time over the weekend showing us around Accra. We are once again feeling blessed.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Dimaensa

    July 29, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We ended our day in Accra with a wonderful dinner at Dimaensa Restaurant. Dimaensa is a Twi word which means 'eat it all' and we came pretty close to doing just that.

    We were the only non-locals there, and it would have been really difficult without Lady and Junior to translate (linguistically and culturally). Lady ordered the meal for us which consisted of various types of stew served with fufu.

    The previous day we tried banku, so Lady wanted to make sure we had the opportunity to try fufu, which is made from boiled cassava and plantain pounded together using a mortar and pestle.

    The food took quite some time to prepare, but was both beautiful and delicious when it made it to the table.

    The waitress brought out wash basins and pitcher of water to wash our hands. After we were finished, Lady instructed us in the traditional way of eating fufu with the right hand.

    We had a great meal and enjoyed great company! In addition to Lady and Junior we were joined by Jarvis, a professor at Harvard who happened to be in town for a conference. He met him at the W.E.B. DuBois museum and all loved having him join us for the rest of the afternoon.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Happy Birthday Lady!!! 🎉🎂❤️

    July 31, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    Today we had the honor of spending the day with Lady on her 27th birthday!

    We had such a fun day, mostly just enjoying her company. We had drinks by the pool, went out for birthday treats, and logged into the family zoom call for unexpected birthday wishes. She even bravely ventured out with us to find a nearby vegan restaurant in Osu.

    We love Lady’s outgoing and bubbly personality. She also a young entrepreneur running several businesses and is a social media guru. Happy Birthday Lady!!! Thanks for choosing to spend your special day with us.    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Wow! What A Day

    July 31, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ 🌧 82 °F

    We checked out of the Kempenski where we had a phenomenal stay and stored our luggage while we went out for the day.

    Mercy met us at the hotel. I wanted to have a dress made and she wanted to make sure I found fabric that I liked before taking us to see her seamstress for a fitting.

    We started out at Woodlin in Osu, a great fabric store with beautiful colorful prints. Sam found a shirt that he liked straight away. I was looking for black which the didn’t have much of so we decided to keep looking. Next we went to Accra Arts Centre, and out door arts and crafts market frequented by tourists. Mercy didn’t want us paying tourists prices so she decide to take us instead to the famous Makola market where you can find any and everything.

    I’m so glad she was with us! Makola market is huge, but she knew exactly where to go. I found a really nice fabric at one of the first booths that we saw. We picked up the fabric for my dress and Sam found a matching fabric to have a shirt made.

    We made our way to the seamstress who took our measurements, helped me choose a dress style and promised to have everything ready by the next day! We were super excited and so thankful to Mercy for escorting us around town all day. I was so ready to give up and find a mall after the first 2 stops, but she was persistent and kept us on track.

    It was evening by the time we made it back to the hotel. I couldn’t believe how much we had accomplished in the day. We even managed to squeeze in some sight seeing between shopping. We had a great time visiting Independence Square and Black Star Gate where we caught up with Junior and Jarvis!

    Thanks again to Mercy for a wonderful and productive day. What a great family!!    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Azmera

    August 1, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F

    The highlight of the day was visiting Azmira Restaurant with our new friend Samuel.

    We met Samuel through our friend Eric Rhiney who teaches in the Business School at Webster University and for many years has taught as visiting professor at their campus in Accra. Samuel, a former student in the Webster MBA program, now owns and operates a tech consulting company based in Accra.

    Azmera has a buffet lunch like I’ve never seen. All local favorites!! (Take a look at Sam’s video to see the full spread. Lady gave Sam a social media and video tutorial and he’s been doing a great job sharing video clips.) If you get the opportunity to go to Azmera make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to try everything!    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Heading to Kumasi

    August 2, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We’re on the bus! We’re picking up the rest of the group from a second hotel and then off to Kumasi.

    Today is the start of our tour organized by my good friend, colleague, and mentor Afua. She’s being named Chief of Innovation in a village near where she grew up and organized a group of about forty 40 people to come Ghana for her enstoolment ceremony. Afua is an extraordinary healer, teacher, and leader, dedicated to improving lives of individuals, families and communities both in the US and Ghana through the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other natural healing modalities. Afua is generous, kind, patient, extremely hardworking, industrious, and huge hearted. She is much deserving of this honor. Sam and I are so excited to be here among old friends and new to celebrate her!! It’s party time!🥳Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler

    Manhyia Palace Museum

    August 2, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    The drive to Kumasi was long but enjoyable. We spent the time learning about the history of the region from our tour guide, listening to music and catching up with friends.

    On our arrival to Kumasi we visited the Manhyia Palace Museum, the prior residence of the king of the Asantes. I’ll share more about the museum and the Ashanti Kingdom later when I have more time to write, but the highlight of the visit for me was learning about Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa who at age 65 lead an army of 5000 against British to protect the golden stool, the seat of Asante spiritual, cultural and political power. Her courage, commitment, and willingness to take action is so inspiring! You can read more about her here: http://www.blackhistoryheroes.com/2010/05/queen….

    There were no photos allowed in the museum, but Rebeccah, pictured above was given an exception after paying special tribute to Queen Mother Yaa Asantewaa. The other pictures where shared by her husband Salim who snapped a few anyway :).    Read more

  • Little House On WheelsWest AfricaTraveler
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    Bonwire Kente Weaving Village

    August 3, 2023 in Ghana ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Our first stop of the day was the Kente weaving village. Originally kente was made only royals, but today kente is widely known around the globe as a symbol of African excellence. Kente is also a form of communication with each fabric representing specific emotions, life lessons, or historical events. New designs are agreed upon communally and presented publicly.

    Take a look at the pics and videos.    Read more

    Trip end
    August 8, 2023
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