2012 - OCEAN PRINCESS - GHANA & SENEGAL

GHANA - RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO TOGO...

WE GET THE BIG RECEPTION, FROM THE GHANA NATIONAL THEATER PEOPLE NO LESS. OR SOMETHING CLOSE.

VERY IMPRESSIVE. LOTS OF NOISE & MOTION...

A QUICK DRIVE FROM THE PORT

THEN IT’S TIME TO MEET THE BIG CHIEF. THE BIGGEST WE HAVE MET. THE FIRST WAS A VILLAGE CHIEF. THE SECOND WAS A TOWN CHIEF.

THIS MAN IS CHIEF OF MILLIONS..

SOME OF THE LADIES OF HIS COURT.

AND COURTIERS..

AND THE CHIEF HIMSELF.

THE CEREMONY WAS QUITE LONG & VERY ELABORATE BUT I DO NOT RECALL ANY WATER & SALT THIS TIME

THE PURPOSE OF THE CEREMONY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS TO GIVE US PERMISSION TO BE HERE.

I WISH NOW I HAD BROUGHT THE CHIEF A BOTTLE OF SCOTCH, OR ANYTHING REALLY.
VERY RUDE NOT TOO & I DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE DID EITHER.

BUT HE GRANTED US PERMISSION ANYWAY.

TIRING WORK....

TO FINALISE PROCEEDINGS WE WERE ASKED FOR FIVE REPRESENTATIVES TO SIGN THE BOOK AND TO RECEIVE GIFTS FROM THE CHIEF.

FIVE LADIES JUMPED UP BEFORE YOU COULD SAY BOO.

THIS ONE IS SIGNING THE BOOK..

THEY EACH RECEIVED A SCARF & I ASKED HER IF I COULD HAVE MY SLICE FROM THE BOTTOM AS SHE WAS JUST A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE GROUP.

WELL - GOOD LUCK WITH THAT...

ONE LADY WAS WAY TOO SLOW OUT THE BLOCKS BUT SHE WAS WEARING A SCARF WHEN SHE GOT ON THE BUS...& LOOKING PRETTY PLEASED WITH HERSELF TOO...

I ASKED HER HOW SHE GOT IT & SHE TOLD ME THE CHIEF HAD HANDED HER ONE AND SAID ‘WELCOME HOME’.

AUDIENCE OVER - WE GO TO SCHOOL.

AND LO & BEHOLD, THE CHIEF TURNS UP.

I DOUBT THE KIDS WERE TOO DELIGHTED BY THAT.

THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF HIM - & US.

MUST HAVE BEEN NERVE JANGLING FOR THEM.

FIRST A SONG, IN FRENCH WHICH WAS A SURPRISE.

IT SAYS ROLL CALL ON THE BLACKBOARD BUT THE CHIEF WAS PROBABLY CALLING FOR A PIZZA, HOLD THE ANTELOPE..

THEN A PLAY

WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABOUT BABY JESUS...

A COUPLE MORE CONTESTANTS IN THE SUPERMODEL COMPETITION....

AFTER TOTALLY DISRUPTING THEIR SCHOOL DAY, WE HEAD OFF PAST MORE STREET LIFE..

EVER OPTIMISTIC...

TO A SHANTY TOWN BY THE OCEAN WHERE WE WILL SEE FISH PREPARATION ....

....SHE LOOKS A LITTLE LEFT OUT OF THINGS OR A BIT WISTFUL PERHAPS..

AND THE PREPARATION OF SOME STAPLES. MANIOC MAYBE...

.......FUTURE SUPERMODELS

THIS LITTLE ONE HAS THE THING THAT HELPS KEEP THE STUFF ON THE LADIES HEADS.

WHAT A LOVELY LITTLE SHOP....

MORE STREET LIFE..

....VERY FRIENDLY. LOTS OF WAVES...

FOR OUR SHIP TO ROLL OUT ON....

TIME FOR A BIRTHDAY DINNER FOR THE BARONESS, WITH JOSH

AND THE END OF A DELIGHTFUL DAY.

NEXT UP IS SENEGAL & I FORGET WHY, NOT FEELING WELL OR JUST TIRED MAYBE, BUT I DID NOT GET OFF HERE OR EVEN TAKE A PHOTO FROM THE SHIP.

PEOPLE WHO DID TOLD ME IT WAS A HORRIBLE PLACE TO VISIT. DIRTY & VERY POOR. THE ADVERTISED PINK LAKE WAS NOT EVEN PINK.
NO ONE I SPOKE TO LIKED IT.

SORRY I DID NOT GET OFF NOW..

BUT THAT IS IT FOR THIS STRETCH OF AFRICA & I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED IT. NOT EVERYONE DID OR WOULD. IT’S VERY DIFFERENT.

EASY TO SEE HOW PEOPLE WOULD GET CULTURE SHOCK VISITING HERE BUT THAT IS ONE OF THE JOYS OF CRUISING.

WE SPEND A DAY ON SHORE THEN BACK TO NORMAL ON BOARD. ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOTHING REALLY NORMAL ABOUT LIFE ON BOARD EITHER.

UNREAL REALLY