Friday, May 16, 2014

Meteorite hits Ghana -- Lake Bosomtwe





About 1.3 million year ago a meteorite with an estimated size of 800 meters hit mid-Ghana.  Today there is a lake about 8K across and about 75 meters deep.  On the way back south from Kumasi, we stopped at this lake.  At the hut “greeting center” we were “invited” to make a donation towards reforestation of the crater, and to purchase a map/guide. 

On the lake people were paddling astride log boats and fishing with nets.  We walked along the edge of the lake a bit to watch.  There we ran into a couple fellows from China.  Turns out that he is part of a business manufacturing hair extenders and visits a different African country each year.  Interesting.

On the way back, we decided to stop for lunch.  Turns out that the fellow who ran the small restaurant (5 tables) and guesthouse (about 4 rooms) was from Memphis Tenn.  When we ordered, he suggested that it might be quicker if we both ordered the same thing.  So we ordered the basic fried rice dish and fish.  And we settled in to chat.  And chat.  And chat.  It was very interesting to hear about how he ended up managing this guest house in remote Ghana.  And we waited for the food.  And waited some more.  In all , it was over an hour for them to make the basic national rice dish with red palm oil and the fish.  Actually, the fish may have been purchased already cooked, because we saw the same fish being sold from woks with charcoal fires along the beach.

Turns out that they were running on Ghana time.  No matter how simple the food that we ordered, it usually took over an hour to fix and serve it.  Now we understood why the restaurant at the hotel in Kumasi had served a buffet—no waiting.  Since we did not have a particular plan, it was OK to be leisurely.  By the end of the day we checked in at the National Park to find out the next day’s schedule, and found a place to stay near the park.  And then waited for our dinner……..

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