Around The World In 72 Days - Elmina Castle

Our last visit in the Western Region was the town of Elmina and Elmina Castle, Unlike others we've seen, this castle had a nice museum with broad coverage of history, customs, society, and the economy of this are going back in time to the present. Elmina Castle was founded by the Portuguese in the late 15th century to promote trade particularly in gold. It was one of the first castles to be built via prefabrication, with pieces cut to size and fitted before they left Portugal. Here is more information.

Viewing Elmina Castle from our hotel along with the St. Jago Fort as well

Entrance

The inner castle

The upper walls

 

To be effective a castle must clearly show where troops go in an emergency

 

Below the town - market day

Elmina is an active fishing port

Around The World In 72 Days - To Cape Coast And More 'Resort' Fun

On Saturday, we left the far Western Region and headed east toward the Cape Coast/Elmina area. It was a miserable day with torrential, tropical downpours inhibiting our already long drive. After the four hour journey through the broken up road hell that is the Takoradi area, we got to where our 'resort' was supposed to be. It took our driver talkin hi to locals to get a fix on where it exactly was. 

Like our first selection, it was another fraudulent dump. Seriously, the pictures they put on the internet were nothing like the actual facility and grounds. Fortunately our guide again had a higher quality option to his knowledge. We were able to get a room. But, this is Ghana, and nothing can be exactly right. It started with their being a pool of water in the room due to the rain. Then the air conditioner was broken. Not as in not working, but as in only working at an incredibly cold temperature. We finally turned it off in the middle of the night. When we turned it on in the morning, it started to leak. This led to our being given a different room with a view and an air conditioner that actually functioned as it should.

In between all this, we journeyed to Cape Coast and its castle, yet another of the European slave trade outposts. For more history on Cape Coast Castle and the other European outposts on the Ghana Gold Coast, go here.

 Overview of the Castle and the Area around the Castle

Cannons and Cannonballs

The Castle

Espouses Fotograficus Africanus

Around the Castle

View from the second room of the fourth resort in the Western Region