Here's hoping all of you...

...have a fantastic Christmas period and safe, fantastic, and peaceful transition to the New Year.

End of year always mean one is busier than ever, and blogging drops drastically. I believe that you will forgive my sporadic posts at this time, and help me welcome you to 2010--not just with excellent cheer and prospects, but more vivacious pictures for your enjoyment!

Till 2010!

Wanna Watch an African Movie in East Legon?

Let's be clear: in Ghana, whenever TV stations advertise African movies, they are invariably talking about Nigerian movies, with a sprinkling of Ghanaian ones.

Now, most Ghanaians generally agree that though the Ghanaian movie industry is hastening slowly in quality as compared to those of our neighbours in Nigeria, which industry is referred to as Nollywood, Ghanaian movies do abound in a way that quite a number can be found in East Legon. Let's just say adverts of such movies a practically ubiquitous these days!

If You Thought This is Not Traffic at Accra Mall...

...around the infamous Tetteh-Quarshie interchange, wait till the 25th of December! It will be more than bumper-to-bumper.

Truth be told, it's more than that already!!

In Praise of the Itinerant Ghanaian Water Vendor!

It's a characteristically hot day. Anyone up for some cool "pure" water? Just in case I had not yet touched on it, the so-called pure water is but one of many types of water available. Availability of ice is quite easy, so selling these by the roadside is a staple of the visual Ghanaian diet.

Was just wondering...Ghanaians celebrate the Ghanaian farmer every December, and this year it falls on Friday 4 December, which means Ghanaians get their last public holiday before the Christmas festivities.

Perhaps there should be a day for all the pure water sellers who cool the hearts of motorists every day?

Busy Ghanaian Traffic Warden...

...directs traffic at the Accra Mall. Is he not a determined bee?

Welcome to Kwame Nkrumah Circle Footbridge...

...which is also known as "Circle" bridge.

As you might see from the picture, against the clear, blue sky, the footbridge makes for a beautiful scene in a city that is very busy and very populous. There has been a never-ending battle by authorities of the city to ensure that the bridge is as salubrious as possible. Often-times, those causing infractions against the order for cleanliness win out--despite the conspicuous presence of the police, which you can see in the picture here.

Suffice-to-say, it is a picture of colour--just like West Africa ought to be!:-))

Snaking through Spintex Road on a Sunny Morning

If you have never experienced traffic of this magnitude on a morning, try this kind for size. Traffic is further compounded by the fact that Christmas is near, and so more cars on the road, including those of Ghanaians in the diaspora who have come home early to celebrate with families. More people inevitably means more cars!


Snaking to the East Legon tunnel. The cars look like they are moving -- they are not! The will be this stationary for a few minutes before we move!









I cannot for the life of me understand how despite the presence of a traffic warden, three to four lanes are created by magic to get through the East Legon tunnel through to the Spintex Road!



FREEDOM!!!

Accra Train Through the City!

Last weekend, I was in the heart of the capital, where the trains do ply. Evidently, I couldn't help but capture the train passing through the community.

It's been a while since I took the train!

What about you?

When a Paean to Ghanaian Films Turns into an Encomium of Accra Mall

I have always thought that it was exercise in laziness to regularly refer to the Accra Mall for my photoblogging, till a kind word from one of the regular visitors convinced me that if it is a part of my life, then why not?

So, far from a treatise on the ghanaian movie industry, which is seeing a renaissance thanks to the likes of the dynamic Shirley Frimpong-Manso and her movies (one of which I referred to in the last post), I am offering you a teaser of her upcoming latest movie "Sting in a Tale"...by showing you the movie poster--as advertised in Accra Mall!

long live Accra Mall? The jury's out on that one!

When East Legon Becomes a Bonfire of Acting Vanities

There I was last night, minding my small business ready to go home, when suddenly across the street, over at Eastgate Hotel, I see what looks like pandemonium. A colleague who is just about to leave the work compound shouts that they're making a movie!

Out of curiosity, I walk briskly to see what the noise is all about--only to be part to the three scenes, which I snapped for, well, posterity?





The car in the background is driven by one Majid Michel of latest Ghanaian movie Sting in a Tale fame, and the tall lady with the handbag looks like she's an actress, because I later see her firing a blank pistol towards the jeep to the left of the second picture.






If you look carefully at picture number three, you will find that a group has kind of congregated round one person--that person is Majid Michel himself--I believe ready to drive the car I referred to earlier. In fact, I am about to leave when I suddenly see a car drive full-speed down the untarred road, managing to dramatically negotiate a turn to the right. Meanwhile all this is captured on the camera to the cynosure of a quasi-mesmerized crowd that seems half-anxious to be privy to the unknown dramatis personae.

All this. In East Legon. In Accra.

21st Century Ghana is a country...

...where modern cars compete for space on tarred roads with dirty goats alongside open drains...all against the backdrop of multinational telco companies like MTN, vying for our attention to buy credits for our sophisticated mobile phones!

Macintosh Computers to Capture Ghanaian Hearts?

I know very few people who own Mac laptops--at least one is a ghanablogging.com member and she has waxed quite a bit at times about how great the Mac laptop is. I have checked out Mac prices and looked at my pocket and seen that the pocket lost out--big time!

I cannot ever be a fair representative of the average Ghanaian, but I can say that the average Ghanaian with sufficient disposable income might want a more conventional laptop, that comes with WINDOWS etc. Am not too sure that they would gravitate to the Mac that easily.

In that respect, it strikes me more odd and even more non-discerning for Mac to think that setting up shop in Accra Mall could endear it to making a killing in this unpredictable Ghanaian market.

Salaries might be getting higher--but I do not believe for a second that so much so that Ghanaians would shake from their technological conservatism to consider buying Mac Laptops!

Still, it might interest you to know that when I checked this I-shop in October, the store was spotless and had some six or seven macs running internet, for a cool 2.5 GHC and hour. Technology is powered by the beleaguered Vodafone Ghana, which the UK's Serious Fraud Office is investigating for financial irregularities in the purchase of 70% of Ghana Telecom shares in August 2008.

Already, I do not see a winning team!

Anyone for Ghanaian Shoes?

One of the supreme distinctions about Accra and its markets deep inside the capital is its penchant to be very colourful. So much so that the indigenes become so used to them. It is occasionally being the rare observer to a sight-so-common that you begin to be so discerning to see the small elements...and perhaps appreciate them all the more.

Shoes, onions. Ghanaian markets clearly have them all. Usually also against the backdrop of a huge edifice like the building in this picture, which I took a picture of in May around the very-busy Lapaz-Tetteh-Quarshie road.

Welcome to University Botanical Gardens

Not to be confused with ABURI Botanical Gardens, the University Botanical Gardens is an equally noteworthy place to visit, when travelling in Accra.

It is located halfway between the famed Atomic Junction and Atomic Down. I have only been there not for nature, but for a private reason, so was unable to take in the beauty of the place. Entrance is around 2GHC, which is a budget way of enjoying sights outside Accra.

You might want to check their website to obtain a better insight into what is for offer.

37 Bats Re-dux

So there I was two days ago at Mplaza Hotel, Roman Ridge, for a conference when, late into the evening, I instinctively turned upwards. For salvation or what I am not quite sure.

Whatever it was, my attention was caught by the many, many, black bats flying high in the sky. For a nano-second, I was gripped with a degree of trepidation, which gave way almost-instantaneously to the quintessential Ghanaian resignation of having-seen-it-all-before.

Contrasted against the colour of the sky, it made for a classic "accradailyphoto" moment, which YOU are now privy to.

Have a great weekend!

Ghana-Nigeria Ties Remain Cordial Still...Especially After Nigerian Oil in Ghana!

Ghana's relative trouncing of Brazil in the u20 fifa world cup, coupled with Obama's visit in July has not put us in the best of light with our Nigerian cousins, but it appears the arrival of crude oil for Ghana's beleagured Tema Oil Refinery(TOR) on the shores of Ghana suggests that they might no longer be still angry with us...:-)

The Truth Still Remains about the Black Satellites--They Beat Brazil 4-3 in FIFA u20 World Cup!

It is frankly criminal I had not conveyed any news of this on this blog. I am redressing the imbalance by, erm, mentioning the story some two days later.

Let us give it up for the Ghana and its Black Satellites for beating Brazil 4-3 in penalties!

Ghanaians Like Their Football!!

...especially when they have beaten Hungary 3-2 in the u20 World Cup
in Egypt!;-) [more:
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/soccer/2009-10-13-3657978623_x.htm]

Welcome to GOIL Filling Station, Spintex Road

As far as I know, this GOIL shop does not have a website, but I can tell you that given the human traffic that flows in and out of this place every hour, if it did have a site, it might be hitting the thousands every week!

Ghanaian Household Appliances Get a Saviour!

If we were to operate on the principle that a saviour is only so useful when it has presence and visibility, then can we surmise that this signboard -- exhorting household appliances to be "re-deemed" by their owners -- is only as useful as when someone can see it.

I was walking when I saw--and captured--this. Most people plying this road in East Legon drive like they're running to the hills from some devil. At those speeds, visibility is a non-starter, I would think!

(pssst!:it's not even the 31st of October(Halloween), yet the metaphors are too suggestive!)

Does it show I want the year to end -- quickly?;-)