DAY 10-11: EXCURSION TO CAPE COAST AND FREE TIME IN ACCRA

          For the last day and a half we had left in Ghana, we had some free time. As a team, we decided to go to Cape Coast, in the Central Region of Ghana, about 4 hours drive from Accra. Cape Coast is a historic city of slave trade. We visited the Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in the 15^th century, at first to protect the rich gold lands they had discovered. However, in time, it became a slave prison where men and women were kept in such a cruel way until the ships came to sail them to Europe. We had a really good guide that told us all about the history of the castle and the horrible ways the men and women were treated as slaves.

          After visiting the castle, we went to a restaurant set on the beach for lunch. It was like a paradise! The owner knew our team leader very well and he offered us to ride on his horses on the beach for free!! It was really fun and so beautifully unique.

          During our free time in Accra the following day (our plane was in the evening), some of the girls including myself went to a hair saloon to get our hair braided, the African style. It was a really cool experience, and I bet the hairdressers don’t see a lot of white girls wanting to get their hair braided! It took a really long time (with hair extensions) and it hurt a lot! I had about 4 hairdressers around me and in total, it lasted about 2 hours and a half! It was not a hairstyle I would normally get done everyday, it was part of the experience! For a couple of hours before we had to leave for the airport, we went to the markets of Accra. It was a very busy street, full of little stands everywhere trying to sell you African crafts.