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The Slave Fortresses of Ghana

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Lordina Coel
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« on: July 15, 2009, 01:42:27 am »

The music builds to a crescendo: insistent, compelling, sounding a release. The sun beats on brilliant red flame trees in full blossom; in the background white breakwaters accent the azure sea. A toddler moves to the dance floor, throws out his arms, and goes round in a circle. The crowd laughs and he does it again. The energy of the scene restores; it salves the spirit weighed down by scenes of the disturbing past. EXPLORING HISTORIC CASTLES: A VISITOR'S GUIDE Getting There

Elmina is a two-hour car trip from Accra on the coastal highway heading west. Major hotels charge about $60 a day for a car with a driver.

Renting a car and driving it yourself is also possible, but more difficult to arrange. Taxis will make the trip for a negotiable fee, around $35 to $40. A word of warning: while Ghana's major highways are generally in good condition, caution is in order. The major risks are brightly painted bush taxis, whose drivers appreciate no speed limits and will pass without hesitation or clear sight of what lies ahead. From the central coastal region and westward, also watch out for trucks barreling along carrying huge logs from upland timber regions.

State Transport Corporation buses, at $2 a person, are the least convenient but cheapest option of getting to Elmina; they leave from Accra's central station. When to Go

The best time of the year to visit is July through September or November and December, after the rainy season (April to June and October), and before the harmattan, a dry dusty wind that blows in from the interior. February to April is the hottest time of the year. The Fortresses

The castles and forts are open seven days a week, from 8 A.M. to noon and 2 to 4:30 P.M. The entrance fee is $1.75, calculated at a rate of 340 cedis to the $1. There is also a $1.45 charge for taking still photographs and a $2.90 charge for using a video camera. At Elmina Castle, Cape Coast Castle and the forts at Axim, Dixcove and Senya Beraku, a guided tour is included.

The following castles and forts are listed in order of their closeness to Accra on the highway leading west:

Fort Good Hope, in the town of Senya Beraku.

Leydsaemheyt, at Apam (now a guesthouse with barebones facilities costing $1.50 a night).

Cape Coast Castle, at Cape Coast.

St. George's Castle, at Elmina.

Fort Coenraadsburg, also at Elmina.

Fort St. Sebastian, at Shama.

Fort Batensteyn, at Butri.

Fort Metal Cross, at Dixcove (also a guesthouse for low-budget travelers only).

Fort St. Anthony, at Axim.

Fort Apollonia, at Beyin. Food and Lodgings

In Ghana's coastal region, hotels generally are also the best restaurants.

Academy of African Music and Arts, Kokrobite Beach Resorts (contact Sunseekers Tours, Accra Novotel, Barnes Road, Accra; telephone 667546, ext. 2184). Some 18 miles from Accra, its excellent restaurant, with fresh squeezed juices, grilled seafood and a well-stocked bar, draws diplomats and development officials from the capital. Dinner for two about $20. Thirty singles and doubles, without air- conditioning, go for $11 to $15.

Biriwa Beach Hotel, Post Office Box 50, Biriwa (no telephone). Overlooking a scenic cove, this cosy getaway is decorated with an eclectic mix of Danish-style furniture and Oriental art. The three double rooms share a bathroom and go for $11.60 a night; the seven chalets, with their own baths, are between $20.25 and $43.50. German and seafood dishes are the specialty. A meal for two from $12 to $25.

Dan's Paradise, Post Office Box 5088, Cape Coast; 221802 or 225939. In town but off the beaten path, this is the best of Cape Coast's established hotels. Eighteen air-conditioned double rooms cost $19 a night. The restaurant serves Chinese, Ghanaian and Continental cuisine, plus seafood. Dinner for two $14.50 to $25.

Elmina Motel, Post Office Box 100, Elmina; 20. Right on the beach, the motel's 67 simply furnished bungalows cost $21.75 and accommodate two. The restaurant features seafood specials. Dinner for two $14.50 to $20.

Atlantic Hotel, Post Office Box 273, Takoradi; 3301. Government-run, with 70 doubles and suites, this stopover is in the center of Ghana's coastal region, in the country's third largest city, about three hours from Accra. Doubles are $29.65 without air-conditioning or $57.40 with air-conditioning; suites are $63.75. Two can dine on lobster Provencal or beef stroganoff for $17 to $25. J. G.

Photo: A dungeon for women at St. George's Castle, Elmina, the oldest European structure in sub-Saharan Africa. (Judith Graham); Fort Metal Cove at Dixcove has been turned into a guest house for low-budget travelers. Cape Coast Castle was built by the Swedish in 1653 and changed hands five times in the next 12 years. (John Elk 3d/Bruce Coleman Inc.); Map of Ghana.
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