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A Listening Nation

27 06 07 - 20:13 We enjoy our last full day in Accra. I’m not too sure about the start of it, because I woke up realizing I had dreamt about Arnon and about pencil ends. One can think of many things to dream about, but one cannot pick them by choice or preference.

I admit it, I was late again this morning, got out of bed past 9 which is like missing the whole morning here in Ghana.

In my mind I am still riding the taxi ride we made last evening from the hotel-restaurant back to our apartment. The driver had no idea where Sunny FM was but did his best nevertheless. In 10 minutes’ time he must have honked his horn at least 200 times, I lost count. It is not the driver is frustrated in any way, in Ghana it only means you are on the road, on your way, and not going to stop at the next crossing whatever may come from left or right. It is a very safe system in some weird way. I’m not sure if I would want to drive here, but the people here all know how it works.

George is making us breakfast and …. Well, what can I say…
Only maybe that he added some mildly hallucinating ingredients to the eggs. Again.

I think it can be said that whatever happens and whomever you travel with, after a couple of days you do become one big happy family. It is at this moment you should get out, before the family will start behaving like teenagers on a holiday camp. Or like swine as Arnon likes to call us, either endearingly or pitifully.
We discovered today all swine are equal but some swine are more equal than others.

Here Arnon - not unlike 'Sinterklaas' takes notes about our misbehaviour.

I just heard highlights of Tony Blair’s farewell speech on the radio, and a journalist adding what the party now needs is some bottom. I think it safe to say they have found the right man in Gordon Brown.

Here there will be general elections next year and already there is something rotten in the state of Ghana. Ministries are not easily approachable, all being afraid of bad press and consequently getting fired by the President. So doors do not easily open for us. We saw that yesterday. And today we weren’t able to talk to anyone from the NPP, the party in power, but we did meet up again with Mr. Money from the Press Centre. (Mr. Monney he is actually called, but I like Money better.) He told us more about the freedom of the press, and how people tend to vote and how little money journalists make. He was very open about things which was refreshing.

Freedom of the press is very good in Ghana in comparison with the rest of Africa. True, one cannot depict a minister as a sheep in a cartoon or one might stand trial. But that might have been just one exception.
95% or more of the population of Ghana listens to the radio, more than they watch television or read newspapers. Bring back the radio play, I say. In Holland it has gone out of fashion. Here the audience would be huge. War of the Worlds would be a big hit.

I have little to write today. We relaxed more than on other days. This could explain we had more time to ask Timme to chat up some nice ladies. In one instant he failed, which shocked us. Perhaps he is losing his touch?
Tonight we might enjoy a good bottle of wine. Yesterday we almost did but had second thoughts.
Arnon: What wine do you have?
Waiter: Red and white.
Arnon (puzzled): You have red wine… Can I see the bottle?
Waiter: Sorry?
Arnon: The bottle. Can I see the bottle?
Waiter: Erh… one moment, please.
From behind the counter he held up a 5-liter carton of his best local, taken from the fridge.
Arnon: I have changed my mind, I would like a beer, please.

(hungry for more)

(a draw - one again)

(fruit is good for you) Gebruikte Tags: arnon, drank, ghana, timme