From our charming Kokrobite Beach, we headed toward Cape Coast 
(advertisements say, “not a hotel, not a motel, but a botel!). After arguing for almost half an hour with our taxi driver to give us the price he told us, we made our way to the largest and oldest European castle in Sub-saharan Africa, a slave castle in Elmina. 
I don’t think I can fully communicate the gut wrenching that took place as we heard all the stories of this place. To walk into the woman's chambers and still be able to smell the urine that had saturated the floors at one time was repulsing. Over 100 women would get crammed into a 10x20 corridor for 2 months with no bathroom, no showers and nothing to sleep on but the cement floor that was covered with human feces (and other fluids that are excreted over the course of a month...). Every so often the governor would walk out on the balcony and have the women stand below him and he would chose one that would get a bath and then, he would rape her.
Then, to think they had a chapel in the castle where they would have worship services was another kick to the stomach 
I always heard about the slave castles but to be honest never really thought about what happened in these places. It was an act of evil that's hard to express in words. Feel free to view it in pictures. So let me move onto a lighter subject...liiiiiiiiiike swinging through the treetops of the rain forest on rope bridges! { 
The next day we did a canopy tour in Kakum National Park and ummmm lets just say awesome and exhilarating! The pictures don’t do justice! (but you should still check them out HERE.) You have to wonder how well they are maintained though, because these countries tend to struggle with that...hahaha! 
What a great way to go though...free falling through the African rainforest right into the arms of Jesus...I could handle that :) So after the tour we headed back to Hans for one last swim before we had to hit the road annnnd 4 of us decided it was a good idea to take the 2 paddle boats out around the lagoon to see some crocs. No sign usually translates in English to: Enter At Your Own Risk. That’s what we thought anyways...
but the lady who worked in the restaurant must not have spoke good english because she translated it into "What are you doing on those boats, what happens if you fall in, you have to pay $4/boat right now" Mind you, we were on them for 5 minutes! SO I decided to take action and inform her what no sign usually means to Americans and that I was not paying until I saw the cost writing (we had been ripped off WAY to many times on this trip). Well, she didn’t like that translation either so she went to the bar and printed a receipt for 8 dollars and wrote paddle boats besides it...hahahahha riiiiiiiiight, like I’m going to buy that. So, we went to reception and argued back and forth and, well, bottom line is we won!!! We didn’t have to pay...duuuuh did you really think I would give into that kind of ripping off?! So we then left for Accra Lagos Lagos 
this shot's for you mom :)
(advertisements say, “not a hotel, not a motel, but a botel!). After arguing for almost half an hour with our taxi driver to give us the price he told us, we made our way to the largest and oldest European castle in Sub-saharan Africa, a slave castle in Elmina. I don’t think I can fully communicate the gut wrenching that took place as we heard all the stories of this place. To walk into the woman's chambers and still be able to smell the urine that had saturated the floors at one time was repulsing. Over 100 women would get crammed into a 10x20 corridor for 2 months with no bathroom, no showers and nothing to sleep on but the cement floor that was covered with human feces (and other fluids that are excreted over the course of a month...). Every so often the governor would walk out on the balcony and have the women stand below him and he would chose one that would get a bath and then, he would rape her. Then, to think they had a chapel in the castle where they would have worship services was another kick to the stomach I always heard about the slave castles but to be honest never really thought about what happened in these places. It was an act of evil that's hard to express in words. Feel free to view it in pictures. So let me move onto a lighter subject...liiiiiiiiiike swinging through the treetops of the rain forest on rope bridges! { The next day we did a canopy tour in Kakum National Park and ummmm lets just say awesome and exhilarating! The pictures don’t do justice! (but you should still check them out HERE.) You have to wonder how well they are maintained though, because these countries tend to struggle with that...hahaha! What a great way to go though...free falling through the African rainforest right into the arms of Jesus...I could handle that :) So after the tour we headed back to Hans for one last swim before we had to hit the road annnnd 4 of us decided it was a good idea to take the 2 paddle boats out around the lagoon to see some crocs. No sign usually translates in English to: Enter At Your Own Risk. That’s what we thought anyways...but the lady who worked in the restaurant must not have spoke good english because she translated it into "What are you doing on those boats, what happens if you fall in, you have to pay $4/boat right now" Mind you, we were on them for 5 minutes! SO I decided to take action and inform her what no sign usually means to Americans and that I was not paying until I saw the cost writing (we had been ripped off WAY to many times on this trip). Well, she didn’t like that translation either so she went to the bar and printed a receipt for 8 dollars and wrote paddle boats besides it...hahahahha riiiiiiiiight, like I’m going to buy that. So, we went to reception and argued back and forth and, well, bottom line is we won!!! We didn’t have to pay...duuuuh did you really think I would give into that kind of ripping off?! So we then left for this shot's for you mom :)
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