After watching the kente weavers, on the way back to the Land Rover I noticed some carvings made on the trunk of a cut down tree near the Visitor Center.
I wondered if the wood carver who worked on the tree was from some other part of Africa.
The reason it crossed my mind is because West African women don’t traditionally wear neck rings.
Another scene was carved into the back.
Yet another surprise a little further around.
How cool is that!
Stanley had gone past the carved tree and into the grove of live trees behind the Visitor Center. He called me to come look.
“This is cocoa,” he said. I never knew that cocoa beans grew in pods. He found a pod lying on the ground and broke it open to show me the cocoa beans inside surrounded by a thick milky liquid.
“The workers suck the liquid if they are hungry. Try it.”
I scooped up a few beans and sucked on the cocoa milk. It was surprisingly sweet.
Cocoa beans are fermented for a few days then dried before being made into chocolate.
Cocoa is one of Ghana’s most important cash crops. Ghanaian cocoa has a reputation for being very good quality.
I am enjoying reading your adventure and journey in Togo and Ghana. What an opportunity you had. I was in ghana as a volunteer for six months and enjoyed your comments. You have a wonderful writing voice – clever and humorous. I hope to read all..
Thank you for your insight and the marvelous photos.