Cape Coast the old capital (Other locations...)

Member Name: chris-afrika

Product:	Other locations...
Date:	24/04/03 (46 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interresting history, perfect base for daytours, a caslte with a lot of information

Disadvantages: expansive for Ghanaian standard

Before the british moved the administration to Accra (today’s capital), Cape Coast had been the capital of the Crown Colonies Gold Coast (former name of Ghana).
That is the reason that in Cape Coast is on of the three castles at the coastline. The other’s are in Elmina and Accra. All the others are forts, which are much smaller.

Because Cape Coast does have tourism infrastructur (Hotels and forex beauros) it is a perfect spot as base for explore the surrounding slave forts and although to visit the Kakum Nationalpark.
Unfortunately you recognize that Cape Coast is one of the tourism centres of Ghana in prizes although. After three totaly occupied accommodations I ended up in a out of my view luxury Hotel that costed my around 10€ per night.
Was a double with TV, fridge a aircon and a bathroom with tap water (no bucket like on the rest of my tour).
For all of you fearing mass tourism like I do just to get it ride in two days in Cape Coast I met one other white tourist.

Now lets have a look at the main sight in Cape Coast the Cape Coast Castle. As with the hotel it is by far the most expansive one at the coast at around 5 US$ (due to the high inflation rate it is signed out in $ even if you pay in the local currency cedi). But it is really worth the 5 US. First you can visit the museum where you can get information about precolonial ghana, colonial Ghana (most of the exepition) and after colonial Ghana. Afterwards you can watch an english 45 minutes movie about the history of ghana. The film is very interesting and offers a good view into past time Ghana.

Last but not least, there is the castle itself. While joining a very good tour with a local guide you can learn a lot about the importance of the castle and the live of the earlier inhabitans.
Off course although this castle had been on first hand a trading post and the main trade in these times for note as the name Gold Coast suggest gold, it had been
slaves.
After standing in one of the dungeons and hearing how many people had to live their at the same time, you get at least a bit of a feeling how cruel slavary had been.

Before visiting the Castle of Cape Coast, I visited from the base Cape Coast in the following order other castles and forts.

First Fort St.Antony in Axim. A little fort build in 1515 by the portuguese. Unfortunately I couldn’t get into the fort because the guard wasn’t there and knowbody could tell me when he was expected back.
That was the reason why I just climbed ones around the fort, enjoyed the incridable view and seen my self that it would have been a big problem to attack the fort from the seaside in this times.

Next was Fort Metal Cross in Dixcove. That is a bit bigger fort build in 1691 by one captain Dixon. There although had been no guard but I was allowed to look inside without paying an entrance fee.

Afterwards I visited in Shama fort Sebastian. Again a bit bigger and this time nearly unbelievable there was a guide how for a small entrance fee told me the story of the fort. He should me a view ugly looking chains and a view old human bones from what he told former slaves kept hear for transportation. It is a somewhat strange feeling to hold the lower jaw of a former slave in your hands.
Interesting is although is although that to get to the slave ships they used a channel below ground. Unfortunately this channel is awash nowadays but the end is still visible by a crux 50m offshore which marked the position.
Outside of the fort there is the grave of a famous former slave who returned to Ghana after being released as a slave in germany and becoming a philosopher.

Last station on my fort and castle tour was St. George Castle in Elmina a enlargement of the oldest fort at the Ghanaian Coast. The fort was build 1482 by the portuguese. Bad enough I was to late for the last tour of the day but I was allowed to look a
round in the rooms of the castle on my own. Because on most of the rooms was a sign telling what it was used for it was after all not to difficult to visualise how it had been to live in the castle.
If I would have to choose my favourite castle I would choose this one. It is at the most beautiful place of all the castles I visited. That is probably the reason why in this castle I made at least as many pictures of the surrounding as from the castle itself. Luckily the walls of the castle are a perfect spot to watch the people in the harbour and in the town.
From the castle you although got a good view of fort St. Jago just oposit of the Castle. If you are into movies you may know it from the movie Cobra Verde with Klaus Kinski.

I would suggest not to do the tour the other way around. After the Castle in Elmina you would be spoilt for all of the other fort’s on the road.

What else todo in Cape Coast. You could eat at one of the stands at the streets if you are not afraid. I had a delicous mixture of rice, nudels, fish and the typical peppersouce. For those of you who don’t like there food spice forget it (but will be hard to finding anything to eat for you).
Despite that I was invited for lunch at the house of the mother of my guide. I had to try Fufu the national specialaty. I don’t understand why the locals are so fond of it. I was told not to jew but dip it in the sauce and swollow it. I had had a big ball in my stomach afterwards but the expected delight wasn’t there.

Defintily good was the pub on top of the hill, don’t ask me about the name there was no sign. Was just the favourite pub of my guide. Sitting there in the evening sipping a cold Gulder (the best local beer, believe me I tried all) what else do you expect from holiday ...
A absolut no is the local home brand liquor, probably you can get blind from this sort of grap.

You like it? Then just get on the next airplan to Ac
cra (Nonstop from Heathrow) and enjoy it.

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