Horrray Rain!

Huge migration of bats that happens every night in Osu. Millions...

Again, my halo of bats

Me and Issac, master drummer riding in the back of their truck on the way back from the funeral. 

I was lucky enough to be invited to a funeral that some friends of mine would be performing at. Funerals in Ghana are jubilant affairs, and the more people that attend, the better. I would compare it to an Irish Wake, but instead of Whisky, they drink Akpateshe -- distilled palm wine. AKA African Moonshine. Ittallll make ya go blind! haha. They threw me on a bell as soon as I got there, and soon enough they told me to play drums, even though I didnt know the songs at all. It was an awesome jam! The ride back was pretty cool too. I have a video of that that I can try and post.

So the Hamattan is over! Hamattan being the dark, dusty weather weve been having, caused by strong southerly winds blowing sand from the Sahara over Africa. Most Ghanaians hate it because of the dust that settles on everything, but any obroni will tell you that the Hamattan is great because its about 5 degrees cooler… Anyways, the Hamattan ended on Thursday, with a torrential downpour that lasted for about 3 hours. As soon as the rain started, my first thought was “YES! I don’t have to carry a bucket of water up to shower today!” So I put my board shorts and slippers on, took my shirt off, and decided to go for a run at the dirt track next to my hall. When I got downstairs, I was reminded how taboo it is in Ghana to walk around without a shirt on. Everyone was staring, but hey, it was pouring out. People only thought I was weirder when I walked out side. There were about 50 of my hall-mates, all Ghanaians, huddled under the awnings of the building out of the rain. When I jogged out into the rain, everyone started yelling “Your mad obroni!” or “What are you dooooing??” or “Ha! Look at this guy!” When I got to the flooded track I was quite disappointed to realize that I was still clearly in view of my building and my rowdy hall mates. I put my slippers up on a wall where they wouldn’t get washed away by the water flowing down the track, and ran out onto the track, ready to prove my manliness and athletic prowess to my on looking peers. Not 2 steps onto the ankle deep dirt (now mud) track, my foot slipped out and sent me sliding onto my butt. Even over the pounding rain and cracking thunder, I could hear the guys under the building howling with laughter. I started laughing too, because, really, it was a dofus move. But hey, that’s what obronis (and haoles) are for right? The run turned out to be one of the most fun 2 miles ive done on a track, complete with not being able to see or breath on the up wind sections. Ha. HooooRrraY RAIN.

---Well my time here at the Tyme Out Internet Cafe is... out, but I hope you enjoy de pics! 

Yebeshia  - We will meet again. 

Kofi Chase