Hello Coffins!

Last week Paola decided it was time for a mini adventure so we went along to see the local coffin maker Hello (Daniel Mensah)

we tried to get some information about the funeral process in Ghana (which to us is still complex and mysterious), and whether it was difficult to deal with grieving families, but language was as often the case, a barrier.  We did discover that a coffin was in the range of 3,000 - 3,500 GHS  (GBP 500 - 600 / EUR 700-800) depending on the complexity and took about 2 weeks to build.

As always wikipedia is a more knowledgeable guide
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fantasy_coffin

 

His current work in progress is a cocoa bean

The coffin is lined with scraps from the tailor before sateen is placed to make it comfortable for the recipient

Some of his previous works

a bible for a preacher

a policemna

A fireman

 The "showroom"

more info, and more professional pics - http://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2013/feb/07/ghana-coffins-in-pictures 
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/03/11/world/africa/on-the-road-ghana-funerals/

is this thing on?

We've been very bad at blogging lately

our life in Accra has not been especially blog worthy, but that is not to say that we haven't seen some interesting things, so hereby a recap, though we have posted much of this to facebook as and when it happened

Lunch at a local joint on the beach in Accra - nice for a bit of fresh air, but the sea is filthy

 A meal in a decommissioned Ghana Airways Aircraft DC 10

 a little basket shopping

 A month in Europe - sunshine, beaches, family.  Good stuff.

Back in Accra a few trips to Makola market

 

The kitts were allowed to join us in the main living space
and Bob turned out to be a girl - and acrobat

A branch of the good coffee shop opened nearby - yay!

Ghana garden and flower exhibition

A field trip with the RSO and Embassy combined - to Akosombe, sports, drumming and a boat trip on the Volta

At the Annual Accra Food Festival we bumped into the Miss Ghana hopefuls

I can't promise more regular updates, but will try!