Cape Coast Ghana (July 24th 2016)

THE CASTLE 

On Sunday July 24th we visited the Cape Coast Castle. This Castle was used as the headquarters for the British Colonial Administration as far back as 1664 and for many more years as one of the most significant slave trade spots in Africa.

Apparently the main well is still used at times during water shortages in the town.

It was both fascinating and somewhat haunting to walk around the dark damp dungeons and go through the "door of no return" where so many slaves were herded into ships that took them away.

The heat was unbearable for us for just a few minutes.  Hard to imagine so many people crammed in there for weeks at a time.

At the end of the tour the guide took us out "the door of no return." We were given a view of the busy fishing area and were ensured that on this day we would all return. 

KAKUM NATIONAL PARK 

While we were on the Cape Coast we were also able to visit Kakum National Park. It was a very enjoyable day high in the rain forest.  

The canopy walk was actually designed by a couple of Canadians. The walkway consists of seven separate bridges that hang from trees over 130 feet above the ground.  This offers a great view of the rain forest; however, may not be a great idea for those people who have a fear of heights. 

OASIS BEACH RESORT 

The Oasis Beach Resort became our home away from home during this weekend. It was great to cool off a bit next to the sea. 

It was also nice to hang out with other volunteers from some of the other placements.  We met some really nice people from The UK, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and the States. The outdoor showers were the best! Although bucket baths are certainly refresing there is nothing like being able to take an actual shower under the stars.  On top of all that we got to stay in a room that looked a little like Fred Flintstone's house. Yabba dabba do!

Tamale/ Mole Nat'l Park Ghana (July 13th 2016)

We spent three nights at the Catholic Guest House in Tamale.  Our main purpose of this  trip was to visit our sponser child and spend time some time with the people from CCF.

On Wednesday July 13 the driver from CCF picked us up at 6 am and drove us to Mole National Park. It took about two hours to get there.

We spent two hours driving and walking amongst different types of birds and mammals, including elephants, antelopes, baboons and warthogs.

Our armed safari guide led us from place to place telling us about the animals, telling us where was safe to go and when we'd better step back. 

We were amazed at how we were able to get out of the vehicle and walk around so close to these animals.  

We certainly understand now why people say that Mole is one of Africa's best keep safari secrets. 

After each day in Tamale we would come back to the Catholic Guest House and sit at the bar area in front of our room shake our heads, pinch ourselves and just go over the events of the day.

Accra / Tamale Ghana (July 12th 2016)

On Saturday July 9th we arrived in Accra Ghana. Went though the yellow fever card line, cleared immigration and gathered our bags. We were met outside by the International Volunteer Head Quarter Representative at the airport and brought to the IVHQ Guest House. It was a VERY hot night.

The next day one of the IVHQ guys named Elvis took us out for a tour of Accra. We visited Independence Square, a museum and park dedicated to the former President Kwame Nkrumah and went to a market where we were given a very dramatic drum performance. It was quite a day in Accra.

On Monday July 11th we flew to Tamale in the Northern Region. We arranged for a taxi to pick us up at 5:45 am and take us to the domestic terminal.  Once we arrived there things got interesting.  At the counter we were told there was a problem with our ticket and we needed to take it to the African World Airlines ticket booth. So we did and they changed it for some reason to another ticket. Back at the the check in counter we were told the flight was delayed and might be cancelled due to a storm in Tamale. This was a little unsettling for us considering we didn't really know what to do if it was cancelled and on top of that we were not able to get in touch with the people in Tamale. Anyway, it all worked out in the end, the ticket was ok, the storm cleared and by early afternoon we arrived in Tamale and along with the other passengers on the plane helped unload the luggage.

For the past four years we have been sponsoring a child named Prosper through the Christian Children's Fund of Canada.

On Tuesday July 12th we were able to Visit Prosper and his family in the village of Kun Guri which is a couple hours from Tamale. It was overwhelming how they welcomed us into the community with such enthusiasm and kindness.

We were able to see first hand the great work CCF is doing there. We visited the clinic, school and water treatment plant. All in all the whole visit was a very rewarding and uplifting experience.

Sometimes we tend to focus too much on the bad things going on in the world... Well I can tell you we certainly found a lot of good here!

I would now like to encourage other Canadians to sponsor a child. This visit has shown us that sponsorship really works!

Lisbon ( July 9th 2016)

Our TAP Portugal flight arrived in Lisbon in the afternoon of July 6th and the atmosphere was nothing short of electric. The Euro Cup was going strong and so was the Portuguese team.

It was very simple taking the Metro from the Airport to Picaus Station which was basically right at the HI Lisbon City Centre. That night we ate close to the Hostel and spent most of the night in our room listening to the Portuguese fans celebrate after beating Wales in the semi finals. It was a long noisy night in Lisbon.

The next day we got up, had breakfast, slapped on the sun block and headed out to explore the Portuguese capital.

We made our way down Avenida da Liberdade to check out the little alleys and frozen in time cobblestone lanes in the Baixa area.  We climbed up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge, had lunch and spent a few hours exploring the castle and enjoying the views of Lisbon from the top.

Later we went to the fortress like Sé  Cathedral and by that time were more then ready to hit one of the shaded outdoor cafés for something cool to drink. The France - Germany game kept us entertained as the day turned into night.

The next day we checked out the beach area and hung out in Rossio Plaza. I found similarities to Brazil around every corner and they brought back memories of my time there years ago.  There were moments when I would hear or see something or simply look at the cobblestone designs in the sidewalk and feel like we were walking along Capacabana Beach.

Anyway, we were certainly not in Rio de Janeiro and it may have been the heat making me hallucinate so we decided we'd better stop in the shade for some Sangria, Ginja and Egg Tart. Good call there. We sat and watched the city go by as we listened to a great John Lennon impersonator play to the crowd on the street. Imagine, it's easy if you try...

Paris (July 5th 2016)

We took the Eurostar from London to Paris on Saturday July 2nd. Our train rolled in to Gare du Nord at 11:30 am.  My Aunt Debby was waiting for us at the station. Deb has a bond with Paris like I have with St. John's or maybe more accurately the Pope with the Vatican. Anyway we were delighted to have her join us during our time in Paris. I was eager to see sites I had never seen before and even more than that try and understand  how Parisians really live.

We took the Metro to St. Michel and made our way up to the Hotel Diana where we took over all three rooms on the fourth floor.
It would become our home for the next four days.

Highlights during these days included a walk to the Mouffetard Market area where we picked up some food to be eaten a little later in the Jardin du Luxembourg. We climbed the 400 spiral steps to the top of the Bell tower at Notre Dame Cathedral.  There were got to get up close and personal with the Gargoyles and were rewarded with a spectacular view of Paris.

We learned about Marie Antoinette at the Conciergerie and were left dazzled with slightly sore necks after staring at the stained glass windows at Ste-Chapelle.

We rode the Batobus along the Seine and wandered around the Basilique du Sacre -Cœur, past the Moulin Rouge and of course the Eiffel Tower.

France has always been associated with delicious food and we certainly had our fair share. We woke up each morning to the smell of freshly baked croissants and pain de chocolate in the hotel lobby where we savoured each and every breakfast. Other tasty food we enjoyed included Crepes, Frog Legs, fondu, mussels and last but not least Berthillon ice cream.

We savoured every moment of it whether it was taking in the sites, watching people pose for pictures, kids sail their toy boats at the park or simply stopping to have a coffee at a street side café, it was all part of the lesson on the art of living.

London (July 1st 2016)

"Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London" was one of the songs played at O'Reilly's the night before we left St. John's.

Our West Jet flight from St. John's touched down at Gatwick Airport just before 8:30 am on June 29th. As the plane made its way to the gate I was picturing Morgan Freeman in Shawshank Redemption after he had just been released saying,  in the way only he can...."I find I am so excited I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a free man can feel"

Our last time in London was three years ago and although I always enjoy the histoy and energy of the city the real excitement for us this time was meeting up with Mum and Dad. They flew in from Edmonton the night before and would spend the next week with us in the English capital and Paris.

We spent three days wandering around areas like Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, the Parliament Buildings and Westminster Abbey. We hung out in Hyde Park and strolled past Buckingham Palace. We took in the the crown jewels and the ravens at The Tower of London as well as posed for pictures in front of Tower Bridge.  We reminisced about visits from the past and enjoyed seeing sights altogether for the first time.

Charing Cross Road became one of our main routes as we made our way to and from our accommodations. Every step recorded on Dad's pedometer as we walked on. Mum and Dad stayed the the St. Giles Hotel on Tottenham Court Road and Jueun and I at the nearby Oxford Street HI. All in all it was a great couple of days wandering through the streets of London. Once again the grand old city did not disappoint

St. John's NL (June 27th 2016)

It seems fitting that the first stop on the Loose from the Goose World Tour would be a brief stopover in  St. John's. I cannot remember ever not having a peculiar bond with this place.

For some reason it has always held a special place in my heart. Despite the rain, the drizzle and the fog the oldest and most easterly city in North America is a place that is most certainly full of character and charm.  It is also my birth place and my beloved home during two stints at Memorial University.

I digress....

 Our main objective during this quick visit was a hike around the Battery and trails of Signal Hill and Quidi Vidi. It had been six years since we did this hike past the brighty coloured houses that cling to the cliffs and the climb up to Cabot Tower. After completing our mission a pint on George Street was definitely in order where the music of Arthur O Brian and Fred Jorgenson set the soundtrack to a great day in town.

 As we walked back to our room on Gower Street and I gazed out to sea the words of Ron Hynes went through my head, " Oh the harbour lights are gleaming. And the evenings still and dark. And the seagulls are all dreaming... Seagull dreams on Amherst Rock." 

Someday is Now (June 25th 2016)

" Here we are" we're ready to set off again on another adventure. After roughly two years of planning, the time has finally come. Until you actually plan for a sabbatical year of travel it's hard to comprehend the planning that is involved. Financial factors, work and responsibilities at home are just a small part of it. There is also the booking of tickets and obtaining the necessary visas. A lot of this is tedious and time consuming; however, the fun part of simply planing a trip makes it all worth while. 

We're now at a point where we are satisfied things are in place and ready to go. Our year end parties and final farewells were topped off by my cousin Jeff returning to Goose Bay just in time to host the official Loose From The Goose kick off BBQ. It is time to set off... Someday is now!