(or Bomsomtwi or Bomsumtwi or Bomsumptwe, we saw many different spellings!)

This weekend we left Kumasi for a relaxing weekend out of the city and we were able to see some of the recommended tourist attractions in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.  Rather than brave the tro-tro’s again we hired a taxi, which was probably safer although the driving here is just crazy – they seem to use the horn much more than the brakes!  We headed to Lake Bomsomtwe which is the largest natural lake in Ghana and thought to have been formed by a meteorite about 3.5 million years ago.  There are taboos regarding the lake that forbid the local fisherman from the use of canoes, paddles and sails on the water.  Fisherman instead balance on peculiar long logs called “paduas” and propel themselves through the water using their hands.  When the lake is calm the fisherman look as if they are just sitting on the water.  We hear that they there used to be a ban on fishing nets, but they are now allowed.   We stayed at a resort on the lake and enjoyed novelties such as a hot shower and air conditioning, what luxury!   While we just wanted to sit in the air-conditioned room all weekend we decided instead to get out and explore some of the small villages around the lake.  We are always an attraction to the local children who yell out “obruni” which means “white person” whenever we walk by.  The children around Lake Bomsomtwe continually asked us for a pen, although we never did figure why they wanted pens.  One little boy said “give me anything”, hey at least he wasn’t picky!  And several would demand that you take their photo, and run off giggling as soon as we showed them the image on the screen.  On our walks we passed through several small villages and everyone was very welcoming.  Many of the houses and churches were painted with very vibrant colors, which was enticing for photographs.  There are a lot of cocoa trees in this area and the local people harvest the beans for a living – one man let us photograph him working with the cocoa beans.  Our favorite purchase from a local food stand were “Obama Biscuits” which had a photo of the president on the package.  After leaving Lake Bomsomtwe we did a cultural tour with a visit to a fetish shrine and then to a Kente cloth weaving village – we will share those stories in future blog posts. – Leah