Everyone takes trips for different reasons, mostly for rest and recreation, vacation time from work, to see a new place that’s on your bucket list and much more. Depending on where you are , it might be fun to check out the history of the place, knowing a thing or two about your vacation spot can be quite interesting and add a lot of meaning to your vacation. Sometimes the history of a given location might not be a happy experience but can simply be one in which you learn what happened in the past, why the location is a vacation must see.
LOCATION:
One such location and touristic site is the Elmina Castle in Ghana. Many visitors flock to see this castle and learn the history of how it came about. Its a sad history that deals with the evils of slavery, colonization of the people of Africa, human trading and how the markets were conducted.
There is also the Cape Coast castle, both of which holds a dark history of enslavement. These are two prominent and gigantic structures that you can’t miss in Ghana, but they both were once home to one of the most sad, tragic and brutal periods in the history of humanity known as the transatlantic slave trade.
LESSON LEARNED:
Personally , I wasn’t particularly interested in visiting either of the slave castle’s during my visit to Ghana, but was convinced by others to go , for the sake of getting a history lesson while traveling. I knew quite a lot about slavery, the different ports used in all of West Africa, how the slaves were captured, how they were tortured until they were transported via the door of no return across the trans Atlantic ocean to the western world. But here is what I did not know. I found out through the tour guides and reading the books in the castle bookshop, a valuable lesson while on the trip.
The history lesson I had on this trip was that the slave merchants were using the buying and selling of slaves only as a coverup for the other goods being trafficked. Their main market was not for slaves but for gold, iron ore, tobacco and many other raw materials they could get to store in the belly of the ships and then cover it up with humans. http://www.ancient-origins.net
ABOUT THE CASTLE:
Elmina Castle in Ghana is a historic place to visit , but it has a very sad story from its inception until date. If you do not have the stomach for it, please do not visit. If you are interested in history despite the horror stories and you are brave enough, then this is a must see site when in Ghana.
This Castel was built in 1482 by the Portuguese, in present day Ghana which was formerly known as the gold coast. This was the first trading post built in the gulf of guinea , which today it is the oldest building still standing , in the south of the Sahara. The castle is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site taken over by the Dutch in 1637. You can check out another location in this series at the link below.
http://ec-travels.com/slave-trade-village-bimbia
You can also make this location enjoyable by:
- Staying in one of the beach hotels in the area. Be sure to make your bookings ahead of time
- Spend time at the ocean front restaurants
- Lots of local shopping around the area.
- When visiting the castle, beware of crowds , hawkers, just a lot of people around forcing you to buy their wares.
- Have some change in hand to give to the kids who will follow you around prior to entry into the castle yard.
- Get your tickets ahead of time, usually with your travel escort guide or from your hotel.
- Take a walk along the beach , the feel and the views are great. Enjoy lots of beach activities.
- Be sure to stay with your travel group or individual tour guide at all times. Getting lost out there will not be fun.
- Do not be late to join your travel team, you might just be left behind to find your way. (not fun)