Ghana has Gone -- to the Finals!!

There was something poignant about being in Nigeria during their ignominious defeat by Ghana at the Cup of African Nations semifinals. The match was played in Luanda, Angola.


Restaurant patrons in Abuja airport intensely watch televised Ghana-Nigeria match.

We watched from the airport in Abuja while waiting for a flight to Lagos. All nonessential activity in the airport was shut down for the match. All eyes were on the TV sets that each shopkeeper and office had brought in for the event.





Headlines in one local newspaper screamed "Ghana must Go!" which was the slogan Nigerians used many years ago when they evicted Ghanaian citizens from their territory.



It is also the name that some Nigerians and Ghanaians still give to the plastic woven sacks sewn into bags and used to carry large loads of clothing. Those were the bags used by many unhappy Ghanaians as they boarded flights (if they were lucky) or overloaded vans (if they were not lucky) to depart Nigeria.


Ghana striker in white battles two Nigerians in Cup of Nations match.

Ghanaians still remember, and so the win over Nigeria this time around must have been particularly sweet. Ghana now takes on Egypt in the finals. All this sets up the World Cup in South Africa in June, where Ghana has also won a spot in arguably one of the world's most widely watched sporting events. Ghana will represent Africa in the World Cup no matter what happens in this weekend's final with Egypt in Angola.

Accragio Basses

Rehearsal for Accragio this evening at my home, first for me of 2010, though the group met a couple of times in my absence. The 2010 repertoire is online in case you'd like to join us.



The empty seat just beyond the first bass singer is my seat -- abandoned to shoot a quick video!

It's a rehearsal. Check back in a couple of months once we figure it out... :)

Modern Airports

My flight arrived Accra's Kotoka International Airport on Saturday from Amsterdam on time, and passage through immigration took about 5 minutes, the officer offering me a "welcome back sir" when he noticed the residence permit in my passport.



In the arrival hall, I figured my bags would take awhile. I'd carried with me quite a few spare parts for my little sailboat, including a pole about 7 feet long that I'd packaged, with the help of a good friend in Washington, inside a plastic pipe sealed at both ends with tape. No way that pipe would fit on the conveyor, so I inquired and learned that "bulk hold" items would be delivered soon.

There was an announcement, and my name was mentioned. At the information desk I was told that one of my two checked bags had not made the flight, but would be delivered the next day. I guessed that the pipe didn't make it, but I guessed wrong when a young man walked up to me with the pipe on his shoulder. A form had already been filled out for me, so I signed and was through customs and out to the car 5 minutes later.



The next afternoon, Sunday, I received a call from a woman who identified herself as Faustina. She said the bag was on the flight, but I should call her cell phone that evening to confirm. When I called, she said she'd seen the bag and it was awaiting pickup.



On Monday I drove to the airport, about 15 minutes from my home. A baggage claim official walked me back to the storage room, and indeed the bag was there. Another form, and then a customs official came to interview me, asking for my passport, which I'd neglected to bring. "Well sir, you really should bring your passport next time." She checked my ID, glanced quickly at my bag, and encouraged me to have a good day.



Back at the house, I discovered that all three bottles of wine had arrived in the bag, unbroken, along with additional boat parts and everything else. The bag had not been locked. Of course there are lots of shops in Accra that sell all kinds of wine from all over the world, including some pretty nice ones from France, so even if the wine had been lost, I could have easily replaced it. But this was special wine I'd just purchased while on holiday with my mother in Saulieu. I was indeed having a very good day.