Photo Entry -- Afransie, Feb 26-Mar 11, Mole National Park, Mar 16-17

Kwame, a palm tree farmer who took us to his farm our second day. On his head is a canister for the palm wine. The palm tree is one of Ghana's most useful and economic trees. Similar to maple trees, the palm wine is extracted straight from the tree, but instead of leaving it standing they cut it down. They allow the wine to drain from the tree for four weeks. The wine is ready to drink straight from the tree - the closest comparison is hard cider, except it's naturally carbonated and delicious. After the wine is extracted it can then be boiled down into akpateshi, West Africa's strongest drink. It has never been proofed, but it is 100% alcohol.

The traditional homes and structures of Afransie. Outside you can see the process for getting palm oil out of the palm fruit. Palm oil is used for cooking and most recently soap.

This man produces akpateshi. There is a black barrel on the right filled with palm wine. It is heated from below with fire and at the top is a small tube that collects the evaporated alcohol. It travels from the barrel into the river (seen on the upper right). The tube coils under water, causing the gas to cool and turn into a liquid. It is then collected in the clear/white bottle you can see the man holding and it's ready to drink! Careful, it hits you hard, especially at 10 am.

A palm tree farm - these palms are cut down. Some farmers are trying to collect the palm fruit and wine while the tree is still standing, making it much more profitable, but still many farmers cut down their trees. The leaves and trunk are also used, however, to create roofing and other tools.

Ali and I learning how to carry things on our heads. In this case it was cement for the foundation of a village home that we were helping to pour. Carrying things on your head is so smart and works so well - but beware, cement is heavy.

Ali and I enjoying the secret fruit of the cocoa, perhaps even more delicious than the chocolate produced from its seed. It's amazing, and the farmers are happy to let you suck off the fruit as long as you return the profitable seed to them.

Palm wine extraction - a hole is cut into the tree, then a very small hole is drilled to allow the wine to drain out. Twice daily the canisters fill up, and twice daily each tree must be cleaned out.

The inside of the palm tree - very porous and soft, you can see the small hole on the bottom where the wine drains out.

A vegetable they call "garden eggs." Not all that delicious.

Asante, the favorite in our village. He is four years old and thanks to one of my friends is now attending private school in a nearby village for free.

On the weekend of our stay there was a massive funeral that can be seen here. Everyone, even ourselves, were dressed in traditional black or brown garb. Here you can see newcomers greeting the entire first row. You never stop shaking hands.

The market in Bekwai.

Me and some of the village kids after they taught me how to properly cook in Ghana.

One of the several children in Afransie. We had so much fun with them. Here you can see the belly that adorned almost every child.

One of my several husbands, Bodeni Bodanka (Crazy Man). He was actually quite sweet. Every time he saw me he shouted "My wife!"

Go Packers! Even in Ghana I can enjoy some Superbowl pride.

My room - it was a square cement box. Here you see the window open, but I had to keep it locked 24/7 to prevent any theft.

The ceiling. I can't even tell you how convinced I was the roof was going to cave when we had torrential downpours.

Learning to make shea butter in Tamale.

A baboon at Mole National Park

Elephant sighting!

One of the oldest mosques in West Africa and one of the first structures in Ghana. According to the villagers it is 600 years old and the tree is 500 years old.

The beautiful view from the hostel at Mole National Park. In the distance you can see three elephants that made their way to the watering hole and took a bath.