Elmina Castle and Fish Market

After Cape Coast Castle, Tony and I caught a cab to Elmina to see Elmina Castle, the first European trading post on the Gulf of Guinea. It was established in Portugal in 1482 as a trade settlement. It was later used as an important stop on the transatlantic slave trade routes.

The Elmina Castle is prettier than Cape Coast Castle--at least I think so.

Elmina Castle

The architecture has different influences than Cape Coast Castle--Spanish and Portugese.

The courtyard

The injustices suffered by African slaves in the dungeons of this castle are not unlike the ones suffered by African slaves in the Cape Coast Castle. Just like in Cape Coast Castle, these slaves were deprived of fresh air, light, water, food, and sanitation. Women were dragged out of the dungeons into this courtyard and the governor would watch as they were paraded around. He picked the one he liked, and she was taken away to be washed up to slip up a back staircase later. Guards awaited her at the governor's bedroom door to take her back to the dungeon. There was no other option. A woman could either submit and be raped or she could resist and be beaten and raped.

The view from the governor's apartment

If it feels like I'm just beating you to death with depressing imagery, that's exactly how I felt at the end of the day. When the barrage ceased, I was ready to just relax for a little while. 


But before we could, I wanted to see the famous Elmina fish market located about 500 yards away from Elmina Castle. There were so many boats there. I can't even guess at how many rows of women with their fresh catch on display. In some parts it was so crowded, you couldn't hardly walk. 

A view of Elmina Castle from the shore

Rows and rows of women with fish for sale

Look how big that one is!

It's so crowded it was hard to keep up with Tony 

It was worth it though when Tony stopped a woman carrying a machete and a tub of coconuts on her head. For 10 pesewas, the woman took out two coconuts and whacked off the tops so we could drink the coconut water inside. When we were done she chopped my coconut in half and the whacked off another small piece of the outside of the coconut and handed them both to back to me. Tony taught me to used the wedge as a tool to scrape the coconut meat off the shell. It made me think about how we used to fold up the foil tops of Yoplait yogurts to make spoons or those cream ice cream cups with the wooden tongue depressor-like spoon, except this was cooler.

Then Tony and I caught a cab to the Hans Cottage Botel where we were staying for the night. It was really strange. It was run down and a little leaky. It was built on a tiny swamp with Nile crocodiles and purple heron living in it. They also keep a big tank of fish. 

Hans Cottage Botel

Hans Cottage Botel

The swamp was actually not manmade, so all of the animals around were wild, even if they had gotten accustomed to the pipes and parking lots inserted into their customary environment. It was like a manicured hybrid of LUMCON and the ULL swamp.

Tony was fascinated by the Nile crocodiles.

I was more impressed by the purple herons.