The Slave Trade

This is the tourist bit.

After a 7 hour drive and the only toilet a stop in the bush with cries of "watch for the snakes" we were very glad to reach the sea and a nice hotel. To bed and the next day (Weds) off to see the sights.

First to Elmina castle, dedicated to the memory of the slave trade. This was gruesome, horrendous and hard to take. During the slave trade era, 10,000 slaves per month left this castle to be boarded onto ships for America. The conditions of holding the slaves was inhumane and it is incomprehensible for us to imagine the treatment they received and especially the treatment of women. It is estimated that 15 million slaves were transported out of this and similar ports in Ghana from all surrounding countries firstly by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and the British.

This memorial is to educate us so that the likes of this may never happen again.