Built by the Swedes, Cape Coast Fort served as the base for British interests in West Africa for 212 years, until 1876 when they moved the capital of the Gold Coast to Accra.

There are about 15 slave-trading forts along the Ghanaian coast from Osu Castle, now the seat of government, westwards to Fort Apollonia near the border with Cote d’Ivoire. Cape Coast

Castle is one of the three main castles, the other two being Osu, and St. George’s Castle in Elmina. The latter can be visited on the way to Cape Coast. The Portuguese, Dutch and Swedes all built forts to store gold and ivory until ships arrived.

We travelled up the coast many times to visit Elmina and Cape Coast, often stopping at Biriwa Beach for a swim and a Lobster Thermidore lunch at the Biriwa Beach Hotel. Other trips from Accra include the seat of the Ashanti kingdom, Kumasi, and nearby Lake Bosumtwi. Lake Bosumtwi is sacred to the Ashanti who believe that their souls come here upon death to bid farewell to their god Twi. As a result no boats are used

on the lake, although you will see the local fishermen astride logs and paddling with their hands.

Both occasions that we lived in Ghana, Flight Lieutenant Gerry Rawlings was President, having taken power in June 1980, and again in December 1981 after the civilian government that he installed was as corrupt as the earlier one. Until elections in 1992 ,

there were several coup attempts, including one alarming night in 1989 when there was a full-blown firefight outside our appartment with automatic rifle fire and grenade explosions. What to do during an attempted coup? Get dressed, grab your passports and emergency US dollars, and lie on the floor!