Edition 17
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Broadband High Speed Internet Now Available
& Free! * August 8, 2008
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It's not wireless,
but it's pretty fast and now its FREE!
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Nana Akwasi Aoako Agyeman Publishes Book
of Poetry * June 24, 2009
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| Nana
Rod, the proprietor of African Rainbow, Busua Beach, and long time friend
of the Scotts, has published a book of poetry which will be available for
purchase at FOUR VILLAGES INN. The proceeds from the sale go to the Sankofa
Fund in support of humanitarian projects. |
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| Globalization
has effected profound changes in the societies of mankind and the environment
in which they exist. Rainbow Round the African Sun interprets these changes
as observed and experienced by a Canadian who has chosen to make his home
in West Africa. His poems provide a viewpoint originating from respect
for nature from his rural Canadian background and enriched by his cross-cultural
experience in Ghana. |
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Rainbow Round the African Sun
is a book whose inner depth far exceeds the sum of its parts. It is a story
that the world needs to hear.
Order
your own copy of Rainbow Round the African Sun, for immediate shipment
via airmail from Ghana (usually 10 days to North America or Europe). Your
payment is secured through the convenience of PayPal. The price is US$10
+ 3.50 postage and handling.
For more information, visit the two
sites below:
www.africanrainbowresort.com
http://villagerainbows.blogspot.com
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Comfort's Now Famous Kumasi Central Market
Tour * June 9, 2009
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| On Thursday
May 28, a major fire leveled about a quarter of the KUMASI CENTRAL MARKET.
This was the third major fire in the market since 2002. Comfort, our exclusive
tour guide, is still available to take you to experience the very heart
of Kumasi and the Ashanti region, hurting though it may be. |
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| If you
decide to stay at FOUR VILLAGES INN, check out COMFORT'S MARKET TOUR
REVIEW BOOK on the little table in the living room to get an idea of just
how invaluable Comfort is! You're sure to make the wise decision to engage
her for your market adventure. |
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| Here are the two most recent comments: |
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"Wouldn't go to the Market
without Comfort!"
Lea Basile Lazarus, Chicago, U.S.A.,
June 18, 2009 |
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"It was more than just a tour;
we met numerous traders and learned the process for making many items sold
in the market. Additionally, Comfort provided insight into Ashanti culture
& traditions at various points along the way. A truly memorable experience."
Rebecca Watt, Fulbright scholar/teacher,
Achimota, Accra, June 21, 2009 |
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MADinghana.wordpress.com BLOG * May
18, 2009
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Your
host Chris has started a BLOG, a no holds barred look at life and doing
business in Ghana. After 10 years back in Ghana and another 10 years spent
in Africa as a young volunteer (that’s half of his adult life), he’s seen
and experienced a lot.
The address
is www.madinghana.wordpress.com
Incidentally,
MAD stands for Making A Difference. |
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Among
the topics are:
* President Obama's
Visit to Ghana
* Four Villages Inn
Celebrations
* Local Governance:
noise pollution issue solved!
* Canadian Mining Abuse
in Ghana
* Tourism in Ghana issues |
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Chris Scott (left) with
TV Producer Anthony Berube
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You are most
welcome to log on to the blog at our computer and engage the author face
to face. |
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Four Villages Mentioned in "International
Travel News" * May 7, 2009
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During
the Christmas Holiday season, Don and Marlene Smith from Colorado stayed
with us during their visit to Ghana to see their daughter. Marlene also
writes for the International Travel News.
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| So why
choose Ghana instead of one of Africa’s other more spectacular destinations?
For us, though we hoped to get a traveler’s overview of the country, the
choice was more personal. Our daughter, Tammi Martin, and her husband,
Chris, serve as Peace Corps Volunteers there, and we would be accompanying
them on their first chance to familiarize themselves with the country outside
of their village on the Afram Plains. |
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| Four
Villages Inn (phone/fax +233 51 22682, www.fourvillages.com), a small B&B
owned by Canadian-Ghanaian couple Chris and Charity Scott, was the most
deluxe accommodation of our trip. |
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While living
in Canada, Charity had returned to Ghana with a year’s savings each summer
for 17 years and worked with the architect and builders to incorporate
the best of both cultures. The room cost was $80 per night including a
full breakfast. Click
Here for the rest of the story. |
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Four Villages Support of Maternal &
Child Health Hospital * May 2, 2009
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| Four
Villages Inn continues its campaign to raise funds for the Maternal and
Child Hospital near the Kumasi Central Market. Presentations have been
made at the Kumasi Rotary Club and the Kumasi East Rotary Club which together
are supporting the nutrition clinic with US$1,600.00. Another presentation
was made at the Ghana Hotels Association. Should you wish to support the
most vulnerable of this society, FVI can act as the intermediary. |
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Relaxing the Visa Rules - Join the Movement
*
March 28, 2009
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The spring/summer
edition of DESTINATION GHANA, an in-flight magazine on numerous airlines
coming to Ghana, features a letter to visitors to Ghana to try to promote
discussion on the subject of scrapping of short term visas to Ghana. At
the end of the article, readers are encouraged to write to the Ghana Tourist
Board to let their voices be heard in this emerging democracy. FOUR VILLAGES
INN hopes that you will respond. USE OUR COMPUTER. IT'S FREE!
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| AN ARGUMENT: NO VISA REQUIREMENT
FOR SHORT STAY VISITORS TO GHANA |
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| With
successful free and fair elections just held at the end of 2008, democracy
reigns in Ghana. In this spirit Destination Ghana (DG) would like
to use this platform to try to generate discussion on scrapping Ghana’s
existing visa requirements for short stay visitors. |
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| DG feels
that the government should consider this if Ghana is to reach her
maximum foreign tourism potential in this highly competitive industry.
Just on this continent, titans of tourism such as South Africa, Tanzania
and Egypt have long got rid of entry visas for short term guests. These
countries tourism revenues continue to far exceed those of Ghana. Closer
to home, the Gambia, Senegal and Cape Verde, leading tourist centres in
West Africa, have no visa requirements for short stay visitors. |
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| Often
Ghana is compared to Malaysia since both countries gained independence
in 1957. For 2007, Ghanaian government sources announced that Ghana accrued
approximately US$ 1 billion from the foreign tourism sector. Malaysia,
on the other hand, earned over 40 times that number. Yes, Malaysia has
spent much more than Ghana promoting herself on the international stage,
but they also have adopted no visa requirement for short stay visitors.
It makes sense that Ghana, a country with a small promotional budget, would
adopt such a policy. Furthermore, most of the Caribbean islands that goes
head to head with Ghana for the sun worshipper dollar have waived visa
requirements for short stay visitors despite having similar stringent requirements
for locals going out of the country. |
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| Having
no visa requirement will mean tourists will have one less stressful bureaucratic
hurdle to jump through. Often visa applications can cause delay and travelers
are forced to change or cancel their travel plans. This can give Ghana
a negative image abroad and can cause financial loss to the national tourism
revenue. |
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| If as
a tourist or local service provider wish to support our position,
e-mail your comments to the Director of Operations at the Ghana
Tourist Board” at gtb@africaonline.com.gh
with a copy to Destination Ghana at nomorevisas@fotomagikpublications.com.
This will give further living proof that democracy is alive and thriving
in Ghana! ~ The Publishers |
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Ghana is Truly a Peaceful Country *
February
4, 2009
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Early
in January, your host Chris had a letter printed in Ghana’s largest national
daily newspaper THE DAILY GRAPHIC.It is worth reprinting at any time because
the elections were truly was a celebration of democracy,governance, and
rule of law in GHANA.
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| We are
a small guesthouse, one of thousands located all over our fair land. Our
location and our name are not important. What is important is that we,
in the huge hospitality industry, thank the people of Ghana for respecting
the democratic process and allowing peace to prevail during and following
the hotly contested parliamentary and presidential elections and run-off. |
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| Over
the holiday season which coincided with the election period, our small
bed and breakfast hosted tourists from all over the African continent where
their countries either had problems of violence, poor or no infrastructure
or just not much to see or places to have fun. |
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| Travelers
from Angola, Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast and Liberia passed through our
doors. They came to Ghana seeking fun, relaxation and comfort while experiencing
Ghana’s fascinating history, rich cultural heritage and stimulating everyday
realities. They came to Ghana because Ghana is a peaceful democracy where
civil society and the rule of law hold firm even during fiercely contested
elections. And they found it and we say, ‘Bravo, Aiykoo to the people of
Ghana!’ |
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Excursions With Kwame, The Cab Driver *
January
17, 2009
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Four
Villages Inn has THE best taxi and driver at its service. Driver Kwame
drove 21 years for the British Council until he was downsized. Now he operates
his own air conditioned taxi that is clean and impeccably maintained. All
rates include driver and fuel. Extra time can be negotiated with Kwame.
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To Adanwomase
and the other craft villages on the Mampong Road
Morning departure from FOUR VILLAGES
return to a Kumasi restaurant or drop off - or return to FOUR VILLAGES
INN by 1:00 pm. GHANA CEDI 35.00 |
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To Lake
Bosumtwi with a morning departure from FOUR VILLAGES INN. Swim and lunch
at PARADISE LAKE RESORT
Return to FOUR VILLAGES INN by 3:00
p.m. GHANA CEDI 50.00 |
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To Bobiri
Forest Reserve and Butterfly Sanctuary, Besease Traditional Shrine, and
Lake Bosumtwi with a morning departure from FOUR VILLAGES INN.
Return to FOUR VILLAGES INN by 4:00
GHANA CEDI 70.00 |
Note: Kwame is
very open to your Variations on a theme ... Prices subject to change.
Note: the present rate of exchange
is between GH C1.40 and GH C 1.50 per US$1.00.
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Darren Noy - Dissertation Is Ready * January
6, 2009
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Now you
might not expect a guesthouse to be announcing the publication of a doctoral
thesis, but remember FOUR VILLAGES INN is much much more than a place to
stay. Well, Darren Noy, a University of California at Berkeley student,
who was here a number of years ago e-mailed us with the link to his
work. You see, Charity and I were interviewees discussing development issues
along with religion. His dissertation is entitled: "This World and the
Next, the Interrelationships of Religion and Development. There are many
references to Ghana. While the work is over 300 pages, it downloads quickly
on our computer, and remember internet is free here and so is discussion
and thought for that matter....
http://visionsofdevelopment.wikispaces.com/ |
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Praise for Four Villages Inn * December
29, 2008
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Since
our last edition, lots of praise has been heaped on FOUR VILLAGES INN.
Here's a review of the reviews:
ROUGH GUIDE TO WEST AFRICA:
The new edition came out in June,
2008 and your hosts Charity and Chris couldn't have asked for a nicer
review: “Warm and friendly B & B in suburban Kumasi, run by an amiable
and very helpful Canadian-Ghanaian couple. Essential to book ahead as there
are only s/c, a/c four rooms, each individually decorated with traditional
crafts and featuring big beds and access to their dvd library. There’s
a cozy communal lounge, great breakfasts included – eggs, fresh fruit,
home-made sausages, real coffee and superb Ghanaian dinners available on
request (US$20 plus VAT, wine and beer available). Tours are offered (especially
of Kumasi market with a member of staff). Easily the nicest place to
stay in Kumasi.” |
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TRIP ADVISOR
There have been four new reviews
on TRIP ADVISOR.
"Four Villages Inn Remains
the #1 Guest House/B & B in Kumasi."
Here are the titles of the reviews
to give you an idea of the quality that awaits you when you choose Four
Villages Inn:
* "A Jewel - like staying
at the home of old friends" - June 14, 2009
* "A welcoming haven
for both business and leisure travelers" - May 28, 2009
* "Treasured house guests"
- April 25, 2009
* "Quaint Option in
Kumasi" - November 2, 2008 |
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You can access
and read the reviews in their entirety by logging onto www.tripadvisor.com
and typing in Four Villages Inn, Kumasi, Ghana in the search window.
BRADT TRAVEL GUIDE
And on The BRADT UPDATE site - www.philipbriggs.wordpress.com
- (another great site to research your trip to Ghana) another accolade:
February 19, 2009
"My highest recommendation to Four
Villages Inn, definitely the nicest place we stayed in Ghana. Chris and
Charity were great and very helpful in helping us make arrangements for
our trip to Mole. The food was terrific! Also highly recommended is their
tour guide, Comfort. She made the Kumasi market a delight. I don’t know
how we would have found our way through it without her." |
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