Ghana is a West African country recognized for its stunning coastline, plentiful wildlife, and former slave castles. As one of the most economically stable countries on the continent, it exports oil, gold, and cocoa. This nation has always intrigued me with its diverse landscape and poignant past. February was the prefect time for my week long visit to explore its scenery, architecture, history, and vegan cuisine.

Upon departure from the United States, my Delta Airlines flight provided a tasty vegan dinner consisting of a veggie patty with a side of cooked carrots and spinach, a bread roll, salad, and mixed fruit.

When morning arrived, a flight attendant brought me a decent vegan breakfast of rice cakes with peanut butter, applesauce, and a banana.

A brief layover at the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam gave me the opportunity to grab a bite to eat for lunch, prior to my connecting flight to Ghana. “Amsterdam Bread Company”(Amsterdam Bread Company) in the airport’s “Lounge 2” offered vegan options. I chose the veggie pizza with peppers, red onions, and olives on an incredibly good dough.

My connecting flight on Air France provided some wonderful vegan meals. The vegan dinner provided to me was an entree of broccoli with corn, rice, and lentil croquettes. A bread roll, salad, and mixed fruit accompanied my meal. Even the salad dressing and butter were vegan.

Shortly before arrival at our destination, a flight attendant provided a nice flaky pastry snack filled with lentils.

Though I had pre-arranged a private, customized tour with a local tour company, I had purposely arrived one day early to explore the capital of Accra on my own. My first night’s accommodations were located at the Pink Hostel(Pink Hostel) in town. The hostel’s kitchen provides meals for purchase. My breakfast was a good stir fry veggie dish containing cabbage, green peppers, carrots, and onions in a local vegetable oil.

Across the road from my hostel, I noticed a stand where a woman was selling fresh juice. From whole fruit to juices to snacks, these roadside stands are common throughout the region.

The hostel allowed me to hire their driver as safe and convenient transportation to take me to a vegan-friendly restaurant for lunch. Ghanaian patriotism is exhibited everywhere, as the national flag symbol is painted upon tree trunks throughout the city.

Ghana is also said to be the most religious(Christian) country in the world. From billboard advertisements of Christian miracle services to automobile bumper stickers and windows proclaiming “Christ”, the country’s fervent love of Christianity is obvious.

One striking observation from tourists across Ghana, is the fact that locals carry a variety of weight-bearing items on top of their heads. From ancient biblical times of carrying burdens on your head to simply using any available transport means in crowded spaces, this practice is still alive and well in modern times. Loaves of bread, a dozen sodas, a stack of umbrellas, laundry detergent, and a huge bucket of bananas are just a few of the items that I saw transported upon the heads of women and a few men.

When we arrived at the “Pat’s Vegetarian & Health Food Center” (Pat’s Vegetarian & Health Food Center) for lunch, I spent some time perusing the Center’s shop and bakery. The shop sells items such as soy milk, nuts, spices, teas, and even jewelry.

Snacks such as cookies, cakes, and soy chunks can be purchased at the bakery counter.

Despite its name, the restaurant is actually all vegan. The cost of a meal with beverage is very inexpensive. I selected a traditional Ghanaian dish of Banku and okra stew. Banku is fermented corn and cassava dough, served in a banana leaf. After unwrapping the leaf, diners typically pour the stew over the banku before eating. The lunch entree was incredibly delicious. I had compiled a list of many of the local Ghanian meals and now I had one checked off as having tried it!

My beverage was a bottled pineapple juice. A local told me that pineapples varieties vary in sweetness depending on the region where they are grown. This local juice had an amazing taste.

I was excited to get back to the hostel, for I had booked a private Ghanaian drumming and dance lesson! My instructor has been teaching traditional Ghanaian drumming and dancing for many years. Each region of the country offers different music and dance, based on their own ancestral tribes. He focuses on the traditional music and dance from the tribes of the Accra region. I really enjoyed trying my hand at traditional drumming and learning the local traditional dance moves.

Before calling it a night, I wandered into the hostel’s restaurant for some dinner. The cook served up a tasty plate of stir fry veggies with beans over rice.

My first day in Ghana was wonderful. The local culture, dance and drumming lessons, and vegan meals were a fantastic “first glimpse” into this incredible country. I looked forward to the next day when my guided tour would officially begin in Accra.