I had a screaming multiple orgasm! It finished too quickly. My mates, Valerie, Collins and Stella all had virgins. It was just as nice, but those came without the alcohol. Mine was a blend of Vodka, Bailey’s, Kahma and Amaretto blend splashed with velvety cream! But it wasn’t so much the cocktails at this exciting new joint, or their rather raunchy names that is their attraction. It’s the whole place, the whole experience!
At last, Accra has a nice new cosmopolitan, metropolitan Retro hang-out that is so world class, in there you can’t distinguish whether you are here at home or overseas! It’s a complete rapture, and I guess that’s what begot its name, Rhapsody’s!
Nestled inside the Accra Mall, it’s the capital’s newest joint, and it’s fast settling in as the place to be. It’s big, as in spacious and has a restaurant, and a bar with alfresco seating outside overlooking both the car park in the north, and the courtyard in the south. It opened sometime last week, and it’s already got such a buzz to it. In earth brown and muted shades of orange, the whole room is an eclectic mix of experiences, with high stools close to what could easily be Accra’s biggest bar counter, and lounge settees set in the corners in the bar area, and the structured restaurant section.
Geoffery, our very attentive waiter this evening, a touch apprehensive initially, warmed up when I assured him I don’t bite, though I expected exact service! Which beers do you have? And Geoff replies draught and bottle! Of course beer comes in bottles and on tap, and in cans too, if you like, Geoff. But which brands, lad? The variety was a good spread!
At the entrance is this guy who opens the door widely for you and exclaims, “Welcome!” Charming! I hope they have what it takes to keep up this top notch attitude.
Behind him was this rather interesting ceiling to ground cascading waterfall insert that makes the welcome an even more pleasing affair. Seeing the water falling reminded me of the Wli waterfalls! I shall never forget the first time I went there. That trip was so worthwhile. Even the journeying through the forest from the visitor centre to the site of the falls was most elating.
It took about forty minutes of trekking, and I was drenched, with sweat running down my whole body as though a bucket of water had been poured on me by the time I got there. It was hot and steamy, the sun, blistering, high up and searing through the branches of the trees, bringing down its light and warmth which set the humidity for the early morning.
Occasionally, we came across a stream, seven or so of them actually, and while most had bridges built over them, some of them, those whose bed we could see through the rather very clear water, we waddled through. It was the most exhilarating thing, getting the cool water on your feet working as a balm, which reduced the mugginess, and made the hike pleasurable.
Nearing the falls, I could actually hear the thunderous sound of water splattering in the distance. It was heavy splashing, and the closer we got, with the sound getting louder, the excited I became. And I was really keyed up, for while the walk was tasking, I didn’t feel nearly as tired as I thought I would. Indeed, I was so eager I would have walked all day just to experience the sight of this our national wonder by myself. I just wanted to see the beauty of the water cascading down, as I had often hear from my buddy Awuku, who works as a tour guide, and comes from his sojourns around the country with savoring stories.
Our journey had started from Accra early that morning. We’d wanted to spend a good time at the destination so by 6am, having packed picnic baskets and filled ice chests with drinks, we had commenced the drive down the motorway, up the Tema-Akosombo road, crossed the Volta on the Adomi bridge, and headed further north-east en route to Hohoe, which is the biggest town nearest to Wli, where the famous waterfalls is located. And we did all that journeying in close to four hours, if you add the point where we stopped to stretch and have breakfast. It was quite appealing to find that the road leading to Hohoe was of second class, quite smooth, with only a few stretches that were rough.
The panorama at Wli village was the beginning of my awe. The mountain, dressed in fertile green laid in the horizon as we stood in front of the visitor reception centre, in all its undulating glory, with the sky, crisp blue that morning, as its backdrop. I t was a Saturday, and yet the community was still quiet and, of course, unhurried. A few other holidaymakers having arrived before us, who were about to begin their excursion, and with only one guide available at the time, we were asked to join them. So we quickly registered, made our payments, which money goes to the community tourism development program and environmental preservation, and set off!
The sound of the falling water even louder now, I could see through the leaves, glimpses of the cascading water, rolling down, expressly! “Whoa! O! My God!” was all I could manage as we came to a clearing to see, before me, falling some hundred or so feet, the most magnificent sight I had ever seen! Well, not quite, but certainly one of the most glorious! And it was one of those moments where I feel at one with nature, beatific!
The water elegantly plunged down into a pool in which several people were swimming and having what seemed to be amazing fun. We set camp quickly close to edge of the water, undressing and readying for a swim. We had ‘hired’ the services of three young boys who carried our picnic stuff from the village, and they helped us settle in. On the east of the water was an area with some rocks where some people, many of them obvious couples, sat whispering sweet nothings to each other! Someone shouted a bit too loudly and a flutter of birds, bats, we discovered, rose into the sky from the rock!
It was a magical experience, and looking at this cascading fall here at Rhapsody’s at the Accra Mall brought it all back!
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