Falafel's in Ghana: Ghana's second city

Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti region, is Ghana's second largest city. It is considerably smaller than Accra and has a natural centre. The centre is a proper hub for transport, a market, high street stores and a high degree of bustle to the point of being overcrowded and a little overwhelming! The market sprawls under a series of makeshift tin roofs with themed sections selling fabric, household products, secondhand clothes and food. There was a whole block of street devoted to yams, neatly laid out in heaps on colourful sheets of cloth on the pavement. The narrow lanes of the market barely allow for two people to pass side by side. As we negotiated them, we were faced with oncoming carts, wheelbarrows, trolleys, ducking to avoid women balancing large heavy loads on their heads.

There is an impressive basilica, the huge kejetia market and if you venture a little out of town, the Ashanti king's palace. The Ashanti are one of the most powerful groups in Ghana. We learnt a bit about the history of the royal family. Their symbol is the porcupine, meaning that they are peaceloving but will defend themselves in the event of attack. The king is involved in lots of customs and there are strict rules, for example, during cereminies he is carried in a palanquin as his feet must not touch the floor to protect him from evil spirits. In the past, Ashanti kings were not taught to read or write as it was not considered appropriate for the king to attend school, but this has changed in recent times. No one but the king is allowed to sit in the thrones. The queen mother also has a prominent role to play in ceremonies and customs, and wields the most power as she chooses who the next king will be!

Kumasi is also renowned for its art and culture, and has a huge cultural centre with artisan workshops and really competitive prices. It's a peaceful respite from the manic centre of town. We came away with kente cloth, which is woven in the Ashanti region, beads and some great paintings.