Ghana Business Names

I spent three weeks travelling in Ghana this spring and found it a challenging difficult wonderful exciting country to travel in. And I was on tour with a great group. We travelled with Explore Travel based in England and travelled by bus throughout the country meeting great people, enjoying the landscape, and even meeting a few elephants along the way.

But, one of my favorite activities for the whole trip was recording the names of the businesses we saw along the highway, in towns and cities. Ghana has a strong religious basis and it uses text from the Bible to create names that we might find jaw dropping, funny, laughable - but which they use without a hint of irony.

Here, in no other order except that in which I saw them and wrote them down, is a very long list of business names. Even though it is a long list, I think you'll find them fascinating and need to read all the way through - hey some of the best are in the middle and then there are the ones at the end.

Feedback is welcome. Drop by and say hi.

Business Names in Ghana

By His Grace Cosmetics and Boutique

Joy Spot Catering

Anointed Fast Food

Work Hard Photos and Video Network

God First Battery Service

Only Believe Floral Works

Riches of Glory Guest House

In His Time Living (Housing estate)

Miracle Child Academy

Bed Time Hotel

All Shall Pass Enterprises

Showers of Blessings Enterprises

God Is Good Electrical

His Mercy Seat Ventures

Pillar of Rock Ventures

Kastic Furniture – In God We Trust

Fear Not Phones

Except God Enterprises

The Lord Is My Shepherd Beauty Salon

Jesus Cares Carpentry Shop

Once Upon a Time Funeral Home

Beloved Child Computer Academy

Seek Ye First (Mat 6:33) Supermarket

Run For Your Life Int. Chapel (international? or interment? which do you think?. I didn't know.)

Pentecostal Church and Herbal Prayer Centre

Stomach Has No Holiday Food Shop

Good Name is Better than Riches Cosmetics

No Jesus No Life Supermarket

Dependable God Store

Up Lord Engineering Shop

God’s Time Is The Best Auto Engineering

Holy Child Circumcision

Prince of Peace Cosmetics

Only Jesus Can Do Fashion

God First Fast Food

God’s Pencil Business Enterprises

God’s Signature No Eraser Enterprises (What Is Written Is Written)

Over To God Enterprises

Patience to All Car Wash

Divine Providence Cosmetic Shop

God Is My Helper Saloon (Beauty Salon – not bar!)

God Is Love Furniture

God’s Gift Dress Making

Let There Be Light Electicals

God Has Done Computer Services

Jesus Is Soon Coming Enterprises

In Him Is Life General Store

Christ In You Barbering Shop

Allah Is The Answer Supermarket

No Way Electricals

Lion of Judea Metal Works

Knock and Ask Shoe Enterprises

Lord Winners Investment

Dr. Jesus Fast Food

Holy Ghost Power (Electrical)

Passover Chop Bar

Fishers of Men Electricals

Jehovah’s Newest Co. Ltd.

God is King Razor Wire and Furniture

My God Key Service

Jesus Power Provision Store

Divine Favor Venture

Romans 8:35 Enterprises

God Peace Electrical and Construction

Holy Ghost Workshop

Papa Yaw Corpse Decoration Services

Let There Be Food Cold Storage

Powerful God Business Centre

Trust God and I African Wear Shop

Don’t Go There Enterprises

Ancient Power Electrical Services

Great Wisdom Book Shop

Blessing and Living Baby Diapers

God’s Way Metal

Jesus Is Evergreen Ltd.

OD Mortuary

Jesus Cares Multiventures

Noble Character Enterprises

Thank U Jesus Fitting Shop

In Him Is Life Electrical Repairs

Heaven’s Gate Funeral Home and Morgue

God Is Good Concrete

Mercy Love Beauty Hair Care

By His Grace Fashion Centre

I Promise Furniture Works

Ultimate Glory Hardwares

Let Bygone be Bygone Beauty Salon

Welcome to Israel Barbering Shop

Loaf Of Life Bakery

My God is Able Enterprises

Ave Maria Beauty Shop

God Will Provide Fitting Shop

God Is In Machine Shop

Last Hour Washing Bay

Messiah Motors

The Lord’s Casket Furntiure Construction Works

Hotel Messiah – A Glimpse of Heaven

Amen Scientific Herbal Hospital

God Is Alive Tailoring Shop

Jealous Transport Services

By Faith We Make You Look Great

Grace Faith Fashion

Relax Jesus Is In Control Unit Transfer

With God All Things Are Possible Beauty Salon

AWAKE! Internet Café

Try Jesus Digital Photo

Maple Leaf Chemists (this one is just for Canadians)

God Will Do Welding

Thy Heart’s Desire Beauty Salon

Future Ladies Beauty Shop

God’s Time Drums

Seek Jesus Keycutting Service

Peculiar Child Academy (We Are Different)

Virgin Kids and Junior High School

The Blood of Jesus Fitting Shop

God Is Grace Communication Centre

God is Able Enterprise

Excellent Faith Enterprises

Holy Child Forex Bureau

Steps to Christ Enterprises (Annex)

The way home

We are on the last day of our two months sojourn in Central America. Today Geordie made me walk a couple of kilometers to the old fort where we explored a little (admission free!), then we walked back through the local market, very busy with folk doing their shopping. Somehow the sight of fresh meat lying on a wooden counter in the full air often makes me think being a vegetarian just might be the better way, but tonight I think I´ll still have the Alabama style ribs for dinner. (Sorry James).

After our hot and dusty walk we got back to the park and hired a coach and two for another tour of the city, taking in many of the sites we´d seen already, but in the luxury of our own carriage with a coachman and two lovely hard working horses to do all the heavy work for us. The coachman acted as tour guide too, telling us about the important sites in Spanish as we travelled the streets.It was nice to be a tourist and to have other tourists taking photos of us as we drove by.

This has been a wonderful trip for us, We have enjoyed all the places we have seen, there have been no disasters, although we have had a couple of colds which have put us under the weather for a time. I also had a long lasting cough which I didn´t talk about. It got tiring. Geordie and I laughed (ruefully?) when we saw the sign on some building that said,"if you have had a cough for more than 15 days, you may have tuberculosis." Oh, I don´t think so. But yesterday at the market in Masaya I had a coughing fit that lasted for about 20 mintues. It was a little weird.

We did a tour of Masaya, the craft town near here yesterday all on our own. We walked down to the bus area and found one going to Masaya so hopped on and paid our 20 córdobas each for the pleasure of sitting on relatively comfortable seats. But we were dropped off on the highway, and pointed to the centre of town. It was a hot dusty walk, and part way there we took a taxi and asked the driver to take us to the lagoon side so we could see the volcano across the water. Then we walked back into town, wandered the large old stone fort that has been turned into the craft market (didn´t buy anything), then found the bus station (another long dusty walk to another big dusty field) where the bus was as usual waiting for us. This was not such a comfortable bus, an old Canadian school bus with very worn seats with stuffing hanging out, and thank heaven the windows open in these buses so that at least when we were moving there was a breeze to cool us down. This was a more local bus so stopped to pick up and drop off passengers where ever they wished. It dropped us in the bus area and we walked back to our hotel and had a nice soak in the pool later in the afternoon.

So tomorrow we go home. We have only six weeks then to prepare our bodies for the Camino because once again we are setting off to walk, in May and June. Some of you will be disturbed to know that we are planning to walk separately, I´m sure. But I have wanted to walk the Camino by myself and Geordie must go at the same time so he is considering continuing the walk he did on the Via de la Plata by himself a couple of years ago. We will also take the opportunity to visit with Bertrand and Giorgio in Torremolinos again too. How wonderful to have friends in far places.

We have certainly enjoyed our travels in Central America and I think we have been pleasantly surprised by Nicaragua. It seems the country has come out of it´s bloody war with a positive outlook on the future and less of a militaristic view than El Salvador. It compares in that way with Guatemala, although we have seen fewer guns here than we saw in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. We must remind ourselves though that most, if not all, of the guns we saw were for our protection, or the protection of those who re involved in money collection in some way or other, so it is in fact a safety feature.

You´ll be hearing from us after we get home. I will be looking forward to telling you about my plans for the camino, and sharing that journey with you too.

Thank you all so much for sharing our journey with us again. It has certainly been our pleasure and thank you for your encouragement of our messages as we travelled. It is so wonderful to be able to make these connections.

3 countries, 2 days - Day 1

We are on our way. Today was the easy part, we are still in El Salvador so really tomorrow is going to be 3 countries, 1 day, if everything works out. We got up at 7;30 and had breakfast by 8;15, then after paying our bill, we headed out to walk up the road (5 mintues) to the highway. Let´s see, the wait for the bus was maybe 3 minutes. That was easy.

We arrived in La Libertad, then walked up the street to the bus stop, 2 minutes. We had to wait a bit for the bus to fill up but when it did we headed off. The drive back to San Salvador took longer than we remembered but this time the driver didn´t pull any guy off his ladder. We had a little tour of San Salvador´s back streets, and then were dumped unceremoniously on some street near the bus station, but there was a taxi there waiting (15 secs transfer time.), so we just hopped in that and got whisked to the other bus station across town. There we got out, walked in to the entrance and were immediately met by a guy asking where we were going. And after 30 seconds we were on the bus to San Miguel - today´s destination. The bus left five minutes later. We were very lucky because this was the Super Especial - which cost 5 bucks per person for the 2 hour ride with air con and two violent movies to entertain the children. We arrived at the SM bus station at 1;15 or so. Total time travelling, 4 hours and 10 minutes, total time on our feet - 10o minutes and 45 seconds give or take a minute.

San Miguel is not a tourist destination we think. We walked through the crowds to the very crowded market, past the church which was closed. The market had lots of people trying to sell us pants and shirts. Better than in La Libertad where I decided I had better do some serious weight loss when the woman who accosted us tried to seel me a bra. A nice red bra, maybe it was Valentine´s Day come to think of it.

We had lunch at the Pollo Campero across the street from our hotel. We are also directly across the street from the bus station, very convenient. We could use the swimming pool while watching the buses depart - it´s directly across from the bus exit, so well situated. Pollo Campero is El Salvador´s answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Apparently El Salvadoreans returning to the US make Pollo Campero their last stop so they can bring some back to friends and family. It´s actually better than Kentucky Fried - not all those 11 herbs and spices making it taste funny. We liked it.

Now it´s back to our air con room - this town is very hot, I swear it´s at least 35 C out there - definitely over a 100 F. Our room also had a good view of the bus station so we are perfectly set. The town is aid to be dangerous after dark, especially the bus station area so we will just hang out here thank you and stay happily inour room till dinner time and then until breakfast time.

Tomorrow our plan is to get the bus to the border with Honduras, a minibus across to the Nicaragua border (about two hours) then another bus to Chinandega. If all goes well we will probably send our next message from there.

3 countries, 2 days - day 1

We are on our way. Today was the easy part, we are still in El Salvador so really tomorrow is going to be 3 countries, 1 day, if everything works out. We got up at 7;30 and had breakfast by 8;15, then after paying our bill, we headed out to walk up the road (5 mintues) to the highway. Let´s see, the wait for the bus was maybe 3 minutes. That was easy.

We arrived in La Libertad, then walked up the street to the bus stop, 2 minutes. We had to wait a bit for the bus to fill up but when it did we headed off. The drive back to San Salvador took longer than we remembered but this time the driver didn´t pull any guy off his ladder. We had a little tour of San Salvador´s back streets, and then were dumped unceremoniously on some street near the bus station, but there was a taxi there waiting (15 secs transfer time.), so we just hopped in that and got whisked to the other bus station across town. There we got out, walked in to the entrance and were immediately met by a guy asking where we were going. And after 30 seconds we were on the bus to San Miguel - today´s destination. The bus left five minutes later. We were very lucky because this was the Super Especial - which cost 5 bucks per person for the 2 hour ride with air con and two violent movies to entertain the children. We arrived at the SM bus station at 1;15 or so. Total time travelling, 4 hours and 10 minutes, total time on our feet - 10o minutes and 45 seconds give or take a minute.

San Miguel is not a tourist destination we think. We walked through the crowds to the very crowded market, past the church which was closed. The market had lots of people trying to sell us pants and shirts. Better than in La Libertad where I decided I had better do some serious weight loss when the woman who accosted us tried to seel me a bra. A nice red bra, maybe it was Valentine´s Day come to think of it.

We had lunch at the Pollo Campero across the street from our hotel. We are also directly across the street from the bus station, very convenient. We could use the swimming pool while watching the buses depart - it´s directly across from the bus exit, so well situated. Pollo Campero is El Salvador´s answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Apparently El Salvadoreans returning to the US make Pollo Campero their last stop so they can bring some back to friends and family. It´s actually better than Kentucky Fried - not all those 11 herbs and spices making it taste funny. We liked it.

Now it´s back to our air con room - this town is very hot, I swear it´s at least 35 C out there - definitely over a 100 F. Our room also had a good view of the bus station so we are perfectly set. The town is aid to be dangerous after dark, especially the bus station area so we will just hang out here thank you and stay happily inour room till dinner time and then until breakfast time.

Tomorrow our plan is to get the bus to the border with Honduras, a minibus across to the Nicaragua border (about two hours) then another bus to Chinandega. If all goes well we will probably send our next message from there.

3 countries, 2 days - day 1

We are on our way. Today was the easy part, we are still in El Salvador so really tomorrow is going to be 3 countries, 1 day, if everything works out. We got up at 7;30 and had breakfast by 8;15, then after paying our bill, we headed out to walk up the road (5 mintues) to the highway. Let´s see, the wait for the bus was maybe 3 minutes. That was easy.

We arrived in La Libertad, then walked up the street to the bus stop, 2 minutes. We had to wait a bit for the bus to fill up but when it did we headed off. The drive back to San Salvador took longer than we remembered but this time the driver didn´t pull any guy off his ladder. We had a little tour of San Salvador´s back streets, and then were dumped unceremoniously on some street near the bus station, but there was a taxi there waiting (15 secs transfer time.), so we just hopped in that and got whisked to the other bus station across town. There we got out, walked in to the entrance and were immediately met by a guy asking where we were going. And after 30 seconds we were on the bus to San Miguel - today´s destination. The bus left five minutes later. We were very lucky because this was the Super Especial - which cost 5 bucks per person for the 2 hour ride with air con and two violent movies to entertain the children. We arrived at the SM bus station at 1;15 or so. Total time travelling, 4 hours and 10 minutes, total time on our feet - 10o minutes and 45 seconds give or take a minute.

San Miguel is not a tourist destination we think. We walked through the crowds to the very crowded market, past the church which was closed. The market had lots of people trying to sell us pants and shirts. Better than in La Libertad where I decided I had better do some serious weight loss when the woman who accosted us tried to seel me a bra. A nice red bra, maybe it was Valentine´s Day come to think of it.

We had lunch at the Pollo Campero across the street from our hotel. We are also directly across the street from the bus station, very convenient. We could use the swimming pool while watching the buses depart - it´s directly across from the bus exit, so well situated. Pollo Campero is El Salvador´s answer to Kentucky Fried Chicken. Apparently El Salvadoreans returning to the US make Pollo Campero their last stop so they can bring some back to friends and family. It´s actually better than Kentucky Fried - not all those 11 herbs and spices making it taste funny. We liked it.

Now it´s back to our air con room - this town is very hot, I swear it´s at least 35 C out there - definitely over a 100 F. Our room also had a good view of the bus station so we are perfectly set. The town is aid to be dangerous after dark, especially the bus station area so we will just hang out here thank you and stay happily inour room till dinner time and then until breakfast time.

Tomorrow our plan is to get the bus to the border with Honduras, a minibus across to the Nicaragua border (about two hours) then another bus to Chinandega. If all goes well we will probably send our next message from there.

Playa El Tunco - by bus

We were on the move today. Four buses! We left Juayua at 8:30 am for the first trek to Sonsonate, about an hour. Then we waited about a half hour for a non-existent bus to San Salvador. Well the sign in the terminal had the right number and the right destination, but no buses came, and since they are supposed to be every 10 minutes, I finally figured out that there must be a problem and asked the young woman sitting next to me at the bus stop if she was awaiting the same bus. Oh, no, the bus was somewhere over there, outside the terminal.

We walked over to the street, saw no sign of a bus, but then I caught sight of another fancy building. Checked it out and discovered it was the special terminal for buses to San Salvador only. Duh! That wasn´t in the guide book. So we arrived across the street and there was a bus just loading - an especial which costs more and is theoretically safer because it doesn´t stop to pick up fares. (Hah! It did so.) But it was air conditioned and there was a seat for each of us, no sharing tiny school bus seats.

The ride to San Salvador took an hour and a half and pulled into the terminal Occidente. Luckily this is where we were to catch our next bus although the guide book said we had to go outside the front of the building to catch it. We did that, and saw no evidence of our bus, so asked someone this time, who directed us across the street and up, next to that girl with the pink shirt. We were also told it was bus 22 not 102, but in fact the 102 pulled up and we all got on to go to La Libertad. That trip took about 40 minutes - not bad, although it was getting hotter now. About half way there we could already see the ocean. Yay!

In La Libertad we got out, walked down the street, around the corner and found the bus to the beaches. We had to get on through the back emergency door, because there were too many people at the front for us to manage with. No problem. This bus took only about 15 minutes to get us to Playa El Tunco, our destination, and a little walk down towards the beach, and a side street and we were at Tortuga Surf Lodge and our nice little room on the second floor, bathroom outside the door, but private, and a big terrace with two tables and a hammock and no other rooms so I guess we can choose the table we want.

Entire length of journey: 4 hours. No of buses: 4, price: $5.40 for two people. Not bad.

Now we are going to hang out for awhile. Not much to do I don´t think, except sun, swim in the pool, maybe paddle in the ocean, (there are lots of surfers here, so may not be a good swimming beach) eat fish, sleep, relax, enjoy the air con room. Veg out.

mmmm, sounds nice.

San Salvador

We left Suchitoto this morning. Sad. We had made friends with some of the locals. The transportation was a Blue Bird school bus from Brampton, Ontario. When their life span is over in Canada they are sold to Latin America! The seat was not wide enough for both of us so half of my bum was over air. We were supposed to continue traveling west to the highlands and probably cold weather but I suggested as we neared San Salvador than we could stay in the big, bad city for a night. So taxi to the Zona Rosa area (upscale) and a small boutique hotel for more money than we have paid on this trip.

I have to go to the bathroom now so Nigel will continue.

San Salvador is described as dangerous, but the Zona Rosa seems safe enough. The fact that every business seems to have an armed guard may explain that. Our hotel has a guy with a shotgun, but he also does the sweeping out front and opens the door for us. Might as well be useful. After we arrived we were a little peckish so went across the street to an Argentinian place for an empanada which was delicioso. The door had to be unlocked by the armed guard of course, so we felt quite safe there too.

The main reason we chose this hotel is because it is so near the important museums. After we arrived we walked uphill past the Sheraton to the Museum of Modern Art which is very large and displays in its four salas, a retrospective of Salvadorean art from the early 20th century to very recent times. I can´t remember the names of any of the artists, but there was some fine work which I would be glad to see hanging on the walls of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Of course we didn´t stay that long - it´s not so hard to go through four rooms of art if you´re just looking.

We had lunch after our art foray at a little French bakery (we´re going international here), and supper tonight was at a place called Baselia (after the city of Basel in Switzerland) where Geordie had Italian pizza. I had fish - a little more local.

After lunch we went directly to the Museum of Anthropology which has much the same stuff as any good Latin American museum - lots of precolumbian art and pottery, displays on pyramids and other ruins, a display of artisanal work, and a religious section which included precolumbian, Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish artifacts. It was worth the $3.00 price -glad it wasn´t expensive like the museum at Copan Ruinas, which cost $15.00 per person.

Tomorrow we are off to the highlands where we will probably be too cold again. We are going to stay in Ataco for one night and then two nights in Juayua (Why-you-Ah) which is famous for it´s food fair on weekends. And we will be there for Saturday and Sunday nights. Then it´s off to the beach and too much heat there I think. It´s been quite windy the last few days, in Suchitoto and here.
Apparently it was even more windyon the Pacific coast. We met a group of four women who were sitting at a table near us in Suchitoto who sounded awfully Canadian. When we talked to them, it turned out they were all from Qualicum Beach, and one of them owned a hotel on one of the beaches down there and had heard about the winds.