The world is marvelous, isn't it? Each evening we relax on our terrace, letting the breeze take away the day's stress, and watch as hundreds (thousands, maybe?) of bats make their daily trek. It's not that we particularly love bats, but it is incredible to see them move in their pack all at once. This nightly phenomenon has become one of the favorite parts of our day. The sky is littered with them and each night our jaws drop and we explode with, "Whoa! Look at them!"
During the daylight ours, our bats hang in trees clumped together at one particular intersection in town. They are said to be sacred, and as all things in Ghana, the history behind their roosting place is rich in tradition and story. Legend tells that they followed one particular chief from the village to the hospital adjacent to the place they now consider home. These bats are still there today, waiting for the chief, even though it has been years since he died there. They stay in the middle of the city waiting for the chief by day, fly to the forest for food in the evening, and return each morning to wait once again.
I wonder what the scientific explanation might be for them, especially since they seem to disappear or thin out at certain times of the year, but for now, I'll stay wrapped up in the folk lore and ask them as they pass if there's any news on The Chief.
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