Comments on: Bowling in Abuja

By: Jillian C. York

Jillian C. York — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:47:51 +0000

Well, Ethan, you’ll be happy to know that Morocco got its first bowling alley a couple of years ago – though it’s not quite as incredible as that one! It’s only got 6 lanes and is in a giant mall. C’est la vie.

My ritual is pretty simple – Cappuccino. Aside from Italy, Morocco does it best, and Japan does it worst.

By: Leonard

Leonard — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 03:19:37 +0000

We’ll make sure you enjoy bowling in Taiwan next time when you visit here. You will visit, sooner or later. I am sure. :-)

By: Amos Anyimadu

Amos Anyimadu — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:39:02 +0000

I would also want to confirm that we have Harbin in Accra. I have been told that the facility is technically very good.

I was thinking about Robert Putnam/s famous essay Bowling Alone. What has your international bowling thought you about the distribution of social capital?

By: Ethan

Ethan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:02:50 +0000

Glad to know that bowling’s coming to the continent in a big way. Maybe we need a tournament around the Maker Faire in August? Thanks everyone for the suggestions – probably not going to make it out to Next Door this trip, but really glad to know there’s bowling options for me in Accra now.

By: Nnaemeka Nwosu

Nnaemeka Nwosu — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 15:45:16 +0000

Hi Ethan,
There’s a cool bowling alley at the Shoprite shopping mall at Lekki, Lagos.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 08:43:37 +0000

At last – a reason for you to come to Khartoum. There is a bowling alley in the main shopping centre.

By: Kwasi Appiah

Kwasi Appiah — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:18:41 +0000

This is a Chinese operated one in Accra, on the Accra-tema road. This is what the news clip said about it: “(it is on]the Accra-Tema beach road near the Teshie shooting range. The centre comes along with the first bowling game facilities in Ghana. It is fully equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment for this physical endurance and highly entertaining game in which heavy balls are rolled along a special track towards a group of wooden pins. The $1 million wholly-owned Chinese investment, located next door to the Next Door Beach Resort, is a multi-purpose joint that houses variety of entertainment games under one roof. Standing on a 2,600 square metre ground and facing the Atlantic Ocean, Harbin Entertainment Centre promises to be arguably the biggest indoor games and entertainment joint in the country at the moment.

For a more physical affair, Harbin is a sure bet venue where you will be less a spectator and participate more in various games.

For a cool ¢25,000 per bowling session, you can burn fat in your system and exercise your muscles on the 12-line bowling platform from Monday to Thursday, starting from 12 noon till the wee hours of the next morning. The rate is a bit higher at ¢30,000 over the weekend and on public holidays.”

By: Jan

Jan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:40:50 +0000

I share your love of bowling alleys and in a few towns they are still the social hub around which the community revolves: mixed age groups; lots of time for chatter; relatively even gender split; lite food – can make a good ad-hoc interview pick-up joint. With the exception of the alley in Tehran that swung to the sound of banging techno.

Other rituals from team members: taking a run and shaking off jetlag; buying and using local toothpaste, an act that stretches the trip for a few weeks after returning home; and one of our team (I won’t reveal who) buys local made underwear.

By: Wayan

Wayan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:21:45 +0000

Aw man, you beat me to it! Disco bowling sounds very cool – in Abuja makes it cooler. But I have to agree with your runners.

A long run in a new city is the best. Especially when you chance upon Togo’s National Run to the Border Day: http://bellybuttonwindow.com/2008/togo/national_run_to_the_border_day.html

By: evan

evan — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:52:41 +0000

Ahh I wish I had known of this place when I was in abuja. There are two bowling spots in Lagos on victoria island. One of them is candlestick bowling (skinny pins and smaller balls)