Sampling Senegal

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I had decided to return to Ghana, a country where I volunteered in 2004 and made a number of friends (something which is not hard to do in a friendly country like Ghana) and where I was sponsoring a few schools and libraries. So I wanted to take the relatively rare occasion of a trip to Africa as an opportunity to visit one other African country. Senegal was a pretty easy decision, as I had heard a lot about it - the music, wrestling, fashion, food, and other cultural and natural wonders.
Upon arriving in Dakar, I was happy that I decided to hire the hotel's private taxi service (although I found out later they charged me at least 5 times the standard rate), as I was literally mobbed as soon as I walked out of the airport terminal.
This was my first time back in Africa in more than 5 years, and this "welcome" was a reminder that I would have to be on my toes constantly. My main concern was actually not harassment by the locals, but disease. Having a friend who died in Africa of malaria, I made sure to get all my shots, take daily anti-malaria medication, and use DEET lotion to repel mosquitoes. This wasn't very comfortable, and may even have some side effects, but is much preferable to the alternative possibility.
In the morning, when I walked around the neighborhood in Dakar, I was surprised at how suburban it felt, and by how much construction was going on. Walking around that neighborhood, with its houses and apartment buildings, it did not feel so much like a poor African country, but like a more developed country that could have been somewhere in the Mediterranean or Latin America or even parts of Europe.
I hired a driver for the day to explore the city and surroundings.
First, we went to the Sandaga market downtown. I was staying in a suburban, residential neighborhood near the airport, and it was about a half hour drive to get downtown. As we drove there, I realized that my neighborhood was by no means an anomaly. I was surprised by how modern the city looked. It didn't have tall skyscrapers, but it did have a lot of cement buildings, to the absence of any other structures, and I can't think of another city I've seen recently where there was so much construction going on. This was, supposedly, a poor African country after all, one where most people earn under $100 a month, but if there were neighborhoods with houses made of tin or wooden shacks, I certainly didn't see them at any time. Senegal, Dakar at least, seemed like a good place to own a cement factory. Overall, I must admit this was a little disappointing. It didn't feel very "African", at least not as far as how the city looked. People - that was something else. Of course, not only were they African, but the women all wore colorful outfits, usually matching, and usually with a head scarf. Some of the men wore traditional clothes as well, though most did not. (One sees this all over the world, from Guatemala to Sri Lanka - the women still wearing traditional outfits, while the men have embraced jeans and T-shirts long ago).
We finally arrived at the downtown market, and this was more like what I expected. Various small stalls selling everything from fresh fruit to cell phones to clothes, haggling, people eating outside, women selling vegetables on the ground. People, noise, action, life. This was more like it. Now I felt like I'm in Africa. A woman was frying French fries. I bought some, she wrapped them in a newspaper. They were greasy, and I have to say, they were some of the best fries I've ever had. When I tried to take photos, women didn't like it, until I offered them some money. I've found this to be true throughout the developing world. The market was fun. I walked around, I took some photos, I ate my fries. Then I decided to go to Lac Rose.
Lac Rose, AKA the Pink Lake, is where the now defunct Paris-Dakar race used to end. It is a natural lake that, due to its high salt content, is pink in color. Naturally, a lot of salt is mined there.
I went there with my driver, and we had lunch by the lake shore. It was a nice sight to behold, this pink lake.
In the late afternoon, we went back to the hotel, and I spent the rest of the evening inside.
The next day, I decided to go to Plage N'Gor, the most famous beach in Dakar. The guidebook made it sound like a very pleasant place to spend a few hours, but it was extremely crowded, and as soon as I arrived, I felt like a target. People kept approaching to sell me things, and one man decided to be my guide. It was so crowded on the beach and in the water, and it wasn't very clean. I definitely didn't feel like going for a swim. People were bathing their goats in the water for some reason. I did see the largest pelican I have ever seen on that beach. My "guide" started playing with it, opening its mouth and so on. The bird didn't seem scared at all. But I was. I took the opportunity to escape him, and ran into a restaurant for lunch.
My most common meal in Senegal was fish with a side of either fries or rice. They had some tasty sauces, reminiscent of salsa, with a little kick to them.
Disappointed with the beach, and with Dakar in general, I returned to the very suburban neighborhood where I was staying. I walked around for a while, and got to an ice cream shop that would have been at home anywhere in the West. Air conditioned, with free wifi, and offering all kinds of treats, I spent a pleasant couple hours there.
Early the next morning, I was flying out to Ghana. Then I would be back in Senegal for 3 days before flying on to Paris. I was meeting a friend in Ghana, and that was the reason for the Senegal "sandwich", along with the fact that flights from Paris to Senegal were cheaper. I already knew that when I came back to Senegal, I would not want to spend any more time in Dakar than I had to. So I started looking into other options.
There's an area in the south of Senegal called the Sine Saloum Delta, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean. It is renowned for its bird and wildlife. I read about a French couple who have an ecolodge there and give flights above the delta in a glider plane. Ghana was hectic - I visited several people and organizations in the week I was there, and met hundreds of children and dozens of adults at the various schools and libraries; and a hectic few weeks traveling 4 or 5 different European countries was coming up, so I was happy to spend a relaxing few days in nature to wind up my Africa trip. When I arrived, my hosts were just sitting down to lunch with two other French couples. By dinner time, the other two couples had left, and for the next 2 long days, it was just me and this older French couple. We were on a small island, and there was no running water, and electricity only at night. No internet or phone service either. There wasn't much to do but sit around and read, and I did plenty of that, and some walks. You could walk around the entire island in less than half an hour. The wildlife was pretty interesting. There were monkeys, giant lizards (halfway between an iguana and a komodo dragon in size), jackals (these ran away when you approached), and many different kinds of birds. And I'm sure some other animals I didn't see. My last afternoon was the most exciting, as Madam and I took a canoe ride in the delta and, immediately afterwards, went on a glider flight with the Monsieur. That was truly majestic, flying over the delta. I have been in small airplanes before, but the glider was so much more pleasant and peaceful. I really enjoyed it, and it truly did feel like you were gliding. It's always nice to have the vantage point of seeing things from the air. Monsieur selected the island to build his home/lodge by flying over it years ago, and the delta was certainly more beautiful and impressive from the air than from the ground. Monsieur also wrote a photograph book about it, this one:
http://tinyurl.com/p87zexo



The couple I stayed with was in their 60's, and spent their childhoods in Colonial French Africa. When I said I love Paris, they said they don't. They may be white and French, but Africa is their home, even though they spent much of their adult years in France.
When I left the delta, to head back to Dakar, we finally passed some villages where I saw something other than cement - some wooden shacks. But these were really the exception, even in the villages.
We were going along the coast, and I wanted to see the beaches I had heard about. I read that many European tourists come to the beaches of Senegal and Gambia to escape the European winters. Although it was not winter, I wanted to see these beach resorts, so we stopped at a resort town. We were in one of the best known resort towns, and I walked around the beaches there, and I was really unimpressed. Having traveled the world, and seen so many beautiful beaches, this didn't compare in any way. Once again, I was underwhelmed with Senegal.
I spent less than a week in Senegal, but it was enough, and it was enough for me to conclude that there are two primary reasons to visit Africa:
1. The wildlife/nature
2. The people
One certainly doesn't go for the buildings, the cities, or the creature comforts.

There are a few exceptions: the mud buildings in Mali seem like they would be worth seeing (I'm leaving out the pyramids because I am referring to sub-Saharan Africa), there are one or two huge and famous markets I'd like to see, and I've heard Capetown is a beautiful city - the only African city I have heard of referred to in this way, ever. But generally, it's either the nature/wildlife or the people. Africa does not have attractive cities and is not easy to travel in.
Well, as far as #1 is concerned, a country like Kenya is spectacular. I have been there, and can attest to this myself. You can go on an amazing safari, see giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, warthogs, zebras, etc. in plentiful numbers. Also, spectacular beaches - so much better than Senegal - and lakes. From what I heard, the same is true in several other African countries, such as Tanzania and South Africa. But the crime rate is high and people are not known for their friendliness in these countries.
Then there is #2, the people. For this, I think it would be tough to beat Ghana. The people are so friendly, and I have made many friends there, and it holds a special place in my heart. The wildlife and nature are not so spectacular, the beaches unimpressive and wavy, but the people are a delight. Quick to smile, and very welcoming.
Then there is Senegal, and many other African countries, which have neither the amazing wildlife and nature, nor the friendliest people.
I will be back to Africa, and I always enjoy visiting there, but it will be limited to a few countries, mostly places that boast amazing nature and/or wildlife, unless it is to return to Ghana.

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