I've been in Dakar for a week now. The trip back here was kind of a pain, even though I got a quick ride from Ourossogui to Ndioum last Wednesday. The next morning I got up at 5:45, waited around until 8:00 for my sept-place (old beat down Renault station wagon that fits the driver and seven passengers) to leave. The problem was, I was still the only person in it and the driver figured he'd pick other people up along the way. It shouldn't have worked out that way, and I ended up having to switch cars in Saint-Louis, where we waited for the vehicle to fill up and then got a faster ride to Dakar. Outside of St. Louis I bought about 10 big, ripe mangos for approximately $2.20. I definitely want to spend a couple days in and around Thiès in July before I leave; it's a cool town, and a good spot to buy Senegalese baskets.
Since I got to Dakar it's been pretty chill. I've been working out of our Dakar office, which is a little different. Mainly because I look like a bum; I don't care what I look like as much out in the region, so I wear t-shirts. We went out to Ethiopian food the other night, which was overpriced, but it was cool to go out with a big group and the ambiance was awesome. One of the coolest settings for a restaurant I've ever seen, with low tables and couches and great art all over the place.
On Sunday we went to Ile de la Madeleine, which was kind of a crazy day. The island is supposedly a UNESCO sight, although there's not much to see. A couple big baobabs, a decent view, and some tidal pools to swim in. We were having a nice, relaxing day until another pirogue (long wooden boats) with some friends and friends of friends tried to beach where we were. It's this sketchy little cove with waves breaking into rocks, and you have to make a left once you get in past/during the break to beach. Their boat had way too many people in it (as did ours actually, but we got there during low tide), the piroguiers couldn't control it, and it tipped. We ran over to help pull people out of the water before they got slammed up against some rocks. Unfortunately, people from both groups ended up with sea urchin needles all over hands and feet and some nasty cuts. After we waited around for the tide to come up far enough for the break to not be dangerous, we caught rides back to shore, albeit without much confidence, and people went and got treated. We were pretty pissed off at the guys working the boats, who wanted to "negotiate" the price of the second boat, despite them all losing cameras and cell phones and having to go to the hospital. So yeah, I don't see a point in going to the island.
At least that night we ordered sushi. It's not terribly cheap (Dakar is actually very expensive if you try and eat like you do in the U.S.), but it was decent. I've been craving sushi, because it's the embodiment of fresh food that I don't get in the Fouta.
Tomorrow I'm going on vacation to the Casamance region, in the south of Senegal. It's supposed to be beautiful and the Diola culture is supposed to interesting, but tourism to the area has been limited for a while now due to separatists. There are factions of rebels hiding in the jungle in the Gambia and Guinea Bissau that occasionally attack soldiers and conduct raids on cars after dark. So I'm definitely going to be taking certain travel precautions, but I'm really excited about my trip. I'll be back at the end of next week, and will post details and pictures then.
I didn't take that picture either, but it's an example of a pirogue.
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