I went with Shannon and Ryan to Joal, which is a seaside town south of Dakar. It is where the first president of Senegal, Leopald Senghor, was born, and also just a beautiful little vacation-y type town. So without further ado, here is my weekend...:
We started off at the sept-place taxi station which was maybe the most chaotic experience I've had in Senegal. Sept-place taxis are what are referred to as "bush taxis," and they are beat-up cars that hold 7 people (hence the "sept" places) and travel long distances for extremely cheap. For example, for our 3-hour carride to Joal, we each paid 2000 francs (the equivalent of 4 dollars) to be smushed into this tiny station wagon with a bunch of Senegalese people jabbering in Wolof. However, before we even left the station (which is a hassle in and of itself because all the cars are just parked haphazardly waiting for customers, and then they accidentally block each other in), vendors were reaching their hands into the windows of the taxi, trying to sell us everything under the sun. Seriously, I mean everything... pirated CDs of Senegalese music (which I am guilty of buying), candy, junky toys that are made in China, fabric, and even amateur porn DVDs. I think all the vendors were particularly excited to see three white girls enter the station because that lights up the dollar signs in their eyes, so they were particularly relentless in trying to sell us stuff.
But anyway, we finally got on the road and were driving for a while. However, the car had to stop several times to let cattle cross the road. I tell no lies. Only in Senegal. A little later, we had to stop to let two monkeys hop across the street. No comment.
When we finally got to Joal, we were disoriented and confused. We had no idea where our hotel was, so we walked for a little while and tried to ignore all of our new friends that were following us, asking where we were going ("Vous allez où?????") and if we were married and if we would give them presents. We finally decided that it was a futile idea to walk until we found the hotel, so we found a taxi that was going in the direction we wanted. We flagged him down, told him the price we'd pay, and got in. A couple minutes into the taxi ride, he pulls over to the side of the road and we asked him why he was stopping. He said, "hold on, that lady over there is my mother." Next thing we know, a woman comes running up to the car, shakes all of our hands, and converses with her son in Wolof. Then we drive on. Again, only in Senegal.
But then we finally get to the hotel, and get into our room. Look at the cute little art on the door:
After putting our bags down, we went for a stroll to the beach to check out the sites. That boat is a pirogue which is a traditional fishing boat.
There are Ryan and Shannon on the beach, nicely framed by a couple floating pirogues.
During our exploration, we found this long dirt path with a sign explaining that the path entered into this mangrove-preservation project land. So we strolled down the path and checked out all the pretty mangroves and the marshwater. Then a car rapide rumbled on down the path en route to what we later found out was a village, several miles down the path.
When we got hot and tired from the walk, we turned around and went walking along the main street, where we stopped at Leopald Senghor's childhood house, which is now turned into a museum documenting his family history. We ended up getting lumped into this tour group of visitin Senegalese scholars (men) who were very charmed/confused/intrigued by us. The funniest thing about those Senegalese men is that during the tour, every single one of them picked up their cell phone at least twice while the tour guide was talking. Again, only in Senegal...
Anyway, this is a picture of Leopald Senghor's family tree. It is so huge because his father had 5 wives, and 41 children.
And right there at the top is Mr. President's entry on the family tree.
For people who don't know much about Leopald Senghor's story, he was actually an incredibly bright intellectual who was the first and only African to sit on the Academie Francais (the snobby French language preservation group. He was also an accomplished poet and French professor. Here is a picture of him with a group of his French students. He's easy to find - he's the only black person in the picture!
Here I am with the legend himself. I asked the tour guide why Senghor himself wasn't here in person as well (knowing full wel that he is now dead). Since it's Senegal, and Senegalese people never think that uru sense of humor makes sense or is funny, he did not laugh. Whatever, I still amuse myself.
Here I am again!
After the trip to the Senghor museum, we went on this hotel-arranged horse-and-carriage ride to visit the BIGGEST BAOBAB TREE IN ALL OF SENEGAL. Seriously, I tell no lies. It was an INCREDIBLE experience. We got on this wooden plank which served as the carriage, and we chatted with the driver who explained that his horse's name is "Michael Jackson." We ended up going down the same path we had walked down earlier today, but traveling several miles instead of just a few minutes' worth of walking. Here we are "racing" with another horse-driver.
A pretty baobab tree on the way to the epic giant one.
Some more pretty scenery along the way.
Finally we got to the giant baobab, and it turns out it is so big that you can actually go INSIDE of it. There is an actual "room" underneath its roots. There were a ton of bats in there, which was really spooky and unpleasant, but it was cool being inside of a tree. There is a legend in Senegal that some baobab trees close behind you if you try to enter one, but luckily we made it out safely. Here are Ryan and Shannon as they just entered the little hole into the room.
And here is Shannon climbing out of the tree, in what the tour guide referred to as the "second birth."
Since no blog entry is complete without some cute pictures of sheep, here are some sheep that were grazing around the baobab. Look at the little tiny baby!
And there is the giant in all its glory.
Michael Jackson, our driver, Shannon, and Ryan, sitting on our golden chariot.
This would have been a perfect picture of the sunset and clouds if our driver's hat had not gotten in the way.
On the ride back, the driver let me hold the reins and steer the horse. When we passed another horse driver who was carrying goods into the village, he burst our laughing when he saw a young, white girl holding the reins of his friend's horse cart. Very silly indeed!
So Joal/Fadiout is in Serer country, and the Serer is the ethnic group that was most affected by Christian missionaries. Thus, the highest proportion of Christians are in Serer country. How you know you are no longer in Muslim territory: the plate of the day at this restaurant is PORK.
And by the giant crosses everywhere.
However, what's cool about Senegal in general, is the religious tolerance. Christians and Muslims get along and even celebrate holidays with one another. Fadiout is famous for the mixed Muslim-Christian ceremony where people are allowed to be placed into the earth, next to each other, despite different religions.
The graves are all made of seashells, which is also cool. Lots of Christians in this section.
But here are some Muslim graves!
One of Leopald Senghor's many relatives.
This is what the ground looks like on the entire island.
Here is the view from Fadiout across the river to another, small island.
Another reason you know you're in Christian territory. I have not seen a pig in all of Dakar!
Another reason it's Christian territory... the giant beer delivery truck!
Here is some art on the walls of the city! Very pretty!
Shannon is walking past the sign for our hotel.
And here is the hotel's dog, sleeping all day on the hotel floor.
Ryan and Shannon in the dingy sept-place on the way home.
We were protected by pictures of marabouts (more or less Islamic saints) and a prayer mat.
And right there at the top is Mr. President's entry on the family tree.
For people who don't know much about Leopald Senghor's story, he was actually an incredibly bright intellectual who was the first and only African to sit on the Academie Francais (the snobby French language preservation group. He was also an accomplished poet and French professor. Here is a picture of him with a group of his French students. He's easy to find - he's the only black person in the picture!
Here I am with the legend himself. I asked the tour guide why Senghor himself wasn't here in person as well (knowing full wel that he is now dead). Since it's Senegal, and Senegalese people never think that uru sense of humor makes sense or is funny, he did not laugh. Whatever, I still amuse myself.
Here I am again!
After the trip to the Senghor museum, we went on this hotel-arranged horse-and-carriage ride to visit the BIGGEST BAOBAB TREE IN ALL OF SENEGAL. Seriously, I tell no lies. It was an INCREDIBLE experience. We got on this wooden plank which served as the carriage, and we chatted with the driver who explained that his horse's name is "Michael Jackson." We ended up going down the same path we had walked down earlier today, but traveling several miles instead of just a few minutes' worth of walking. Here we are "racing" with another horse-driver.
A pretty baobab tree on the way to the epic giant one.
Some more pretty scenery along the way.
Finally we got to the giant baobab, and it turns out it is so big that you can actually go INSIDE of it. There is an actual "room" underneath its roots. There were a ton of bats in there, which was really spooky and unpleasant, but it was cool being inside of a tree. There is a legend in Senegal that some baobab trees close behind you if you try to enter one, but luckily we made it out safely. Here are Ryan and Shannon as they just entered the little hole into the room.
And here is Shannon climbing out of the tree, in what the tour guide referred to as the "second birth."
Since no blog entry is complete without some cute pictures of sheep, here are some sheep that were grazing around the baobab. Look at the little tiny baby!
And there is the giant in all its glory.
Michael Jackson, our driver, Shannon, and Ryan, sitting on our golden chariot.
This would have been a perfect picture of the sunset and clouds if our driver's hat had not gotten in the way.
On the ride back, the driver let me hold the reins and steer the horse. When we passed another horse driver who was carrying goods into the village, he burst our laughing when he saw a young, white girl holding the reins of his friend's horse cart. Very silly indeed!
When we got back from the horse ride, we were exhausted, so we found dinner and called it an early night. In the morning, we woke up and walked to Fadiout, which is the island that is connected by a bridge to Joal. Fadiout is an island made entirely of seashells, and is the biggest shell mound in Senegal. Here are Ryan and me on the bridge to Fadiout!
So Joal/Fadiout is in Serer country, and the Serer is the ethnic group that was most affected by Christian missionaries. Thus, the highest proportion of Christians are in Serer country. How you know you are no longer in Muslim territory: the plate of the day at this restaurant is PORK.
And by the giant crosses everywhere.
However, what's cool about Senegal in general, is the religious tolerance. Christians and Muslims get along and even celebrate holidays with one another. Fadiout is famous for the mixed Muslim-Christian ceremony where people are allowed to be placed into the earth, next to each other, despite different religions.
The graves are all made of seashells, which is also cool. Lots of Christians in this section.
But here are some Muslim graves!
One of Leopald Senghor's many relatives.
This is what the ground looks like on the entire island.
Here is the view from Fadiout across the river to another, small island.
Another reason you know you're in Christian territory. I have not seen a pig in all of Dakar!
Another reason it's Christian territory... the giant beer delivery truck!
Here is some art on the walls of the city! Very pretty!
Shannon is walking past the sign for our hotel.
Public-health painting teaching about abstinence, faithfulness, and birth control as methods of preventing unwanted pregnancy.
And here is the hotel's dog, sleeping all day on the hotel floor.
Ryan and Shannon in the dingy sept-place on the way home.
We were protected by pictures of marabouts (more or less Islamic saints) and a prayer mat.
Then on Sunday we switched gears, and my Maman invited my friends over for a meal of yassa guinaar (the second-most popular dish in Senegal... a sauce of lemon and onions over fried chicken, over rice). Look at all that food!!
More closely. DELICIOUS.
And on a random note, here is my neighbor's terrace. The neighbors live above a boulangerie that just opened a few weeks ago, and I asked my host-cousin Amadem why all this bread is out there. He told me it is the day-olds and that they dry them out on the roof and then sell them for REALLY cheap either to make breadcrumbs or animal food. Considering that it costs 150 francs for a baguette (about 30 cents), I didn't think it could get much cheaper than that!
I was on a taking-pictures-from-the-roof kick, and I snapped this picture of our backyard neighbors disposing of trash. Oh, Senegal...
So that is it for this weekend's updates. Whew, what a long entry. More later...
You took it to a new level with this report.
ReplyDeleteIt took 10 minutes to get through and people came by twice to ask what I was laughing about.
I want a pirogue for my next boat!!!