Fishers painting one of the traditional pyrogues … Next to it a pile of oyster shelves mixed into concrete for building houses
We first spent a few days discovering Dakar, a vibrant African metropolis with a world known music scene. This was the hard way to start discovering the “Black Continent”. Immediately after leaving the airport anybody who seems to have the resources to buy the smallest item, becomes the target of all street vendors in town, and a polite “no thanks” will never make them go away. If the very one lets go of you after 15 minutes, the games starts with the next enterprising seller. Quite a nerve-racking game! Though, on another trip we stayed in Yoff, a part of the city located near the airport, and nobody ever bothered us.
We took then a Taxi Brousse and drove through Gambia to the Casamance in South Senegal, a two day trip on dusty roads in antique Peugeot 505 or even Peugeot 504 … After two days of relaxing in Ziguinchor, the capital of this province, a very quiet and beautiful old colonial city, we moved to the coast to Cap Skiring, stayed in a relatively basic but genuine “Campement” on one of the most beautiful beaches in Africa. From there we discovered the Casamance Delta, one of the greenest and most beautiful regions in West Africa.
Driving partly on the embankment is the Senegalese way of avoiding potholed roads!
In the Gare Routiere of Ziguinchor, young Talibés take a rest from collecting donations and play the “Baby Foot”. At every Gare Routiere in Senegal, you have more people hanging out, selling or looking for odd jobs than people travelling
On the Casamance river, giving a lift to a woman with her little daughter …
Lady patiently waiting for the bus to leave the Gare Routiere in Cap Skiring
After having been bumped out from our flight back to Dakar by Air Senegal International, we were actually stranded another 2 days in Dakar before flying back to Europe. This incident was more than exciting, since we had no money left and missed our flight from Dakar to Europe, but with the help of many friendly people we managed to reach Dakar and have our flight rebooked without charges.
After having been bumped from our flight back to Dakar, we took a Taxi Brousse to Ziguinchor the next morning with 2 other people who had suffered the same fate. Here we encontered another obstacle: the army would not open the bridge until 08:00 am due to rebel activities …
Our first trip to Senegal was actually the very trip – at least for Gilles – that triggered his fever for traveling …
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