old tiger's Blog

yip..I tried hitch hiking out of Dakar..
got a ride first to Pikine..then to Rufisque..
but then..I got stuck..stood for hours...
not a very funny thing to stand hours in the scorching heat..
so..I dediced to go to the bus station of Rufisque and take..
a bus towards Mbour and Kaolack..Rufisque is an harbour..
lots of factories..industries..did not like it that much...
but Senegal..well..the people make it colourful..
Senegalese are very friendly..very curious people..
I always laughed when they started their funny French...
in the bus station from Rufisque..I met a Catholic Senegalese..
he told me to visit Keur Moussa..which is above Rufisque..
it's a Benedictine convent where the services are done..
well..in African style..with kora/djemb? etc...bit like gospel??
I did not go there..here is a link www.keurmoussa.com
so..I took a taxi brousse(Peugeot)towards Mbour-Kaolack..
quite an adventure..to sit as a foreigner..amidst the locals...
feels bit awkward in the beginning..but..they started joking..
about my long hair and beard...and they all smiled..
people can connect with smiles..words are not needed..
the trip towards Kaolack went through typical landscapes..
quite arid..I saw some baobab trees...there's a legend..
botanical name=adansonia digitata.. I'll get you all a link..
this tree is very much honoured by Senegalese..
it has very funny structure..as of its grown upside down??
everything of this tree..pods..branches..leaves...
Senegalese..have a way..to use all of it..the baoabab tree
is also given magical beliefs..often a griot will praise..
http://arts.osu.edu/ArtEducation/kplayground/baobabtree.htm
http://www.baobab-solutions.com/the_baobab.htm
under a baobab tree..so be it...anyway..I reached Kaolack..
it's a town on the Saloum river..it's a center for peanuts..
Senegal depends a lot on tourism..but also on peanut cultivation..
it was bloody hot in that town..I stayed in some local cheap hotel..
Kaolack has got a real nice market..where I saw funny stuff..
the local Senegalese woman..buy love potions(afrodisiacs)
extracts of lion or tiger claws,gazelle horns etc..funny...
some local dude...explained me...all these things...
I was determined to reach Tambacounda the next day..
that's East Senegal..and there was a train to catch to Kayes(Mali)
I thought of taking a taxi brousse..it's a share system..
they start when they are full..sometimes 12 people..
packed like sardines..in a Peugeot suitable for 8??
it was cheap anyway..so..why bother hitch hiking??
Tiger

So...I took that ferry crossing towards Gor?e..
took about 20 minutes..lots of hustlers..
trying to talk you into a guided tour etc....
http://www.au-senegal.com/decouvrir_en/geo_goree.php
this small island...was so touristical..for the fact..
it breathes peace..from the hustle/bustle that was Dakar town..
it's very small..but the walk here..was wonderful..narrow streets..
very peacefull..lovely vegeatation..nature,you know...
I guess about a 1000 people lived there..in typical houses..
Gor?e is connected to the slave trade..
slaves were put here in a prison like building..
awaiting their shipment to the colonies..
*la maison des Esclaves*as they called it..is nothing more then
a building where the slaves were kept..until their transport..
it's a sad thing..to stand there as a white skinned person.
hearing the guide explaining the cruel treatment of the blacks..
I felt ashamed..if you ask me??it's a building dating from 1786...
so...very ancient history..furthermore there are a few musea
on this tiny island..a few restaurants..all in very quiet settings..
one could even spend the night in some hotels..good price,I guess??
there's a church..a mosque..a Governors house...mini Dakar really??
I liked walking trough the little streets..talking to the people..
I had spend almost half a day for this trip..it was worthwhile..
I returned back to Dakar town..by ferry of course..and intended.
to leave Dakar..next morning..I was gonna try to hitch hike..
I knew..it would not work...but I was gonna try to reach the town
of Tambacounda..long haul..via Diourbel-Kaolack...
I was gonna take the train to Kayes and further on to Bamako(Mali)
Tiger

so..the Sandaga market..that's something else...
typical African market..very colourful..very mysterious..
I saw lots of gri gri=magical potions..amulets etc...
strange things..tiger claws,chicken feet,snake hide etc..
they use this in witchcraft..mostly to ward off evil..
it could be also some Sura's out of the Holy Koran..
put into an amulet..worn on the body for good luck..
some whitchcraft is also like voodoo(juju)..bad thing...
I talked about these facts with a student..who spoke..
fluent French...in Senegal people believe in magic...
a local marabout(Muslim leader)has got lots of power..
Islam is different in Senegal..more tolerant..
and mixed with local traditions..the Mouride sect..
founded by Ahmadou Bamba..is a good example of this..
if you ever could witness the Magal festival in Touba..
don't hesitate..but it will be hectic..very hectic..
Amadou Bamba is a *phir*a Muslim saint...in Yoff..
there's a *phir* sanctuary on the beach...it's a Lebu tribal
community..I went to Yoff in 1986..with my wife...
I won a quiz on Belgian television..and a free trip to Senegal..
if you're interested in healing etc...go to Yoff...close to Dakar..
it's an animistic ritual..where posseded people..are cured..
it often involves animal sacrifice..ceremony is called *ndeup*
I never witnessed it...and I don't think I'm very much interested
in all that voodoo stuff..but just to give you all an idea..
West Africa got lots of mysterious rituals..nothing for us....
so..this student told me..if a husband finds out his wife is cheating..
they go to one of these whitchcraft doctors..and put a spell..
no need to tell..whether this works or not...lots of swindlers...
ah..yip...Sandaga...opened my eyses a bit..about all this...
well..I would not recommend the fish section in Sandaga...
lots of fish i never saw..but I had to keep my fingers on my nose..
also herbs..very strange potions...all kind of mixtures..
fruits..vegetables...handicrafts..souvenirs...it's all too much..
for the eyes..and very hectic..watch out for pickpockets as well..
I enjoyed Sandaga market..if you can talk with the people..
it's O.K..it's not a place to walk around with a Nikon camera..
I saw some balafon/kora music players...aw..lovely music it was..
it took me quote a while to finish Sandaga..it's a test for the nerves..
allright..but it was worthwhile anyway...after that..I went into the
Medina..with the Grand Mosque..built in Morrocco style..
tourists were not allowed when I was passing by there..
another market is Til?ne..again typical African..bit like Sandaga..
the currency in Senegal was CFA=African Franc..coupled to French
Francs=FF..I don't recall..either it was the double..or half value??
in the afternoon..I went to the railways station of Dakar..nice building..
found out about trains to Bamako(Mali)I intended to take the train to
Tambacounda..or even truy hitchhiking to some town where I could
take that train..it was just a plan in my head...Gor?e island...
was not for that day..I intended to visit it next day..
instead I went to Ifan museum...well..to tell you all honestly..
it showed some nice masks of various tribes of Senegal..
this museum is worthwhile..if you're interested in masks,cermonial
gear of tribes,clothes,funeral and wedding rituals etc...
I was really tired that day..went back to the hotel...
these French dudes...sold their Peugeot with benefit...
and were gonna fly back to France..funny dudes...
will tell you all more about slave island Gor?e later on..
Tiger

so..after Saint Louis..ride to Dakar via Louga-Thi?s..
Dakar..was hectic..hustle and bustle of the capital..
very colourful place...we moved into a 2 star hotel..
these French dudes went out..I guess to their contacts..
to sell the car..I only saw them back next morning..
I was bit tired..from the ride...which was fine..
but..I had to get accustomed to the heat..
i decided anyway to make a stroll through Dakar center..
http://www.au-senegal.com/decouvrir_en/geo_dakar.php
first thing you notice are street vendors..a real hassle..
they are called *bana bana*and they try to sell you anything
going from a simple ballpen..to postcards,t-shirts..
they really don't leave tourists alone..a pain in the ass really..
Dakar city is a nice location though..on the Atlantic ocean..
I went to see Kermel market...very colourful..
learned a few words of Wolof..like nanga def=hello...waa=yes..
funny language..36% of the Senegalese belong to this tribe..
the Wolof..they wear very colourful long dresses...
their women are very gracious..the first day..I just went around
on the Plateau=the central part of town..big boulevards..
mostly parellel running..Place de L'ind?pendance is a central spot...
in the surroundings streets one can find restaurants,shops,caf?s..
I went..like I said before to see the Kermel market..nice place.
but very hectic..beware for pickpockets??watch out in Dakar...
I loved the flower market there..but also the stalls of clothes..
leather..paintings..souvenirs..a bit touristical if you ask me...
in the market..constantly one gets hustled..
by touts fot this..for that..they will guide you around the city etc..
just always say no..there lots of tourists who got ripped off...
it's all about money of course...sometimes..these dudes.
give you a nep watch..as a gift..but in fact...they try to trick you..
into a shop...where they get a commission from the shop keeper...
I saw this in India before...so..i said..fuck off..no way...
the Kermel market is also the market of the toubabs..the French..
or foreigners staying in Dakar..do their shopping here...
I talked to a French lady once..who was in Dakar for 5 years...
she said..first year...was terrible..for the hassles...
but once used to it..people became friendly..she said...
I went for food in one of these cheap Senegalese restaurants..
ordered the national dish called *ti?boudienne*
it's a fish/rice/vegetable dish..I loved it..it was cheap as well..
in the afternoon...went to the Corniche..it's towards the ocean..
nice beaches..I wandered around a bit in the Dakar harbour as well...
got really tired that day..from all that hectic activity and walking..
I even took a short bus ride...really crowded..but couleur locale...
I got some info about Sandaga market..the big Mosque etc...
and I planned to visit the Slave Island called Gor?e..
so..I went back to the hotel..took a shower...just relaxed...
will tell more later on..about Gor??=a must..really peacefull..
Tiger

So..finally..black Africa..the ferry(bac in French)
took about half an hour..crossing the river Senegal..
colourful people these Senegalese..it's very hectic..
coming from a strict Muslim place into Senegal..well..
it was very different..we drove towards Saint Louis..
very old town with a history...once capital of this country..
Dakar got that title in 1958,I believe??we went to the tourist
office in Saint Louis..we booked into a nice hotel..
it was called hotel de la Poste..bit colonial nostalgia..
it was not that cheap..but we all needed a good shower..
weather was very hot..wandering through the streets of this town..
is a delight..lots of old colonial houses with beautiful verandas..
we stayed 2 nights in St.Louis..there are a few nice bridges..
the pont Faidherbe is worthwhile..lovely view on Senegal river...
the bar of hotel de la Poste..got quite animated in the evening..
the local hookers played their game..in these days..
HIV was not known off..bit risky stuff..many foreigners..
had a one night stand with a hooker..
only to find out..all their stuff..was stolen..
these ladies of the night..looked nice in their boubous..
a boubou is a local dress..like a maxi skirt..they wear it with grace..
a foreigner is called a *toubab*here..and every foreigner..
is considered a capitalist?so..they try their games...ahah...yip..
St.louis was nice..I liked these 2 days..even better then the hustle..
and bustle..of Dakar town..Dakar...well..be carefull in Dakar..
these French dudes...hade a great time in St.Louis..
their journey..was ending in Dakar town..they were gonna sell..
the Peugeot car with benefit..and fly back to France..
oh my..these dudes..were real adventure seekers..
I didn't blame them...but...my road..was still long..
some people..even up till nowadays..judge people...
often..they get a wrong idea of it..because..
they only imagine..how a person really is inside...
to judge someone..you have to face them..
eye to eye...and these French dudes from Nice..
they gave me a free ride..from Akjoujt to Dakar..
and I was thankful for that...saved me lots of money..
these dudes were great..over and out...
I'll try to find a link on Saint Louis...
and I'll meet you all in bustling Dakar..
woooh..Dakar..bwaahh..watch out...
I can write a book about that city..
crazy Tiger

P.S..Booh..difficult to find some English link to Senegal..
http://www.senegal-tourism.com/visit_senegal.htm