| ABOUT DAKAR
Usually I try to avoid
the big cities but coming from the airport I didn't manage and I
had to stop in Dakar. Definitely I cannot be enthusiastic of a damned
humid, hot, polluted and crowded place. I cursed the night I slept
there for the black-out that, stopping the ventilator, made me melting
in the bed. In particular I recommend you to visit "place d'Independence",
you'll be charmed admiring the caos everywhere while someone'll
be stealing your wallet ;-)
In Dakar you can find also nice stuffs such as the markets, but
worse of the ones you'll find everywhere throughout Senegal. Frankly
I strain to spot a good reason to visit Dakar, especially the "gare
routier" called Pompie, that is one of the worst places I've
never visited I'm my life (read: freaking
out in Mbour). I have also been in the national museum...I'm
not able to express opinions about it, sorry. Anyway everyplace
has, at least, a good reason to be visited... hence to find it out
could be one of this, good luck... ;-)
PS: don't miss the story
about the adventure to reach Dakar from Bamako flying with AIR MALI
company (air mali sucks), and
Tambacoundai by taxi de brousse (pressed
in the taxi..)
TIPS
-Don't be cheated by
the taxi drivers! Don't pay more than 4000 CEFA (08/2002) from the
airport to downtown!
-I suggest you to avoid
walking during the night. Streets are unlit...definitely not the
safest place I've been
-If you're going to get
the train to Bamako you have to buy the tickets one day in advance.
-Watch out in Pompiè
and don't be discouraged when you'll be there; it cannot be worse
in Senegal
ABOUT JOAL FADIOUT
Joal Fadiout is
one of the tourist highlight in Senegal; despite the crowded buses
of the organised tour coming in the morning and staying one hour
(as they're having a trip at the zoo), I think it's worth
visiting it. Fadiout is a cute village, a kind of labyrinth built
on an island by mud and shells where local sell fresh fish. I particularly
liked the long wooden bridge that connects the island to the mainland
where locals are used to gather.
In the late afternoon the low tide shows the
lively sandy seabed where guys play football and hundred of
people pick up shells.
What I really recommend you is to see the frenetic coming of the
fishermen at six o'clock in Joal harbor. For sure you'll be the
only white person and you'll feel embarrassed, but it'll be amazing.
TIPS
-It's not
that easy to reach Joal-Fadiout from Dakar by minibus. Read what
happened to me (freaking out in Mbour).
-Don't miss
a trip by horse cart in the surroundings of Fadiout watching how
hard is to cultivate such places.
-I slept
in Relè 114 in Joal and I appreciated the kindness of the family
who runs the place and invited me for lunch twice.
-Don't visited
what is said to be the biggest baobab of Senegal few km far from
Fadiout. It's not that special and it's crowded of bothering sellers
who are waiting for you!!
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