Bon Jour Dakar

Well it wasn’t really morning when I arrived last night but today is my first day in Senegal. 

My long flight from Addis to Dakar, with a stop in Bamako, Mali was one of the funniest I have had and nearly prompted a special blog to share the laughs. Then I landed here and there was too much happening in my head that I forgot about the flight. 

I breezed through immigration ....... that is until I got to the passport checker man ( he checks the passport after immigration have stamped them - logical!!!) and he found that I didn’t have a visa. I protested ‘but NZers don’t need a visa’ or so the immigration man confirmed. “Oh yes you do” I am told as I am given a piece of paper to complete. Once completed I hand it to the person in the ‘visa’ cubicle, where dozens of people are milling around. A group were taken aside and that at least moved on many of the people hanging round the desk. The rest of the people hanging around were like me, having completed the form, handed it in and were told to wait. 20 minutes later I got my visa. By that stage I was one of the last still waiting and my bag had been removed from the conveyor belt and sat very forlorn in a corner. Money changed, I exit from baggage check and lo and behold there was someone with a ‘Helen Dobson’ sign. Palaver forgotten. 

Yay, after the issues trying to find drivers in Addis’ airport system I was surprised to see someone waiting. By now it was dark so I couldn’t see much on the 50km drive into Dakar city but I could tell that the highway was excellent and we did pass through a number of toll booths which no boubt funds the roads. 

Safely deposited at the Ganalè hotel I was greeted warmly - the only English speaking guest here for tonight. All the others are French speaking with French being an official language after Wolof the main language. 

The hotel is quaint. My room, and about 6 others on the first floor, open onto a cute courtyard, which might become a perch for me tomorrow. There’s nothing flash, but everything I need with a tv, aircon and a beaut shower. 

I settled in and then hunger called. The hotel restaurant delighted me with a stunning Cab. Sav. and a traditional meal called  ‘Yassa de Poulet’. Chicken with onion and lemon sauce and truly yummy. Roasted chicken breast covered with a huge pile of braised onions that had been cooked in lemon. I had read that this was one of Senegal’s most traditional dishes so I was eager to try it and I wasn’t disappointed. 

The hotel restaurant dished me up a great breakfast too. French bread with sliced emmental and ham, chocolate croissant and very good coffee. For someone that doesn’t do breakfast I did well. 

Fortified I set off wandering, firstly through the market where I was hassled so much by touts wanting me to buy, or those just mumbling as they walked along with me.  I tried telling them I didn’t want to buy, then ‘I dont want to talk’ but finally settled on the best one yet: ‘no gallika, no engleesh, only grecia’ and of course that worked a treat. I will keep that one up my sleeve. The markets were unspectacular; lots of people, lots of junk and lots of meat, fish and chicken attracting flies. 

I made a quick exit and then headed for the ‘Museum of Black Civilisations’. One of the best museums I have been to showing the story of African culture across the continent going back to the days of Lucy.   Famous modern day African people were acknowledged, many beliefs explored and both Moslem and Christian influences explained. There was also a section devoted to the chinese in Africa and their time here goes back many years. It is not just the recent migration and the influx of money for infrastructure that forms part of the history. 

The museum is very new, circular in shape and built around a massive ‘tree of life’.  Unfortunately all the descriptions were written in French and I gave up trying to decipher them early on in the piece but otherwise it was brilliant. 

Once I’d done my dash I set off wandering, looking, taking it all in. I spied a minaret in the distance and set off to find the mosque which I did. No entrance for heathens so pics taken I set off walking, got lost and enjoyed the afternoon just wandering and taking in the sights. This is my favourite city so far. Some of the architecture is quite magnificent and I loved the staggered roof line of the Central Bank of West Africa. 

Away from the markets I was left alone and enjoyed just watching people. This is certainly a city of more ‘well built’ women than I have seen so far and those high cheekbones have been replaced by rounder faces. Many men wear knee length shirts with trousers, like a punjabi, and babouche style moroccan slides with pointy toes. Most of the younger set are dressed western style, t shirts and jeans but then you see the mature women in bright colourful long dresses and the most beautiful colour coordinated turban style head-dresses. Just stunning. I want. 

I am a little loathe to get my camera out of hiding and take too many photos but I guess that will change as I become more relaxed. 

Its around 32degrees and my quick dry trousers feel like plastic bags against my legs. My top is soaked through and I would love a rain shower about now. I haven’t seen even a hint of a coffee shop all afternoon and I badly need to cool off and get re-hydrated. 

Eventually I found my way ‘home’ and flopped into a heap on the bed and guzzled the water I bought on the way. Phone rings????  WTF. Its Alioune, the ‘Chief Experience Officer’ for my tour, starting Monday (Sunday today). I went down to reception to meet him. A friendly guy with a good grasp of English. He gave me a quick recce of the neighbourhood and when he heard where I had already been figured I didn’t need more so left me to it. 

Dinner in the hotel was a grilled STEAK, (Entrecot) perfectly medium rare with a hint of herbs and beautifully tender. Of course it comes with fries so I was perfectly happy with that. A drop of red helped wash it down.   Not a bad way to end the day. 

A couple of people also on my trip have just arrived. Lisa and daughter Sarah from the US and invited me to join them after dinner. It was short. Bed beckons and time to watch a movie while I’m sprawled across the bed trying to keep cool with the aircon on full.  ‘Jane’ about the life of Jane Goodall filled in a couple of hours and well worth watching. My second only netflicks viewing and there probably wont be a third. My free trial ends tomorrow.