Senegal, Part I

So, I've decided that Senegal is maybe one of my favorite places that I've been so far. Kyle and I landed in Senegal last Friday. We spent the first few days in Dakar, which is one of the coolest cities ever. If you've been to Paris, picture the awesomeness of Paris combined with the awesomeness of Africa. It's like a sweet blend of the French and Senegalese cultures. Plus, it always smells great. The Senegalese burn incense in pots and so everywhere you go, you smell either the incense, cooking food, or the smell of the sea. Not too bad. Dakar is much more expensive than the rest of Senegal, so we couldn't stay there forever.

Next it was off to Steve's town of Joal-Fadiouth. Another great place to stay, Joal-Fadiouth is split into two towns: Joal, which is a peninsula off the mainland of Senegal, and Fadiouth, which is an island connected with Joal by a bridge. It reminds me of an African version of Venice, but much dirtier. One of the unique things about Fadiouth is that the island is made of shells. Another of the unique things is that it has a cemetery that holds both the Muslim and the Christian dead. Very rare in Africa, let alone the world.

One of the things I have not been so . . . enthusiastic about is the toilet situation. No running water in Joal means no flush toilet and no shower. No shower? Fine. Squatty potty? Okay. Squatty potty with no toilet paper and a cup of water instead? Not so cool. It's been a new experience for sure.

Today, we have come to Mbour to get Internet and to hang out at a beach resort all day. I'm currently sitting in a loft of the resort, with palm trees below; white, pink, and orange bougainvillea spreading, thatched roofs, and a splendid view of the sailboats on the ocean. Not too ugly.

Next stop planned is an overnight kayak trip through the mangroves where we'll camp out in tents and have good Senegalese food.