Dakar, Day 2

Today was to be the day of visiting Iba's work and shopping with his sisters.  I set my alarm for a rendez-vous with Iba at 10:30.  Getting anywhere in Dakar by car makes traffic in Boulder laughable.  The congestion is breathtaking, or rather, breath removing, as cars belching exhaust inch their way along the main highway.

Iba's boss, Mr. Diop, pronounced "Top" has a small startup distributing motors, bearing and other mechanical parts for industries around the country.  He had lived in the U.S. for several  years but came to Senegal to help grow his country.  Two of his young employees explained to me in darn good English about the business.  In Senegal, no one can be in a rush, and my visit took about two hours.  His business was on the second  floor of the family house.

On the first floor is the boutique of his sister, a spectacularly beautiful woman dressed in vibrant fabrics.  Have I mentioned that the women here are very beautiful, many in colorful traditional dress.
Of course, I had to try on various items of clothing and I purchased a dress, a blouse and a wrap.  She employs six tailors (all young men) and they all work in the back in clean conditions.  Definitely not luxurious, but in this country, to have work is already quite a lot.  Many are on the streets, wandering, selling "you name it".  It's a poor country.  In my mind. recognizing that I could find less expensive clothing elsewhere, I wanted to support not only her but also her six employees. And the clothes are indeed very lovely and well made.

Then, on to the sisters.  Iba and I had talked about eating for at least two hours but after another two hours of animated discussion, a break for the women to pray, donning appropriate full coverage clothing and spreading their prayer rugs, we finally headed out, dodging cars at every step, sand now deep within my shoes, talking and laughing to a "fast-food" restaurant.  I paid for all five of us to shared five plates of chicken, french fries and cooked vegetables (yummy) and three sodas for $20.

I declined a visit to the Statue of the Renaissance or other site seeing.  I was exhausted, recognizing that my trajectories today are NOTHING compared with what Iba, Badou and Saliou endure everyday.

I collapsed upon arrival back at my room and am waiting for Saliou  to come with food.  How is that for a spoiled American?