Dakar to Ile de Goree

Colorful crowded masses, the men in babous and the women in long dresses, their hair covered in matching scarves.  The port was packed, the lines of people standing calmly for the boat.  A scheduled departure of 12:30 slipped back one hour, two hours, finally departing, some of us, at 3 p.m.  Sailing past loading docks and cargo ships,  it was a short trip to Isle de Goree, the island of death, where African slaves were forced onto boats bound for the Americas.  The door of no return was heartbreaking to see, where each slave, shackled and chained, pulling a ball of iron, was loaded onto waiting ships, many destined to die en route.  There were 28 slave houses, one of which was preserved on this UNESCO site.  Tiny stone rooms where slaves were chained to the walls.  Those men under the desirable, best selling weight of 65 kg were force fed beans and palm oil for 3 months.  If they were still underweight, they were sold into domestic slavery, or drowned.  The sick were drowned. Children as young as 7 were sold. Virgins were sold at a premium, the same as the highest price men.  Now, there are ceremonies to remember, and a door of return exists, where the diaspora can return here to remember.  

Many beautiful items were available for sale, with the fabrics being spectacular.  I spent my last penny, however, to buy a small sand painting, a very traditional Senegalese art form.  There will be other opportunities to support these hard working local people. 

The line for the boat to return was equally long; we returned about 8 p.m. and shared a dinner of grilled meat and chicken. What else?  ; )  Saliou and Badou are remarkable people.