A day in Dangane, Senegal

 

My best friend here in Senegal, Saliou.  I drag him away from work for a vacation in Delta Saloum, where we spent time on the Saloum River, watching pelicans, admiring the work of environmentalists who have replanted areas of mangroves that had been decimated by excessive harvesting and climate change.  Saliou  is a family friend,  a long time friend of my half brother, Pierre-Andre, who spent a semester in Dakar many years ago.  

This small village, Mar-Lodj, had both a large mosque and this beautiful Catholic church, complete with Swiss stained glass windows.  The Church and Mosque are both filled with people who come in from surrounding regions.  This "village" is actually more populated than it seems, with some 2500 people. They are well organized, with fairly agressive marketing to tourists.  If you approach to look, there is no getting away from buying, after extensive bargaining.

The baobob tree is mostly water so the wood cannot be used for anything.  They can also reach massive height and breadth.

I bought this from him.  First price:  20.000 cfa. Ridiculous.  Call over Saliou.  5.000 cfa.  Artist:  10.000 cfa.  I settled on 7.000 cfa knowing I was still overpaying.  He didn't have change, I paid 8.000 cfa.  Too much, but the reality is that this man supports his family, he is one of 8 children, only he works.  The situation in Senegal (Africa) is pretty horrendous.  At the next stop, a Senegalese woman took my hand to go to one of the booths, and I pulled back and said I had already bought plenty for the moment.  I knew she was disappointed, but it does get to be quite exhausting.  We tourists are their economic engine, for better or worse.  The pirogue trip was 30.000 cfa (using a . instead of , )( as they do, so 30.000 cfa means 30,000 cfa).  This man had done studies in electro-mechanical engineering...here he is.  The tour guide to go into the village had his Bachelor's Degree and there he is, guiding tourists...