After breakfast, I headed to the Port of Dakar to play tourist for the day. A great ride, the city was empty because it was Sunday, and a lot of people were out jogging, exercising, and bicycling on the avenue that runs along the coast. A great way to start the day. All was good with the world.
The first stop was the Port of Dakar to catch a 30-minute ferry to the Ile of Goree, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, because of the pivotal role it played in the slave trade from the 1500s.
The town is beautiful and it has a feel of it having been pivotal to something. It is in the process of slowly being renovated. Some parts are already in good shape and some are still in need of restoration.
Lots of tourist from all over the world. A lot of street vendors selling art ... Baobab trees all over ... bought a small carved wooden one from an artist that showed me how he makes things.
It is always sad to come to places like this. So much history, so much suffering.
There was a timeline of slavery from the 1500 to late 1800s in the historical House of Slaves. It is interesting to think how large of an enterprise the slave trade was around the world and how many nations were complicit for so long ... and how slowly they abolished the trade and the idea of slavery.
It is somewhat reassuring that when humanity deviates to dark places, it always finds its way to the good path the universe has traced for us.
This should always be a source of hope when we as a whole go dark ... wars, violence, starvation eventually end; slavery ended; prejudice, discrimination, injustice will end. There will always be people, events, nature that will push us back to the good path.
It is also interesting that when taken in the context of humanity's history, the world with all its current troubles, is still the best it has ever been for the majority of people. More people around the world have been pulled out of subsistence living, have food, have jobs, housing, education … and have cell phones!?!? ... than ever before.
It is also interesting that when taken in the context of humanity's history, the world with all its current troubles, is still the best it has ever been for the majority of people. More people around the world have been pulled out of subsistence living, have food, have jobs, housing, education … and have cell phones!?!? ... than ever before.
In the island, there is a boarding school that only admits the best girl students in the country. Apparently, all children in Senegal get tested before entering 6th grade and the best are invited to come here.
Made the ferry back to Dakar ... had to run the last 100m and was the last one to board. Lucky!
On the way back to the hotel, stopped at the African Renaissance Monument ... very impressive ... huge ... reminds me of the Genghis Khan monument in Ulaan Bator or the Alexander the Great monument in Skopje for their sheer size. This monument is awe inspiring.
Made the ferry back to Dakar ... had to run the last 100m and was the last one to board. Lucky!
On the way back to the hotel, stopped at the African Renaissance Monument ... very impressive ... huge ... reminds me of the Genghis Khan monument in Ulaan Bator or the Alexander the Great monument in Skopje for their sheer size. This monument is awe inspiring.
After a nice dinner in my favorite ocean-side restaurant ... Harden, our waitress from Brazzaville, Congo, was there again today ... and a coffee at my favorite coffee house, went back to the hotel to plan my route and organize papers and money for tomorrow's trip to The Gambia.
Buying a ticket for the ferry to Ile de Goree at the Port
The wiring room at the maritime terminal
On the ferry ... people dancing and singing in the back ... people from all over the world ... next to me a couple from Andorra ?!?
Approaching the Ile de Goree
Our captain and crew
The Ile de Goree
Entering what used to be a point of no return for many African people
Art everywhere
The famous House of Slaves
A UNESCO World Heritage being slowly restored
Guns to defend the port of Dakar
Baobab trees all over the island
A wood carver ... a bough a Baobab tree carving from him
A view of the island from the top of the hill
Come parts still need work
Back in Dakar ... the African Reinassance Monument ... huge!
"A message to the youth of Africa and the diaspora -- if one day your steps lead you to the foot of this monument, think of those who sacrificed their freedom and their lives for the rebirth of Africa"
A view of Dakar from the top of the monument
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