Senegal Holiday in pix - Dakar - St. Louis - Dakar

On the road. The drive from Dakar to St. Louis was pretty easy on a very good road. The landscape is breathtaking if you have the time to stop and admire the baobab trees that dot the semi-Sahel vegetation.

Baobab dotted landscape en route to St. Louis   photo. BF

Semi-Sahel vegetation

Passengers perch atop a bus

Sometimes you do have some ghastly accidents

St. Louis: Former the capital of Senegal during French colonisation, has gradually lost some of its lustre. Though endowed with some very attractive sights, St. Louis or Ndar as the locals call it in Wolof, seems to have stood still since the colonial era. In the main section of the town, you'll hardly find new constructions, partly because most of the colonial houses are somewhat national treasures. However, most of them are in dire need of renovation. Also, the city and the river Senegal, whose two branches cut across the city from north to south, leaving a narrow island of just over 2km long and about 400 metres wide,  is heavily polluted. But it is worth the trip. 

A stray dog catches a beautiful sunrise in St. Louis

The city's landmark  Faidherbe bridge under renovation

All kinds  of rubbish 

A horse-drawn cart rides past colonial building along the old quay

A woman walk past a row of colonial houses along the quay

 

Snap Shadow

Mboro: Senegal's garden belt. 

All around the camp are thousands of gardens

About 3km away from the city and the camp is the Mboro beach

Trying to eat a Mango 

  Back in Dakar: Senegal traditional wrestling, the national sport.
 The this is huge in Senegal. The fans love it. The big fights bring the nation to a standstill.

Fans trashtalk before the big fight

 

Mouhamed Ndao, aka Tyson's marabout prepares his gris-gris

A wrestling awash himself with magic potions before the bout

Tyson warms up before the big fight against Balla Gaye 2

The Demba Diop stadium is packed to the rafters

Balla Gaye 2 fans celebrate his win over Tyson