After our sixth week of classes, our group had a week off for spring break. Everyone except Zach decided to go to the Casamanse in the south of Senegal. We took a boat from Dakar to Ziggenshore, which left Friday the 13th at 6 pm. Boarding for the boat started at 2 pm I think, so we arrived, checked our bags, and went through several ID checks. Generally, the ticketing and boarding process for the boat was much more western than I expected, somewhat like an airport. The boat ride takes about 16 hours, so we chose to stay in cabins on the boat instead of the chairs. There were pretty nice bathrooms and showers (with hot water!) and a restaurant on the boat (way above our budget...). About half of the people on the boat were Senegalese, and the rest were tourists, mostly French. While it was a good bit more expensive than taking a taxi, I was really glad we chose to take the boat since it was way more comfortable, and probably safer.
When we got to Ziggenshore, some members of Brendan’s family met us at the dock, and surprised us with a small bus to take us to their house. They put all 15 of us up for one night in this house that seemed to be empty. They told Brendan that some of the family members are in Dakar now, so we speculated that this was their house, which was conveniently empty so they had enough space for us to stay. Brendan’s family also contacted a friend the next morning who is a chauffeur to drive us to Cap Skirring, and generally, they were very hospitable and helpful while we were in Ziggenshore.
Both Ziggenshore and Cap Skirring are popular tourist spots, especially Cap Skirring. In Cap Skirring we stayed at this little hotel along the beach. There were probably at least 25 other hotels and encampements like it. Unless you’re in the city, the hotels here are usually a collection of little one room houses with some sort of common eating and hang out space. Some of us stayed in a room with a bathroom and others, including me, opted for the cheaper option of a shared outdoor bathroom and shower. So, it was kind of a blend between a hotel and being camping. The best part, though, was that behind the dining room and terrace there was a staircase that went directly to the beach.
I was pleasantly surprised with how nice the beach at Cap Skirring was. It wasn’t covered in trash like some of the Dakar beaches, it was nice and wide and fairly flat. Also the ocean had a nice gentle slope and didn’t get deep to fast. It was pretty hot, probably in the mid 80s (like late June or July in PA) the week we were at the beach, so by mid-afternoon the water was nice and warm.
Even though the beach was really nice, I only spend the whole day there once. One other day, we (usually Danielle and I) ventured into Cap Skirring to look around the market, and we ended up getting invited to eat lunch with this Gambian guy and his family. He just arrived in Senegal, so he was happy to find someone who spoke English, since he didn’t speak French at all yet. After lunch we went back to the market. It was an artisans market, and very much aimed at the tourists. There was a lot of cool woodwork, jewelry, bags, and textiles there, but even just walking around everyone tries to get you to come into their shop. Some vendors are ok, but others, if you go in, they give you a hard time about leaving without buying anything. After an hour or so, I got really tired of being harassed. I did end up buying some stuff, which I was happy with. Unfortunately, I found out later that I grossly overpaid for it, which made me mad. The vendors inflate the prices in Cap Skirring even more than Dakar, and even though I bargained for things they take a lot longer to go down. Basically, I think they know that there are other tourists who will come along and, like me, overpay the first time, so why would they sell it to you for the real price. I wanted to go back to the market in Cap Skirring and chew out the lady who ripped me off, but we didn’t have enough time, and actually when I woke up the next morning I wasn’t so mad about it. I know it was mostly my fault that I paid too much, but it still irritated me that the vendors take advantage of tourists so much by starting the negotiation at 10x the actual price, instead of the normal 3-5x.
The next day our whole group went on a tour of some island around Cap Skirring. The first island was called Ourang, and we walked around the village and toured the school. I was a little surprised when the teacher stopped the class to talk with us and answer questions, but I guess they’re used to visitors. The second island was a big fishing community, so we saw a lot of fish. There was fresh fish at a market like thing near the water, as well as a fish drying operation with wire mesh tables covered in fish drying in the sun. Also, we watched some guys making wooden fishing boats for a little while. The third island we visited is known for its old colonial buildings. There was a fairly big church, as well as some slave holding quarters and a cemetery. Lastly, we visited what our guide said was “L’Ile de Fatiche.” Due to the name, we were expecting to hear something substantial about the animism. When we got there, though, all there was to see was a collection of animal skulls under a tree. This would have been ok, except our guide said almost nothing to explain the tradition.
Love,
Mel
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