Wonderful Weekend in Dakar

        This past weekend, I paid another visit to my beloved Dakar, and what a trip!  A friend of Mike's in Brazil, Ivens, was here in Senegal for a conference in Dakar, so I went to show him around the city and such. As usual, I travelled with the utmost comfort, in a sept-place seated next to a very large bubu-ed woman (a bubu is a traditional Senegalese outfit- as women age, their bubus tend to get larger and larger, flowier and flowier, and their foulards (festive hats) more and more spectacular).  Several times throughout the voyage, she decided it was perfectly socially acceptable to put her arm around me and lean on me so that I couldn't move at all--- whatever.
        So, I arrived after a few very uncomfortable hours and headed to the hotel where the conference was.  Upon stepping out of the taxi at the hotel, I could not believe my eyes.  I had never in my life seen such a luxurious hotel!  It was completely un-Senegalese!  There was a beautiful pool and glass ceilings and a really nice restaurant.  I almost shit myself!  Throughout the weekend, I experienced a completely different type of Senegal that I had not yet seen--- the toubab Senegal of luxury hotels and high-class downtown Dakar.  The hotels had toilets and comfy beds and even hot running water!  I felt so spoiled!  It was a strange feeling.  Sometimes, I almost felt like I was in New York City... almost.  It was also strange because most of the businesses in downtown Dakar had started to put up Christmas decorations.  This compounded my feeling of being in a place that was very un-Senegalese.  But then a merchant would approach me with his rack of sunglasses or his crappy touristy items and follow me for several minutes trying to make me buy... and then I happily remembered I was still in Senegal.
       Anyway, I showed Ivens around town and did all the necessary touristy things... a visit to Marché Sandaga, probably the biggest and most overwhelming market in Senegal, where we purchased many a touristy item, and of course a visit to Ile de Goré, which I described in an earlier post.  It ended up being a very fun weekend.  And best of all, I got Pudgy back!  But after all the fun, it was back to the old grind.  I'm once again taking bucket showers with freezing cold water, taking dumps in a whole, eating crappy cafeteria food, and drinking tea in the wee hours of the morning with Senegalese friends... and I couldn't be happier!  And now, what you've all been waiting for... Pudgy pics!

Pudgy à la plage!

Pudgy needs a pick-me-up!

Erik and Pudgy à la plage... we're both gettin' a lil' pudgy!