This will
be my longest post about my trip to Senegal. I could have split it in several,
but, considering the name of my blog, I believe I must soon return to talking a
bit about Paris.
I had the
pleasure to make a six days cruise on an old ship, “Bou el Mogdad”, cruising up
the Senegal River, which actually serves as border between Senegal and Mauritania.
The ship dates from around 1950 and served for decades as more or less only
means of transport along the river, reaching as far as Mali. After a long interruption,
it came back to the Senegal River in 2005 and serves now as a cruising ship. The
cruise will bring you some 200 km (125 miles) up the river and goes slowly with
no night navigation and with several stops and visits of natural reserves, towns,
villages… “Bou el Mogdad” has a nice
patina of past times, is very well kept, has a very nice personnel, offers good
eating and drinking… and nice company.
After a short
navigation, the vessel reaches a barrage, Diama, and a lock, built to prevent
salt water to penetrate the river.
The river
is very wide in its lower parts.
As said,
the about 50 passengers are frequently given the possibility to visit sites of
interest along the river.
The first stop
was for the Djoudj Bird Sanctuary, a world heritage site, with some 400 bird
species, dominated by pelicans (several thousands, bringing up their newborn),
flamingos (too far away to be seen – low waters), cormorants… and also
warthogs, alligators…
At Rosso,
we could see the car ferry which assures the border passing between Mauritania
and Senegal.
We reached
the town of Richard Toll - Richard’s Garden in the local wolof language. JMC
Richard was a botanist, who here made experiments with introduction of
different vegetal species. We visited the ruins of an old little castle,
originally built by a French governor, J-F Roger, later inhabited by the most
famous governor, Louis Faidherbe, and then transformed to a monastery, a school…
. It was guarded by a charming lady. We also visited a sugar factory and the
surrounding sugarcane fields. Our wonderful cruising guide, Ansou, made us taste
some sugarcanes.
A later
stop was for the little town Dagana, with a visit to a local school. What a
pleasure to meet all the school children, all so enthusiastic in spite of tough
conditions – and all wishing to be
photographed. Some of us left pencils and other material. When we left, most of
the kids were on the quay greeting us farewell.
(Address: M. Alioune Mbodj, directeur d'école, Amadou Basse Sall, Dagana, Senegal - amadoubassesall@yahoo.fr)
We also made
a rather long, very nice, walk through a beautiful landscape to reach a fula
(peul) nomadic village with its primitive cottages, however quite cool inside
and better equipped than what you first would have guessed. Smiling, wonderful
people… again!
In another
close-by village, I was spontaneously guided by this little girl, who showed her
very rudimentary school “building” and followed me for a complete village tour.
Once again, smiling people all over! We had a meal on the river banks in the
evening and they all joined up, singing and dancing.
(M. Idrissa Diedhiou, Instituteur, Deguemléré, Poder, Senegal)
The final
destination, before a return along the roads to Saint Louis, was the town of
Podor, a previously major settlement with important port installations for
trade of ivory, Arabic gum, slaves … Some of the port buildings have been
nicely restored, as well as the Podor fortress . A walk around the town offered
the sight of some interesting shops - a butcher’s shop, a telephone shop, a library
(“Au Quartier Latin”). ..
Finally, I
wish to show you shots of the banks, taken along the cruise – marshland in the
beginning, then becoming drier, Sahel… Some photos, on the portside, show Mauritania,
others on the starboard, Senegal. Beautiful landscapes, smiling, active people,
fishing pirogues…
… and I
must add a picture of one of the charming young ladies you find all over the
country, selling necklaces, bracelets … in a very (smiling) convincing way. I
brought a heavy load back.
… and is connected with a footbridge to the
little island Fadiouth. No cars here, everything is calm, clean. The island is
more or less artificial, completely built up by sea shells which crack under
your feet. There is a Christian domination, but as usual in Senegal, Muslims
and Christians live peacefully together… as well as the goats and the pigs. Assisting
to a mass at the local church with the wonderful, powerful, singing (so
different from what you may hear in a French church) was a real pleasure! Another proof of the nice co-habitation is the
combined Christian and Muslim cemetery on a separate little island. From the
cemetery you can admire some millet granaries. 
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