Day 32: November 3, 2024 – Dakar, Senegal, Africa

Our second day in Senegal was spent scouring markets throughout the city. Led by fellow shipmate and shopper extraordinaire Ben, we wove our way through dozens of vendor stalls. Colorful clothing and textile, antiques, and art were local specialties.

Alterations to clothing can be made by tailors on the spot.

I bought a couple small things (a sundress and a picture). It paled in comparison to Ben’s haul, which included several giant metal antique sculptures that required their own seat in the van transporting us back to the ship. 🙂

This woman selling her wares was deaf; she was able to communicate in sign language with the youngest member of our group, Lucia, who is also deaf. In her mouth she’s holding a stick of sugarcane, which many of the women on the streets were chewing.

After a long, hot day of shopping and haggling, cold drinks at a beer joint hit the spot. I joined Lucia and Aliona for fruity sodas, while the rest of the adults tried out local beers.

Walking the streets of Dakar also netted me 3 new birds for my life list, including these 2 lovebirds, male and female Red-billed Firefinches.

Next stop: Porto da Praia, Santiago Island, Cape Verde, Africa