Visiting Senegal was a great experience for me. Senegal is a Muslim country in which Wolof is the official language. However, many people speak French and then English. The majority of people here speak French rather than English. Using my translation app, I had no problem communicating. Yango is an Uber-like app that I used to get around. Hiring a driver will make navigating the city much easier since there is a lot to see. Saly was the first area I visited. A beach resort style part of the country can be found in Saly. I stayed at one of the major resorts there and had a great time. My first part of the trip was primarily for unwinding and relaxing after a long flight. As my flight here was divided into three flights, it took almost 22 hours altogether. You should try to book a direct flight from NYC if at all possible. This will depend on which airline you fly or where you begin your journey. When I visited Saly, my hotel arranged for me to go into town for dinner and eat some local cuisine. Since so much of the local cuisine is made from fresh seafood and fish caught daily, I highly recommend trying some. Despite being vegan, I had no difficulty eating according to my dietary restrictions. Saly's beaches are very picturesque and perfect for postcards. I was able to move freely without being disturbed by vendors on the hotel's private beaches. The majority of my day in Saly was spent working out, relaxing, eating, and enjoying the sunshine. Since French influence can be seen throughout the region, French wines are not in short supply.
Soaking up the Sunset in Saly
Beach in Saly
Saly
Beach Selfie
One of the Restaurants my hotel highly recommended and it did not disappoint.
One of my made to order Vegan Dinners
Downtown Saly
I had a great time exploring Dakar and shopping. You will not find fabrics like these anywhere else in the world, and there are patterns unlike any you will find elsewhere. I spent a lot of time shopping at Sea Plaza's boutiques. Sea plaza is an upscale shopping center attached to a major hotel. There are many international designers as well as local artisans here. You can eat in the food court or outside in the beautiful outdoor space.
Street Art in Dakar
The view from Sunset Cocktails at my hotel
Women walking
One of the local artist at Sea Plaza whose shop I frequented
Out one night for dinner. There is a large Lebansese population here so I had to try the food at least once!
African Renaissance Monument
African Renaissance Monument
Coffee Stand
Postcard Perfect
Magic Land
Soccer Fields are everywhere, as to be expected from the best team in Africa
Outdoor Gym
On a private tour, I visited Pink Lake and Goree Island. There was a short ferry ride from the port to Goree Island, which I really enjoyed. The pink lake was another story because it's no longer pink, so it's just like visiting a regular lake and the drive takes almost 2 hours. Apart from the fact that it is extremely salty, there isn't much extraordinary about the lake. Getting out of the city and exploring another part of the country while driving up the coast will make for a fun day trip.
On the road to Pink Lake
There is a lot of amazing tile work here, even on the outside of homes and buildings
Camels in the sand loading dock
"Pink Lake" and Salt collection
Pink Lake
All aboard the Ferry to Goree Isalnd
