Dakar, Senegal 6/8/24

 Dakar, Senegal

On our way to Goree Island



Goree Island, while having a dark past with the slave trade, was full of cobblestone walkways and charming homes, restaurants and shops.


This is the House of Slaves, and its Door of No Return was turned into a museum and memorial to the victims of the Atlantic slave trade and was opened in 1962.  It is the oldest house on the island and was built by a French family. Built in the 1700's.





The stories here are very similar to those we heard in Takoradi, Ghana, about the inhuman treatment of those who were sold into slavery.








Goree Memorial at the top of the island, right next to the french cannons.









Statue of Liberation


African Renaissance Monument - may be as large as the Big Buddha.   It is taller than the Statue of Liberty. Mickey climbed to the top while I did a little shopping at the local markets.







We were to have stopped at the mosque and the cathedral, but a funeral was being held at the time we were to visit so we only saw the outside, and we ran out of time to see the mosque.



Dakar was a contrast to say the least.  Goree Island we found charming, the people welcoming, and the history preserved, while recognizing the brutality of the slave trade.  The afternoon part of the tour took us through the city, which was dirty, extremely crowded, and not particularly remarkable.  I chose not to take any pictures as it was not something I really wanted to remember.  And so ends our trip around Africa.  We would possibly revisit a few of our port stops, but don't plan on heading back any time soon.  Two days of cruising and then on to the Canary Islands.






Location: Dakar, Senegal

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