Dakar Daze

Okay. I'm in Africa and I think the best part of being in Africa is certainly the black people. I have no great expectations except to finally see some of the monuments only visited in my imagination via a film, a novel or a painting...someone else's interpretation of what Africa is, as if any place could be so monolithic. Certainly no honest or thoughtful person would ever say such about any place or thing, especially the largest land mass on the planet which according to the recent global warming conference is in dire straights if the current industrialization march continues at the rate it is going. As my hostess, Suzanne and I rode from the hospital where she had physical therapy, there were huge bonfires in what we might call an island off the main road: thick dark black smoke. She chuckled when I mentioned environmental pollution, our linguistic impasse needed no translation there.

Both men and women are beautifully outfitted, and although I think I live in a more up and coming area of town, my hostess is an elementary school teacher, we still walked by a paraplegic beggar--reminded me of the film, The Little Girl Who Swallowed the Sun, by the Senegalese director or maybe he is Malian. I'll have to check; he is known for depicting the forgotten of ignored everyday people like the beggars and dwarfs. I also saw lots of children selling newspapers and a few bare feet kids, whom might be under housed. I wish the cost of travel wasn't kicking my butt, I'd love to share more with those less fortunate, especially those who do not ask.

I love the prayers recited over the loud speaker. I bet that was really cool during Ramadan. Aziz and walked by the masjid on the way from our shopping adventure. I wanted to see what it looked like up close, but I couldn't see into the sanctuary and the women have a separate entrance.

I am not sure if Senegalese muslims will see me there (smile)--womanist to the core. Hajj is different: men and women are not separated, so why not use this as the norm? Thus far, the patriarchs aren't feeling me, and at 51 I'm not feeling them either. For that matter, I wasn't feeling them at 40 either.

I was warned about the anti-photo thing, so I ask before I snap and have a lot of pictures of buildings and billboards and shop signs--some of the signs, like on barber shops I've seen in museums.

I am going to have to pull out my journalism hat and see if that gives me entre. I have to go to bed now, because I am not on the Senegal clock yet and I don't know what time it is, but I am sleepy.