Given our heavy working schedules and some other complications, my husband and I all but abandoned the idea of being able to get away on vacation. But then at the last minute we were able to join a group on a trip to Senegal organized by one of our good friends. So off we went, with a total of 12 people, most of whom we did not know.
The group turned out to include some wonderful people, including our guide, Ali, the sweetest person I have ever met (although his delightful 4-year-old is on top of that list as well!). We all immediately bonded, whether through crazy singing on our minibus or wildly bounding like a bunch of teenagers through the country’s colorful markets (which deserve a whole post just for themselves). Ali took us places he had never taken any of his previous groups, including to his own house where his wonderful family prepared an authentic Senegalese dish for us, the Thieboudienne. It was the best meal we had on the trip! And for those of you who have never eaten Senegalese food, wow, put that on your bucket list right now!
Among the many things Senegal had to offer (history, music, people), I discovered that it was a paradise for a wood & fabric fanatic like me! I came close to switching from "Madras" fabrics to equally beautiful, colorful and diverse "Wax Prints". But I also reminded myself that I am a Creole girl, so I should embrace all of my identities, not choose between one or the other. Although I managed to be reasonable and not buy wood, I did allow myself to buy some Wax prints that inspired one of my new beautiful earrings, which I named Dakar to remember that beautiful country!
Awaken your senses in Senegal: an intense mix of sounds, colors, flavors, and smells—delightful for the beauty-seeking eyes .