You will possibly be proposed to make a walk through
the city of Dakar in the morning before preparing your evening
departure. It will be for you the occasion to discover the atmosphere
prevailng and the way of life of the population. You will take
advantage to buy some recollections.
Walk through Dakar
We will have breakfast at 8 am before going into
the vehicle for the walk. We will take the ledge to reach The
Independence Square situated in the heart of Dakar Plateau, the core of
the capital.
By taking the avenue Roume, we walk past the presidency of the
Republic. Built in 1907 for the governor-general of the AOF, the
building stands in the middle of a magnificent park in front of the
ocean. Through the avenue of the Republic, we will go to the cathedral
of the African Recollection, inaugurated in 1929. By taking the avenue
Jean-XXIII, we arrive at Soweto place.
The National Assembly and the museum of Dakar or IFAN are situated
there. Built in 1931 in the Sudanese style, the building sheltered the
general administration of the AOF. Completely renewed in 1995, this
museum, the most interesting of Senegal, is dedicated to western
Africa. 300 objects, among which 12.000 stored, are exposed to there.
We will go again through the avenue Lamine Guèye to reach a big
building of neo-Sudanese style : the market hall of Sandaga. This big
place of small business and of picturesque of Dakar is busy. You can
glance at the heaps of spices and mysterious powders. If you want to
buy a bubu, you can visit the adjacent streets of the market where a
crowd of dressmakers is settled.
By continuing the avenue Emile-Badiane (ex Jauréguiberry), then
the avenue Blaise Diagne, we arrive at the number 69, at the entry of
the the Moors yard. About twenty jewelers melt down, beat and chisel
silver and gold jewels. These workers are not the only ones to haunt
alleys and courses of the place : a half opened door allows to perceive
a Lébou potter, a embroiderer or another leather worker printing
on the leather the learned interlaces of a geometrical drawing.
The big mosque is situated in the avenue El Hadji Malick Sy.
Inaugurated in 1964 by the king of Morocco Mohamed V, the Big Mosque of
Dakar is one of the vastest and of the most beautiful religious
monuments of Africa. Its minaret is noticeable everywhere from the
city. This architecture of Gustave Collet's work is inspired by the
mosque Mohamed-V of Casablanca. Moroccan artisans have carried out the
mosaics and internal decorations of the mosque.
From the market Sandaga, we will go down the avenue Georges-Pompidou,
commonly known as, avenue Willian Ponty, its former name. We will walk
past cinemas, bars, restaurants and numerous salesmen settled on the
pavement with their displays of masks and statuettes.
Once we come back to the place of the Independence, we will take the
path of Delmas (ex street Duck). We will reach the City hall, the
classic building dating back to 1914. At the end of the street, there
are the pier for Gorée, the port and the so picturesque station
as it seems taken out of a theater decoration. The creation of the port
in 1910 marked the beginning of the industrialization of the country.
Dakar, an almost compulsory stopover on the road of the Cap, represents
the Black African ocean door. Its port remains one of the best equipped
of all the west African coast, with a deep, sure and easy natural
harbour of access and of the modern installations on ground. We will
leave the path Delmas (ex street Duck) to go along the boulevard Djily
Mbaye (ex Pinet-Laprade), shaded by trees and lined with
colonial houses, where the Europeans lived formerly. We will reach the
Hotel of the Posts and the small place which adjoins it. The market
Kermel is set up there. The building of this market hall was burned
several times before being reconstructed in 1997.
By following the east cornice, we will reach the handle Bernard, so
called in memory of the captain Bernard, captain of the vessel
Léger, who has recaptured the Island of Gorée from the
English in 1693. Close to the handle Bernard, a road sometimes path,
sometimes stair leads to the beach. Cut in the cliff and dominating the
ocean, the Cornice skirts the cap Manuel. It owes its name to Manuel
III, the king of Portugal from 1495 to 1521. A lighthouse, with a reach
of 20 miles, stands near the road with 45 metres over the sea. From the
crossroad of Madeleine, the West Cornice will lead us at first to
Soumbédioune. Its craft village is at the edge of a pleasant bay
frequented by fishermen. Created in 1961, it includes around 68 stands,
488 craftsmen, bosses, workmates and apprentices. They come from all
the sides of Senegal. This village became in some years the target of
some sculptors such as Cheikh Diop, Traoré, El Hadji Mboup,
Djibril N'Diaye.
At about 12 am, the walk will finish and we will return to the
accommodations where we will take our last lunch.
Transfer at the airport
After having received your views and suggestions
concerning the stay in Dakar, we will help you to arrange your luggage
in a good atmosphere. We will accompany you then at the airport so as
to assist you in the completion of your formalities. Then will follow
farewells, the time when we wish you good return to your country by
hoping to see you again very soon for another visit in other horizons.
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