Visiting Senegal? A few things to do

I visited Senegal last month after 10 years! I didn't remember so much about Dakar from the last time I visited, but the thing that struck me most in 2012 was the Gorée Island (île de Gorée) and I knew I had to go back.

Senegal is a small country in West Africa with a population of about 16 or 17 million. Largely on the coast, a good part of the population speaks Wolof, one of the national languages. Wolof and French are widely spoken.

The baobab tree and the lion are national symbols. While talking about boabab trees, someone made reference to how elders sit under baobab trees in rural areas and disputes get resolved under boabab trees. It obviously holds great significance and there are lots of these trees all over the country.

If you followed the Africa cup of Nations recently, you'll know that the team that won was the Lions of Teranga 😊

A baobab tree

Dakar, the capital of the country, has a nice vibe to it, it has a life of its own and there are lots of things to do. The night life is indeed night, as they start late, close to midnight (depending on the kind of fun you are looking for) and go on till morning. There is a wide range of restaurants, bars and hang out spots with live music. There is a beach area lined with exercise equipment already set up. You'll find people exercising there most times, the area is called La Corniche. 

In Dakar, the art scene is grand, from street art to graffiti, museums and the art village. The traffic is equally hectic so the colourful streets can keep you company while you get through. Have a look at  some of the street art I drove past:

Retro Africa Abuja

To a large extent, my parents are responsible for my love for art in many ways. We grew up with art works hanging all around our house. My parents have a collection and once upon a time when we complained that there were too many of them in the house, they found a way to buy us over.
This explains why when I saw this gallery on a friends story on Instagram, I asked my friends to meet up there. At the end of our visit, we were glad we stopped by.

Retro Africa is in a residential neighbourhood and in a part of Asokoro that doesn't seem to have much. Without the right address, you might wonder if it even exists but as you drive in, this photo below welcomes you.

Zaria Nigeria

Growing up, Zaria was peaceful and the ideal place to be. It had people from all parts of Nigeria and other parts of the world, especially in the prestigious university, Ahmadu Bello University. It is one of the oldest Federal universities in Nigeria. I won't go into the history...google is your best friend! *bite me!* This place is one I know like the back of my hand. I spent a good part of my childhood in this town.

Growing up on campus, this university was full of life! There were times I could not wait to be an adult like the students. They dressed up, had parties, shows, rags day and so many other exciting events. It all looked like good fun to my small mind at the time.