Weekend Ghost Town

Place Soweto

I like the weekends in Dakar.  Downtown the streets are empty as all the street vendors and pan handlers pack up their shacks and head home for the weekend.  The streets are nearly deserted and I can walk around in peace and not get hasseled every 10 yards.  A couple people walked up to me but didn't try too hard to sell their watches or phone cards.  I think the people in the neighborhood are starting to recognize me and realize that i am not just a tourist passing through.

Place de L'Independance

A cool sight downtown is the large catholic cathedral.  It is also surrounded by the catholic schools (elementary and high schools) where many of the more affluent Senegalese send their children.

A fun game I have started to play is to find the different embassies in the city.  Today I walked by Cameroon, USA, Lebanon, and Russia.  Yesterday I ran by China, Ghana, Spain, and Saudi Arabia on my eight mile run up the cornice and around the African Renaissance Monument.  Unfortunately, the guards at the embassies and official buildings get upset if you start taking pictures.