Dakar, Senegal

When we docked in Dakar we were instructed to simply walk to the gate where our guide Ali would be waiting. It's never that easy. Six of us were together for the tour and we all split up going in different directions to try to find our people. Finally, we figured it out and jumped into the van. A rather long ride through the decidedly unscenic city of Dakar took us finally to the Bandia Preserve where we had an excellent tour with Oosome and saw ostriches, antelope, giraffe, rhinocerous and birds of all descriptions. 

After the tour through the preserve we visited Lac Rouge or Pink Lake, a body of water as salty as the Dead Sea. We watched the salt collectors working - a grueling job for which the women get paid the equivalent of one dollar for 25 trips carrying about 50 pounds in a basket balanced on their heads. 

Our guide called these African fast food...not just because of their speed but also the McDonalds-like "m" on their butts. 

I used Mobile Matisse to improve my photo of the cattle. 

Same with the zebra.

With the delightful Oosman...much of his education acquired by watching David Attenborough on the BBC. So under utilized in this position as a game ranger. But that's true all over Africa. Wasted brain power. 

One of the many gigantic Baobabs seen in Senegal and The Gambia. 

Typical restaurant in resort areas around Dakar. 

With a salt collector at Lac Rose. She was one of the few people who allowed us to take her photo. Their objection is not religious...they don't like the idea of being broadcast over the internet. Why, I don't know but people got very angry about this. One woman chased a man from our group who was pointing his telephoto at her. She spewed obscenities, shook her fist, spat on the ground. Furious.

Tourism is one of their few sources of income...why they wouldn't welcome photography, I don't know. 

Another puzzling aspect of Africa.