Senegal - Dakar Dakar's golden sands are the city's gym, playground and the heart of the community. 
Restriction: None
Perhaps it's something to do with being the westernmost city
on the African mainland; perhaps it's the troubled history of the
continent that spreads east from its beaches. But whatever the
reason, the people of Senegal's capital city, Dakar, have their
gazes fixed firmly out to sea. The vast expanse of beaches that
surrounds Dakar- Yoff, Almadies and the islands of Ngor and Goree
- are central to the life of the city, used daily by the local
population for work and play. Early morning sees the fishermen
landing their daily catch. By midday excited children are playing
in the shallow surf and the drummers beat out the rhythms of
beach life. Then come the surfers. For all its association with
the counter-culture, surfing remains a largely first world sport.
Senegal may be about to change all that, with its beaches gaining
a growing reputation amongst the surfing community. By dusk the
sands have turned into a giant outdoor gymnasium with hundreds of
people running, wrestling (the national sport) and playing
football. More than just a centre for the community, Dakar's
beaches have become a way of life. |
