Delights of Dakar: Learnin', Eatin', Chillin'

Now that I'm back in Cotonou, it's time to reflect on my time in Dakar.  Many of memories involve, eating, learning and chilling mostly in that order.

I was in Dakar, Senegal for a 2 week project design and management training, a required training for my job.  I'd arrived 2 days early to do information meetings with the Dakar Education team to learn about their programs and share with them what we're doing in Benin.  So besides eveningg and weekend, most of my days were in training.  I didn't mind as the training was fabulous and so informative.

The other 25 or so participants also made it worth my while.  Many were Senegalese employees of USAID Senegal as well as foriegn service officers.  Like me some paricipants traveld from their posts, including Sierra Leone, Guinee, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Ghana.  It was a great group! No pictures though. I was too busy learning:)

Here are some pics:

In a cab along the beach road.  I took cabs everywhere.

Running men.  My brother Dwayne would LOVE this place.

Active folk and one of many beautiful Senegalese sunsets.

Besides the overpriced taxis, the hotel was fabulous.
I asked them to cut up my mango and they did this work of art.

Training aside, I got a great dose of Senegalese cuisine including  Thieboudienne Rouge, Yassa Poisson/Poulet and the delectable pastries Dakar is known for. 

Famous Senegalese thieboudienne rouge.

I ate so well and it was nice taking a litle break from cooking.  My hotel is located along a road that runs for a mile or so along the beach.  Everyday I saw the activities along the beach road, most of which consisted of families and folks running.  The Senegalese seem to be very physically active.

One of my favorite billboards.

Cool photo of taxi driver and speed limit (in km:)

Another favorite billboard I passed every day.