Spent the first part of the day at the national park Djoudj Bird Sanctuary. Djoudj has the first water source south of the Sahara so, as migratory birds cross the desert in Jan-Feb-March it is apparently a very busy place, and a big draw for ornithologists as well as thirsty birds. Even though now is not a migration period, we saw a variety of stay-at-homes, including a colony of pelicans. A few animals too, including a rather handsome warthog.
Back to St. Louis for a lunch of the local specialty “Ceebu jën” which is rice and fish with vegetables including cassava and a variety of eggplant I was not familiar with, plus a side of carrots marinated in a tamarind-based sauce. With our meal we drank ditax, the juice of the ebony-tree fruit. All very tasty!
We headed for Lompoul in the afternoon, for an overnight stay in the desert. Our lodging complex was eco-friendly — no air conditioning, limited electricity, and totally powered by solar. Geoff took a sunset camel ride, but I stayed put and enjoyed the gorgeous view and the desert silence instead. At night, we listened to a lively band sing and drum, then dinner, then to bed under a mosquito net. The night sky in rural Africa is stunning. No light pollution at all, and it is inky black, and full, full, full, full of stars. I think Senegal and Mali are the only places I have seen the sky like this.
And a small p.s. — what the heck are these guys doing on a Senegalese stamp???
Loving the blog and photos Elizabeth
No ceebu Jen for me, avoiding fish in my life😜
Sending photo of Geoff on camel to Tommy
Keep enjoying this trip
Paul
Glad you are enjoying, and I’m glad you’re staying away from the fish. You scared us the night you ate the salmon!