A few hours drive south of Dakar is Fadiouth seashell island. The island grew out of piles of shells collected from the seafood harvested in the surrounding waters. It is accessible by a footbridge and has walkways of crushed shells with no cars allowed. Astride the shells, the islanders pride themselves on their religious tolerance. The charming cemetery's Muslim and Christian sections blend right into each other with only the names and iconography on the gravestones differentiating them.
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| Manny and Erica at Fadiouth Cemetery |
After touring the island and opting for a rowboat ride back to the mainland, we treated ourselves to the luxury of Riu Baobab hotel. Moving between the 24-hour bar, multiple swimming pools, and extensive food buffet, the hours passed quickly. The highlight for me was the water slides! Manny and I may have been the only adults sliding without kids, but I felt no shame. First, the slides were so fast they really were not for the faint of heart! And why would I want to deny myself the massive grin that each ride gave me?
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| Slide time! |
Away from all the manmade amenities, we reveled in the beach. The warm water had gentle swells perfect for lazily bobbing in the water. The private beach was also clean and mercifully free of vendors. We had taken a gamble on this trip during the rainy season, but had an excellent adventure of culture, activity, and sun in one fun weekend!
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| Loving the beach! |