Ode to the Ile

The Ile de Goree, or Goree Island, is quite simply the most beautiful area I have yet encountered so far during my stay in Dakar. You get there via ferry, known here as a chaloupe, much as New Yorkers access Staten Island. Given its geographical location on Africa’s western tip, it is predominantly associated with the idea of the Atlantic slave trade (although according to Wikipedia “probably no more than a few hundred slaves a year were ever embarked here for transportation to the Americas”), and there is a museum called the Maison des Esclaves built around 1776 which attempts to do justice to the history of slavery (see an artist’s rendition of the property). Some are convinced that the House of Slaves is a hoax, as from an architectural point of view the house is one of the finest homes on the island and would almost certainly have been a trader’s house, emphatically not a place where slaves would have been kept. (This reminds me of my expensive visit to see the Jane Austen house in Bath – which, as it turns out, is not really where Jane lived at all: the museum is in a Georgian townhouse just a few doors down from where Jane actually lived for a few weeks. However, disappointed as I was, the use of period costumes etc. did give a nice flavor of the Regency era).

Written by T. Braunstein · Filed Under Africa

¿Comò te llama? ¿Cuántos años tiene?

Written by C. Aliek · Filed Under $150 Writing Contest, South America

Let’s Get Cynical

I have just come back from a really lovely dinner at one of Ngor’s most pleasant restaurants, a little place called Sao Brazil. Picture solid wooden tables and chairs in a garden setting, bougainvillea everywhere, even white wine and ‘real’ ham (meaning made from pork instead of beef, always keeping in mind that Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country). A great place to unwind, except for the fact that during dinner, my colleague looked at me and shook her head, warning me that I really ought not to be so cynical about every aspect of my life here in Senegal.

Written by T. Braunstein · Filed Under Africa

It’s All about the Kids

Written by T. Nelson · Filed Under $150 Writing Contest, South America

HALEKULANI – Perfection in Paradise

Like an elegant host of a large, family party, surrounded by relatives of inconsistent style and increasing volume, Hawaii’s Halekulani Hotel sits at the southern end of Waikiki Beach amidst other hotels. It is a part of the scene because of its presence yet apart from it because of its quality. Read more

Written by M. McKirdy · Filed Under $150 Writing Contest, North America

The Art of Marchander

Hippos, wall hangings, fertility figures, statuettes representing days of the week, monkeys that hear, see and speak no evil, pirogue-shaped trays, woven baskets, djembes, rings and bracelets: all of these items and more are to be had at most any Senegalese market. It goes without saying that everything is of course made of the finest ebony (or at least driftwood that has been given a nice black finish with shoe polish) or pure silver (well, the top layer, anyway). The famous wax cloth called bazin (see article A Trip to the Tailor, http://www.traveling-stories-magazine.com/a-trip-to-the-tailor/#more-397) so beloved by the Senegalese comes in three grades, but no matter which you choose, you will inevitably be told that the one you have selected is the most valuable kind, and will therefore be priced accordingly. So the most useful skill to acquire immediately upon arrival is that of haggling.

Written by T. Braunstein · Filed Under Africa

Waiting for the Barbarians

“So when you first agreed to come, did you think you would find us swinging from trees and stuff?” asked one of my students eagerly, to the sound of giggles all around.

Written by T. Braunstein · Filed Under Africa

Firenze, Romans…

Written by M. McKirdy · Filed Under $150 Writing Contest, Europe

You are How You Travel: Best Travel Stories of the Week

Written by Feby Nurdiana · Filed Under Editor

Visiting the Vineyard: 5 Things Up-Island You’ve Never Done, but Should

Martha’s Vineyard—a common vacation spot. Beautiful beaches, various kinds of seafood, people everywhere…and lots of overpriced shops. The Vineyard is a great place to visit, and there are many things to do. However, most people find themselves amongst the crowds; all doing the same things.