Walk to Soumbedioune

We expanded our horizon significantly today by walking south along the coastal road, the Corniche, down to the fish market at Soumbedioune.  The Corniche, from the French word meaning road on a ledge, is here broad and lined with estate-sized homes.  The day was overcast and breezy, moderating the temperature and the effects of the oft-oppressively high humidity.  True to it's name, the Corniche runs along the bluffs overlooking the sea.  The shore here is largely rocky, with open beaches in protected coves.

We picked our way along the bluffs, taking advantage of the on-shore breeze as much as possible.  Along one section we discovered a pile of abalone-like shells, glistening with mother-of-pearl interior.  Abalone in Senegal?  Who would have guessed:  http://www.alibaba.com/catalog/101439535/Abalone.html.

I had read that the Senegalese were beautiful:  lean, strongly, and stately.  Based upon the individuals we passed this morning, the description is absolutely accurate.  Admittedly, many we encountered were athletic -- playing soccer, jogging, etc.  We passed a little area reserved for doing sit-ups, with a horizontal post in place for hooking your feet, and cardboard cushions for your backside.  There was even a sign depicting someone doing sit-ups.

The geology of the coast is puzzling, certainly a subject we'll investigate this fall.  How do you explain all the volcanic rock, much of which is rounded, boulder-like, perfect catapult ammo?  Is this pillow lava?  I know the rock is not terribly old, in geological terms.  It's seems more likely that it was formed underwater, from a sea vent, than a terrestrial volcano.  That would explain the roundedness.  Are we seeing magma that blooped out of a vent.  Details to be determined.

As we approached Soumbedioune, the Corniche became gradually more congested with people and traffic, smells and noise.  In our travels around our neighborhood, there are no tourists, and we experience few solicitations.  There are no husslers or pirates.  But immediately upon reaching the Soumbedioune area, and the marche aux poissons (fish market), we were immediately and constantly harangued, and so stayed only a short time.

I wondered at dinner, how might we respond to an insistent, annoying hussler, while remaining respectful.  How about:  S'il vous plait, monsieur, mais j'habit ici, j'habit du Dakar.  Translated, buzz off, I'm a local.  

Our first day here, I noticed something zip through the tall grass along a sidewalk, and I flashed on one of the velociraptor scenes from Jurassic Park.  The lizards are large here;  well, larger than the blue bellies out beside our garage in Carmel Valley.  I don't know the type of lizard yet, save that they're big enough to take down a small horse.