Sandaga Market - Dakar Senegal

Marche Sandaga -

Sandaga Market

The bustling Sandaga market is in a  dusty off-pink three-story building structure ...whose style echoes the spired terre battue (earthen-floored) markets and mosques of the Sahel. Located at the corner of Avenues Pompidou and Lamine Gueye Sandage is a truly African market. Wander among its labyrinth of stalls selling everything from fruits and vegetables to fabrics and electronics.
You will also have the opportunity to buy a variety of handicrafts and souvenirs. Outside the market, the avenue Emil Badiane is also filled with vendors.

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Kermel Market - Dakar Senegal

-Marché Kermel-

Marche' Kermel

The original Victorian style building constructed in 1860 burnt down in 1994, but the 1997 reconstruction has been closely modelled on the building's initial structure and decoration.
The covered Marché Kermel, behind Av Sarraut and within walking distance of Marché Sandaga. Marche Kermel is a popular market in Dakar. It is famous not only for its large variety of food and souvenirs sold: it is also known as a beautiful landmark because its building is a splendid piece of art.



Marche' Kermel-Original

Designed by the same Victorian architects that designed the Dakar train station.

At the Marche' Kermel you can find all types of European foods, all beautifully presented.  Here you will find modern shops such as butchers and spice stalls. 

Marche Kermel

Cows are butchered in front of customers,  lobster and shrimp try to escape boxes, and fresh fruit and vegetables abound. Around this market people are selling flowers, alongside small crafts shops selling straw/cane articles, wooden sculptures and leather goods.

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Top 7 African Fashions Websites

Our Top Seven Fashion & Accessories Websites featuring African products and textiles in no particular order



Gildan Nodza

Gidan Nodza Handbags - Gidan Nodza was founded in 2004 as a venture dedicated to creating bags and other fashion accessories using designs based centrally on African motifs fused with the latest fashion trends. The name Gidan Nodza is the Hausa language term for 'House of Nodza' and 'Nodza' in turn means 'That which is awake but yet asleep' in the Mambila language of North Eastern Nigeria. The name is a metaphor for the duality of existence or life.

Middlesex Textiles

Middlesex Textiles- 
A  family business that has been trading since 1969. They specialists in Swiss Voiles, Laces,Wax Prints and various other West African fabrics. Having three outlets in London UK which are renowned worldwide for selling the highest quality fabrics at extremely competitive prices ! Due to the fact that they are one of the largest importers and exporters of west African fabrics in the world. Middlesex textiles specialise in both retail and wholesale purchases.


Swahili Imports

Swahili Imports  - Since 1994, Swahili Imports has been building a network of artisans across Africa. Swahili's partnerships center on fair and sustainable profit generation, artisan advancement and modern, earth-friendly product development.More than 1000 retail stores, museums, educational institutions and catalogs worldwide currently sell Swahili Imports products, and a limited selection of Swahili Imports products may be purchased via this website and through our Swahili retail store in Eugene's historic Fifth Street Public Market.

African Bags

African Bags - Africa Bags are hand-crafted on foot powered treadle sewing machines in one of 7 villages in Malawi, Africa. We send profits from the bag sales directly back to Malawi every month.  This is a non-profit organization.  They rely on volunteers to help us market the bags here in America.  Goals- To economically empower the people of Malawi Africa with a sustainable economy. To reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. Buy the bag that is saving lives in Malawi!

Vlisco

Vlisco -Since 1846 Vlisco has been designing and producing colourful fashion fabrics that form an essential part of the lively West and Central African culture. Vlisco has an innate sense of the expressive and creative strength of African consumers and, for generations, has succeeded in surprising and inspiring her passionate clientele with unique designs. As the sole authentic designer and manufacturer of such fabrics as ‘Wax Hollandais’, Vlisco is unparalleled when it comes to quality, professional skill and innovation.

Le Tabouret D'or

Le Tabouret D'or -  Is an e-boutique that carries modern luxury African fashion crafted by the continent’s top designers. With the launch of Le Tabouret D’Or, gone are the days that a tailor is your only link to unique African fashion!

Congo Rose  -  Congo


Congo Rose

Rose is Africa Remixed.The Fabrics have been collected from all over the African continent, carefully chosen in the local markets and handmade into our original designs in Cape Town, South Africa. Their Passion is for the people of Africa, especially the women. We believe that by producing locally we are making a positive impact in the lives of these women and the many people they support within their families and communities. Production is based on principals of fair trade. All products are produced by highly talented seamstresses. The Creations are bought by charismatic people who celebrate their individuality by choosing something unique, inspired and exceptionally well made. They embrace lifestyle diversity and creativity.
Other Great Fashion Sites:

• Tamboo Bamboo

• The Madness of Wax a Blolg
• Jewel by LIsa
• Neks 2U
• Bella Naija
• Fah-Schyon Blog

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Is Senegal Safe for Tourist?

Sineta George - SenegalStyle

Security Concerns for West Africa in General & Senegal in Particular!

(Guest Blogger Sineta George owner of Senegal Style. Original post Thorn Tree Travel Forum)

 Hello again and Greetings from Senegal!

It's as safe now in Senegal (and Casamance) as it ever was as long as you stay away from obvious hot spots, political rallies and/or protests.

I originally did a post this summer on another online travel forum when there were protests about power shortages (which we don't have anymore) and now, here we go again.

We've got another travel advisory flagged for Senegal (because of the elections), in big red letters, a 'Travel Alert' - Safety Concerns and you have raised an important issue to many people that have never been to West Africa and therefore pay a lot of attention to these types of warnings. I wish to put this issue into perspective however.

Having said that, let me state for the record that I am an America woman, single parent of 3 young American adults that spent 12 years of their lives here in Senegal, with me. 2 are back in the US and I have one 18 yr old still in school, here in Dakar.

I moved here in 1999 BECAUSE it is such a peaceful and tranquil country.

Most people have never heard of Senegal because there's not been any wars, famine, epidemics (HIV/AIDS rate is less that 0.7%!), capital punishment, child pornography rings, slavery or anything else that would normally get a country in the news.

The Senegalese people are guilty only of exercising their civil rights - the freedom to protest against their government and every time they do, Senegal gets slapped with a travel advisory by western embassies, namely the US and Canada and then everyone else follows suit.

HOWEVER, and this is really the crux of the matter, in light of all the 'Occupy' wherever protests going on in the US and other places - why aren't there travel warnings to Washington, DC? New York? Greece? The Italian people are always having a protest about something and so is France but there isn't any (serious) travel warnings about those countries.

Did you ever wonder why?

To make another point, the 10 cities with the highest murder rates in America are (and I just googled it and you can do your own research, the results may change but the point is the same):

Jacksonville, FL
Miami, FL
Memphis, TN
Orlando, FL
Birmingham, AL
St Petersburg, FL
Tampa, FL
Dallas, TX
Los Angeles, CA
Atlanta, GA

As I said previously, I'm American and my home state is Florida. If you do a google search for a list of the top ten cities with the highest murder rates like I just did, you will find that Florida has 5 of the top ten per capital , (and to me, that's a 'security concern' ). Has anyone ever seen a 'Travel Advisory' to the state where Disneyland is located? (Number 4!) Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX and Birmingham, AL are right next door and throw in Tennessee to the mix then it becomes 9 of the top 10 are in the south. That's sad.

If you look for the top ten LOWEST murder rates, Senegal comes in 2nd from the bottom. Iceland has the lowest murder rate, followed by a bunch of West African countries (6 all together out of 10) that ALWAYS get travel warnings issued against them!

This is where I got the info above from:
chacha.com/question/…comments

And again, using online states going from the bottom, being Iceland to #10, Oman:

Iceland
# SENEGAL
# BURKINO FASO
# CAMEROON
Finland
# GAMBIA
# MALI
Saudi Arabia
# MAURITANIA
Oman

Think about that. All these places (I put in caps for emphasis) are West African and have travel advisories against them. In some cases, yes a few people, adventure travelers in remote places and ngo people not following their security guidelines have died in some type of random violence in a year. Count them all up for 2011 and it's less than the body count over New Years in the US. Where I come from, a few people are murdered every weekend and random violence... let's not even go there! At least once a month someone goes 'postal' and shoots several people at once.

What's the difference but you're worried about safety over here?

Just because you have a visa to travel doesn't mean it's a safety shield from destiny or plain bad luck. Adventure travelers, people who meet a stranger, call him a friend and then go off in to remote locations with no plans, no local contacts, nothing, truly expect that nothing should happen to them BUT WHAT'S SURPRISING, is that nothing usually does.

Try doing this in your home country and see what happens to you. Africans are much more forgiving of western mentalities for 'thrill seeking' and adventure travel and put up with it every day.

This link:
mapsofworld.com/world-top-ten/countries-with…

Senegal is number 2 in the world with the fewest murders and Orlando (Disneyland) is the 3rd highest in America. Those crime rates are never reported on CNN or BBC or even Aljazeera are they?

What's wrong with this picture?

Don't change your travel plans folks, stay away from political rallies and exercise the same judgment here that you would if you were at home in a large city and you'll be fine.

The places we come from in the western modern world are way more violent than Senegal or any other '3rd world country' in West Africa will ever be!

Do your homework online and feel free to email me at SenegalStyle@gmail.com.

Doin' it SenegalStyle!
Sineta George - Google me; I'm legit!
Website: http://senegalstyle.wordpress.com/http://senegalstyle.wordpress.com/

Pink Lake - Senegal

Pink Lake - Senegal

One of the most interesting, beautiful attractions and rare natural phenomena in all of Senegal lies just 30 minutes (about 32 kilometers) north of the capital city of Dakar and a few hundred meters off the Atlantic Ocean. Located in the middle of small villages in the midst of a baobab forest, the Pink Lake (also known as Retba in Wolof and Lac Rose in French) is a warm, large but shallow lake with a high salt level that makes it possible for virtually anything to float on it.

As its name implies, the Pink Lake has a stunning, mineral-rich, pink-to-reddish color caused by a unique combination of microorganisms and a high concentration of salt crystals. Time of day and position of the sun further determine periodic changes in its color. Perhaps the water’s most stunning colors are apparent at dusk or dawn, during which the interplay of sunlight with rock-forming mineral deposits (know as feldspar) produces a shimmering effect through the water, emitting a pervasive violet tinge. This staggering brilliance is intensified by the patches of white foam that gather at its borders.

A leading tourist attraction, the Pink Lake appeals greatly to locals and visitors who flock there to float in its calm waters, relax on its sand dunes, or explore its surrounding baobab forest and nearby villages. This way, they are able to have ample insight into local village life, lively vegetable markets, and traditional Fula culture. The lake also served as a standard terminal for the Dakar Rally, where some competitors swim and cool off after taking part in the race at breakneck speeds. (Formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally, the Dakar Rally is an annual off-road, automobile race that has traditionally taken place from France to Dakar since its inception in 1978. Due to a number of security concerns, however, other regional locations are now being considered for the race. In, 2009, for instance, the rally took place in South America.)

For a significant number of the indigenous men and women, the Pink Lake provides a means of livelihood as they extract, gather, and sell its abundant buildup of salts. Approximately five kilometers along its shoreline—known as Niaga-Peul—there is a booming, salt mining cottage industry. Women are typically the salters (or producers) while men are the wholesalers and transporters. Besides containing vast quantities of commercial salt, the lake is also a principal trading spot for seafood. In the afternoon, hundreds of fishermen return from the high sea where they usually spend the night, bringing in tons of fish, shrimp, and lobsters in their dugout canoes.

Experts say that the Pink Lake was formed after the seas retreated many thousands of years ago, thus leaving the body of saltwater behind. It is truly a natural oddity and compares with the likes of the Dead Sea, which is also known to contain extraordinarily huge amounts of salt. The Pink Lake thus forms part of the Senegalese national heritage. For biologists, this body of water is in the category of ecological extremes because of its strong salt concentration, which is one of the highest worldwide—(approximately 380 grams per liter).

Dakar Day Trips

African American Woman Moves Family to Senegal

Sineta George  I’m ‘Doin’ it SenegalStyle

Go West Young Woman (with your children!) to West Africa!

(Guest Blogger Sineta George  owner of Senegal Style)

Greetings from the ‘Dark Continent,’ ‘The Motherland,’ my own personal paradise!
I’m a single woman, Southern Belle by birth, born and reared in the Gulf Coast of America and have lived in my adopted home town of Dakar Senegal for about 12 years now. I moved over in 1999 with my 3 children (13, 9 & 5 at the time) to educate my kids in the excellent international baccalaureate program that is standard, throughout the entire country!

Two are now grown and back in the US and the youngest is 17 and still in school here. When your children graduate from any Senegalese High School, they start college in the US and Europe as a junior (check out IB for yourself)! We didn’t even have IB when I was growing up, within 500 miles of our home (and even if we did, because of the school district laws in the US, I wouldn't have been able to attend anyway).

Throw in the safety and security of living in a Muslim country, (2nd from the bottom of the world for murders), drug, alcohol & gang-free environment, and beautiful weather every single day (nice beaches, cosmopolitan population of every nationality...Dakar reminds me of Atlanta actually).

I came originally as a tourist and just loved it! Watching thousands of men & women go to Friday Prayer with their children, both girls and boys, was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I wanted my children to grow up around strong, black, religiously motivated (but free to cover or not cover, and be Christian, Muslim, or agnostic!) so moving here was a no brainer and a lot easier than you think!

Many people are hesitant about visiting Francophone West Africa, even though this part of Africa is where Black Americans come from. Not South Africa! We have absolutely zero cultural connection to South Africa, but we go there by the thousands every year! It's like an Irish man going to Italy to find his roots - same continent, wrong area. West Africa, particularly Senegal & Gambia, Mali, Nigeria, Guinea & Ivory Coast (remember hearing your grandparents using the words 'geetchie' talk or black people from South Carolina being called 'geetchies'? They came from Guinea!). These places are our roots and we need to come here with our children and show them a different, better life. In my opinion, South Africa is more violent than South Central, and the people of South Africa are not even 'us.'

So young women (and men), don’t be 'skeered.' If you are thinking of adventure travel, Senegal is your place. Volunteer tourism  to get your feet wet? They are always looking for English teachers here!
If you want to learn French, Senegal is cheaper than France and 

Sineta @African Renaissance Statue

friendlier, too! Want to perfect your African drumming? Learn with the best of the best, Senegalese Drummaker and Master Percussionist, Ibou Sene (google him!)

There are many places to go and things to do: tours, by motorscooter and car, both inside and outside of Dakar, as well. Animal wildlife reserves, the tallest statue in the world is located here in the city (The African Renaissance Statue shown in the picture), a Pink Lake, village life, zip-lining and bungee jumping at Accrobaobab park, the beautiful beaches, African markets & Goree Island, Senegales wrestling, cheap hair weave & braiding(smile), upscale restaurants, clubs and nightlife and so much more!

If you want to import/export African textiles, gold or silver jewelry, art, drums and baskets, herbal products like Shea Butter & African black soap, or other items, Senegal has a professionally run flat rate port system so importing or exporting by container or air is not problematic.

Do additional homework online and feel free to email me at SenegalStyle@gmail.com.

Doin' it SenegalStyle!
Sineta George - Google me; I'm legit!
Website: http://senegalstyle.wordpress.com/

Visit page for other Senegal Destinations

Senegals New culture and tourism minister Youssou Ndour. What can he do to promote tourism?