SENEGAL ~ Gorée Island - Dakar - UNESCO ~

... Nice view of an island with a dark past... it was one of the main hubs of the transatlantic slave trade... thousands of West Africans were gathered here, hoarded onto cramped ships and taken to the new world... many of them wouldn’t even make it to the destination... so, it is difficult today when you walk the narrow streets, colored by the walls of the old colonial houses and baobab trees to imagine that it was from this Senegalese island that thousands of Africans left, sold as slaves to rich American planters... Gorée is now a living museum that welcomes nearly 700,000 tourists a year... while the island has its horrid past to live with, today it’s remarkably peaceful... Thanks so much dear Andrene! (✿◠‿◠)

Gorée Island is a tiny isle a couple of miles from Dakar.

With its strategic location and safe haven, it was one of the first African places to be settled by Europeans. The first to come ashore were the Portuguese in the 15th century. They were later driven out by the Dutch who named the island Goede Reede (the current name is still a corruption of this). In the centuries that followed, the whole place changed occupiers several other times, but its purpose remained largely the same. From 1536 to 1848, Gorée island was one of the main hubs of the transatlantic slave trade. (1848 is the year the French made slavery illegal.)

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978.

©Photos: AM BREGER

Stamps:

2X Senegalese Elegance - The Peulh Woman

(Issued 12-03-2002)

Horse Breeds

(10-12-2002)

SENEGAL ~ Bandia Nature Reserve ~

...  Lovely views of Bandia wildlife reserve located in the classified forest of Bandia that boasts 500 hectares of baobabs and acacias... it has succeeded in reintroducing much of the marvellous native flora and of some of the most best-known African animals... it’s an amazing experience which gives you a chance to get close to most of these mammals and reptiles (excluding predators) and watch beautiful bird species... visitors can get around the reserve in a private car or in the reserve’s own safari trucks which can be hired on site... a visit of the park is worthwhile for every nature lover... Big Thanks Gian Luca and Raffaella!!ヽ(ヅ)ノ Must have been a fantastic holdiay!😊👍 

© Photos Laurent Gerrer Simon
The Bandia Reserve is a small nature reserve located 65 km from Dakar in North Senegal. The area of this reserve is 3500 hectares and fully fenced. Created in 1990,  Bandia is privately-owned conservation park, which takes good care of the animals and their reproduction.

In addition to the fauna and flora, visitors can also see replicas of Serere pyramids with burial chambers, griot (traditional story tellers and entertainers) tombs in the hollow of a thousand year old baobab containing authentic human bones, a charcoal makers’ grindstone, Peulh huts, etc...

 Stamps: 

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally

(Issued 13-01-2002) 

Transport in Senegal

(Issued 2002-2004)

SENEGAL ~ Flag ~

... First of two more fantastic African beauties💚... a pretty flag view from the FOTW series... although Senegal’s flag is relatively new it still contains a lot of important symbolism... the green, yellow, and red tricolors are the colors of the Pan-Africanist movement that represents unity amongst the African countries... the green five-pointed star is on the flag as a symbol of freedom and hope... adopted in 1960, it has been the flag of the Republic of Senegal since the country gained independence from France that year... Thanks a lot Gian Luca and Raffealla! (✿◠‿◠)

Senegal is the westernmost country of Africa. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north. Dakar is the capital and largest city.

Stamps:

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally

 (Issued 13-01-2002)

Transport in Senegal

(Issued 2002-2004)

SENEGAL ~ Saloum Delta National Park - UNESCO ~

...  More fantastic African views... and by searching for more information (the most fun part of collecting postcardsツ)  I found that it is not only a fantastic new NP but also a UNESCO site... how cool is that👍... it is Senegal's second-largest national park... a water-filled wonderland with mangrove-lined creeks, salt marshes, sandy islands and woodland all part of the great delta's backdrop.... the  main attraction is the fantastically varied landscape and the hundreds of bird species it attracts in the south... you might also spot wild boars and monkeys... unfortunately many are threatened due to human settlements, deforestation and hunting impact on the park, despite its protected status... Thanks so much Benny for thinking of me while on vacation!! \_(♥‿♥)_/

Saloum Delta National Park or Parc National du Delta du Saloum in Senegal, is a 76,000 ha national park. Established in 1976, it is situated within the Saloum Delta at the juncture of the Saloum River and the North Atlantic.

It lies on the East Atlantic Flyway. The bird species that breed or winter in the area include royal tern, greater flamingo, Eurasian spoonbill, curlew sandpiper, ruddy turnstone, and little stint. There are also some 36 mammal species, including warthogs, spotted hyenas and red colobus monkeys.

The park, which forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Ramsar Convention site, lies within a 180,000 ha (440,000-acre) biosphere reserve. Water comprises 61,000 ha of the park, intertidal mangroves and saltwater vegetation cover 7,000 ha, and savannah and forest cover 8,000 ha. It became a UNESCO WHS site in 2011.

Stamps:

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally
(Issued 13-01-2003)

The 100th Anniversary of the Beginning of World War I
(Issued 20-08-2014)

SENEGAL ~ The Lake Retba (Pink Lake) - UNESCO Tentative List ~

... Great postcard showing one of nature's wonders💜...  a picturesque place to visit... the lake itself is not always pink, but when it is, its very beautiful with vivid range pink shades... it is colored by blooming algae when hit directly by sunlight and depends on the season...  you could go hiking to the nearby Atlantic Ocean or taking boat rides... it might also be the saltiest lake in the world...  swimming is possible as the bacteria it produces is completely harmless to humans... the shoreline is thickly spotted with flat-bottomed boats... it is neither fishing nor cargo boats... they serve only for salt exploitation... every year an enormous amount of salt is produced... the salt extracted is exported across the region and used by locals for preserving fish... men dig this salt up from the bottom of the lake and fill their canoes, while women unload the canoes into mounds on the lakeside... Big Thanks once more Benny!! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Lac Rose (Pink Lake) lies north of the Cap Vert peninsula of Senegal, north-east of the capital, Dakar in northwest Africa. It is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae and is known for its high salt content, up to 40% in some areas.

The lake is a large shallow lagoon separated from the Atlantic Ocean by a strip of desert sand.

There is no life, except for Dunaliella salina, in the lake Retba, neither plants nor animals. The reason is that the pond is so saturated with salt, that no living being can survive.

Stamps:

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally
(Issued 13-01-2003)

The 100th Anniversary of the Beginning of World War I
(Issued 20-08-2014)

SENEGAL ~ Casamance Region ~

... African little gem nr 2... these lush tropical landscapes are watered by the graceful, winding Casamance River... a picturesque and wildlife-rich landscape... alleys, old trading houses, and a colonial character sets Casamance apart from almost anywhere else in the country...  tourism is less developed here but there’s plenty of reason for a visit... with huge draws including the long and deserted white sand beaches, lush vegetation, rice fields, savannah... in the past the area has suffered from a decades-old separatist conflict, now largely dormant... Big Thanks Benny!!【ツ】

Casamance Region is an enclave territory in southern Senegal south of  Gambia including the Casamance River.  It consists of the Lower Casamance and the Upper Casamance Region. The largest city of Casamance is Ziguinchor.

The region  is named after the 320 kilometer-long river of the same name and  homeland of the  independent Diola people.

Stamps: 

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally
(Issued 13-01-2003)

 The 100th Anniversary of the Beginning of World War I
 (Issued 20-08-2014)

SENEGAL ~ Dakar ~

... The next couple of days I'm gonna travel through Senegal👍... this is the first of *4* fantastic African beauties💙... all exotic places and amazing surprises... it is considered to be one of the safest countries in Africa... Dakar is also known as “Paris of Africa”.... with some great beaches... home to the tallest statue in Africa. "The African Renaissance Monument", a very popular tourist attraction... built in December 2010 in honor of the end of slavery and the continent's emergence from oppressive colonial regimes...  many cultural institutions are located in the capital... it's also tropical Africa’s leading industrial and service centre... Thanks a lot Benny!! (♥‿♥)

Dakar  is the capital and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert peninsula on the Atlantic coast,  the westernmost city on the African mainland and a major port on Africa's western coast.

The city’s name comes from dakhar, a Wolof name for the tamarind tree and the name of a coastal Lebu village that was located south of what is now the first pier.

Stamps:

The 24th Paris-Dakar Rally
(Issued 13-01-2003)

The 100th Anniversary of the Beginning of World War I
(Issued 20-08-2014)

SENEGAL ~ Baobab - The National Tree ~

...New African country to add to my collection... one of the most visited countries in western Africa... a breathtaking magical tree silhouette at sunset... baobabs live well over a thousand years and their massive trunks can grow to circumferences of 25 meters or more.... this "tree of life" has a big spiritual significance in many African cultures.... Thanks a lot Yassine!! 【ツ】

The Republic of Senegal is a country in western Africa named after the Senegal River. It is bordered by the North Atlantic Ocean, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Gambia. The capital  Dakar, is the westernmost point in Africa.

One of the most important trees in Senegal, as well as throughout Africa, is the baobab. The wood of the baobab is too soft and spongy for timber. But the fruits (monkey bread) are edible, and the leaves are used in soups. The trees also serves as meeting places in many villages. Many people believe that older baobab trees house spirits and can serve as guides in making important life decisions.

The baobab is also well known all across the world thanks to its starring roles in Disney’s Lion King (it is Rafiki the monkey’s tree), Avatar (The Tree of Souls), Madagascar and the famous children's novel The Little Prince.

Stamps:
Centenary of the Beginning of World War I
(Issued 20-08-2014)

The 19th Lions International District 403 Congress, Dakar
(Issued 21-05-2000)