While we were up early due to the passing trains and other noise at the campsite, we hung out in the tent for a while. We then had a slow breakfast and finalised our plans to go into Dakar city center. We did not have too much time, and the main reason was that we were considering purchasing one of the paintings we had seen yesterday. We decided to go for it, so we arranged for a taxi.
While it took a while, the taxi arrived and we were off at 10:35 AM. We arrived at the museum at 11:25 AM - a much faster drive today as it is a holiday (All Saints Day). We went in to take a look at the paintings and to confirm which one we were interested in. The paintings were painted by a famous local painter named Kalidou Kasse, who has had exhibits all over the world. As usual it was tough - too many choices and the usual problem of choosing. We did come to a choice (we choice one using his new technique just developed in 2000), but then came the problem of getting enough local currency. We headed out with one of the painters assistants to find an exchange office that was open on a holiday. We found one, but they had a horrible rate for traveler checks, so we then went to try at a hotel where the painter had some contacts. No luck - they would only change for hotel guests. So some one from the hotel pulled out their hand phone and made some calls. We were then driven to some small shop near the local market where the shopkeeper took our traveler's checks and we got a decent rate - a bit of an experience.
We then headed back to the museum to pay and collect our painting. They had started to take it out of the frame like we instructed, but it was taking too long, so we told them that we would take care of it (we needed to get back to the campsite so that we could join the others go to the Rose Lake). So after taking a picture of the painting with the painter, we jumped in the taxi with the framed painting and told the driver we were in a rush. He got us back to the campsite in record time, where we had lunch and then headed out to the Rose Lake.
The Rose Lake has a salinity which is ten times that of the ocean and at certain times of the day it has a rose tint. When we got there we could see a bit of rose color, but not too much. They would head out in there boats where they would scrap up the salt from the lake bottom. The boats would then come to shore where people would transfer it to shore on their heads using big buckets.
On shore there were stacks of salt drying, after which they would be packed up and transported out by truck to be sold in the markets. It was hard work under the sun and in the heat. After seeing the lake and its source, we headed back to the campsite.
We took it easy for the rest of the afternoon - packed up the painting and worked on our journals. We had dinner at the campsite, where they prepared for us Chicken Yassa, a local dish. It was excellent. The evening was effected by the fact that we heard about the SQ plane crash in Taipei and Jacqui was very upset and also worried about her friends and former colleagues.