Search For The Via Via

This morning I was out at 9:30. It seemed cool as I left, but that was shade. The sun was already so hot. My goal--the Via Via--the cheapest Dakar-ish address in Lonely Planet. I tried yesterday and failed, and my attempts to use Google Maps in satellite view were hampered by the fact that my computer freezes occasionally while I scroll around in satellite (and as I now know, terrain) view. So that happened 3 times and I gave up.

So this morning I decided to take the roads closer to the beach where this one guy's mausoleum is and where the cemeteries are. The name of the road with the Via Via is the Rue du Cimitieres, so I figured an orbit of the cemetery would be good. I managed to spot a cemetery looking area on google maps satellite view, but failed to zoom in before the computer locked up.

So I went down the first sort of big street from the highway to the coast. On the way, I got a desperately needed 1.5 liter of water for 400 CFA. Whew!!! That was the best water I ever had in my life! Anyway, I continued to the water, then started following it a few blocks in to the west. I tried to stay on bigger streets, but it wasn't always possible. There were neighborhoods, stores, and everything you'd expect in a town. I certainly didn't feel threatened or scared but it feels a little funny to be walking around these parts.

After quite a while, I came upon the mausoleum with its onion domes. I then followed a white spire and it turned out to be the terminus of the Yoff bus station. I went further eventually finding the cemetery. That's one long cemetery. There are a lot of dead people in Yoff. I went around it and found a road with auberges, but no Via Via and no evidence of a street named Rue du Cimitieres. So, I gave up. I was just sort of walking waiting for the first taxi to beep at me. Finally one came. My French was up to the task of negotiating a price 1500 CFA and telling him where I wanted to go. He knew the place and took me there. It is actually pretty far from where I was. From the highway that runs around the airport, it's on the street that has the SocGen bank. You go down a few blocks and then it's on the right. You go in around the side. It took me a few tries to find the reception which is hidden deep inside. But I managed to find it. I asked if there was a room for 4 or 5 days. Yes. Whew!!!

So I got it. 14500 +/- something for a room with a private bath and breakfast included. OK, not as cheap as I wanted, but I can work with it.

It was 11:06 and I needed to get back before noon to check out of the Cap Ouest. So I headed in that direction. I saw a different guy dresses in one of those gowns of colored squares. Maybe he's having a baby too. ;-) I got almost all the way back to the Cap Ouest when a car pulls up next to me. It's the taxi driver who charged me 2000 CFA to go the last 10% of my journey. He wanted to take me to where-ever Iwanted to go. Of course--he thinks I'm a sucker--which I was. But I'm not a sucker anymore so he won't get much from me. It took me a while to shake him. I had to say "Je n'ai pas besoin de taxi" about 4 times before he finally waved at his best customer and drove off.

I checked out with minutes to spare. I'm having one last beer at the Cap Ouest and using their internet, but after that, I'm off the Via Via which is a funny place worth a blog post in itself. So until then... I am now hungry and will be eating regularly now.

July 25, 2008 noon Senegal local time