This city just kind of has an energy of fun, and we kind of found ourselves overtaken by it. You know, the thing we kept saying to ourselves was, Let the good times roll. [SPEAKING FRENCH] [MUSIC PLAYING] I’ve long had a fascination with Senegal generally and Dakar specifically. It was extra special because my partner, Maggie, joined me. “Santé.” Santé. Dakar has this energy to it, this unbridled creativity everywhere you go, that takes a kind of chaotic form. And that’s best encountered at street level. In the markets, just the sound of cleavers hitting wood, and people yelling, advertising their wares, the fish being left out in the sun right next to meat hanging off of hooks. It’s chaotic, but, as chaotic as it is, the highlight was just feeding off the energy that comes out of these markets. Dakar is right on the tip of West Africa. And there’s a couple of islands right off the coast, and we visited two of them. The first was Ngor Island — super small, a couple of beaches, some world-famous surf breaks. There’s a few little seafood restaurants where we experienced our first Senegalese rainstorm. [THUNDER] “Oh, my God.” Yeah. The other island is far more famous, or perhaps infamous. It’s called Gorée Island. Tons of families from Dakar come out to Gorée. Coolers full of food and drinks, and there was a D.J. just blaring music, and people were dancing up to their knees in water. A short walk away, there was a soccer game going on, groups of teenagers just hanging out. But all that fun is kind of juxtaposed with the reality of the island, which is probably best expressed in a landmark called the House of Slaves. Dakar was kind a strategic point during the transatlantic slave trade. You have this place which is just so beautiful right next to this reminder of such a horrendous chapter in human history. And it’s a strange juxtaposition to wrap your head around. I’m not sure I was quite able to do it. That night, we drove to one of the suburbs and met some lions. These lions are hungry — not for meat, but for friends. These are known as “false lions.” False lions are part of this performance known as Simb, propelled by super high-energy drumming. So while these drummers are going, these dancers are just dressed as lions. And then there’s the lionesses, too, who are men dressed in drag. So we spent a few hours there just watching this thing, and we were the only foreigners there, which is always a good sign, if you ask me. And then all of a sudden, it’s over, and they just disperse into the night, and it’s like nothing ever happened. There’s something about Dakar that I think is singular. It pushes you. And sometimes in travel, especially when you’re on a marathon, trip like the way I am, you need that extra push. I’m hitting the 10-month mark of travel, and it feels good to be pushed out of it. I could’ve spent another week in Dakar, but I’ll just have to save that for a return visit. So yeah, just on to the next stop, into the final stretch of the trip. Can’t believe it.