Goree Island, Senegal

A few months ago I traveled to the country of Senegal in West Africa.  I was very excited about this trip to the Motherland, and looked forward to going to Goree Island and seeing La Maison des Esclaves or House of Slaves.  I remembered when President Obama traveled there and was photographed at the Door of No Return, which made me want to see it even more.  The Washington Post shared a video about his visit here.

We took a ferry over to the island on a beautiful sunny day.

I was surprised by the beauty of the island, given it's tragic history.  The buildings are painted in cheerful colors and have a charming character.

Seeing La Maison des Esclaves was very moving and almost surreal.  It is hard to imagine that human beings were held there, and in such an inhumane manner, ultimately passing through the Door of No Return, never to see their homeland again.

 

 

There is a huge marketplace on the island filled with all sorts of African artifacts.  The vendors are very persistent in their requests for you to visit their shops, which I found to be a bit overwhelming.  If you were in the market for artwork, however, there was no shortage of treasures from which to choose.

While dining at the restaurant on the island, a couple of pelicans kept us company.  I'd never seen one up close before and couldn't believe how large they were.  BTW, the food and service at the restaurant were very good.

All in all, my visit to Goree Island was an experience I will never forget, in a good way.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone traveling to the country.