Dakar stadium food (and music and soccer)

The other day we descended on the stade for a match of soccer and a long list of live music including Lauren Hill, Vivian NDour, Youssou NDour, Alpha Blondie, Angelique Kidjo. It was a chance to see some of the biggest stars in Africa and see them all at once. I went with two friends and it was late in the day and we'd just finished school, so we almost literally ate our way to the stade, carving a little path from Sacre Coeur 3 just about to Yoff leaving behind orange peels, peanut shells, and sandwich droppings. Vendors were alongside the road in either direction anticipating the crowd coming in for the game. Children walking around with poles of plastic bags jangling with peanuts, women selling little muffin cakes, who Karolyn in all her tri-lingualness said to one woman after the exchange, "thank you very much!" and started walking away and only turned back when she realized all the women were laughing and said "jerejef, merci!" When we finally got to the first inner ring of the stadium we found rows and rows of women selling sandwiches stuffed with viande (lamb meat usually), fried onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, fries and lettuce. It was only after we'd consumed everything that we patted our stomachs and started for the stairs leading up to the seating.

And because even getting a seat at a game is an adventure in this land, we circled the stadium a few times before finally finding the right door (apparently we'd come through the slums and we'd had VIP tickets). But in our walk, we saw men who'd laid down their prayer mats and we're praying along side little boys peeing into the corner while the toilet was only a few feet away. It was almost one of those things you walk by until you realize just how strange it is.

The concert was incredible and I was jivin' like never before. Good reggae by Alpha Blondie, who I only recently heard. It was awesome to finally see Angelique Kidjo, who I discovered this summer going through the Africa section at the Plymouth library. And just good to be with friends, be in a crowd of thousands, take pictures, hear some good music, dance crazy, and have all the hype and anticipation and lights of seeing some good acts live.

Leaving for Mauritania tomorrow. I'll be on with pictures and stories in a couple of weeks. Much love!

Karolyn, also known as Fatou. She's the most Senegalese of all of us, but hails from Wisconsin.

Just as the concert was starting.

On the ground, Tsilat and Kate lifting me up to take pictures.

During the game that I unfortunately saw very little of seeing as I was too busy eating.

Concert from the ground.