Western Africa - Senegal/Gambia & Ghana/Togo (1 Viewer)

[Rimbaud]

Jesus what i`d give to check these places out!(without the hassle of touts/beachboys).

Senegal is where i really wanted to go - Dakar with its vibriant music scene etc...then i heard Dakar could get a bit rough .


So in search of a better hassle free west-african destenation i came across Togo(but then heard about some recent upheaval due to elections etc...and that Ghana was THE place to visit for hassle free, cheap chillin by some spectacluar beaches!!

Has anyone been about these areas?Anyone want to go for christmas!?!

 

[hugh]

Senegal would be great all right. Is it really that hassly? I reckon if you dont have the Francais you would find it extra hard. Have you read Mark Hudsons book "The Music in My Head"?? Its all about Senegal music and Dakar. Fictional account of an English music biz head who goes to the beach in Gambia for a holiday and falls in love with West African music. Goes to Dakar, get's involved with Youssou N'Dour (when he used to be good , and generally goes a bit mental. Anyway, it paints a really good picture of the place ... Mali too. One that makes you really want to go but also scared to go at the same time. Anyway, I wouldn't say Dakar is all that much rougher than Dar Es Salaam ....

Dont know anything about Togo. Ghana would be pretty good I would say. My bro was there a few years ago.

Anyway, I'd love to come ... but I'm gonna be kind of busy at Christmas ....

Some other cool books about West Africa (and believe me these would put anyone off going): Robert Wilson's crime books (eh one is called Blood Is Dirt). All about this Marlowe-esque PI/scumbag living in some West African country (can't remember which one). Brilliant stuff.

 

[Latex lizzie]

http://www.hullsgrove.com/West Africa.html

check out the dogon people while you are there...amazing.

 

[Rimbaud]

Cheers for that link Lizzy!I`ll be sure to tell the Dogon people you were asking for them!The only program i`ve seen about the region is Micheal Palins - Sahara, where a dogon guy nearly blows he`s head off with an old musket!?

Anyways, what you were saying about Senegalese music Hugh; i got the Baobab Orchestra album a while back - its downright amazing!Brilliant stuff - the album is widely available, probably HMV or so have it in their worldmusic sections.I can copy it for you if you like.
Senegal is pretty reknowned for its Jazz scene from what i`ve read.

Flights go from France to Gambia/Senegal pretty regularly - so thats the route to go i guess.
Just curious as to what people thought who`ve been there.
I don`t reakon i`ll be going anytime soon though(depends on me funds after summer) - christmas or early next year would be perfect!

 

[IFF]

is the orchestra baobab (spelling?, they've been played on No Disco) from senegal or where?

also i saw in village magazine that senegal has actually arrested scammers who do that e-mail scam by sending an e-mail about how their's millions of money lying in a bank account.

 

[hugh]

is the orchestra baobab (spelling?, they've been played on No Disco) from senegal or where?

Baobab are from Senegal yes. They're good alright but a little bit Buena-Vista-Social Club. There's a big crossover between Cuban and Senegalese music. Baobab are obviously way over on the Cuban side.

If any of youse are into this stuff I would really really recommend tracking down the four compilation albums by Etoile De Dakar that were released on the Stern's label. Etoile were Youssou N'Dours first band (I think they are late 70s/early 80s). The music is really raw and chaotic and, for me anyway, has that great buzz of sounding really really right and familiar but at the same time like nothing else you've ever heard before. They rock, bigtime.

 

[Rimbaud]

Anyone been to Ghana since this thread then?

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Anyone been to Ghana since this thread then?

have any of yiz gone? im curious to hear about it, im thinking of heading that direction in the new year. got a quote of €432 for a 1way flight to ghana - does that sound reasonable?

 

[Rimbaud]

Did'nt go myself
Plowed my money into records instead.Went to Ukraine and Poland though!Not exactly the same i'd say.


Skubol is going to Ghana in the next two weeks.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

for the african cup? im going on february 8th, the cup will be still on. i should have waited a couple of days for it to finish but i had never even heard of the african cup until yesterday. i was planning on making my way from there up to morocco so i hope this business in mauritania wont interfere with my plans. al qaida are in my bad books at the moment.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Jesus what i`d give to check these places out!(without the hassle of touts/beachboys).

Senegal is where i really wanted to go - Dakar with its vibriant music scene etc...then i heard Dakar could get a bit rough .


So in search of a better hassle free west-african destenation i came across Togo(but then heard about some recent upheaval due to elections etc...and that Ghana was THE place to visit for hassle free, cheap chillin by some spectacluar beaches!!

Has anyone been about these areas?Anyone want to go for christmas!?!

i went to dakar for a few days, it was grand, i walked around day and night with no trouble at all. i think its reputation as a mugging thieving hell hole is a little unfair or else i was very lucky. all the bands i heard were shite though (except for the old men banging chairs and wailing into megaphones)