A Slow Rest Day with Time to Explore

Today was another rest day — and the perfect opportunity to discover the UNESCO World Heritage old town of Saint-Louis.
We didn’t set an alarm, but by now our bodies seem to wake up naturally at the same time every morning. After a simple but satisfying breakfast, we started our day without rushing.

Collecting Documents and Meeting Other Teams

We walked along the beach for about 800 meters to a nearby hotel where several rally teams were staying. The rally organisers were also based there today, and we had to collect our vehicle registration papers and insurance documents for Senegal and The Gambia, which had been retained and processed the day before.

From there, we teamed up with two other rally teams — Team Flinke Fenneks and Team Dippser Wüstlinge — and caught a shared taxi to the old town.
The ride was an adventure in itself: the car was far from European standards, doors didn’t always stay shut, and one of us sat on an improvised fold-out seat. But it was all part of the charm and made the journey entertaining.

First Impressions of Saint-Louis

The taxi took us past the fishing harbour and then across the bridge to the old town. Our first stop was the historic Post Office Hotel, a well-known landmark. In earlier times, French postal pilots stayed here — including the author of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who was stationed in Saint-Louis during his aviation years.

From there, we continued on foot into the heart of the old town.

Colonial Architecture and Layers of History

What makes Saint-Louis truly fascinating is its mix of French, Portuguese, and Spanish colonial architecture.
You can see the different influences clearly:

• French buildings with long balconies
• Portuguese houses with decorative facades
• Spanish-style structures with simpler lines

Because the old town is UNESCO-listed, any renovation must follow strict historical guidelines. Still, this is Africa — you see beautiful details next to crumbling facades, elegance mixed with decay. Yet the city centre is comparatively clean, and strolling through the streets felt relaxed and pleasant.We took a break at a small café, enjoyed a coffee, and continued our walk.

The Great Mosque and the Fishermen’s Quarter

We passed the Great Mosque of Saint-Louis, known as the only mosque in the world with a bell tower, a remnant of complex colonial interactions.
From there, we crossed the small bridge to the fishermen’s island.

This part of Saint-Louis is intense:

• strong smells
• polluted water
• children swimming where oily patches drift
• goats wandering through piles of rubbish
• horses and donkeys tied up beside the boats

For us, it was both fascinating and deeply moving — a raw, unfiltered look at the daily realities here.

Despite the conditions, people were smiling, waving, and full of life.
We saw many schoolchildren in uniforms — encouraging, especially knowing there is no compulsory schooling in Senegal.

One difficult aspect was the active begging, especially by children, who can be insistent. In some cases, if they didn’t receive anything, they reacted by throwing small stones or nuts. It’s a sad and complicated reality.

Lunch at the Famous Flamingo

By early afternoon, hunger led us to Restaurant Flamingo, located directly by the river. We enjoyed an extended lunch, cold drinks, and a bit of shade — a very welcome break after the intense impressions of the city.

A Horse-Drawn City Tour

After lunch, we hired a horse-drawn carriage that happened to be waiting outside.
The driver immediately took the chance to give us a full sightseeing tour:

• historic points of interest
• anecdotes about the town
• stops for fun photos, including at a semi-famous crane structure

Then he led us straight back through the fishing harbour and local market, an explosion of smells and colours.
Everywhere: vibrant clothes, shouting vendors, fish, spices, children, goats, chaos — and life.

Returning to the Hotel and Preparing for Tomorrow

Back at the hotel in the late afternoon, we sat at the bar, played Backgammon, and let the day sink in.
Tomorrow will be a long travel day — around 600 km — and another border crossing awaits us:
Senegal → The Gambia.

That means an early start, at 6:00 a.m., to reach the Gambian border before nightfall.

As preperation we had bought in a small local bakery and shop provisions:

• fresh baguettes
• two kinds of local bread
• a pack of spreadable cheese
• bananas

With that, we’re well prepared for tomorrow’s long stretch through northern Senegal.

A full day behind us — and the next chapter ahead.