Kpatawee Water Falls

Limited access to roads in Liberia, many find it difficult to leave Monrovia. Thus, there are many undiscovered sites waiting to be explore. One of which is the KPWATAWEE waterfall located in Gbarnga. An undiscovered gem, if properly invested in could be one of the best tourist attractions in West Africa. The first time I visited Kpatawee it was a hot, sweaty and a tiring day. I did not spend more than an hour there. However, I was taking away by the site, and promised to return to savoy in all that it has to offer.

1st time at Kpatawee (dry Season)

With limited recreational activities in Monrovia, I needed an opportunity to return to Kpatawee. Fortunate for me, my birthday is during the raining season. Liberia has two seasons, which is dry and raining season. During dry season the temperature can exceed 90 degrees. There is a saying around Liberia to explain exactly how hot it gets, many say dry season is the season during which one can take sweating showers. Literally, you are sweating while taking shower because it is so hot! During, raining season the temperature drops due to the heavy rain, thus the air tend to be cooler.

So, I was ecstatic when I decided to plan my birthday outside of Monrovia. Many of my associates and friends were not as excited partly because it was not the norm for them to leave Monrovia, and it was four hours drive away from civilization. However, I convinced enough people to come, and celebrate my birthday with me. Which in hindsight many did not regret.

We left Monrovia around 9am, arrived at Kpatawee at 1:30pm. It was little longer because we stopped quite a few times to take pictures, buy food, socialize with the locals, and due to careless driving we got into and accident. Fortunate for us no one was hurt, and we were able to continue with the trip.

The road leading to Kpatawee is currently under construction; therefore the last stretch is gravel. I will advice anyone going there do not drive too fast, the manner in which you drive on a coal tar road is not the same as a gravel road. If you speed most likely your tires will be pull by the gravel, which will lead to disaster. On a happier note we arrived at Kpatawee in one piece and every one was excited.

This accident did not stopped us! It just delayed us:)

We drove the car like this until we got back to Monrovia

Purchasing snacks...corn never look so good:)

Bathroom break, Liberian style

How high can we go!!! the locals thought we were crazzzyyy.

During the dry season the waterfall is nice, but during the raining season it is amazing! Driving towards the fall the scenery made me feel I was in a safari, and at any moment an elephant will be soaring excitedly. The massive green pasture of land spread penetrating the mountains behind the falls, inviting you in to a soundless world. Literally soundless because there is no phone signal once you branch off the gravel road to Kpatawee. Upon arrival you have to pay (100LD) per person for the day. There are no amenities available in the area, if you intend to spend the day, take all that you need (food, games, etc).  They have benches and few huts to sit and relax. However, you need to bring something to cover up, as there are ants lurking around, due the fact the area is not care for frequently.

Once inside you are instantly drawn to the gushing sound of water flowing between rocks. I can attest, the first thing anyone will like to do is to go directly into the water for a swim, except for the few greedy ones among your group who will opt for the foodJ.

Picnic time!

That rock was hot!!!

So beautiful.....

We spend about an hour exploring the Fall. Using different routes to get to the highest peak of the Fall, it was not possible. However, we were able to get high enough to enjoy one of godsend to Liberia. After which we begun to play a game of Ludo, but could not complete as our conversation was foster by the beauty of where we were.

We almost got to the top
The water felt so good, but be careful if you have sensitive skin like me.
(water is dirty)

Ma petit soeur je me manque

They say when you have something you don’t know it's value, until it is gone. With the influx of external forces into Liberia, if we do not start taking care of what we have we might lose it to others. Apart from being a tourist attraction, the force the water flowing down from Kpatawee produces could be utilized to supply electricity to the surrounding towns, maybe all of Gbarnga.

There is a possibility for mass agriculture cooperatives to be developed in the local communities in which  specialization production could commence. Electricity and sustain source of food are two essential commodities that will enable many Liberians to potentially be self-reliant. So, my people tell me why a property own by our government is so under utilize?

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Ile de Goree (Goree Island)

Ile de Goree is a small island about 20mins boat ride from the coast of Dakar. Goree was once a major slave-trading center for the Portuguese, British and Dutch. Many individuals of African decent use Goree as their pilgrimage destination. The Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves) on the island has become a place of pilgrimage for anyone to reflect upon the horrors of the slave-trade. 

It is amazing how the Goree Island differ from Dakar. Arriving on the coast of Goree you realize how noisy and busy the streets of Dakar are. The boot ride and the less noisy streets put you in a mood of relaxation for what to come. There is no need to acquire transportation once on the island, as it is small enough to maneuver on foot. If it is your first time I advise that you get a guide to take you around. There will be lot of guides offering their services. Do not pay more than 5000cfa for a guide. Be prepared to pay visitors’ tax of 100cfa before you enter the island. 

One of the main attractions is the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves). It has been converted into a museum, once inside you can walk through the dungeons where the slaves were held and the guide will explain exactly how they were sold and shipped. Musee de la Femme (The Women's Museum) focuses on the role of Senegalese women in traditional and modern world. Maritime Museum offers the visitor information about Senegal's seafaring history. There are many museums and other attractions on the Island. I had limited time therefore could not see all. Goree has a lot of restaurant and various tourist stalls. As in many parts of Senegal you can bargain for the many tourist treasures you will want to buy!

I was here before you came
I was here when waltz became superior to makonde ngoma
I was here when black became priceless
I was here when independence became dependence
I was here when brothers became neighboring strangers
I was here when external maximization became internal minimization
I am still here……..
How dare you come with your innocuous western attitude?
Telling me what I already know!
Have you not done enough?

Slavery has forever scar Africa and continues to impact the advancement of Africans today. As I walked through the homes once own by slaves’ masters along the coast of Goree, I tried to understand the lives of the masters that once walked down the halls I walked. Upstairs the masters lived comfortable and below dungeons were built to keep slaves secluded until their departure. Scholars try to justify why, and how slavery became entrenched in various societies, but as I walked through the homes built for one group of people to dominate another, all academic justification for slavery was broken down to these simple words….You are nothing and I am everything, therefore I have the power to do unto you as I please.



Below slaves were kept and their master(s) residence was above

A monument to celebrate the emancipation of slavery

Chains used to restrained slaves

My disappointment with the human race was diminished when I came across two exceptional Senegalese artists. They own a little gallery hidden in the trenches of Goree. The art work they are producing are amazing and their production process is extraordinary. For me these artists are not just making art, they are experimenting with the natural environment in a productive way. The art form is called “Sand Art”. They use soils from different parts of Senegal and Gambia to create different pieces. Below is an example of their work….

It took the artist less than five minutes to create the basic layout above!

Art made out of recycle materials

As I stood on the balcony where masters of my forefathers once stood, below me black stones stared back at me, asking now what? Africa will never be like the west, yet still our leaders do everything to imitate their former oppressors. Is imitation the only way to archive advancement in Africa? If not, what and how do we advance? 

Recommend Read (Walter Rodney “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa)

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A Day At "Lac Rose"

Today I took my first tour to the north of SENEGAL. My second weekend in Dakar and it was Amazing!!! We went to see the “Lac Rose” which means “Pink Lake” one of the many tourist attractions in Senegal. It's called the Lac Rose because the high salt content, the microscopic algae and micro-organisms from the water give it a pink color. Depending on the time of the day and when the light passes through it turns to shades of pink/purple until late afternoon. From Dakar it took us about 1.5 hours to get there. Our return trip took about two hours. On the weekend public transportation is slower, however if you don’t have a private car the best means of getting to LAC ROSE is public transportation. We took the public bus call “Tata" got drop of at one of the Liberty 6 stops and took the taxi the rest of the way. Never pay the full prices propose by the drivers; always negotiate for a lesser price. 

As we drove to the site we engaged with a few locals, I was impressed with how welcoming they were. Hospitality is best defined by Africans. We finally got to the site, thanks to a wonderful taxi driver and we were all blown away. The scenery was breath taking! There are many activities one can do to keep busy through out the day, such as horse riding, camel riding, touring on four wheelers, touring by foot, etc. If you want to get a good work out take the tour on foot (about 8km), but make sure you take lots of water as it is very hot. Tourists have to be careful with the acumen strategy used by the women to purchase their hand made work. They approach you with a huge grin on their faces; no one in their right mind can dare walk away from. Present you with a gift (free of charge). The men are given necklaces, women bracelets or both. As you walk away, they then ask you to look at the supplies, how can one refuse to buy after such a nice gesture? However, don’t feel obligated.

Our first  attempt to capture the color of the Lake

Me attempting to carry a basket of supplies

They are so peaceful. Take a ride on them if you can

As we cross the lake, on the shore you see men/women extracting and carrying tons of salt

It's Ramadan in Senegal, so many are fasting.  The man steering the boat did not eat/drink all day! So when we got to the other side safe we were very happy

After 30mins of walking in the desert we finally got to a beach. Yeah!!!!

What a day! would love to stay and just enjoy the water.

Apart from being a tourist area, Lac Rose is one of the largest sources for extracting salt in Senegal. Women carried pounds of salt on their heads and due to my limited Wolof I could not engage them. It is quite obvious their job is physically and mentally hard for the men and women working at the lake. According to our tour guide, women who work on the lake for a long period are prone to birth defects and physical harm. Although, the conditions these women are facing are completely different from the low paying jobs in the States, my mind could not help wandering back to these few lines I jotted down a while back in United States…..

 Dream...?

Work! They say, so I work

Speak! They say, so I speak

Work Harder! So my hours become my family

The little ones are just numbers now

Speak Louder! So I shout but it’s not phonetically correct

Nobody can comprehend

Why am I working so hard?

Why am I shouting at the top of my lungs?

F***, I am 65 years old and I am still 99%

Senegal is not one of the richest countries on the continent when it pertains to resources, Senegal is one of the countries in West Africa that has enjoyed stability since independence from its colonizers. Yet, poverty is prevalent amongst its’ citizens. Like most African countries the justification for disparity among the rich and the poor in my opinion can be easily answered. However, we all have chosen specific reasons as to why poverty is prevalent in Africa.

 

I pose this question to all reading this: Who is benefiting the most from the vast resources extracted from Africa? The current methodologies use to eradicate poverty in Africa is not working, what do you propose?

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