The inauguration of African Renaissance (usually just known as 'the Statue') took place on Saturday. Apparently there was something like 22 heads of state there, although I'm not sure which ones - except that I do know that Robert Mugabe was there as some friends, Ismay and Mario, got to meet the 'great' man at a reception just before the opening. My invitation to the grand opening of the statue was evidently ‘lost in the post’ so I had to make alternative arrangements.
So while the assembled heads of state for most of Africa were watching the grand opening of the statue I was diving in the sea off Goree Island. The water is quite cold - the temperature changes quite markedly between winter and summer. When I did the Goree swim, which was at the beginning of November the temperature wasn’t a problem at all, I guess it was probably in the mid 20's. Now the water temperature is around 17 C, so I was wearing full wet suit with hood, and I still felt cold towards the end of the dive. Because the water temperature changes so much there is no coral reefs etc. here, but there’s still plenty to see, lots of fish and particularly rays and jellyfish. The visibility in the water is not great either at the moment – apparently it’s much better when the water warms up, which is normally around now – so I’m hoping it will improve before I leave in May.
Sunday, of course, was Easter, but this year it happened to coincide with Senegal’s Independence Day, so Monday was a public holiday, but I’ve no idea if it was to celebrate Independence Day or Easter – or perhaps it was for both. Whichever, it was nice to have a day off.
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