COAST OF WEST AFRICA - ON A BOAT
October 23rd - November 4th 2013
Eclipse on November 3rd 2013
We had originally planned to observe that eclipse in Kenya but following the Westgate shopping mall attack, we changed our plans. We boarded the MV Corinthian ship in Spain and cruised the West African coast to watch a perfect eclipse in the Atlantic Ocean. The advantage of a ship is that it can always adjust its positions with the weather forecast and it was a very lucky eclipse as 5mn after totality it rained apocalyptically. And ironically Kenya was clouded out! It was also a very rich eclipse in terms of cultural discoveries. It was my first time in sub-Saharan Africa.
DAY 1 - RONDA
October 23rd
We spent a few days touring the surroundings of Malaga. I loved visiting Ronda, a Roman city built by one of my favorite generals, Scipio Africanus. Perched 100m above the Tajo canyon, it has three beautiful bridges above the Guadalevín River which crosses the city. There we visited the bullfighting of Ronda which is the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain and every year hosts a famous bullfight known as the “'Corrida Goyesca”. We then toured the 18th century Casa del Rey Moro also called the House of the Moorish King. According to the legend, the Moorish King drank wine from the skulls of his enemies!
DAY 2 - MALAGA
October 24th
Today we visited the recent Picasso museum in Malaga, where the famous cubist artist was born. I also enjoyed a mule ride in the city, which was a lot of fun. At the end of the day, it was exciting because we boarded our eclipse ship, the Corinthian. When leaving the Spanish coasts we got a glimpse of the Gibraltar rock.
DAY 3 - CASABLANCA
October 25th
Today we woke up in Morocco! We had a very packed day of sightseeing in Rabat and Casablanca. We started by visiting the Oudayas Museum which was built in the 12th century together with its 17th-century palace. I remember very clearly its adjacent lush Andalusian Gardens. My favorite monument was the Hassan Tower in Rabat, which majestically stands opposite the Mausoleum of Mohamed V. It was intended to become the largest mosque in the world when its construction started around 1195 but sadly it was never finished and an earthquake destroyed a large part of it. We ended our day with the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, one of the largest mosques in the world with a 200m high sumptuous minaret.
DAY 4 - AGADIR
October 26th
Today we woke up in Agadir! We had a traditional Moroccan tagine and it was particularly memorable as my cousins who live in Switzerland happened to be on holiday exactly where our ship stopped! It was fun to catch up with them in such an idyllic place.
DAY 5 - LANZAROTE
October 27th
Today we magically woke up in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands! We spent the day in the Parque Nacional de Timanfaya, surrounded by hundreds of volcanic mountains known as "The Fire Mountains". The park is basically made of rocks and dried lava resulting from various volcanic eruptions that took place in the 18th and 19th centuries. There is no vegetation whatsoever. The landscape was very much like I imagine Mars to be - and unsurprisingly the European Space Agency trains its astronauts there! The restaurant El Diablo has one of the coolest BBQ in the world as the food is cooked using geothermal heat coming out from a hole in the ground! My first-ever volcano BBQ was a success.
DAY 6 - LAÂYOUNE
October 28th
The next day we woke up in Laâyoune, in Western Sahara. In Arabic, the city name means “water sources”. The city is very important because it sits on the edge of the Sahara desert and is the last stop before the vast uninhabited desert. I enjoyed visiting the city but also running in the golden dunes. However, sipping golden Saharawi tea prepared by local people in a beautiful oasis was the best. It is green tea mixed with fresh mint leaves and a copious amount of sugar. It is a symbol of hospitality and generosity and is prepared and drunk in small glasses according to a specific ritual. It was so delicious and since then it has become a ritual in our house too!
DAY 7 - AT SEA
October 29th
We spent the day at sea on our way to Senegal. It was fun to stay on board and explore our ship, the MV Corinthian. I was extremely lucky to visit the captain’s cockpit who showed us around the piloting cabin.
DAY 8 - AT SEA
October 30th
Another day at sea, admiring beautiful sunsets! We spent all evenings at sea trying to capture the “green flash”, which is a cool optical phenomenon that sometimes occurs when the horizon is not hazy. I’m glad I was able to spot it for the first time in my life on this trip.
DAY 9 - ÎLE DE GORÉE
October 31st
In the morning we arrived in Sénégal, Dakar. We spent our first day on the island de Gorée, which is one of the first places UNESCO designated as a World Heritage Site in 1978 because of its historical importance. It was uncomfortable to learn about the horrors of the slave trade and see the infamous Door of No Return where so many men, women and children were sent away as slaves from the 15th to the 19th century. It was a day of learning and reflection.
DAY 10 - DAKAR
November 1st
Today we visited bustling and vibrant Dakar. It was fun to visit the capital of Senegal. We started with the presidential palace, which has very cool impressive guards: the Red Guards who wear red and golden clothes, a long cape, and a tall hat. We then visited the House of Slaves and the African Art Museum. At the end we enjoyed a large local market where I bought a complete replica of one of the local yellow buses and a cool shell necklace.
DAY 11 - AT SEA
November 2nd
Another day spent at sea. We were getting excited about the eclipse. I spent most of my time catching up on special homework as I should have been at school that week. But being on a ship cruising the West coast of Africa and discovering many new places was definitely so much better!
DAY 12 - AT SEA (ECLIPSE DAY)
November 3rd
It was a midday eclipse so we took our time to get ready, find the best spot on the deck, and wait for first contact. Everything happened so fast afterwards. The temperature dropped quickly, the sky darkened and we started spotting apocalyptic flying shadows… clouds were starting to appear but our skilled captain managed to find a hole in the clouds and we witnessed a perfect totality. A few minutes afterwards it rained cats and dogs. How lucky were we?!
DAY 13 - FREETOWN
November 4th
On our last day we visited Freetown in Sierra Leone. I was shocked and saddened to see so many mutilated men. It was the first time I witnessed firsthand the horrors of a bloodshed war. Later I would read “A Long Way Gone” by Ishmael Beah, which relates the horrific and heartbroken story of a Sierra Leonean child soldier. Freetown was an incredible city with a warm climate, friendly people and beautiful beaches. I enjoyed visiting its art museum, vibrant market and a local drum and dance show. I hope to come back one day when the country has properly rebuilt itself.