There are eight of us who eat breakfast together at Auberge La Praline.  It’s often a special time of laughing.  But today was my last one.  I’m moving to the Keur Saloum hotel.

I value togetherness, connection.  And yet I’m saying no to my friends at breakfast.  Keur Saloum has a generator, so I won’t have to worry about the electricity (and air conditioning) dying.  I won’t repeat the pain of a few nights ago.

My adult life has been about service … you first, then me.  Not this time.  As I get older, what I can handle physically gets less in some situations.  Extreme heat and humidity is certainly one of those.  So hello, Keur …  I will see my dear friends in the cooler parts of the day and in the evening.

***

I was sitting on the terrace of the Keur Saloum this morning, looking over the river at Toubacouta. A young black man comes by, wearing a flowing yellow robe. He extends his arms towards the water and begins speaking. There’s a lovely flow to his words, in a language I don’t know.

After a few minutes he stops and looks back at me. We smile.

“Tu pries?” I ask. (Are you praying?)

He smiles again and seems to shake his head.

A bit later he returns to his posture and speaking, this time accompanied by a cameraman. After the session is complete, he takes off the robe and dons another one, full of vertical blue, yellow and orange stripes. And then the two of them walk away.

Soon I too stand at the rail. I think I hear the same voice … far away. Down at the dock there’s a young man in a blue, yellow and orange robe being filmed.

Sometimes I get it right

Sometimes I get it wrong

***

Today we’ll go to the mangroves near Toubacouta. Jo’s wish was that his ashes be spread in Senegal, on the waters of the river. Today Lydia, Lore and Baziel will do that, accompanied by some dear Belgian friends. I will tell you tomorrow of the beauty we discover.