Les Paletuviers a family of friends among us

One of the most enjoyable parts of the first leg of this trip has been meeting the people.  The people "may be very poor, but are so rich", and this resonates loudly in the smiles, the greetings,  and the laughter.

Along this journey, we were fortunate enough to find a few days for some R & R.  It was really rather by mistake that I stumbled across Les Paletuviers, and what a special mistake that has been.  The staff and owners of this series of 3 properties are magnificent and introducing you to the culture, the surroundings, the wildlife and ecosystems and all that beautiful Senegal has to offer.  Pictured above is Executive Director Roger Salway and myself on our voyage back from Paradise Island which boarders The Gambia in the horizon.  Our friends at Les Paletuviers brought us back through the forests of mangroves, which were also fairytale like.  

Mangroves are an essential buffer for coastal areas, and one that cannot go unmentioned.  Mangroves act as a wall against rising waters and climate change, while they also provide a natural habitat for shellfish.  A necessity for our changing world.

It was a most magical experience when we arrived at the island after a 2 hour boat ride with our new friends that the surprises unfolded.  Not long after our arrival, and settling in to our own slice of  Heaven, and it began to snow! Suddenly, we were surrounded by millions of ivory butterflies and this lasted well into dusk...it was the most magnificent thing I have ever payed witness to, and a moment I will never forget.

Tomorrow marks the 2nd leg of our trip with travel to Bamako, Mopti, and Tominian Mali.  I checked the forecast, 92-99 degrees until we touch back down into the Twin Cities on December 12th.