Senegal Vacations

I've traveled for almost a month throughout Senegal, and no matter where I am find a colorful, vibrant culture with warm, accepting people. Senegal is a deeply religious, Muslim country, where a majority of people pray five times a day, and put the family at the center of everything. It's also modernizing, with women who wear tight jeans and socialize freely at restaurants, cafes and music venues (something you'd never see in nearby Morocco or Mauritania) and internet cafes and smartphones in many places. There are many bits of natural beauty: rocky beaches, lush forests (especially in Casamance, which unfortunately still has a low-level civil war) and pink-hued lakes like Lake Rose near Dakar. The only thing I absolutely despise in the summer months are all of the mosquitos. Before you go, stock up on malaria pills and spray. I'm normally more prone to bites than most people, but never imagined I'd get over 200 bites in three weeks. I quickly started sleeping under a mosquito net, a necessity when most places (unless you stay at a hotel) don't have windows or screens. But, blood-thirsty insects aside, Senegal is a beautiful country and culture that's worth visiting if you have the chance.