Thursday, March 27, 2025 - Banjul, The Gambia

The Gambia is the smallest country in Africa, with a population of just under 2.7 million.  The country is 96% Muslim and 4% Christian. Although Sharia Law has been banned in The Gambia since 2013, currently there is legislation to end the ban and allow female genitalia mutilation if the female gives consent. The Women's (Amendment) Bill 2024, which proposes to repeal provisions criminalizing it had its first and second reviews in March 2024.  The Bill was handed over to the Parliamentary Select Subcommittee for further review and discussion before being reintroduced to the main House for debate and possible adoption.  However, as of this writing the bill had not passed and is still being debated.   

The first Europeans to reach The Gambia River basin were the Portuguese in 1455.  They traveled a short distance upstream before being repulsed by the angry local inhabitants.  In 1456 the same group of Portuguese explorers returned and this time managed to travel up-river and came across what was later named James Island.

By the 1600's the large agricultural and commercial estates owned by the Portuguese needed more laborers so they began to transport slaves from West Africa.  Although slavery had existed in Africa for many centuries, the Portuguese developed the trade on a large scale and had a virtual monopoly on it until the mid-16th century, when Britain joined the trade.  By the 1650's, Portugal had been largely ousted by the French and British.

Although the first European settlement in The Gambia was developed by the Germans, within ten years they were ousted by the British, who were also being threatened by French ships, pirates, and the mainland African kings.  By the mid 17th century, the slave trade had overshadowed all other trade.  The British and French competed for control of the trade in the area.  In 1765, the Gambia was made part of the British Crown and for 18 years it formed part of the British Colony of Senegambia.  In the 19th century the British took over all trading rights and in the 1820's The Gambia became a British protectorate.  In 1816 the British settled the port of Banjul by buying it from a local African Chief. 

In 1807 slave trade was abolished and the British were forced to establish a new source of wealth to support the fledgling protectorate, which led to the planting of ground nuts.  The crop spread quickly, particularly inland.  The harvested nuts were crushed to make oil, which was exported to Europe for use in food manufacture. 

In 1965, The Gambia gained political independence from Britain.  Around the same time two events occurred that enabled the tiny nation to survive and even prosper.  For a decade after independence the world price for ground nuts increased significantly, raising the country's GNP almost threefold.  In 1970 The Gambia became a Republic following a majority approved referendum.

For years The Gambia was led by President Jawaraa but his reign was filled with violence, included repeated coups.  Protests by soldiers over late salaries in 1994 resulted in a coup d-etat, led by a young lieutenant, Yahya Jammeh.  A new military government was formed, and Jammeh announced that he would remain in power until at least 1998.  However, after suffering the fiscal repercussions of the British Foreign Office's advice to British tourists to avoid the country, Jammeh decided to switch tactics and announced that elections would be held in 1996.  A new constitution was introduced, and Jammeh was the winner of the election.  In 2016, elections were held and Jammeh was defeated.  In 2017 President Adama Barrow was elected and has brought a renewed sense of hope to the country.  

The Gambia bridge was built, revolutionizing travel and trade between The Gambia and Senegal. Tourism once again returned to The Gambia and it is becoming increasingly important to the economy.  The long, palm-fringed beaches are once again a draw as a low-cost tourist destination for Europeans and increasing numbers of people from around the globe.  The Gambia continues to have major issues, including the high poverty rate of the population, at 53.4%.  They also have an enormous foreign debt.  Hopefully, stability will last and President Barrow will lead The Gambia in a continued positive direction.

We have had three lovely and relaxing sea days to recover from our challenging experiences in Ghana.  We were anxious to meet the people who live on the "smiling coast."  Our tour today took us to the Kachikally Crocodile Pool, Royal Albert Market, Banjul National Museum, and the town of Serrekunda.  

Now, here's some thoughts about our time in The Gambia.  On this occasion only Bob went for the tour while I indulged myself in a much needed haircut and facial.

We drove through the Banjul Port area which was piled high with containers 4-5 high with huge cranes moving them through the air so they could be unloaded.  Containers were placed neatly in rows so our bus could meander slowly and carefully through the maze and eventually reach the port gate.  Police were stationed in great numbers around the port to ensure that they knew exactly who was entering and exiting the area.  They boarded our bus for inspection in both directions.

The environment immediately outside the port was extremely dirty.  There were piles of trash everywhere and dilapidated buildings serving as commercial outlets.  The traffic was absolutely horrendous.  We lost about 15 minutes as we sat through heavily snarled traffic.  Our guide told us that the port serves West Africa as a "supermarket."  People flock here to buy goods as they are unloaded from the containers.  With all the people milling around, savvy street vendors set up their stalls selling a wide variety of food and drink, as well as other products.  So, locals, people from other parts of West Africa and tourists combine to create a traffic nightmare.

Finally, once we were free of the heaviest traffic, we started our journey out of Banjul to the town of Serrekunda.  Our first stop was at the Kachikally Crocodile Pool.  This was quite a unique experience since there were 100 crocodiles, none of which were locked up!!!  The fairly small park was enclosed but the crocs roamed freely within it.  Once inside, we walked along the short path to see the pond with quite a few crocs resting in it.  Then, the group stopped quickly when we had our first up-close encounter with one of them.  There was a large croc lying peacefully on the shore next to the pond with his mouth wide open.  However, there was a smaller one directly ahead of us on the path.  The guide told us that they feed the crocs before the visitors arrive each day so they are very lazy and not hungry when people arrive.  He then asked who would like to touch the smaller croc. A few of our passengers stepped up and touched him on the back, just in front of his tail.  The croc didn't move. 

I decided I should take the plunge and touch him.  Although I was nervous I stepped forward and, before I lost my nerve, I asked one of the guides to take a photo as I reached out and put my hand on his back.  His hide was very dry and rough.  I couldn't believe I was touching him! I was relieved when I was able to move away.  We continued on the path and spotted a few more crocs  but didn't stop to pet any of them. 

It was finally time to make the long trek back to our waiting bus.  We made our way through the dusty, and at times muddy road.  Children lined our way asking for money or sweets.  I had neither item so I just kept walking.

Next, we went to a batik and tie-dye factory where they create beautiful hand painted fabrics. One of the workers invited some of us to try our hand at it so, once again, a few guests volunteered.  They had fun when given the opportunity to paint a bit of the fabric.  Afterwards, they took us to the area where they create the tie-dye fabrics.  It reminded me of the 1960's and the way everyone created their own tie-dye t-shirts.  The method was exactly the same however, they created much more elaborate designs than we did.

As we left the village and returned to the highway we drove to the Arch 22, which is a commemorative arch on the road into Banjul.  It was built in 1996 to mark the military coup d-etat of 1994, through which Yahya Jammeh and his armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council overthrew the government.  

There were 150 steps leading to the top of the arch but on this occasion we only viewed the arch from a distance and did not climb the steps.  At every stop there were small children who approached us, tugging on our shirts and pants, asking for money.  It was so sad to see these young children in such desperate need.

Our next stop was at the Banjul National Museum.  It was quite small but had some interesting items.  There were displays of historical and cultural artifacts including musical instruments, agricultural tools and ethnographic items.  

There was an interesting archaeological section reconstructing some of the earliest periods of human habitation in the region.  Some of the guests were told that to take photos a fee was required--I missed that offer.  Outside the museum several local ladies were selling local goods.

We made a visit to the local outdoor market where they were selling fresh produce grown in the area, including fish, oysters, as well as articles of clothing and fabric.  It was a large market for the size of the community but not enormous compared to the outdoor markets we saw in Ghana. However, this market was a much more comfortable place to take a walk.  The streets surrounding the market were littered with garbage and the smell was quite intense.  It's a blend of fish, garbage, human waste, and body odor.

As we walked through the various sites, we learned quickly about the "bumpsters" who are locals who attach themselves to a tourist and offer to give them a private tour, show them the best places to go, find the best deals, or whatever they need.  If you look at them or, heaven forbid, you say "no, thank you" they take it as "yes, I would like help, please."  We learned that the most efficient way to get rid of them is to keep looking straight ahead, completely ignore them, and don't look interested in ANYTHING!!!  Usually, they will finally give up and target another tourist.  They can be quite persistent!  However, in their defense, they have very little money and targeting tourists is often their only access to an income.  It's difficult to ignore them when you see how desperate they are.  However, if you give anything to one person you will be bombarded by other people.  If you give money to a child, it can be quite dangerous for him/her.  Other children, or even adults, will attack him to take the money.  We were warned NOT to put any of the locals in that unsafe situation.

As we made our way back to the ship our guide continued to give us facts about The Gambia. He talked about some of the religious practices of the Muslim religion.  A huge majority of the population of The Gambia is Muslim, at 96%.  Our guide explained that leaders are trying to He also talked very briefly about the current government.  The Gambia is politically unstable at the moment, since everyone in power wants a share of the money that comes in from other countries in the world.  Government officials continue to be very corrupt, so money and resources fail to be distributed among the people.

Finally, Bob returned back to the port and boarded our clean, air-conditioned ship.  He reported that it felt good to get back and have a chance to unwind and reflect on what he learned today.  

Tomorrow, we will be in Dakar, Senegal, which will be our last stop in Africa. I must admit we are a bit relieved to be moving out of Africa.  The west coast is a difficult place to visit, since the poverty is extreme and the living conditions are so difficult.  The people received us with joy and grace, which filled our hearts with gratitude, yet we were so sad that today people are being forced to live in such poverty.  Then, after our visit to Dakar and a couple of sea days we will arrive in the Canary Islands, which are a territory of Spain. We are looking forward to a change of scenery as we get closer to Europe.