Travel the World - Week 20

This is the 20th week in my Travel the World personal challenge. Each week I am randomly choosing one country (there are 195 countries in the world) and doing a little research on that country. I then select one tidbit of information about the country as inspiration for the card I make.

This week's country is...

Senegal

Senegal is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city in the Old World and on the African mainland.

In the late 16th century when the Portuguese visited the country's coast, the fisherman said sunu gaal, which translates into these are our boats. The Portuguese, who understood nothing, simply named their land Senegal.

To Senegalese people, greetings are crucial, and their importance should never be underestimated. Exchanging greetings each time you meet someone, even if it is again later in the same day, is pivotal in maintaining good relationships. You are expected to inquire about the health and well-being of the other person and his or her family before asking any other question or beginning a discussion. 

There's a network of protected areas in Senegal that covers about 25% of the country's territory. It's made up of six national parks and other types of protected areas.

Senegal's natural attractions include a vivid pink lake. The pinkish hue of Lac Rose is, mercifully, not the result of an unfortunate chemical spill, but rather a natural phenomenon that occurs due to the lake's unusually high salt content. The saline in the water attracts a non-harmful bacteria, which produces a red pigment to absorb the sun.

Senegal has a tropical climate and is generally hot and humid. The rainy season is from May to November with strong southeast winds and the dry season is from December to April and dominated by hot, dry winds.

Senegal is rich with Savannah grassland vegetation intermingled with Sahel sand hills. Within this grassland rests the giant baobab trees and the ferocious red-haired lions of Teranga.

The African Renaissance Monument is a 161 feet tall bronze statue located on top of one of the twin hills outside Dakara. It is the tallest statue in Africa.

A Senegalese wedding is an elaborate affair. First, the groom goes to the bride's place with Kola nuts and not rings. If the bride accepts the nuts, the proposal part is over. Next, the bride goes to the groom's family to get married with money, rice, sweets, fruits, and the humble sheep... never forget the sheep in Senegal.

In Senegal, taxis have tails. Yes, an artificial tail made of goat or sheep hair. It supposedly brings good luck.

Sheep are commonly given names and kept in homes as companions in Senegal. Therefore it should not be surprising that the most popular television show in the country is Khar Bii (This Sheep). The contest is an American Idol-style nationwide search for the country's most perfect specimen.

Every Sunday on the beaches of Dakar, shepherds bring their flocks of sheep to the shore to engage in a time-honored cleansing ritual. They are washed, given a manicure, and encouraged to have a swim before returning to the daily grind of grazing.

Wrestling is the traditional and national sport of Senegal.

Senegal had Griots, which are traditional storytellers, singers, poets, musicians, and oral historians. They are known for their oratory and lyrical skills.

I decided to let this Senegal fact be the inspiration for this week's card... Senegal has a wide range of exotic wildlife such as lions, elephants, leopards, baboon, hippo, chimpanzee, gazelles, and more.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: Technique Tuesday Leonardo the Lion stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Papers: Recollections 110# White and SU Chocolate Chip and Real Red CS and Paper Studio Big Stripe Red/Whtie and Dirt DP

Embellishments: Paper Studio Mini Brads and Ribbon from an unknown vendor