This post is part of a weekly feature called Discovery of the Week. By discovery, I mean a place, a custom or dish that is not widely known. See, I love to read travel magazines, websites and books. Very often, I find beautiful and interesting gems that not a lot of people seem to know about. That is why I thought about introducing this feature because I am sure it will expose a lot of astonishing places. Additionally, I enjoy learning about the many amazing places in the world. I believe my readers also enjoy this activity.
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Discovery of the Week: Lake Retba
Where it is located: North of the Cap Vert Peninsula of Senegal, north east of Dakar (capital city).
Dakar is located at the tip of the Cap Vert Peninsula. Lake Retba is located at the top right corner of the image..
What it is: A lake with pink waters. The color of the lake is caused by cyanobacteria in the water. The color is particularly visible during the dry season. The lake is also known for its high salt content, which, like that of the Dead Sea, allows people to float easily. The lake also has a small salt collecting industry and is often the finishing point of the Dakar Rally.
Many salt collectors work 6–7 hours a day in the lake, which has a salt content close to 40%. In order to protect their skin, they rub their skin with shea butter, which is an emollient used to avoid tissue damage.
Did you know about Lake Retba? Let me know in the comments section below.
That’s pretty awesome – never heard of this place before! It looks like a lake full of the strawberry-flavoured medicine that I used to take as a kid. Mmmmmm
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