Saturday evening 1/19

My roommate here is an ethnomusicologist/mathematician with a vast understanding of Afro/Caribbean/ Latin music. He has many contacts here in Senegal---and last night he invited me to come to dinner with a friend of his, Suleiman, a Nigerian who runs a small niche publishing house here in Dakar. I brought a gift of Columbian coffee and we also brought some wine. Another friend of Suleiman's was to meet us at our hotel and we were all to cab over to the district where the Millennium Statue is. We had no idea who to expect--she arrived promptly at 6:30 and we a bit late coming down. This will take some explaining. She is German, raised in Britain, spent most of her life in South Africa. Impeccably dressed with a unique ivory necklace.  A wonderful, classic, cosmopolitan woman who has lived in Dakar now for 5 years, working as a translator of French, German, and English. Vera. Absolutely charming. Her accent was British. She hailed a cab for us...negotiated the price---the equivalent of around $4 to go at least 5 miles...and off we went. So gracious---I'm sure all I did was talk about myself. After 10 minutes we arrive in the correct neighborhood,Oakam, exit the cab--my roommate and Vera immediately recognize the home. We call on cell to announce our arrival, and Suleiman's daughter comes down to let us in. We go up one floor into a beautiful flat, tile floors---and what I love most, books everywhere. Immediately we sit and have the most amazing of intellectual discussions on all things literary and musical. He has visited my colleague in Puerto Rico---they have known each other for 10 years. Suleiman is the consummate host, funny, smart, with a great laugh. His wife joins us---his two very friendly children come in and out of the living room periodically--he also has a boy. There is a mosque across the street that has a call to prayer as we are talking and at one point he and his wife wordlessly communicate and excuse themselves to pray. Then dinner is ready, a delicious lamb stew with cous cous and vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, eggplant, and casaba. Vera, my roommate, and I knock back a bottle of Argentinian red wine with dinner. I have two helpings. The kids are playing video games and eat in another room. Low maintenance. My roommate has brought them sweets. After an hour or so of conversation where I have to continually note books I have not read it is time for dessert. Suleiman has made it himself, a chocolate pie with apples. I don't usually do dessert, but this is one I cannot miss. Delicious. At some point we get ready to go. I give our host my card. We joke and do it the Japanese way, with a bow and formal presentation of our cards. I feel as if I have made 3 new friends here. Suleiman sees us down, hails a cab and we are back in Plateau in minutes---helping our cabbie find the way. In bed by 11. I feel like I am living in a PBS travel series. I sleep well.