Even the Senegalese I befriended were shocked at the aggressiveness they witnessed with me. Just 3km off the coast of Dakar is Goree, a small island that began as a trading post for the Portuguese in mid-15th century. I decided to stay the night in Goree as a respite from Dakar. The Hostellerie du Chevalier de Boufflers offered some gorgeous rooms and a view over the bay. Goree was constantly fought over by the French and English for the next 2 centuries, was home for 6,000 at one point, and only dwindled in influence when Dakar became fortified in mid-18th century.
Delicate alleys span the island, which is only a ten-minute saunter long.
If you stay overnight, the invasion disappears, and island life reverts to itself. Even the teenagers aren't drawn by the lights of Dakar. They have few distractions other than themselves. And we even dropped down a hole into a derelict underground water tank which was home to four of his friends. I have resorted to babbling in English and that helps.