post-New Year day on the beach

Val said that people typically spend New Year's with their families at home. But the day after New Year's, people flock to the beach. I thought that people went to swim. 

... and then I saw the people. They were fully dressed. On the beach. And nobody seemed interested to swim in the Bight of Benin. 

It seemed like everyone was there to lounge and relax until the sun set. And that sunset is glorious. That harmattan haze made the sunset dramatic, I have to say. 

Frankly, I've never seen a crowd this thick on any beach; not even in the Philippines. We were supposed to stop and stay by the beach in this spot in Cotonou but the crowd was too big so we headed further westward to find a less populated spot.

We ended up in Vickey Beach, a public but more peaceful beach. It has soft, golden brown sand that stretches for miles. Only locals were there when we arrived so it was the first time I noticed that people were staring at me. I guess I stood out because I'm Asian. 

There was a playground for kids, a beach volleyball court, and several huts near the road. But as we neared the water, we saw boats parked a distance from the water's edge, filled with nets that were used by fishermen to catch fish. There were some people relaxing on the sand but more people were taking a stroll. 

Just like during my first trip to Benin, I was intimidated to even get my toes wet in the water because the undertow seemed very strong (I could see the sand being sucked further out into the sea). And after seeing that rogue wave drench tourists in Oahu in 2016, I opted to stay further inland. Val, on the other hand, went closer to the water. But no swimming for him either.