Car Rapides

The city is littered with these buses called "Car Rapides". They run (loosely) scheduled routes around the Dakar and make up part of its public transportation system. They are a sight to see: no two Car Rapides look exactly the same - all are hand-painted with unique designs and messages - and look like some sort of psychedelic party on wheels.

It's pretty clear that most of these things have been pretty loved (AKA they are falling apart and are well beyond anything we would consider "drivable" here in the US). You can find them driving through crowded city streets and local markets, with streamers of all colors blowing in the wind, packed with so many people that they're often spilling out of the doors.

It's no coincidence that in all of my photos of Car Rapides, the back doors are wide open. Almost every Car Rapide you see will have a couple of guys standing on the car's bumper, even on the highway at top speeds, casually holding on for their lives.