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Published: December 28th 2007
BAMAKO
SUNSET OVER NIGER RIVERAfter crossing into the Malian side we drove for half an hour or so to a place where we have to go through customs. The people have been very nice so far waving at us as we pass through, I am loving it so far the people are so friendly and polite and have the most genuine smile, though at one checkpoint after the border the border guard was not impressed by the hordes of kids who ran to wave at us and chat while we are stopped and started shooing them away to no avail, finally he gave up and the kids had fun seeing us off. It is our cook group who have to prepare dinner for the night and we ended up with bulk food from the truck as we have no local dibdobs to shop with at the moment. This is also the time for me to start my malarone tablets.
Early start the next day off to Bamako the capital, it was about 4 hours drive we stopped at a restaurant called Relax something... to have lunch and change money from some Lebanese guy who i think owns the place, all that sorted we drove
off to camp while Di and Bry takes a taxi to the Burkina Faso embassy to gather visa app forms, we got lost getting there and we have to hire a taxi to show us the way, Chrissy went with the taxi as she is fluent in French she can talk to the driver with ease. When we arrived at the camp Di and Bry are already there with cold beer in hand, everyone got excited seeing the pool, the camp site is alright it is near the Niger river and we had a fabulous sunset after a swim and water polo, I scraped my foot at the bottom of the pool as I try to swim for the ball because it was slimy and I lost my balance anyway we lost the match.
Did my laundry that night as well and mozzies everywhere, everyone sprayed deet on themselves and I sprayed the tent door and windows with permethrin, as you open the tent door they sneak in and I ended up squashing a dozen of them mozzies before I went to bed. Early morning we did a boat trip in a pirogue along the Niger river to hopefully
see some crocodiles but we saw nothing. We also found out the forms given to Di are wrong and we all have to re fill up the forms for the visa after having done that we went and took a taxi to town, me, mark, Jo and Chrissy went to the Musee Nacional which is quite interesting, they exhibits of textiles, archeological things and wooden carvings and jewelleries. This is also the time I started having problems with my point and shoot digital camera due to sand stuck inside from when we we in the Sahara desert. Lunch was at the restaurant in the museum called the African grille, i had a chicken yassa thing and it was delicious. Then we bravely went to the Grand Marche, the experience was overwhelming, it was so hectic, it seems everyone in Bamako is there and we got hassled by some guys trying to show us around, we tried to find where the fetish market is and ended up in the Artisan section, the girls shopped as usual and met some of the group there, we asked a man to show us to the fetish market but it seems he misunderstood Chrissy and
BAMAKO
MUSEE NACIONAL after half an hour walk ended up at the French cultural centere! We bought them coca colas and paid 2000 did dobs for the service, we had a look and realized we are close by to the Thai restaurant we want to go for dinner so we internetted to kill time and had a fabulous dinner at Sukhothai. We also went for a few drinks at the Apaloosa bar which the LP says is a bit dodgy, blonde women socializing/entertaining the locals, we did not see it but the photos on the wall shows it it true. On our way back to camp the driver got lost and got pulled over by the police, the driver was upset we do not have the address of the camp just the name took us forever but finally made it back to camp with live music coming from the bar, I was too tired to check it out and eneded up going to bed fairly early after a shower in the mosquito infested toilet!
The next day off to Djenne, a brief stop at Segou for food shopping, I found a plastic mat and bought it and also stocked up on mozzie coils.
At the bush camp that night my Canon point and shoot finally croaked even if Mark tried to salvage it by opening it and getting the dust and sand out, the lens do not come out fully as if stuck in something and is not focusing well, he declared it was dead, my hurling it on the other side of the tent out of frustration probably helped its demise, it has been my companion all through out Central Asia so sad for it to die.
We arrived in Djenne early afternoon we left the truck on the river bank and took a boat to cross to the other side where we can take a horse cart to take us to town which took 25 mins. poor horse is malnourished and struggling badly, some of us swore we would rather walk. A short time checking out the town after a late lunch, the famed World heritage site mosque made of mud was underwhelming in my opinion, I was expecting it to be bigger and grander, oh well, Bry and I walked back to the river bank to cathc the boat to the other side took us nearly an hour walking.
we camped just behind the river banks and small kids gathered and observed us they are of course very curious so we let them and they are so polite and helpful and got on well with John who calls his name to no end. Next day we set off to town again this time walikg and not taking the cart, it was the Monday market and you can smell all sorts, it was very lively, quite interesting it apparently is the biggest in West Africa, walked around for couple hours absorbing all the wonderful colors and chaos of the local people going about their normal usual business. We have to get back to the truck by 2pm so we hurriedly walked back, me Jo and Mark finally made it to the river and we got back in time, we saw the people doing the Niger river pinasse boat trip off and we set off to Sevare where we are now and found a nice motel to camp and get cleaned, shower and laundry and ice cold beer, we had dinner at this fabulous restaurant called Mekan Te i think owned by a German lady, excellent smoke perch carpaccio, and also
had a relaxing massage from a nigerian guy who came to the motel, the next day the girls had a massage as well as Stew.
WIKI INFO
BAMAKO
Bamakó, population 1,690,471 (2006), is the capital and largest city of Mali, and currently estimated to be the fastest growing city in Africa (6th fastest in the world). It is located on the Niger River, near the rapids that divide the Upper and Middle Niger Valleys, in the southwestern part of the country. Bamako is the nation's administrative center, as well as a river port and a major regional trade center. Manufactures include textiles, processed meat and metal goods. There is commercial fishing on the Niger River. Bamako is located at 12°39′N, 8°0′W.
Bamako is by the Niger River. This creates issues in that there are tributaries which affect development in the city and the city is on a flood plain, so much of the land bordering the river can not be used for construction. Bamako is relatively flat, except to the immediate north where there is an escarpment, being what remains of an extinct volcano. The Presidential Palace and main hospital are located
here.
Originally, the city developed on the northern side of the river, but as it grew, bridges were developed to connect the north with the south. The first of these was the Pont des Martyrs and the Pont du Roi Fahd. Additionally there is an older bridge to the east of Bamako although this is underwater for much of the year.
Historically the city also contained a military airport to the west of the city. However, this has now been closed and is now a business area known as ACI 2000.
The traditional commercial centre of Bamako is to the north of the river, and contained within a triangle bounded by Avenue du Fleuve, Rue Baba Diarra and Boulevard du Peuple. This area contains the Marché Rose and Street Market. The city centre is highly congested, polluted, and expensive, and in general the city is growing to the west in districts such as ACI 2000. The Government of Mali has also signalled its commitment to peripheral locations, by development of a new Administrative City at the entrance to ACI 2000.
Notable landmarks in Bamako include the National Library of Mali, Tour BCEAO, Bamako Grand Mosque and
the Pont du Roi Fahd. It is home to Mali's largest international airport, Senou International Airport, as well as the Dakar-Niger Railway, to Koulikoro in eastern Mali and Dakar in Senegal. Attractions include the Mali National Museum, the Muso Kunda Museum, the Bamako Regional Museum, Bamako Zoo, the Bamako Botanical Gardens and the Point G hill, containing caves with rock paintings. Bamako has hosted the biannual photography festival African Photography Encounters since 1994.
In 1988, Bamako was the location of a WHO conference known as the Bamako Initiative that helped reshape health policy of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The yearly held Budapest-Bamako rally has the endpoint in Bamako, with the Dakar Rally often passing through Bamako.
DJENNE
Djenné (also Dienné or Jenne) is a historically and commercially important small city in the Niger Inland Delta of central Mali. It is just west of the Bani River (the Niger River passes well to the west and north). It has an ethnically diverse population of about 12,000 (in 1987). It is famous for its mud brick (adobe) architecture, most notably the Great Mosque of Djenné, originally built in 1220 and rebuilt in 1907. In the past, Djenné
was a centre of trade and learning, and has been conquered a number of times since its founding. Its historic city center was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. Administratively it is part of the Mopti Region.
Attractions include the Tomb of Tupama Djenepo, who in legend was sacrificed on the founding of the city, and the remains of Jenné-Jeno, a major city from the 3rd century BC until the 13th century.
Approximately eight hours by road from Bamako, Djenné is notable in that it becomes an island when the rivers rise at the end of the rainy season. The weekly market, when buyers and sellers converge on the town from the surrounding regions, is a key tourist attraction.
Due to an unsavoury incident with an Italian fashion photography shoot, the great mosque is out of bounds for non-Muslim tourists.
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Joe and Zan
non-member comment
Hey Gilbert!!!!!
Looks like you are having a super time! The trip sounds awesome! Joe is home from India/Nepal and wishing he was still there as the trip is progressing south the country is more beautiful. Our daughter, Stormi, is still there and will not be home to the states until February. Have Fun!!!!!!