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Published: December 24th 2007
We've finally made it to Bamako and are settling in to a new space, languages, and yummy food.
We had a really long trip here, but it was very cool. After a great send off by the Liskas and Colleen and friends, just two hours of sleep, we flew to Casablanca. We arrived in the morning knowing that we had around a 16 hour layover and that there are neat things to see in town, but not sure about how we were going to do that with our packs, or if it was realistic. We were pleasantly surprised, after some confusing chaos, mysterious lines, and half french conversations, that Royal Air Maroc was providing us with a shuttle bus to town, a room for the day, and food! Voila! How totally perfect. After some waiting (I think there is a pattern here) we drove off to the city, and through it, to a very nice hotel on the beach (just across the street from Miami Plage!). We stowed our packs, freshened up, and then spent the rest of the day walking around the city, exploring it in one-day adventure form.
We walked through the rain, saw a rainbow over the ocean, down to the Hassan II Mosque, the second largest in the world. It was beautiful, gorgeous mosaics, stunning archetecture, very neat to watch people come in for the call to prayer.
We then took a cab to the medina (maybe?) we couldn't quite tell where we were going, but ended up finding some yummy coffee (to the tune of Hotel California nonetheless) and some gelato. Our walk took us through parks, plazas, tourist areas, then finally to a market, and beyond it into the old walled french part of the city, now very not french. It was a winding labirynthe of tiny streets, many stories, kids playing soccer, fresh sheep skins, vegetables, stores, laundry. It was really interesting to see people in their place, to be there in a completely different culture, obviously out of place observers. Bonjour bonjour😊
That evening (last night) we caught our 11 pm flight to Bamako, late nearly an hour because it waited on the runway for so many other passangers with long layover to get there on thier shuttles, then landed at a dark and tired 4 am in dusty Bamako. We were worried that our ride would not still be waiting, negotiated with assertive would-be taxis, then finally and most gratefully found our friend Tewa still waiting outside. How much fun to see a friendly face from California here in Bamako in the middle of the night to pick us up and take us to her home! We slept happily, with very few mosquitos, in Tewa and Jeremy's house where we are staying.
We woke up late, had sweet coffee and bread (I could go on and on about how great Tewa's food has been!). Jeremy gave us a great intro to Africa conversation, and we met some of his friends and family, and kids on vacation. The guys drummed, I'll let Kevin write more on that front, I tried out the tiniest bit of dance. All and all its been a nice first day, though we have ventured little outside the compound. I did go out with the girls to buy some water on the corner, and Kevin had a ride on Jeremy's moto to use the ATM (yes, right nearby).
Tomorrow we'll venture out on the town a bit, do a little bit of exploring, and Kevin will have a drum class. I'm looking forward to seeing more of the city and the people, but also really really grateful and happy to make deeper connections with the folks in Jeremy's family circle, to just be part of thier lives, see how it works, hang out around the home and learn from people, talk a little french/english/bamana. Beautiful, simple, and happy.
I can't believe it, but despite waking up at 11 and a 3 hour nap I'm tired now at 10 pm. We're going to take a walk out now to buy a beer, then return home to share it around. More perhaps tomorrow.
We love you all! Its hard to remember that its Christmas! Happy Christmas from Africa!
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jeanne heaton
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Hello and Merry Christmas, I got the blog from Eric... still not coming to my email. So happy things are going well. We miss you. Saw Charlie Wilson's War today and took a long walk on the bike path. Jenny, Al, her parents and the kids came over yesterday. Very fun! Love YOU mom