IMAGES OF MALI...ROCKIN' ON IN DOGON COUNTRY...ENNDE, YABATALOU & BEGNIMATO

Africa » Mali » Dogon Country » Bandiagara
March 22nd 2011

Published: April 8th 2011

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Dancing Dave

EDWARD

...our bullock driver

IMAGES OF MALI...ROCKIN' ON IN DOGON COUNTRY

We trek north out of Ennde along the base of the tombed cliff.

It is as if the Tellem or Dogon god cut this massive rock step 200 km long and...we are trekking on the flat base and the cliff is the step we must climb.

Today we climb the falaise...how I do not know.

Yabatalou for lunch...that chicken that just ran past is smiling at you from your plate...massage and siesta...and the odd first aid.

A big dance session with the locals...and reggae danced out of there...

Then boys grab our packs and we say "au revoir" to Edward our bullock driver.

We scale the falaise...through small villages & oases as we go...and to the top...to the buildings of rock and mud that is the rock platform village overlooking Burkina Faso known as Begnimato...

... where we hang over the edge of the cliff as if to glide with the crows to where we have been...

We drink millet beer with the Elders...then party to late...with our guides & friends from Holland, France, USA, and of course...Colombia.

... sleep on a mud roof

FLYING WITH THE CROWS...

...From Begnimato at the top of the Falaise..."wow, we came from way down there..."

next to a big drop with two rock monoliths beyond...looking over the edge...no sleep walking tonight...and when I roll onto my back I can feel the cool breeze...and the fine dust settling on my face.

The breeze was so strong and my silk inner sleeping bag flaps so loudly that I cannot sleep...have to get my sleeping bag...hopefully it won't flap as it is much heavier...that's better...

Now all I can hear are the drumming & singing of the locals, the braying of donkeys, the bleating of goats...and my pleasure of being here...

I amaze at the ingenuity of the Malian people..how here the Dogon can live on a rock shelf...where nothing could possibly grow...but they build drystone & mud houses, garden beds that they fill with soil that they have to cart up there...somehow they get water, trap and dam water coming off the cliff...live modestly well under the circumstances...friendly & welcoming all...no better place would I wish to be...right now...am I in heaven?...or close to it?

Further rock hopping, climbing, winding, up, down and around......in a severe landscape...

Welcome to Dogon Country...

Enjoy & Relax...

Dancing Dave (who danced up &