Bonjour from Burkina

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Nous sommes ici en Burkina Faso avec les plus bizarre keyboards et mon pathetic francais. Thanks Almitra for the french spelling help - where are your silky french skills when I need them? We finally actually received one of the texts you sent Suze and Gia. Sounds like a lovely night. As for us, we're in a large, fumey, sweaty, rainy city.
We got our first healthy dose of french practice in the taxi from Bolgatango, when we shared with an older Parisian couple. I decided to warm up with them; They were very courteous, I must say, speaking clearly and slowly, as well as accepting my ugly butchery of their elegant language. Our driver was a lovely chap with the deepest voice you can imagine, a thumb missing from his left hand, and the most gentle manner. The extra gallons of "essence" wafted fumes over us for the whole ride. Francois commented, "ah, but it iz Africa". At a stop for natures calling, Eric found the recently shedded skin of a three foot snake, and brought it along as a souviener. (Bet you would love that Bing!)
We have spent the day taking care of essentials; changing money and obtaining our Mali visa, dashing around the city in taxis, paying way too much for each, no doubt. The city is absolutely teeming with mopeds and bicycles, the former spewing immense clouds of exhaust fumes that makes the air blue and rather difficult to breathe. Quite a stark contrast to the journey from the border through beautiful countryside devoid of the garbage that spoils parts of the Ghanain land. Infact, we're only really passing through Burkina. Tomorrow we're heading into Mali aiming for the town of Mopti, from where we can take the three day ferry to Timbukto, passing through the Inland Niger Delta. Mopti is also the gateway for a three day walk in Dogon country we hope to take.
Time is starting it's inexhorable squeezing motion leading back to the Brooks, so we might not have time to do both of these things, especially since Senegal's beaches are also beginning to call, like a snake charmer's song.
Ca c'est finis maintenant.
Nous cherchons un taxi et le soir dans Quaga.
love mike and eric

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Comments

[Mom/Carol]

Continue to intrigue me
Enjoying every word of your blog. I guess that CD that is sitting on Erics dining table for quick French - didn't do much good?!?!?! If my memory serves me I believe I told you to take French instead of German in school ! Ok enough nonsense. Enjoy the wonders of the world and what remains of your great summer adventure. (Please don't share your findings (skin) with me on your return!) Love Be safe Mom

[deleted_20251]

Ow At
Dear Mike and Eric, I had sent another blog since I came back from Norway but it hasn't appeared on the site for some reason. Glad you arrived safely on the next leg of your epic journey. Not much to report apart the Alex got walloped 3-1 by Doncaster away last night and only drew 2-2 with Northampton last Saturday.. What a load of you know what already. Port Vale top of the League!! I intend to go to Crewe next week to see everyone and be tortured at Gresty Road. Things remain very quiet here but I have thrown my name in the hat for a job in Bulgaria for a couple of years. I hope to go through all of the processes and if I get to the decision point will probably panic but think abaout it seriously. Anyway I won't bore you with the details. What a fasinating adventure so far and I am sure you will look back on your notes with some pride in the months and years ahead. The photos are great. Anyway all is well this end of the world. England have won the cricket series against Pakistan and your team play tonight in the Champions League so I will let you know how they do. Happy travels and take care Love Antony

[deleted_20337]

Good luck and good times!
I'll spare you my own fractured French, but will say that I wish you both well on this new leg of your wondrous adventure. Things are rolling along here....can't believe we are into August already, but it has been a busy couple of months, making the time fly easily. Michael, I will write you about the funny experience at your house, during the city's fire inspection yesterday ;) And hmm...a few texts were sent by us - I wonder which made it through? Oh well, not to worry, just chit-chat I'm sure. Anyway, I'm sure Eric's immaculate French will get you through.....if not, just wing it and smile a lot! Have fun, stay safe and well. love, Suze

[Lucille]

Timbuktu
Hello, Great to hear from you both so soon. Well Burkina seems like just all you needed there was a quick stay, Onward to Mali and Timbuktu. Be sure to enjoy some beach time again somewhere during your travels. I just took a long walk along the beach here last night and it was nice and cool finally and had myself an Earl Grey on the way back. Of course that made me think of you two and our daily coffee/tea breaks and I was able to really say to myself I wonder where they actually are now. Well this time I can say not sure where my friends are but they probably are somewhere lost in Timbuktu. Enjoy Mali andTimbuktu whenever you get there. I always wanted to know what it was really like there, I expect to get the details from you two. Enjoy the remaining portion of your trip. Continue to have a wonderful adventure and stay safe. Anxiously awaiting more photos and to hear all about your adventures when you do get back. think of you often on this journery and how youare doing. Who knows you may bump into me a few times along the trip in timbuktu. I am there in spirit with you guys. love your friend Lucille

[Kylie]

No comment
It's me again! Sounds like a lot of fun. Except maybe the sleeping in a puddle part, and the theiving primates. It brought a very funny picture into my head when you mentioned the cheeky monkey. Once, I was at the beach with my cousin, and a seagle or pelican or something swooped down and grabbed his chicken wing from right infront of him, and flew away! Oh, and by the way, camp is over now! Wohoo! Our play that we did at camp was really fun. Isabelle wore these buns on the side of her head, which I remember Katharine punching, and her little brother pulling them, pretending they were motercycles. I critisized Katharine for 'punching people's buns,' which didn't come out the right way! Can you beleive it's August already? I haven't bothered to find out the actual day of the month, but school will be starting pretty soon. I got school supplies already. I'm slowly chipping away at the reading list and math packet, which is not hard but very tedious. I have to have read at least ten books. The bad news is, only three of them are on the reading list, and I have to write summaries every few chapters, which really takes the fun out of it, especially on the really long books, like Mrs. Frisbee and the rats of NIMH, and Island of the Blue Dolphins, which I would not reccomend to anyone. It has to be the worst book I've ever read; it was soooooooo boring! On the contrary, I've discovered several of my favorite books this summer, one of them being 'My Sister's Keeper,' which is in my top three favorites, ranking number 1. Number two is You Don't know Me, and number three, I've also read this summer. It's called 'A certain Slant of Light,' and it has really beautiful descriptions. Wow, I've written a lot, haven't I. There are so many things I want to talk about. For some reason, I've been very chatty lately, but I'm sure you don't mind. Can't wait to hear your next entry! (Well, read actually. You can't hear typing, or writing, I mean, oh never mind!) -Kylie

[Auntie Donna]

Eric how dare you!
Eric I knew that you would have to touch one of those disgusting things that God put on this earth, even if it was dead. Well I hope all that you see are dead. Anyway miss hearing from you guys - hope things are well and you are safe because there hasn't been any word from you. You are probably in the middle of nowhere. The trip sounds really great and I am sure the two of you will never forget not even one detail of it except maybe the walk across those bridges. Stay well and safe. Love Auntie Donna, Mich and Nick