The deserts of the Sahara Our first visit to the Festival last year convinced us that it is one of the great African adventures not to be missed ...
The tour leader Guerbed met us as we left the baggage hall, most of us with our full complement of luggage. It is difficult to describe the sense of adventure and excitement that even the short drive to the hotel provides. Beaten vintage cars competing for road space with carts, cows and even a beggar on a skateboard. din horns, vendors press their property through open windows and people of color in dresses fantastic crowd on the sidewalks. Bamako is a dynamic place!
Dogon
We relax and get to know each other in the comfort of the Hotel Rustic. We are a group of 16 from around the world, but especially the British and Americans and English speaking students. We are delighted the next day when we drive to Segou to begin our hike two days through the Dogon villages of the Bandiagara escarpment. The animist peoples a house along the escarpment about 600 years ago, escaping a wave of Islam that has swept the region. Originally living in the caves can still be seen on the cliffs, the Dogon people live today as they have done for generations in a series of villages along the base of the escarpment. The courtrooms of the village were my favorite. These open spaces in front of the thatched roof were only 3 feet tall. Crouched inside with our interpreter, I asked why the low ceilings. "This means that the accused and the accuser can not be beat" was the reply.
We enjoyed a pleasant walk of several miles in the morning we were going from village to village. Greetings are an important part of life, and take several minutes each, so the pace is gentle. You realize how much we are unaware of here in the West when passing is allowed and each new exchanged. It is a remarkable experience to stay in these friendly villages, as people gather to chat and socialize with no TV in sight. We were tempted by the millet beer house that requires new skills - screening a drink on your teeth to avoid the bullets! Not bad, but beware the next morning.
Leaving behind the Dogon, we climbed the cliff and leave our cars in 4-WD to Djenne on the Niger River. The town dominates the giant Mosque constructed dirt, the largest the world, hitting a bit Architecture. Again, the momentum is striking. This region is the meeting place and a negotiated border West Africans and peoples of the northern desert, mixed with the cattle nomads of the Sahel.
Flight of the River Niger
Day 6, we are in Mopti, a bustling port on the Niger River and a major commercial center. After one look good, most of us chose to relax and enjoy the world of the Bar Bozo terrace overlooking the river port. It is good to see the river traffic because the next 3 days we saw car down the legendary city of Timbuktu, camping each night in the desert. It is a fascinating journey, with the sand dunes to the north and the fishing villages along the road. We observe that young children from their herds of cattle with long horns with confidence and assurance, taking the eye on the job momentarily to greet this strange cargo of tourists as they chug past. The river is fascinating, each turn revealing something new, whether a farmer or a fisherman pulling in a giant perch Niger (the famous "Captain" on all menus). My mind reflected on the travels of Mungo Park and other great explorers who have had to examine every turn as perhaps their last as they prowl Taureg sought to hinder their quest for the legendary city of Timbuktu. Surprisingly, one or two of the group use this time to sleep, and happily not miss this great experience. They must have tough jobs at home.
Timbuktu
Timbuktu, despite being a World Heritage site by UNESCO - the first time.
Posted on March 20, 2010.
