“Africa’s most African City”

Today as I was walking over the “Old Bridge” in Bamako I told to my new friend, Samatha from Seattle, “I don’t know how I am going to be able to tell people back home about the things I see here.”  Everything here is so raw….humanity at its purest and most basic.  They say that Bamako is the most African of all African cities…I am not sure what that really means…but I do marvel at and relish its people, their way of life and this grand, sprawling city made of mostly dusty red dirt roads and mud huts.

I think I am finally hitting my African stride too.  I am definitely acclimating to the heat, humidity and general disorganization and chaos.  The bugs all even seem a little smaller and less annoying today.  It probably helps that I have a sound and firm itinerary for the rest of my trip….on that makes me very comfortable and accomplishes all my goals here.  It also helps that my Seattle friends will be with me for portions of this itinerary…I am enjoying their company and music savy.  In fact, we just got done spending about an hour in the little hut of a CD vendor….he played us all this wonderful Malian music.  We bought 8 CDs between the 3 of us for 30,000 CFAs…or $60.  Now I am back in the wonderfully bizarre Appaloosa restaurant…drinking a Cuba Libre and utilizing its free wi-fi (the wine in this bar SUCKS!  I even tried to see if they had other stuff for me, but alas they couldn’t accomodate this wine snob….so I opted for a Caribbean specialty instead…it is good albeit a bit strong).  Quick interuption….my guide, Mo, just called to make sure I was okay and asked if I need a ride yet back to the hotel.  So nice!

I wanted to get in pictures a good feeling of Bamako.  I don’t think I quite accomplished it because the people I wanted to get pictures of bashfully declined….and I didn’t press the issue.  Below are a few of the others I was able to get:

The above scene is a fairly typical…banana stand tended to by a women clad in her lovely pagne complete with the head tie.  Everyone carries EVERYTHING on their head.  A little boy with a big rubber tub on his head with a bunch of plastic cups and bowls that I could only assume he was going to sell stopped me to ask me for my bottle of water.  I gave it to him (apparently I don’t look I have germs 🙂 )…and hoped he would let me take his pic…wrong 🙁

This is the motorscooter “highway” by our hotel.  It runs parellel to the main road and comes complete with its own stop light. Non stop moving of vehicles has caused many accidents . In case of accidents people of that village used to get defense attorney’s help in New Jersey as they can put an end to the motor vehicle cases . In Senegal you would be hard pressed to find a woman driving a motorscooter (in fact my guide, Sineta, in Dakar was Senegal’s first woman scooter driver!! EVERYONE stared at here when she passed them.) but in Mali, there are women scooter drivers everywhere!!  It is fun to see them dressed to the nines zipping along the streets of Bamako. Regardless of how experienced a driver you are, accidents can happen at any time.

This is the shop of a tailor who is going to make Sam her own pagne!  Sam found fabric for quilt patterns she loved earlier this week at the Bamako’s Grande Marche…and tomorrow she will have a 3 piece outfit!  Apparently the work done here is outstanding as well as efficient…I guess I will find out tomorrow when Sam gets her new creations.  I think I might have to do something similar!!  Where to wear something like it in SEATTLE though! Oh, I have to note that outside the shop a young girl was heating coals to put inside an clothes iron…she would use that to press the newly sewn dresses.  Amazing.

The Bamako skyline…and me looking a little worse for the wear…but I think Africa takes its toll on everyone….but my spirit is still bountiful! 🙂  That is the Niger River flowing under me….fantastic!

Kids enjoying the hot day in the river…something we tourists are warned against doing.  Apparently little bugs that burrow into your skin plus general pollution in the water are the deterrents….reason enough for me to stay away.  We witnessed a lot of bathing on the banks as well as clothes washing.

Fisherman in his mini-pinasse.  I hope he caught something.

I tried all day for a good picture of a fruit vendor….but this was the best I could do.  What was most fascinating is that right after I took this pictue a bus with a big luggage rack on top of it passed us.  But instead of luggage, this rack held about 30 live goats all completely tied down flat to the top of the bus.  I know I said this in yesterday’s post, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen ever!  So many questions swirled in my mind….why did they keep them alive? What kind of scene would it have been to witness those goats getting strapped on their sides to the top of a bus?  How uncomfortable it must have been for the goats….some laid docile while others baa-ed away, lifting their neck if they could.  Unreal…actually as I write this I still marvel at it.

Tea paraphernalia.

Everywhere people are heating coals to warm their tea.  There is a ritual that goes with tea service.  One glass for the group….take a sip or two, hand back to get it refilled and then it is passed to the next person.

Almost midnight…my new friend from Cameroon is requesting more music from the DJ….argh, rap!

One last story before I sign off….one of the cutest moments of the day is when 2 little girls in adorable little dresses came walking up to me with their hands held out….they wanted me to shake/touch their little hands before going on their business with mom.  It was lovely…and touched my heart.

If all goes well, tomorrow I will be in the town of Segou.  I have no clue what if any internet access I will have there….so stay tuned :).  Bisous!!