The masks of the Marka are narrow and austere, with a sharp chin. They are brightly painted or coated with metal along with raised ornamentation, achieving a fine decorative effect that is very distinctive and different from most other African mask styles. The men of the Marka, clad in costumes of colorful cloth, always appear in pairs to represent man’s wooing of woman. The most characteristic deviation from the Bambara style is the cover of metal sheeting worked in conjunction with three metal bars attached to the forehead and red cotton at the end of each. The Marka society used this mask in two rituals, at the circumcision ceremony of adolescents, and when circumcised men advance from one grade to another. Along the Niger River the Marka used the masks in ceremonies related to fishing and farming.

This ethnic group is independent from the Bambara tribe but their styles show a strong Bambara influence. They live in the region that extends from the north of the Bambara to the Senegalese border. They live principally from agriculture with some subsidiary cattle rearing in the northern part of their territory. The dry savanna permits no more than a subsistence economy, and the soil produces, with some difficulty, millet, rice, and beans.

Fertility played an important role in African Agricultural ceremonies. They were based on the idea that through the correct rituals, man could raise up the vital forces dwelling in a mask by gaining the blessing of his ancestor in order to help fertility and therefore achieve protection and primary security. The Agricultural Festivities the Africans celebrated were performed at different stages of the crop cycle. This crop cycle started with clearing of the land, then the planting, the reaping of the fruits, the harvest and finally the filling of the food stores. The concept of these festivals was the sacredness of the soil, which belonged to the ancestors, or the “masters of the soil”. A successful harvest therefore depended on the thanksgiving of the ancestors or sometimes upon the good will of the goddess of the earth. African Masks

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1. Mountain Gorillas of Central Africa

It is an indescribable experience to spend an hour visiting an habituated gorilla family in the rain forests of Central Africa. With over 98% commonality of DNA with human beings, you can sense and feel their emotions and familial ties. A family group which varies from 8 to 20 is led by an alpha male – the silverback – with a silvery blanket of hair down his back. Seriously endangered, tourism is their only chance of survival.

2. Wildlife Safari in East Africa

The African rift valley offers the most remarkable variety of wildlife to view anywhere on Earth. Across the protected game parks in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Botswana and Zambia, seeing the great African wildlife is a special experience to savor. Way beyond reading National Geographic, seeing in real life a pride of lions stalking and hunting down its prey gets your heart racing. Vultures and jackals hover nearby for their share of the feast. Many plan to see the so-called Big Five, the buffalo, elephant, lion, rhinoceros and leopard, along with the familiar antelope, giraffes, zebras and wildebeest, along with a wide variety of colorful birds.

3. Pyramids and Sphinx of Egypt

The Great Pyramids of Giza, just outside Cairo, have stood and overseen over 5000 years of Egyptian history. These giants structures stand in a stark sandy desert expanse while local touts sell camel rides or their various crafts, souvenirs and knick-knacks. The nightly light and sound show describes the rich history with colorful lights and lasers.

4. Victoria Falls

The locals describe it as the “The Smoke that Thunders” in their native language, where plumes of spray from the thunderous water can be seen for miles around as the calm waters of the mile-wide Zambezi River plunges well over 100 yards into the deep gorge below. These famous waterfalls change mood across the year from the dry to the wet seasons and often appear with dazzling rainbows in the misty spray.

5. Nile River and Egyptian Temples

Small armies of river boats travel the famed Nile River between Luxor and Aswan in central Egypt. From the cool of the boat, you can enjoy the narrow fertile strip of land being intensively farmed in much the same manner as it has sustained the population for centuries. This thin strip of greenery is the only break from the desolate Saharan sands which seem to extend forever. Luxor’s Temple of Karnak is an ancient construction on an unequaled scale with pillars, carvings, ceremonial lakes and temples extending over an area beyond a mile by half a mile. The pharaohs’ final resting places sit on the opposite bank of the Nile in the Valley of the Kings – a stark, empty ravine.

6. Sahara Desert

Incredibly hot by day and surprisingly cool by night, the dry vastness of the Sahara Desert is striking in its beauty. Eroded over the centuries by wind, jagged mountains, rocky escarpments and sweeping sand dunes detail a harsh terrain. The small oasis towns reveal a battle for survival over the many centuries, the refreshing patches of green highlighting the invaluable resource of water.

7. Moroccan Cities of Marrakesh and Fes

With their souks woven like ancient mazes, Marrakesh and Fes both boast remarkable medinas (walled-in areas of the town) which ignite every human sense. Rich in craft shops (tanners, textile makers, dressmakers, jewelers and carpet weavers), food stalls and teashops (with their enchanting sweet mint tea), the alluring aroma of spices clash with the nasty odors of the dye pits. Every night, Marrakesh’s immense Djemaa el Fna square becomes a virtual circus of snake charmers, fortune tellers, jugglers, comedians, spruikers and magicians as you enjoy the tasty delights from the variety of fresh food stalls and juice bars.

8. Dogon Villages of Mali

The Dogon people live in simple villages along the imposing 120 mile Bandiagara Cliff. Their strange adobe (mud-brick) houses are built along the cliff edge providing areas to sleep and relax, common areas for village meetings and for storage of grain. The houses are remarkably cool in this hot arid area.

9. Leptis Magna

Africa’s most significant Roman ruin overlooks the dazzling Mediterranean Sea. Being a major Roman city in its time, Leptis Magna includes the ruins of athletic arenas, theaters, markets and temples, along with the traditional central Roman Forum.

10. Zanzibar

The Spice Islands are a haven, providing a chance for a relaxing break from African travel and game parks. It has a number of sights with its Arabic heritage, the old Stone Town and tropical palm-fringed sandy beaches. The maze of ancient alleyways and narrow lanes are lined with whitewashed houses with superbly carved wooden doors. Culturally separate from the African mainland, small bazaars and gleaming tiled mosques provide mouthwatering cultural walks, between relaxing sun-baking sessions on the beach.

Africa has a wide variety of attractions and travel wonders to experience from the Arabic north through the jungles of central Africa to the rich jungles of southern Africa. Travel with a spirit of discovery and enjoyment to experience this wonderful and diverse continent.

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With so much to enjoy while at the Split beaches, why stay in a expensive hotel room at a time when you want to really relax and enjoy your time together? Instead of being stuck in a single hotel room, you can be together while having your own rooms with the space and comfort that comes with Split beachfront vacation villas. There is very little privacy in a hotel room, of course. Split apartments come with privacy. In a hotel or motel, there will likely be only one bathroom. You will enjoy two or more bathrooms in Split beachfront vacation homes. Use the refrigerator to keep the drinks chilled and enjoy anytime you want. And you might want to sit down to a home-cooked meal made in your Split apartments.

If you are staying in a hotel or motel, in the commons area, you are sharing it with strangers. In Split apartment rentals, you share the common space with your family and friends, the way you likely want it while on vacation! What is the fastest and best way to find Split apartments ? Online, of course! Book your accommodation with TravelAdriatic.net one of the best Croatia travel agencies for short term holiday rentals, offering the most convenient way to visit the city of Split.

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Camelride to a Tuaregcamp

If you plan to go for a Tuaregcamp by camel make sure the ride is not too long. I’ve had a two hour ride, and it’s more than enough. Camels are very moody, and the seats are very hard. The view from these ships of the desert is very good. At two meters above the ground, you’ll enjoy the desert much. Don’t leave too early because the heat is killing.

We spent the night at the camp (we brought our own tents and food). In the evening, the Tuareg woman may do a dance, this is very nice (but will cost money).

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Djingareiber Mosque

Without any doubt, many of Mali’s most attractive and interesting edifices are mosques constructed in the unique Sahel style. Unfortunately, the majority of such buildings in the country are frustratingly not accessible by non-Muslims. Therefore, it was a great feeling to find out that visiting one of Timbuktu’s historic old places of worship was possible, and I did not miss the somewhat unusual opportunity.

The Djingareiber Mosque may not compete in terms of aesthetics or level of preservation with the more famous structure in Djenné, but it certainly alludes to the former glories of the city. In 1325, the Andalusian architect and poet Es Sahéli received the instructions to commence building from the incredibly rich Malian emperor Kankan Moussa, who had just returned from his renowned pilgrimage to Mecca full of religious fervour. Although at first that may not seem too impressively ancient, the discovery that mud is the primary material used in the construction should change that perception.

Externally, solid buttresses rise from the surrounding sandy streets before giving way to the somewhat irregular walls that curve slightly inwards towards the turrets, behind which conical minarets rise. Directly inside the main entrance there is a large enclosed area that is dark, cool, and punctuated by nine rows of square columns, which is where around 2,000 men congregate to worship every Friday. There is little in the way of elaborate decoration, except for the wooden doors ornamented with metal, which are fine examples of the local style. The net effect is plain and unpretentious, which perhaps is the reason that there is an atmosphere that impressively manages to exude both great age and intimacy at the same time. Meanwhile, going up onto the flat roof, where René Caillié is said to have written some of his notes, is also worthwhile, as from the elevated location there are superb views over the city to the desert.

The cost of entering the mosque is around a couple of thousand francs, and it is reputedly sometimes easier to gain admission when accompanied by a guide. Remembering to dress conservatively and to remove shoes before going in is important, and because of the latter, I would recommend visiting in the morning before the sand in the open-air sections becomes uncomfortably hot.

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Henna for feet

In Bamako I had seen people have their feet henna’d for celebrations such as weddings, Tabaski and big fetes, but I had never had it done myself. I was staying in the rural village of Zebala and one day I talked to my American host, Lucia, and mentioned this. She said that she’d always wanted it done too. So we arranged with the daughters of some Zebalan friends of hers to prepare our feet for the coming Christmas fete. What an experience!

The two young girls arrived at about 8 am with lots of old cloths and plastic bags. We had no idea what we were in for! We sat in state in the mosquito netting covered veranda of my friend’s house. The girls discussed with us what patterns we would like on our feet. The discussion was in Minianyka and French and got quite complicated. The girls started cutting strips of white first aid plaster. With these strips they made complicated designs on the sides of our feet and the top of our feet, leaving the soles blank. Once they were happy with their designs they mixed a paste of henna powder bought from the local shop with water. This made a khaki green ‘mess’. This paste was then applied to our feet. Our feet were wrapped in plastic bags and bound up in rags. Then they left! We were told they would be back in the evening. The paste on our feet, together with the plastic bag made walking very difficult, so we just sat. We had decided that this was going to be like a ’spa’ day, a day for refreshment and renewal. So we had brought puzzle books, and other reading matter out to the porch with us.

Later on two little girls of about 8 years arrived and asked if they could ‘do our hair’. This involved washing our hair and then drying it…and for Lucia who has long hair…plaiting it. This was great fun and there were a lot of giggles. It was getting very hot and one of the girls ran off and arrived back with a huge palm leaf that she used to fan us with. We felt like royalty. Eventually the two big girls arrived back to check if the Henna had ‘taken’ by unwrapping our feet and scraping a little off. It had. So, they then they scraped all the paste off our feet. To our amazement the skin where the paste had been was orange. They then made up another paste with a powder they had bought in the shop and water. I don’t know what the powder was. They warned us that this new paste would tingle a bit but that it wouldn’t be for long. They applied the new paste to our feet and wrapped them up again. After about an hour they unwrapped our feet, scraped the paste off and then took the first aid plaster strips off. Our feet were BLACK! We had intricate patterns along the sides of our feet and a design on top. The soles of our feet were completely black, as were my toenails. The girls admired their work and then ran off home to get ready for bed as it was already dark. Lucia and I walked over to her friends compound to show them their daughters’ handiwork and our feet were admired by everyone by the light of an oil lamp.

The black feet lasted for a long time. We had to be careful not to use soap on our feet so that it lasted longer. The black toenails lasted a lot longer! Next time I will get them to cover my toenails with plaster.

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Gao Boots

Gao is a small city (57.000 people), 425 kilometers east of Tombouctou. By car it will take you two days to get there from Tombouctou. After days of sand and dust, arriving in Gao is very special. Suddenly you are in a real city again with a lot of people and even fresh food. From Gao to the south the land is turning more green again.

Besides a market and a busy harbour there is little to see and do in Gao. But there is a large sanddune north of the city that is worth a visit. The huge red dune is on the banks of the river Niger. The view from the top of the dune is magnificent and the boattrip to get there is very nice. On your way there you can see the local bathing and washing in the river and see the little sailing ships come by. From Gao it is possible to rent a pinasse to bring you to the dune. Just ask around in the harbour. It takes about 1 hour to get there.

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Marche Rosee

Well, to be honest, the first couple of times I visited these markets I hated it. I thought it was hot, dirty, disorganised, and at times disorientating. I couldn’t find half the things I was looking for and assumed that everyone who offered to help was involved in a scam of some sort. There were so many people that the narrow alleys between the stalls were impassable at times, and in the wider unpaved lanes there was a free for all between pedestrians, cyclists, and motorbikes.

Unlike the Artisanat market, here there was no time to linger for a second as you were literally pushed on by the crowds. A few weeks later I was reluctantly persuaded into going to the Marchée Rose area with a friend, and this time I felt completely different about the place. Because I didn’t actually have anything I needed to buy, I found it a much more leisurely experience. I realized that it was perfectly acceptable to barge through the crowd if the need arose, and that just standing repeating “Excusez-moi” was a non-starter in Mali. Thus, I learned the Malian version of crowd surfing by using the crowd to carry and deposit me at the stall of my choice.

Furthermore, if you need to stop for a rest then just ask a shopkeeper if you can sit on their bench or step. They usually agree on the grounds that you become a customer attraction and by extension, an endorsement of their goods. It almost always leads to interesting conversations. There is little pressure to buy, and a lot of the people who offer help are actually just nice people. Can you imagine a shopkeeper in the U.K. leaving his shop unattended in order to show you the way to another shop that sells similar items? Yet, to many Malians it is a basic courtesy to assist a stranger, even if it means leaving their work unattended. So not all offers of help are the precursor to a scam.

I also discovered that the market area does have an internal logic and that “types” of items for sale are often clustered together, with stalls selling similar items. Stalls selling children’s clothes, nylon bras, suit material, motor cycle parts, grain, second-hand clothes, prayer mats, very glittery shoes, and cosmetics all have there own product–specific area of the marketplace. It’s not rigid, but it’s there, and once you get the hang of it then the market is much easier to negotiate. If, like me after just a couple of brief visits, you decide you don’t like the Marchée Rose or surrounding street markets then give it just one more go. You might just change your mind.

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