Mali 2002

It is difficult to list a top ten African travel wonders list without leaving out a number of other superb sights. Here is my list. How many have you seen?

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.

Festival in the Desert is a world-renowned, three-day music festival held in the desert village of Essakane, about 45 miles northeast of the legendary city of Timbuktu in Mali. Music lovers travel from all over the world to experience this exotic, one-of-a kind event in the Sahara Desert.

Many Tuareg tribespeople attend Festival in the Desert, some traveling for weeks by camel for the privilege of taking part in this annual event. Surrounded by men donning colorful head-wear, women draped in flowing fabrics and gold, too many camels to count, and sand as far as the eye can see, this is truly a look into the “real Mali” for foreign travelers.

During the three days of the festival, camel rides and races, traditional singing and games, expos and conferences take place during the day. In the evenings, over 40 groups will perform an extraordinary mix of traditional, modern, and Western music.

Festival in the Desert is so compelling that it has attracted artists as diverse as Mali’s most popular female singer Oumou Sangare, desert blues performer Ali Farka Toure, one of the world’s top kora players Toumani Diabate, Native American rock group Blackfire, French rap group Kwal, English rocker Robert Plant formerly of Led Zeppelin, and Malian political rock band Tinariwen.

The eighth edition of Festival in the Desert is slated for January 10-12, 2008, and continually gains momentum and recognition. As such, a feature article on the festival titled “Showtime in the Sahara” is running in the July 2007 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine.

After tumbling off a car on rent one should make certain that the billing starts from that time. This is because there are a number of agencies that charges on 24 hour clock system. This happens even if the renting was finished in less than 24hours per day. Internationally there are discounts that are proffered on renting of the car like discount on credit card, discount on AAA, discount on senior citizen and also discount to the frequent flyer. These are the common discounts that are offered to the rental of the cars through companies like car hire Lyon Cityand car hire Marseille Airport. If someone notices that is competent in getting the discounts, should not take no for an answer so as to be offered. There are things that are to be considered when booking the hire car in advance as the size of the luggage and the number of the group that the customer is going with. In case the size of the luggage is small and also the group is small, the car to be well thought-out should be a small one otherwise a roomier car should be hired if the size of the luggage and the group of people are big and these are all taken a very good care of by the system of car hire france.

Split is the second largest city on the Adriatic Coast and also a good base or starting point if travelling to islands such as Brac or island of Hvar. Apartment rentals are a great way to enjoy a Split vacation. Split apartments and Split beachfront vacation villas can be found in all the most popular beach areas year-round. Besides the fabulous Split beaches you have to choose from, there is so much to do while on vacation. You can easily find Split beaches that are great for walking, swimming and surfing alt-water fishing right off the beach is a fun way to have a chance to enjoy very fresh seafood. There is a wide variety of water sports such as sailing, jetskiing, diving, fishing, surfing and more to be found in the town of Split. Surfing in Split can be extremely fun, as you can find waves for amateur and experienced surfers alike. A landward wind called the Maestral blows in the channel between the islands of Brac and Hvar every afternoon, ideal for surfing.

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.

Finding somewhere truly special to stay that whilst travelling is not necessarily something that happens all that often, but the mid-priced Hôtel Mandé is definitely one such spot. Even though it is neither the best placed or the most luxurious accommodation option in the city, spending time at the delightful establishment was a real pleasure, and in my opinion finding more charming or better value accommodation in Bamako would be very difficult, if not impossible.

Scattered around the pleasant site, which is in an outlying eastern district of the city, is a series of buildings that manage to be fairly traditionally styled, despite being concrete. Each contains several plain but clean and comfortable bedrooms, all of which have a reasonable selection of facilities, such as en-suite shower, satellite television, slightly ineffective air conditioning and much-needed mosquito nets.

Elsewhere, the pleasant reception features some eye-catching wooden sculptures, and is home to a small shop, an Internet connection and the area in which the very good breakfast buffet is available each morning, whilst upstairs there is a very highly regarded restaurant. Meanwhile, the members of staff are both generally efficient and always friendly, which encourages a thoroughly agreeable atmosphere.

Although the location may not be particularly convenient in some ways, it does mean that the hotel can spread out over a larger area than that covered by rivals closer to the city centre. The well-maintained and lush grounds feature a fine outdoor swimming pool, stretch right down to the banks of the Niger. Such a prime waterside setting is unrivalled, and offers tranquillity as well as plenty of opportunities to enjoy some interesting views, as fishermen travel past in pirogues and local women do their laundry in the waters.

Finally, the covered but otherwise open-air veranda that extends out over the river houses a fine bar. After a day spent in the hectic heart of the Malian capital, it is the perfect venue for having a cooling beer whilst watching the setting sun bathes the always lovely scenery in a glorious orange hue.

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).

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.

If you like to go to the cinema to see the latest films, there are a number of cinemas dotted around Bamako of varying degrees of comfort. Last week we went to see the new Harry Potter at the Babemba cinema here in Bamako. This cinema is a good option if you want to see one of the latest American/European films. It’s not far from the centre of town, near the French Cultural Centre so you should be able to get a taxi take you there easily. The seats are comfy, although you do tend to sink into them. It’s also air-conditioned. The films start in the big auditorium (500 seats) for the first week and then move to the little one (50 seats). They start from Tuesday at 9pm with the newest film. Wednesday has shows at 4pm (for kids) and 9pm; Thursday at 9pm; Friday at 4pm (kids,) 9pm, and 11pm; Saturday at 4pm, 6.30pm, 9pm, and 11pm; and Sunday at 4pm, 6.30pm, and 9pm. There are no shows on Mondays. They do produce a little booklet each month, but they’re rather rare and difficult to find. The costs range from 750cfa to 2,000cfa depending on the time of the showing.

In the Badalabougou area, the Palais de la Culture shows Malian cultural films from time to time. The upcoming films are shown on posters put up around town. Some of the hotels have their own cinemas. But bear in mind that there are very few English language films shown here.

The Hotel Amitié (Sofitel) shows regular French language films and, occasionally, English films. These are advertised in the Hotel foyer.

There are a large number of local cinemas. In the commercial quarter, there are the Club, the Vox, and the Rex cinemas. These show mostly French language films. In the Oulofobougou quarter, the Soudan Ciné and the Bademba cinemas show French films. In Médina, Coura the El Hilal and the Salle Omnisport also show films. In Lafiabougou, the Banankokou shows French films and in Badialan, the ABC shows French films.

One other option if you want to see English films is to go to the American Marine House on Friday nights. The films shown are of varying quality but they are advertised in The Griot, which is an email newsletter that the American Embassy sends out. If you register at the Embassy (if you are a USA citizen) you will be told about it. Non-Americans can go with American friends. These films start at 8pm and there are happy hour drinks from 6 to 7pm. There are lots of video shops around town where you can rent videos and DVDs. DVDs are always a good option because most of the French ones have an English option.

Mudcloth, or bogolan, refers to a type of rough-woven cotton fabric that has been died using a mixture of mud, tree-bark, and other natural ingredients. The rich earth-coloured cloth is then made into blankets, or items of clothing. Mopti and Segou are centres of bogolan production, but it seems somehow appropriate that some excellent quality mudcloth should be produced in a city built of mud. Now you see mudcloth items for sale in markets all over Mali but it is worth going to visit a good workshop because if the process has been explained to you, and you’re thinking of buying some, then you’ll recognise good quality when you see it.

Before being dyed, the cloth is woven into long strips about 30cm wide. There are only about five dyes used to colour the fabric; black, white, and various shades of brown, depending on the mix of ingredients. The process is a bit like batik in that wax is used to provide areas of resistance to the dye, and occasionally block printing techniques are used for repeat patterns. The skill in producing good-quality mudcloth is being able to produce sharply defined edges to the colours on what is a particularly absorbent fabric. Poor-quality, mass-produced mudcloth looks as if the design has been painted on blotting paper. Traditionally, stiff fibred brushes were used to dye areas of block colour and sharpen the edges. Today the craftsmen use toothbrushes.

After each colour has been applied to the fabric, the wax is peeled away and it is then soaked in a natural dye fixative. The strips of cloth are then sewn together to make the finished item. Items of clothing, such as trousers and over-shirts, are simple in shape and use the width of the woven cloth sewn together as the guide for sizing an outfit. The designs vary from bold repetitive patterns, such as cowrie shells, or more delicate representations of stars and animals. Each of the designs and symbols used on the mudcloth has a meaning and, in common with some Bedouin cloth, often tell a story.

Stars are an important symbol, as they show how much the nomadic tribes people rely on them for navigation. Cowrie shells, as a long-gone form of currency, are often used on marriage blankets to symbolise a wealthy union. There are also symbols for the points of the compass as well as ritual animistic designs. The more contemporary designs showing village scenes tend to be of the type mass-produced for the tourist market, and are often made into bags and wall hangings. “Workshop” is probably a bit of a misnomer, as all aspects of the production of mudcloth in Djenné is done in the family home. The bark and mud mixture is prepared in the kitchen and left in pots in the rear courtyard, the colouring and sewing is done wherever there’s space, and the fabric is dried on the roof.

The house is also the shop and display area, which is usually upstairs away from the family living area. There is no pressure to buy, and the craftsmen seem to be quite happy even after they’ve shown you their whole stock and you say you need to think about it. Neither is there much in the way of advertising either. There are a number of good mudcloth workshops in Djenné, and they are signposted… but very badly. Once you get into the rabbit warren of back streets, the signs become a bit sparse. Even if there were signposts the workshops themselves do not have signs, so it’s probably best to ask. The workshop of Pama Sinintao produces excellent mudcloth, and it can be found close to a couple of competitors just before the bridge on the road out of town.

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.