Heading Home

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – Thursday, August 7, 2008

This morning I expectantly ventured to the main lobby for a gourmet feast, or what is comparably a delightful spread in contrast to the other hotel accommodations. Instead, I was greeted with empty platters and a shortage of glasses. I opted for the only available alternative, sugary croissants and slices of ham which I made into a small sandwich, and proceeded to gluttonously devour four more of my creations.

After breakfast I fulfilled the laborious process of dragging my luggage across the entirety of the hotels densely landscaped grounds to the bus to be transported to the Air France office for an early check-in. Considering the building isn’t too horribly far from the hotel it is a rather pleasant process and allows you to alleviate the hassle of check-in during the long hours prior to departure.

Back at the hotel it didn’t take long for me to replace my clothes with my giraffe bikini and cover-up and head to the pool. I didn’t need to wait long before jumping into the water. As a matter of fact, I barely spent time outside the cool currents. Perhaps more than a half an hour had passed and it was two o’clock. Steph and I trekked to the hotel restaurant to order our final meal before the ever-so-appetizing-and-delicious food provided by Air France. I opted for poulet de Christiane and riz along with bacon, onion, and carrots. It was absolutely incredible, the sauce perhaps the best lemon and white wine combination I’ve ever tasted. Afterwards, I ordered crepe au sucre. Steph was running low on francs and so I ended up treating her to lunch, tagliatelli carbonara and chocolate ice cream. It was terrific to spend my final meal conversing and laughing with my roomie and friend for life.

Following lunch I could hardly restrain the temptation to use a French keyboard one last time and checked my emails – the price three times that of internet in Sevare. With a few thousand francs remaining I thought the gift shop would provide the perfect opportunity to spend the remainder of my finances. I discovered the perfect final gifts for a few friends and with that ultimate purchase had budgeted every last franc.

After a final shower we gathered to embark on the jalopy old bus. Before boarding a glorious rainbow appeared in the overcast sky, the combination of clouds and visible sunlight like some elaborate pastiche or oil painting at dusk.

At the airport security was entirely lenient and Jerry and Mary Jo accompanied us to the final security point before we said farewell. It was heartbreaking to give Jerry a small embrace and thank him for the opportunity of visiting Mali and his support especially when I was confined to the Byblos with sun poisoning.

Two hours remained before our flight and already exhausted I couldn’t wait to board. The five and a half hours on the flight from Bamako to Paris were the most terrifying hours of my entire life. Heavy turbulence and lightning had the plane tumultuously shaking and losing altitude. Steph and I clutched each other’s hands at one point just praying for the trembling to stop.

Landing in Paris was both a blessing and a curse. A morning thunderstorm plagued the runway where we had to sprint to a bus to be transported to the main terminal. It was a long ride and then an equally long walk to our departure gate. The delay had us arrive with a minute to spare before boarding and soon we were once again aboard an aircraft with eight and a half hours to New York. In a window seat once again I was able to use the side of the craft to rest my head and fell asleep for several hours.

I was restless and expectant to reach New York but once I arrived it was a chaotic confusion of customs, claiming luggage, and bidding farewell to friends. I had to check-in at American Airlines and go through security and soon I was on my way for my final two hours of flight back to Chicago. With my Chex Mix and Starburst I snacked merrily on the plane trying to pass the time rapidly. I could barely contain my anticipation as I retrieved my luggage, said goodbye to Patti, and hoped in a taxi. The ride was an hour and a half but once I turned the corner onto Taylor Street I knew I had reached home.

Within the next week and half I plan on reflecting on my time in Mali and the countless memories and experiences of my four weeks in the country. Check back for my final brief posting and a link to my photography.

Bamako Bound

Monday, August 4, 2008

The early departure from the Hotel Independence in Segou had everyone transporting their luggage out to the bus to be loaded and saying goodbye to Ousmane, our guide for the entire trip. He refused to open his thank you card, which included a nice tip everyone pulled together, and smiled almost sadly, squinting his eyes in the sun to hide any small tears. The money he makes from guiding the program for Drew every year is enough to buy rice for his village for more than half a year. It’s incredible to think we have such a huge impact on his life from only three weeks of work.

The drive to Bamako went by rather quickly as I slept a long period of the drive. Once inside the city the congestion was dreadful and without any current of air the temperature in the bus reached an extremely unbearable strength. With room forty-eight at the Mande, this time on the second floor, we were welcomed with a larger room and bath and no roly-poly bugs by the hundreds, geckos, or a frog, yet, in the shower drain.

Meals are more expensive in the city, but almost well worth the additional cost. My tagliatelli carbonara was the most amazing pasta with chunks of ham and parsley seasoning and an egg yolk right in the middle. For dessert, Tessa, Steph, and I split a strawberry ice cream which certainly fulfilled just about every sugary sweet treat fantasy imaginable.

Many students have wanted to change over a little more money, especially since meals are more expensive, and I too after my shopping deluge at the bogolan dyers thought I should change a little more currency to Malian francs. I don’t want to waste away my last few days in the country and I certainly want to make sure that if any unexpected treasures were to surface I have the means to pay for them. If I manage to have extra loot there is a rather nice gift shop here at the Mande where I can blow the rest.

After an hour at the local market where I finally purchased my Fulani earrings I was determined to swim in the pool, my first in the entire trip. I spotted a rather lovely and unique Akua-ba at the market but to my dismay it had a large chunk missing from the disk-like head. While completely original and quite attractive with its coloration I just couldn’t imagine a damaged fertility doll amidst the beautiful collection already on display in our apartment. To my further disappointment, the rainy season had other plans and a storm quickly began to obscure the sky. We are free the remainder of the night and have class at nine o’clock tomorrow morning. Perhaps after class and before our afternoon visit to the Bamana I can take a dip.

I am looking forward to seeing what the plate du jour is for dinner, which always comes with some small appetizer and a dessert. We are back in the region of the country where bananas are plentiful, and thus have received with many meals petit bananas, my favorite. I have such a craving for them now and it is the end of the trip so I hope I am able to find them at home.
It was Kassa chicken for dinner with rice and once I finished the meal with Steph and Zach, being the only one wanting dessert I joined Ben, Drew, Kathryn, Tessa, and Kevin for their meal and crepe au sucre.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Class was this morning at nine o’clock and before the final presentation began I managed to enjoy a breakfast which included more than baguettes and the irresistible saccharine mango preserves. Hard-boiled eggs, sugary sweet croissants, fresh fruit, and a plethora of other options were spread across the three tables of the main restaurant. I turned in my final journal entries and headed to the pool area where we intended to meet for our class session.

After class we headed to Bekai’s village, our head driver and guide for the trip. We stopped briefly for lunch in the bush, fresh baguettes and amazing Gouda cheese along with Coca-Cola Light. I donned my eau de deet one more time and once we arrived at the Bamana village I was startled awake by the sound of gunfire and a large welcome. For the next four hours we were participants in drumming and chimerical dance. Yes, I didn’t escape from my trip without moving to the rhythm and pulse of the djembe. Once we were given four chickens as a welcome and exhausted from the festivities we offered our clothes, books, pens, medical kits, watches, and other items we didn’t want to transport home, an hour of negotiations began where Jerry explained the gifts and our desire to impart them to the village community. Following the conciliation it was time to ask for the road and take our leave. In another extended discussion we were finally permitted to leave and we returned to Bamako and the congestion of the city.

Along the drive the rainy season made its presence once again, one of the hugest, most intense rainbows I’ve ever seen graced the landscape before the torrent began. It reminded me of the ones I’ve seen in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and in South Africa. Back at the Mande Hotel Steph and I removed our flip flops and what was an initial scurry of footprints soon turned to a slower pace as we realized it was practically impossible to get to our room without being utterly drenched. We arrived from the gravel paths at the pool bar and paused under its canopy, shivering in the chilly rain. We must have both looked at each other in realization of the ridiculous situation. Soon Stephanie had left her bag on the table and jumped victoriously into the pool. As we were planning on showers before dinner anyway, I too leapt into the warm waters. In my brown dress I found comfort in the warmth of the water, the rain beating the surface heavily.

In a matter of minutes Ben and Jamie had joined us in the pool and we spent a good half an hour assimilating the events of the day and admiring the landscape, the Niger River just opposite the cement of the pool area. We ended our swim, three of the hotel staff admiring us the entire time, and shivered the remainder of the way to our rooms for warm showers. Unfortunately, Drew caught up with us and was quite disappointed in missing out on the adventure.

After my enjoyable but swift shower I joined the others for our farewell dinner at Pili Pili once again. The food was incredible and while I didn’t take my camera several good photos were taken that I plan on getting from the group photo box. Back at the Mande Hotel I made the final preparations on my luggage for the next morning and found myself ready for sleep.

Tomorrow we meet at nine thirty to go to the Air France building in Bamako for our early check-in. We will leave our checked luggage there and receive all of our boarding passes and seat assignments. Once we return to the Mande late morning I plan on posting my final blog entry before heading home. I’ll pay my bill for the meals at the Mande and with the remaining Malian francs take a visit to the gift shop.

We plan on leaving for the airport around eight o’clock so I will spend the afternoon by the pool relaxing and enjoying the last few hours with the friends I have made in the group. I look forward to my return home and will post one last blog on my homecoming. It has been an incredible, unbelievably extraordinary experience. I feel like it won’t be long until I have composed some list reminiscent of Semester at Sea – 100 days, 2,400 hours, 144,000 minutes, 8,640,000 seconds, 16 countries, 4 continents, 26 cities, 11 flights, 2 catamarans, 1 train ride, 8 hours stuck on a bus in Japan! Only this time Drew in West Africa: Mali has left me 26 days, 624 hours, 37,440 minutes, 2,246,400 seconds, 3 countries, 3 continents, six flights, and ten hours in a Land Cruiser to Timbuktu richer and more content as a person. From Mali, Au Revoir!

Old Segou

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Last night Steph, Zach and I spent several hours conversing and goofing off. I had a horrible migraine prior to dinner and while waiting for it to subside took some Excedrin migraine, the first batch ending up in the sink thanks to Zach and his clownish demeanor. After our meal we decided to draw get well cards to slide under Amy’s door who went to the hospital and was diagnosed with malaria. My horrendous attempt at a teddy bear and a bumblebee swirling around a lush green landscape with flowers had everyone in tears with laughter. We made a decent dent in Stephanie’s candy supply from home and after Zach managed to get lemon starburst stuck in her hair we kicked him out of the room. In his haste he left his shoes and before his return we thought fair revenge was chewing the rest of the starburst and putting them inside the shoes.

This morning we headed out later than usual for a river cruise of Old Segou. The boat ride was comfortable enough in the shaded covering of the boat although a lovely, large, amazingly awful arachnid started crawling around in the area in front of me. It was a long cruise against the current upriver but we docked at a Bozo fishing village for a brief hiatus. The members of the village know of Jerry through stories about his visits in the past, although he hasn’t visited in years. It was quite the welcome with dancing, shouting, jubilation, and whistles. I’m not sure any of us knew the purpose but we all sat down in the chairs offered under the shade of a large baobab. Conversation was translated and we were officially welcomed. I’m told if I return in ten years chances are they will remember my visit and welcome me once again as a friend. The small children wore beaded necklaces and strands around their waist and were generally quiet and well behaved. This was clearly not an area populated by tourists.

Old Segou was somewhat disappointing for such an excursion. The fiery heat of the day had sweat cascading from my tanned flesh and even in the chief’s house the darkened interior was barely comfortable. The views from the roof of the mosque were beautiful and it was interesting to view the burial of Biton Coulibaly, the founder of the royal Bambara in Segou.

The cruise back to Segou was uneventful, though the breeze was nonexistent. We docked along the pier where women were laying out their laundry on the incline of the banks to dry. Before returning to the hotel we stopped at a restaurant where I enjoyed Moroccan couscous, the flavors a welcome change from the Byblos menu.

After an hour of relaxation at the hotel we met once again for class. I gave a ten minute presentation on a souvenir purchase, my Akua-ba as the Kanaga mask is already packed, and indulged in some pasta for dinner. I have to finish packing for tomorrow morning when we depart really early for Bamako.

Segou

Friday, August 1, 2008

The clouds dotting the skyline this morning announced the presence of the rainy season once again. It wasn’t long before the wind began rustling the leaves of the garden and we hauled our luggage down to the street to be loaded in time for the fastening of a large tarp. Goodbyes with the Lebanese family were prolonged and bittersweet but the bus finally drove away from the Byblos and Sevare headed toward Segou.

After a restroom stop in the bush and several hours of attempting sleep we arrived at a place for lunch. Once under the canopy of the restaurant the sky became dark in a matter of minutes and the deluge began. The chicken and frites were enjoyable as always, however getting a bit too familiar as a meal, and we clogged back through the muddy red dirt to the bus for the rest of the drive. While the windows had been shut prior to the downpour, there appeared to have been several leaks in the ceiling of the bus, one above my seat. My seat was the only one drenched completely and I sat there for two and a half more hours before arriving at the Hotel Independence with clothes soaked clear through to my skin. The driver also had to leave his window open to prevent the bus windows from fogging and I happened to be in the direct line of fire with the hammering rain. Thus, I was drenched both from behind and in front, an unpleasant journey I would rather not repeat.

Because of the heavy torrential afternoon we had to cancel our stop with the bogolan dyers in San and continued on to the hotel. Once at the hotel our luggage was removed from the bus, the rain having stopped. Of course, the tarp barely served its function and everything is relatively soaked. Most of my stuff is in Ziploc or clear bags of some sort so my suitcase seemed fine and my carry-on while completely drenched had everything protected. My messenger bag I carry during the day was with me on the bus, but in my sodden situation had become damp as well. My journal, passport and yellow book, even my money is quite soggy.

After dinner I went to see a live band with Zach, Stephanie, Ben, and Kathryn. The music was fantastic and it was great to witness Malian music in a local setting. I was extremely exhausted and ready for sleep once I returned to the hotel.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

This morning, due to yet another hammering storm in the middle of the night we altered our plans once again. We ventured to the bogolan dyers of Ndommo instead of taking the river cruise of Old Segou. Tomorrow we will go on the river, hopefully after the intensity of the sun has dried the mucky mud-spattered earth.

The bogolan dyers were incredible. We spent nearly three hours watching the process of basilan, bogolan, and gala and learning about the natural plants utilized in the dyes. We were all given the chance of painting a piece ourselves and I have to admit mine isn’t too shabby. Afterwards, of course, there was time to purchase some of their products which after getting some money exchanged this morning I was able to spend a generous amount.

This afternoon we are venturing back into town to visit a rug producer. It sounds interesting, but at this point I would love to just take a nap and jump in the pool. It is extremely hot today!

Tomorrow I have to give a five to ten minute presentation on a souvenir purchase I have made on the trip. And as my Kanaga mask is already packed to perfection I am going to choose the Akua-ba because it is interesting to find these wooden fertility dolls in Mali, as elsewhere in the world, when they are utilized in Ghana by women. I have a bit of journaling for my class to finish as well and hopefully tonight I can spend time getting these tasks completed.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

After the sandstorm and subsequent cloudburst Stephanie and I headed to the Cyber Café. It was nice to get messages from home and send news of my adventures in the pays de Dogon. Upon our return to the hotel the leatherworker was waiting outside with my special order. I paid the remainder of the cost and was thrilled to have a beautiful piece of craftsmanship expressly specialized at my request.

I ordered pasta for dinner and after eating the entire plateful I went up to my room exhausted and ready for sleep. Tomorrow morning we visit another weaver. The remainder of the afternoon is at our leisure and I will doubtless spend some of that time situating my luggage. I wish I knew if I should pack the Kanaga mask in the bottom now or hand carry until Bamako when I do my final packing of the luggage.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

It was satisfying to have those same familiar baguettes and mango preserves for breakfast after being in Dogon country. I finally wore my safari shirt dress and it was nice to have something still unworn at this point in the trip. Everyone has told me I look so beautiful and I feel like duchess of the Dogon with quite the sun-kissed glow. At nine thirty we departed for the weavers, walking quite a distance in the blaze of the sun.

The weavers come from north of Timbuktu and are a sub-group of the Fulani. It is a busy time of year for them as they receive many orders for traditional wedding gifts. Thus, they had a small selection of work to sell, only one blanket which I wasn’t quick enough to nab myself. I bought four thick strips with floating weft designs, two Bamana inspired and one Fulani. They will make nice table runners or wall hangings and come from what is reputed to be the best weavers of the Fulani group, minus those of Guimbe.

Stephanie and I walked to the gas station nearby because we had heard they had large cans of Pringles. We were successful in our purchase and even bought a package of hazelnut cream wafers for something sweet. The rest of the day is pretty much at out leisure although there is an option to go back into Mopti I doubt I will venture back into the city at this point. I have to do some major reorganization of my luggage so I will take my time with that task.

I gave the hotel three skirts to wash this morning and press. I haven’t washed these three myself because I knew they would take longer to dry and because they would turn out extremely wrinkly. The hotel will press them and I will have just enough outfits to finish off my trip without doing anymore laundry.

Our final papers are due September 5th and I am thankful for a decent timeframe in which to accomplish them. It will most likely take some time to get these classes transferred as graduate credit. I know I will have to get the papers finished relatively quickly with my work schedule and the comps in the first week of the semester. I don’t want to be finishing papers while taking the exams at the same time.

The afternoon, like so many things during my trip, was completely different than I originally planned. I finished my genius packing scheme for the Kanaga mask, utilizing the remainder of my bubble wrap around the corners and joints and dirty clothes folded in strips and wrapped around the frame. Skirts I am no longer going to wear were layered underneath and around the mask to create a barrier. I will feel a little more comfortable with a few pieces of bogolan textiles layered in as well, but I think it will be relatively safe.

Stephanie decided to return to Aly Cisse’s to gather more information for her final paper and so I decided to join her because I find both Aly and the beads absolutely incredible. Kevin, a PhD student, and Tessa, a student and friend of Jerry’s, also went along for the adventure. Jerry accompanied us to Cisse’s residence and once again I was back in the small room with the array of multicolored strands of beadwork. His place was one of the places I truly enjoyed, thus it wasn’t hard to find a few more must-haves in my once in a lifetime experience. I added a bronze Senufo strand and two Fulani wedding necklaces to my already previously purchased merchandise. Aly went into great detail about many of the beads, even archaeologically recovered beads and beadwork no longer found anywhere else. It was truly a moment I will never forget.

After leaving Aly Cisse’s we went to a friend of Jerry’s, Abdoulaye, who collects real African art that has actually been utilized. There were two small chi wara masks, cap and all, with an incredible patina. However, I knew I could never afford either so I just relished in the moment of being able to touch and admire their exquisite features.

We returned to the Byblos where the family had invited us to dinner, which means a free meal. My purchases from earlier have depleted my wallet more than I expected. I only have about eighty five dollars for food and bogolan during the rest of the trip. Jerry said we will have an opportunity to change money over in Segou so I will change a little more money so I feel like I have enough for the remainder. I am still coming home with way more money than I imagined so I don’t mind changing additional into Malian francs.

Dinner was fabulous, cucumber salad and onion pizza as appetizers, bizarre I know, with a Lebanese meal to follow. The lamb, potatoes, tomatoes, and rice were delicious and the crepes to afterwards absolutely incredible with an orange filling and lots of sugar.

Tomorrow I return to the Hotel Independence and I am assuming we will stop at San to see the bogolan dyers. I cannot wait to watch the process and purchase some of these beautiful textiles. I am also looking forward to relaxing for a little while by their pool.

Dogon Country

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Tonight it was time for cucumber salad and hommos, something light and refreshing for dinner after the intense heat of the day. I figured it was time to really unwind and had a d’jino Pamplemousse with vodka, my first drink of the entire trip. The grapefruit flavored carbonation of the d’jino mingled with the vodka made for a lusciously perfect treat. Other students seemed to have the same idea and pretty soon many of the others were enjoying vodka, gin, and rum. To Fahd’s delight his stock of gin and vodka were soon depleted, but several students had purchased their own liquor at the market earlier in the week and quickly brought their supply to the table. Several rounds of the telephone game ensued and ten fingers, as well as extreme laughter, and some drunkenness from Drew people, many of which left us quite surprised. Steph and I enjoyed our beverage and wisely kept in mind the drive to Bandiagara, a factor a few others seemed to have forgotten. A hangover in the heat on the bus would be an unpleasant experience indeed.

Monday, July 28, 2008

This morning the sunlight filtered into the garden through the countless spaces between the foliage. It was a sign of the intensity of the sun in the approaching hours. After a brief pause at Songo to view the men’s circumcision area and wall paintings we continued on our journey to the Bandiagara Escarpment. My only disappointment for the venture was that I carried my camera and water bottle up the climb into the area of the men’s secret initiation but soon realized I had forgotten to replace the batteries after recharging, thus I was unable to take photos of the amazing view and the incredible paintings. People are planning on posting their pictures to a photography site online for everyone to view, download, and enjoy and so I should be able to get a few images. It was still disappointing but once I returned to the bus I put the batteries in the camera so the same mistake wouldn’t happen again.

After a bus ride filled with more heat hallucinations, even the small curtain failed miserably at blocking the sun, we arrived at the Campement where the electricity is not turned on until six thirty. Thus, we have over three hours in the darkened interiors of our rooms without the use of the ceiling fan. There is no air conditioning and the windows are merely a mesh rather than glass so you can hear everything outside, as well as the myriad of smells, and the glaring heat. There are mosquito nets for our beds and already we are getting a sense of the large number of mosquitoes present in the area.

The inside of the Campement is rather lovely with flowers and dry dirt paths, a covered verandah area with carved Dogon togona posts, and a restaurant. It would be a lovely place with the addition of a pool. I would even say the room, minus the mesh windows, is a step above the Byblos, but nothing could compare to the hospitality and warmth of our place in Sevare.

It is extremely hot in the rooms, outside even worse without the presence of a gentle breeze. It is like we are chocolate bars of candy melting into puddles on the beds and the floor. I know you could fry an egg on the road! I am looking forward to dinner actually as the menu at the Byblos has become too familiar and the options a bit bland.

At four o’clock we left for the local market to get a feel for daily life. The market takes place once a week, every five days. After sampling some fried bread, reminiscent of gulab jamon I had in India without the syrupy sweet sauce, we headed into the village of Upper Ogol to see the sacred cult shrines of Lebe. We were given strict instructions to remain in a single file line and not touch anything, doing so would result in necessary sacrifices and rituals at a heavy expense. We were able to see the hogon, the eldest member of the community who is not allowed to wash himself until his death. Lebe, the snake and a part of Dogon cosmogony, comes each night to lick him clean. The sacredness of the village and its interior shrines heightened the experience although I was quite nervous to mistakenly defile or insult any holy place of the community.

Leaving Upper Ogol we walked to Lower Ogol to see the compound menstruating women live in for five days each month, a blacksmith, and a granary before returning to the Campement where electricity had been resumed for the evening. The fan does not make a huge difference in the temperature of our accommodations and I am told the electricity is shut off promptly at six o’clock in the morning.

Dinner is at seven thirty and tomorrow we are headed down the cliffs of the Bandiagara Escarpment. I can’t imagine a cliff with such a steep descent and I have to admit to a little apprehension.

After onion soup, rice, beef, and mangoes I went back to my room for sleep. It was roughly nine thirty but I knew I would be getting up at five o’clock for an extremely busy day. Promptly at six o’clock in the morning we will head out to hike the cliffs and by late morning return for lunch. After a masquerade performance in the afternoon we will witness the first part of a fox divination ceremony before dinner. The following day before our departure to return to Sevare one last time we will attend the second half of the divination.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The alarm sounded at five o’clock announcing the start of the day. After a cold shower, I pulled my hair up in a pony tail and threw on my olive cropped pants with a racer back tank top. Two granola bars, a piece of bread, and a cup of tea later it was time to trek to the cliffs. The landscape was immensely beautiful, so majestic in the light of the early morning that I imagined myself as Karen Blixen with a farm in Africa and the graceful notes of the opening theme song from the movie playing regally for my journey down the escarpment.

The Bandiagara Escarpment reaches a height of six hundred meters and is roughly parallel to the course of the Niger River. The vast sandy plains below are known as the Seno where baobab, acacia, and kapok trees are abundant. It looked like a vast expanse of verdant green foliage, sandy dirty paths, and rocks.

It was a four hour grueling climb I never anticipated. At points there were small passages with steep drop-offs and I was absolutely fine when Amadou, a Dogon guide decided to take my bag and camera and help me along the path. There were many points his guidance and quick hand was a blessing. I never fathomed I would do anything like this in my entire life, and I doubt I will ever again. Honestly, it was liberating in the splendor and dignity of the pays de Dogon, or Dogon country. I couldn’t help but imagine myself on the Amazing Race at some arduous challenge along the route. Overall, it was absolutely incredible and utterly terrifying all at the same time.

The four hours surprisingly seemed to elapse rather quickly. Along the route there was mangosteen and our guides brought them down from their branches for us to enjoy. It is a sour fruit, rather like eating a sour skittle, but the cool juices were a welcome treat. At the village we were able to see the Tellem caves and burial chambers with a large grouping of vampire bats soaring in and out of the darkened crevices. Once we returned to the hotel after ten I thanked my guide and gave him five thousand francs, more than generous for his aid.

I quickly purchased another one and a half liters of water and went to my darkened room to get relief from the sun. The heat rash is back on my hands and spreading from the arch between the thumb and forefinger to the second finger as well. Even in the unlit interior of room thirty eight my hands radiate an intense heat and I constantly rub them on the cold bottle of water.

After my second shower of the day, and unlikely to be my last, I was more than eager for lunch. Lunch consisted of frites and roasted chicken, a dish that seems to be quite typical. The afternoon was spent in the confines of my room where I desperately tried to escape the heat. With a two and a half hour nap I was ready for the remainder of the evening and headed out around four o’clock for our Dogon masquerade.

The masquerade, while certainly a tourist spectacle, was absolutely amazing. The men of the village, having finished their farming for the day, donned their raffia costumes and masks and the elders dressed in indigo dyed bogolan played drums and chanted. The movement of the Kanaga had me breathless and it was incredible to witness the grace and skill of the dancers performing with such heavy structures on top of their heads. The Kanaga would bend and twist, the tips of the masks slapping the group in a wide sweeping motion.

After the performance we trekked down to the diviner’s field where he prepares the questions in the sand for the fox to come and walk across, his prints revealing the answers. The old man reminded me of Rafiki on the Lion King, moving small twigs and stones in various patterns in the earth. Several students asked personal questions, including myself. As a group we decided to have the diviner answer whether age and experience would win over youth and energy in the next presidential election. Apparently, he was able to read the fox’s prints and divine that Bush would be re-elected when a political question was posed previously. The last three political questions posed for the diviner have all been accurately foretold.

After the diviners we stopped at a bar and restaurant for some drinks. I took the opportunity to browse a small shed of carvings and found the most amazing Kanaga mask complete with raffia headdress. The patina and age of the fibers and wood is incredible and it is a piece that has been performed for years by the men in the village but no longer needed so it has been hidden in some dark corner for a willing tourist to purchase. Many of the people in my group were astounded at the genuinely utilized mask and my price of twenty thousand francs. At the moment it is wrapped in an old sack the man thought served as a decent bag. I’m not sure exactly how to get my largest purchase home but I figure it isn’t worth stressing over. I will try to keep it separate from my luggage during our drives back to Segou and Bamako and then wrap it in all my clothing extremely well and layer on all sides with textiles. In the bottom of my luggage it should be fairly secure.

Dinner included vegetable soup, beef, couscous and mangoes, and after nearly falling asleep in the plate of food I went to the roof of the hotel to look at the stars. The darkness of the environment makes it seem like the stars are barely a foot away on their heliocentric path across the night sky. Zach, Steph, and I decided to walk away from the hotel and its numerous lights where we found a large empty rock, still warm from the day’s heat. We laid down on its tepid surface and stared up at the stars for several hours before returning to the hotel.

We were all extremely exhausted and the rooms were still ungodly hot so we decided to be adventurous and carry our mattresses to the roof to sleep. Under the light of the stars and the area of the roof with a ceiling we conversed and laughed until after midnight, watching several bats come and go in their search for their nightly feast.

Overall, today was a day of countless firsts – climbing down the Escarpment, trekking five miles in the blazing heat, lying out under the stars, and sleeping on the roof in Dogon country. I don’t think I will ever forget how incredible this experience has been. Today, more than ever, I wish I could call Heather to share my stories, especially when it would have been so amazing to share with her. The climb was so arduous and I believe everyone should experience the beauty of Dogon country once in their life, although the heat and the laborious trek I think are best for able bodies, it is surely worth every ounce of sweat I had cascading off my flesh.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

I awoke to the light of the morning, the sounds of animals, and a cool gentle breeze. Once I realized I was on the roof I decided to watch the sun finish its ascent and then headed for a cold shower. In several hours, after returning to the diviners, we will be driving back to Sevare and I can’t wait to get there and resituate some of my luggage, take the Kanaga mask out of its sack, and hopefully go to the Cyber Café once I’ve managed to download my amazing pictures of the masquerade.

The diviner in his clay colored bogolan garb kneeled on the earth beside the pit where a maze of fox prints marked the interior. Reading through the various questions, even from Dogon dialect translated to French most of us were able to gather that youth and energy would be victorious and age and experience would lose the election. While it has been foreseen in the divination pit that the race will be a close margin, Obama will win the presidency. I guess we have only to wait until November to find out if the diviner was accurate. We were all given the news that we would return home safely to our families, however one person will be given news of a death, not of a family member, but someone they knew. My question, while not a specific answer, is one I shall have to give a great deal of thought in the next several weeks.

We stopped at a traditional medicine center on the way back to Sevare and then continued on in the most concentrated heat yet. Upon arrival home at the Byblos Steph and I returned to chamber neuf. A lot of people seem on edge today, especially with the nabbing of smaller rooms. It wasn’t until three o’clock that we were finally served lunch and perhaps after rest and a decent meal people will return to their upbeat dispositions. It is the last seven days of the trip and I believe this is the time we should be bonding the most and remembering our time in Mali.

It would seem the remainder of the day is at our leisure and the sky is becoming quite overcast. If I were Malian I might be correct in predicting an approaching storm. This has me a little concerned on being able to go to the Cyber Café, especially if electricity goes out. My Kanaga mask has made it safely to Sevare where I will wrap it much better and put it inside my luggage, after that it is up to careful packing and fate. I am still hopeful to purchase a few pieces of bogolan and otherwise am not certain what opportunities there might be for smaller masks. I am expecting a delivery tonight of my purchase from the Tuareg leatherworker here in Sevare and hope all of my design choices were executed to my taste.

I guess I predicted a storm only slightly accurate. In a matter of minutes a huge sandstorm arrived. The sky was nothing but a vast wall of orange dust. Inside our room we are waiting out the phenomenon. After the storms passing a heavy deluge of rain replaced the sand followed by massive amounts of lightning and thunder. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it passes within a few hours. Of course, as I type this the power goes out and I am surrounded in a sea of darkness, which I prefer to the sea of sand and rain.

Sevare

Friday, July 25, 2008

Babo Toure, a bronze caster came to the gardens of Hotel Byblos for a demonstration this afternoon. He, of course, brought all his products to display and sell. He spent a good hour making two figures out of beeswax, demonstrating the process before the rest of the mold is applied and the bronze poured inside. He also showed us the various methods of antiquing the bronze to give it an aged patina with sulfur and a particular kind of leaf. It was an incredible process to watch the image come to life in material form.

I was more than happy to browse his creations and even picked out a few, a seated Dogon with a Kanaga mask for me, a man with a walking stick and a fabulous leather satchel over his chest, and a nice size Akua-ba pendant. I bargained from twenty-five thousand Malian francs to twenty and I guess he felt he overcharged me and presented me with a present as well, a small frog gold weight. From what I have gleaned from other students who made purchases I certainly seemed to get the best deal for the number of purchases, plus a rather lovely gift.

I have ordered spaghetti for dinner, avec fromage, with cheese, because apparently you have to make the distinction. I am looking forward to some pasta for a change and hope it at least satisfies my taste buds.

Overall, the day was pretty relaxing and it has helped to prepare me for the next several busy days before Dogon country. Tomorrow is a boat ride to a potter’s village and then a visit to a blacksmith. I am assuming the following day we will finally get a chance to visit the leatherworker.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

The weather was extremely cool this morning, with a wonderful zephyr that seemed to have a certain repartee with the mass of foliage in the garden. It was an enjoyable breakfast of baguettes, butter, and mango preserves. I had a cup of tea and, sadly, had to get a Sprite and baguette for Stephanie who seems to be fighting a fever and diarrhea.

Without my companion for the day I paired up with Zach and we stopped at the market for water, Lebanese apples, cheese, bread and Pringles. It was a short drive to the boats where we boarded another small craft for our forty-five minute cruise on the muddy Niger.

I think there are certain days you just don’t feel capable of dealing with the children, like turning off and on a light switch. Today was one of those days. As soon as we docked outside the village in the slightly muggy temperate late morning I was pestered, without even a Bon jour, or Sava, but “Bic!” With a downward glance I trudged the incredibly long distance into the village, avoiding donkey droppings and the grubby hands of grabbing children along the way. I’m not interested in taking the photo of a child who says, “Photo,” and wants to take the camera from your grasp, just to ask for a bon bon or Bic afterwards. I think I have become a little disillusioned with villages that have been influenced by tourism in such a manner.

The children today were extremely pushy and fought with each other vying for attention. After watching the potter, the blacksmith, and the jeweler practice and demonstrate their skills for four hours, all amazing processes, we headed back towards the river and our boat. Two small kids, very quietly walked beside me for a moment holding each other’s hands and then both taking my right hand. They each managed to grasp rather tightly several fingers each, their short little legs making it difficult for them to keep a brisk pace. Thus, with my heavy messenger bag on my right shoulder and my camera in my left hand, I trudged forward, quickly losing pace with the rest of the group. It almost felt as if I were dragging them along at one point.

Finally, we reached the river. They really were sweet though, just talking to each other, never speaking directly to me but just laughing, giggling, and smiling. I boarded the boat and was soon surrounded by kids with mud-covered, mucky river water on their hands, grabbing at my arms and bag for various items. It was a welcome relief to finally distance ourselves from the shore where we promptly found sanitizers and began to enjoy our lunch.

We returned to the hotel around four and the remainder of the afternoon was at our leisure. Zach, Steph, and I talked for quite a while during the afternoon and soon it was time to head down and order dinner.

Tomorrow an indigo dyer is coming in the morning, class is at eight thirty, and a visit to the leatherworker is at eleven. Afterwards I assume the remainder of the day is at leisure so we can pack and prepare for our trip to Sanga.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

This morning a woman from Guinea arrived at the hotel with her indigo. Barely finished with my baguette and tea I leapt out of my seat and hurried out the front gate to see her twenty pieces of fabric. Women dyers sell in this fashion before taking the remainder of their textiles to market; oftentimes good dyers never see their fabric make it to market because they are sold out beforehand.

I settled on three lovely pieces of indigo and she convincingly pushed a fourth, “For your brother,” she said, of which I have none, and so I purchased the lot for twenty thousand Malian francs. Once I had made my purchases the word was out with the rest of the group and everyone else slowly trickled out, leaving her with only six or eight pieces left to sell before heading back to Guinea.

After breakfast it was time for a class session on the Dogon and then a trip to a leatherworker. The leatherworkers seemed to think we were only there to buy and it took quite a bit of translation to get the artisans to demonstrate their process. It was incredible to witness the supple goat leather made into key chains and small knives and incised with various patterns.

Once the process was complete we browsed their merchandise and I settled on one piece, not for myself, and it is actually a special order which will be delivered to the hotel Wednesday night. We ventured back through the labyrinth of streets in the blazing sun, children following us like flies and upon arrival home at the Byblos promptly ordered a Coke and poullet rotie for lunch.

The remainder of the afternoon is at our leisure to prepare for our trip to Sanga tomorrow. We will be staying at a Campement, basically a room with two beds, a cold shower and toilet, and no air conditioning. Once again, after the trip we will return to the Byblos and the thought of returning to our small room, once so unfamiliar and unnerving, is a satisfying notion. It is amazing how this place in its aged patinas, dirt, small bugs crawling on the beds, and the garden swarming with agama lizards can seem so restful, a pleasant respite from the outside world. The Lebanese family is incredible and it feels like a home even with the awkward language barrier. I wish there were some way of making a small gesture to them after our final stay here, perhaps a little additional cash. The only thing to make this place perfect would be the pool at the Hotel Independence and since I have not enjoyed a pool up to this point I intend to make it a priority.