We did not leave the Bamako hotel much but we did go for much needed pedicures, night life and live concerts, which begin around midnight, (as part of my essential research into the music of Mali and Senegal,) ...and to le marche rose et le marche artisanal. Yes, it is expensive to fly to Mali and Senegal, mainly because of the high taxes; the hotels and transportation are not cheap and good food is variably priced, but the wooden and fabric craft work you can buy here is fantastic value, especially as it is all done painstakingly by hand. We indulged. We bartered. Everyone was happy in the end. (Although we are now concerned about baggage allowances...) A highlight of the final etape was meeting Violet Diallo, a good friend of a colleague's mother. She has lived in Bamako for 3o years and was a treasure: social worker, journalist, and now music manager for the group Ngoni ba, by the sound of it!
Have finished all my books, Paul Auster, Man in the Dark, Anna Gavalda, Je l'aimais, Jean Giono's L'Homme qui Plantait des Arbres and Tinkers, the Pulitzer prize winning book, so I found another Paul Auster in a second hand bookstore to tide me over. The books have similar themes although I did not plan it this way: men at the end of their lives, love, death, and existence. All very good.
Was curious to discover what my reaction to being back in big, brash, flamboyant Dakar would be. Loved being back. I've decided that this is where I am bringing my students next June. ACI Baobab will look after them very well, as they have me so well on this trip. I am grateful to everyone at the center. We were made welcome back at the Farid hotel and set straight of to Just4U that night. A young band was playing tonight and I bought a copy of their CD. The whole place was full of teen girls who knew every word that was sung and who danced with utter pleasure and unselfconsciously.
The next day we lunched again under the enormous baobab at the Institut Francais. Then I negotiated with a cab driver to take us up the coats for three hours and back. Great decision. Saw the lighthouse atop a volcanic plug with views over Dakar, at Les Mamelles, the new mosquee, La Divinite, Ngor beach, les Almadies beach and market, Souboudienne fish market and artisan market. This is the most westerly tip of Africa and it has cliffs sweeping down to beaches and big waves, rocks and more lighthouses.
Back that night to Just4U where we are quite well known now, where a griot sang my praises (!) and where we danced salsa to the famous Orchestre Baobab with people on the tables around us. The Dakarois are such fun and so hospitable.
Sunday, up early to go down to Bandia reserve which we toured with a guide on a 4x4 for a few hours seeing antelope, oryx, giraffe, zebra, ostrich, rhinoceros, beautiful kingfishers, crocodiles, water buffalo, the cutest monkeys and more. Beautifully maintained by wonderful rangers and guides. Then back to the coast to stay at the African Queen resort, which is right on Sonoma beach. Just beautiful. Another day here tomorrow, maybe visiting the lagoon on a pinasse to see the birds, (can you imagine anything more amazing than all this??!) then back to Dakar and back...to the real world.
I have relished every minute of this trip. I've learnt so much and met so many wonderful people. I am so very grateful for the opportunity to have enjoyed all these incredible experiences. Spending a whole month with the lovely Laura has been the purest delight. She is the best traveling companion and I love her to bits. And if you've read this far, you are in my top 10! x
No comments:
Post a Comment