| Mali
seems so relaxed after Mauritania. Having said that, Tombouctou alone
almost manages to destroy the image in one blow. Something of an
anti-climax after all the hype, but then I should have expected no
less. Particularly disappointing considering the effort to get there
overland. A
tourist trap with aggressive "guides", souvenir T-shirts and a
couple of mosques which you are not allowed to visit.
On the other hand, Pays
Dogon (Dogon Country) was every bit as amazing as I had hoped, despite the hype. A few French tour
groups, but not enough to spoil the view. Friendly locals,
architecture and scenery well worth the effort, particularly for those who
fly to Bamako and drive from there.
Bizarrely, Djenne was very
nice, despite being a major UNESCO cultural destination. After
Tombouctou we had expected to be hassled again, but found it fairly low
key and very photogenic with buildings still intact; greatly enhanced by
the recent completion of a sewage system! |
_small1.jpg)
_small2.jpg)
_small.jpg)
_small.JPG)