Azalai Hotel Nord Sud Bamako

... I didn't get to finish several projects. My group, G-15, was supposed to have a 3 day conference on the islands of the coast and of course that was canceled. But this has allowed me the opportunity to travel after which I would not have done had I left in December.<br>I will be going to Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia starting tomorrow, so if anyone has any advice or contacts or anything let me know. I'll start a new blog for that since this is my Peace Corps blog and Peace Corps is over!

...reflecting on Bamako always brings a smile to my face. <br><br>On first look Bamako is a hot, dusty, chaotic city -  the river and the sandstone escarpments add some much needed charm but the stark and brutal poverty, grime and for lack of a better word - 'muck', continually assaults the senses. This isn't a tourist city. Living in Bamako for better part of 4 weeks however, has opened my eyes to the rich social fabric that unites the people and creates a uniquely ...

... for the journey into town. I sat on the roof on the way back - it's amazing how, as the travels progress, p**sonal inhabitants fall away and you just go with the flow of new exp**iences...<br><br>Aft** a day checking out the sights of Mopti (boat building centre along ***** Riv**), we embarked on our journey to Timbuktu. We spent three days on a simple wooden boat on the ***** Riv**, along which we witnessed the daily life of villag**s - the en**getic waves and wond ...

... are from what we have in the States. This hospital is the best in the country and they are doing a great job but by our standards, the building would seem like a warehouse. Now that I am h**e I am v**y excited to help make this hospital even bett**. I really see what an impact this hospital has on the people of Mali that need the help so much. I will continue to provide new entries as this adventure has just begun. Tomrrow is our first full day of work.

... her friend Ciaka who is a doctor on the way back. He took my blood pressure, told me it was low, and said I could have Malria. My eyes must have widened in shock as he followed that swiftly with, "You coming to Africa and getting Malaria is just like me going to the UK and getting a cold.". I DON'T THINK SO! Malaria or a digestive parasite were not the type of souvenirs I had in mind. We went home ...

Et oui je suis retourné a Bamako pour ch**ch** mon visa *****ien. Et regularis** ma situation au Mali, en effet j etais le seul touriste aui avait reussit a entrée au Mali sans visa. Trouvant cette situation bizarre, j ai donc decidé d all** au minist ...

... again the roads are dotted with happy smiling people waving us by. We pass through larg** towns which are much more mod**n than Mauritania and nowh**e near as dusty - the roads actually look like roads! We discov** that it is a special day for Muslims... not sure what it's called but it involves sacrificing lots of goats and eating them. Thankfully the streets w**en't running red with blood and we didn't see any of the killings going on. Stopping und** a ...

... a wee baby strapped to their backs. They really do dress wonderfully and their complexions - wow they're amazing. Definitely in black Africa now with the Arab features from Morocco a lot less common or noticeable. We drove into the town of Gogui looking for insurance for the truck (you have to get it upon entering each country). Ended up driving right through only to end up in a dead end and have to turn around. Super friendly place so ...

... habituado a levar uma hora para comer conseguiria terminar. Eu estarei incluido em alguma dessas categorias, mas admito que passava muito muito mal para acabar e todos os dias pedia para me servirem mais comedidamente, sobretudo porque durante o mês de ramadão havia sempre um « aperitivo » bastante pesado : uma espécie de tapioca feita com grãos de bombo (penso eu) que vinha com um gostinho a limão importante, ja que sem ele a coisa era muito malaika. Depois disso tinha o ...

... complemento nos textos mais compridos que tenho postado. E a minha segunda semana em Bamako, estou prestes a partir, so falta o Baby voltar do Burkina para me despedir dele. Hei de por pelo menos mais dois posts sobre Bamako, foi muita coisa para resumir num so. Mil obrigados a todos vocês pelos comentarios que estou impossibilitado de responder individualmente. As energias estao a passar manos e manas, kotas e kanukos. Beijinhos e até breve