Leaving Konsango

On 27 January we left Konsango -- sad for missing our new friends, pleased with the progress the villagers (with a bit of our help!) made on completing their garden. Many of us had brought with us items to give to the villagers. The morning was spent with dividing these out for the various village committees to distribute to their members. Then our drivers came and we loaded the cars. We went through various "ceremonies" with the village elders as we said out goodbyes. Most of the villagers lined the way for us on our way out. I can only hope we made as good an impression on them as they did on us.

After a long, hot, bouncy drive (Mali roads make ANYTHING in the US look like a smooth track!), we headed to Bandiagara. It was interesting to enter the city -- last week it looked so primitive to my eyes compared to what I think of as a city, yet after a week in the village, it was so modern. We were invited to Timothy's home for lunch. He battles chronic malaria and was unable to join us, yet still hosted us. The various students that live with him prepared and served the food. I did enjoy seeing his latrine facility -- concrete slab with hole, said hole covered by a plastic toilet seat. And re-bar embedded in the concrete to enable people to hold on, I suppose.....

We left there after lunch and headed to Sevare. Here we stayed at a hotel called "Mac's Refuge". It's run by an American whose parent were missionaries in Mali and he lived there as a child. He's actually from Cuyahoga Falls (east of Cleveland, Ohio) which thrilled our group as most have ties to Ohio. He's retired to Mali to run this hotel and shared many fascinating stories of Mali over a wonderful, relaxed dinner (complete with ice cream and chocolate sauce). Before dinner many of us headed to the port market which was extremely chaotic.


There were dried fish all over being sold and LOTS of annoying people trying to sell you things (ok, that's definitely a cultural point!). I did enjoy seeing the boat-making and black-smithing at the boatyard. And we did a bit of shopping that was fun. As I started saying, dinner was magnificent -- chicken soup, bread, taboulleh, chicken, a steamed bread, gravy, and the ice cream with chocolate sauce and sesame biscuits/cookies. However, perhaps the BEST part of the evening was a "real" (albeit cool) shower rather than bucket cleaning. Was also able to connect via Blackberry on e-mail to find the Saints made the Super Bowl (although didn't know who they were playing!) and check in with family.

The next day we had breakfast with Mac and 3 young ladies with the Peace Corp -- one working in education, one in agriculture, and one in micro-businesses. Had the most "American" breakfast we'd seen yet -- pancakes, french toast, maple syrup, tea, coffee, and hot chocolate. After breakfast we went to see the bead museum and a small attached shop. Then we packed up to head for the boat that would take us down the Niger for a much-needed relaxing bit. The cars will meet us the following day (after camping on the river) to head to Segou. Whew!