In many aspects Bamako reminds me of Dhaka in Bangladesh. So much chaos and poverty. No real infrastructure...though I would say that perhaps Dhaka is more developed. But Malians are just as welcoming and kind as Bangladeshis.
After my long nap, I shook myself and got up to go for a long walk in the city. No map, no landmark. Just hoping I would find my way home somehow later on. I always proceed like that. I always get lost that way. But I also always end up somehow finding my way back home.
And so off I went...aiming to start by walking along the river. A big disappointment as there is absolutely nothing, in Bamako, of interest along the river. Nothing. I was even shocked.
Anyhow, later on, as I approached the famous Maison de Jeunes, I met this rasta guy called Buba. Nice dynamic guy who offered to show me around the city. Why not? I tried to make him understand as early on as possible that I was not gonna pay any guide of any sort. So he'd better be doing this free. And he did. Him and his buddy, just walked around the whole city to show me every market and corner. It was interesting, but way to fast. They literally just kept walking, no cultural explanations. So all I got was visual discovery. I will have to walk those markets again on my own later.
I think that if I smoked tobacco or weed, and if I had any budget for liquor, them and I would have bonded a lot more and have become closer friends. But no...since I don't do any of these things, it perhaps made me a bit boring for them, I don't know...
We also went by the Carrefour des Jeunes, where luckily, a couple of old timers from the area were rehearsing some pretty good tunes. We hung around the big tree where they were playing. Relaxing. Had I been alone, I would probably have stayed there all day.
After a while of hanging out with them a bit everywhere, I decided to take off and head back home. I was beat, sweaty, and thirsty.
When I got home, after a good cold shower (finally here there is cold water, and only cold water), I walk out the door of the catholic mission and met this young guy who offered me to show me where to grab a bite to eat. I must admit, since kit is Ramadan here, it is quite a challenge to find food. And plus, the neighborhood where I am does not have a single restaurant nor sandwich place. So it is almost like a hunt when I need to eat. And so, this kid, Amadou, also nicknamed Petit Dogon as he is from the Pays Dogon, showed me around, hung out with me while I ate some already cooked street food sold from Tupperware on a side table surrounded by rats and still water. I am dead serious!
Then we walked back together and hung out in front of the mission, sitting on a bend and chit chatting about life and stuff. He happens to love photography and would like to make a career off of it some day. Tomorrow he will show me his work.
Now I am dead tired. Very long first day! Not sure I am a fan of Bamako, but am here and will make the best of it.
Night night...
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