My Brother the Traveler

AF-02   -   This trip was to the heart of West Africa with Mali, Burkina Faso and Benin in 4WDs
Date of travel:    Feb 27   -   Mar 20, 2002

ITINERARY:
On Feb 27 by a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles Airport (LAX) and then by overnight plane to New York (where I visited the American Museum of Natural History in the Central Park). Another night flight to FRANCE where Mar 1 (sightseeing the center of Paris). It was followed by a flight to Bamako, MALI. From Mar 1 to Mar 8 we were in this country visiting: Timbuktu (flying there, having a Blue Man of the desert, a Tuareg, as the local guide and took a camel ride in the desert), flight to Mopti (where a boat ride on Niger River). From here we continued in 4WDs to Djenne (probably the most interesting city in Mali), then we spent some 3 days exploring the unforgettable Dogon Country. Last town visited in Mali was Segou. Then we crossed border to BURKINA FASO (used to be Upper Volta) where from Mar 8 to Mar 14 visiting: Bobo Dioulasso, Banfora, Gaoua, local villages and the capital Ouagadougou. On Mar 14 the third country BENIN (used to be Dahomey). This is a voodoo country, has fascinated villages and a royal history. We visited places like Natitingou, a royal town Abomey, Cotonou, Quidah and Lake Nokoue, where people live in villages on stilts. Late on Mar 19 overnight flight to Paris then New York and LAX and by rented car back to Vista, where Mar 20.

Travel office: Spector Travel of Boston

Who took part:  Total of 7 people traveled in Mali, 6 in Burkina Faso and 4 in Benin. In addition an African guide was with us in all 3 countries. Two 4WDs and their drivers in the first two countries and only one in the third.

Mali - Timbuktu - Djinguereber Mosque 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - Djinguereber Mosque 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - from the roof of Djinguereber Mosque 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - examle of living quarters 2002
Mali - Timbuktu - Jim, Millie, our local Tuareg guide Alis, John, Dorane 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - local scene 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - a local young man Sane 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - Ethnological Museum 2002
Mali - Timbuktu - Ethnological Museum 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - our trip guide Guire (turned), John, Frank, Millie, Jim at Sidi Yahiya Mosque 2002	Mali - Timbuktu - Sankore Mosque 2002	Mali - outside Timbuktu - our camels 2002
Mali - outside Timbuktu - at a Tuareg camp 2002	Mali - Mopti - Suguni Market 2002	Mali - Mopti - Suguni Market 2002	Mali - Mopti - Suguni Market 2002
Mali - Mopti 2002	Mali - Mopti - at one market 2002	Mali - Mopti - the port with pirogues 2002	Mali - Mopti - in the port 2002
Mali - Mopti - in the port 2002	Mali - Mopti - wood in the port 2002	Mali - Mopti - in the port 2002	Mali - Mopti - market in the port - fish 2002
Mali - Mopti - on the bank of Beni River 2002	Mali - Mopti - Hotel Kanaga 2002	Mali - Mopti - Hotel Kanaga 2002	Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River 2002
Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River 2002	Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River 2002	Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River - port 2002	Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River - port 2002
Mali - Mopti - on the Beni River 2002	Mali - a village outside Mopti - on the Beni River 2002	Mali - a village outside Mopti - on the Beni River 2002	Mali - a village outside Mopti - on the Beni River 2002
Mali - in the village outside Mopti 2002	Mali - a village outside Mopti 2002	Mali - a village of Fula People outside Mopti 2002	Mali - outside Mopti - calves of the local people 2002
Mali - Mopti - a pinasse on the Beni River 2002	Mali - on the road between Mopti and Djenne 2002	Mali - on the road between Mopti and Djenne 2002	Mali - on the road between Mopti and Djenne 2002
Mali - a ferry across the river near Djenne 2002	Mali - on the road near Djenne - wood is a frequent load 2002	Mali - Djenne - view of the Grand Mosque from the roof of one house 2002	Mali - Djenne - Val on the roof 2002
Mali - Djenne - typical street scene 2002	Mali - Djenne - Grand Marche at the Grand Mosque 2002	Mali - Djenne - Grand Marche 2002	Mali - Djenne - Grand Mosque 2002
Mali - Djenne - Grand Marche at the Grand Mosque - from a roof of a house 2002	Mali - Djenne - Grand Marche 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Bandiagara - market 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Bandiagara - market 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - onion fields 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Sanga village on the escarpment 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - ouside Sanga village - escarpment with baobab trees 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - at the escarpment 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - the escarpment 2002	Mali - Dogon Coutry - Banani village 2002	Mali - Dogon Coutry - Banani village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Banani village 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - at Banani village - these young men helped us down the escarpment 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - a baobab tree 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - dancers 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - dancers 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - dancers 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - dancers 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Tireli village - dancers 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - cliff dwellings of pre-Dogon People 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - escarpment 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Teli village - Frank 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Teli village - partly built into the pre-Dogon cliff dwellings 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Teli village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Teli village - mosque 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Ende village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Ende village - a baobab tree 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Ende village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - a communal well in another village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Kani-Kombote village - a baobab tree with stored material 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Koni-Kombole village - kids 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Djiguibombo village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Djiguibombo village - a local mosque 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Djiguibombo village 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Songo village 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Songo Grotto 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Songo Grotto 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Songo Grotto - storage of musical instruments 2002	Mali - Dogon Country - Bandiagara - Hotel Cheval Blanc - individual rooms 2002
Mali - Dogon Country - Bandiagara - Hotel Cheval Blanc - the entrance 2002	Mali - San - mosque 2002	Mali - at the road between San and Segou - a baobab tree with bee hives - our 4WD cars 2002	Mali - Segou - on the bank of the Niger River 2002
Mali - Segou - on the bank of the Niger River - the indispensable donky 2002	Mali - Segou - on the bank of the Niger River 2002	Mali - Koutiala - the main street 2002	Mali - Koutiala - market 2002
Mali - on the road between Koutiala and the Burkina Faso border - local bus 2002	Mali - on the road between Koutila and the Burkina Faso border - our 4WD Toyotas 2002