It started to rain when I was writing my last blog. But I wrapped up my Lonely Planet and a few other things and headed to the attached bar. The Swiss couple and the French bank worker were there. They weren't drinking beer, but soft drinks. I ordered a beer anyway. Soon I was chatting with some of the other people at the Maison des Jeunes. I don't quite get what all these people are doing here. I don't think they actually stay at the hostel, but I could be wrong. The people there are musicians and practice in a small building on the grounds of the hostel where they give a a couple or a few concerts per week, I guess. They played 2 days ago and are supposed to play tomorrow. They invited me and the Swiss woman to see their studio. They taught me a bit of this interesting instrument like a wooden xylophone--just like the one in the museum in Sierra Leone. I was interested in how the sound is made so I looked underneath. There are spherical hollow gourd like things that resonate the sound and give it a sort of an interesting hollow sound. Through most of the instrument, they have a hole pointed at the wooden slats, but the ones on the end don't have gourds under them, so they don't sound quite as good--rather they sound a bit dull. But most of the music goes on in the middle of the xylophone. They had a bunch of drums as well.
I learned of a potential internet cafe so I went to go check it out after all that. It was just getting dark and when I arrived, it was just closing. They won't reopen until Monday. I'm going to have quite a massive blog dump when I finally get a computer with a decent connection. It sucks having these crappy connections. I would have thought that the capital of Mali would have better access. But I guess not.
So I came home and ate at the restaurant. The crazy local guy who talks way too much came and started talking to me. I just continued eating and saying "uh huh" to everything he said. Then he went over and started talking to another guy who was eating. Then that guy left, so the annoying guy came over and started talking with me again. He said he wanted to come to America. Specifically, he said he wants to come to Seattle. I asked him why. He didn't have any reasons. I pressed him with completely open ended questions to give him no hints about anything in Seattle. He finally confessed that his brother is in the drug trade. I explained that the drug trade destroys lives--is a scourge to humanity--is the cause of destroyed lives, destroyed dreams, destroyed hope, crime, murder, and long prison sentences. I told him that the people who work in the drug trade are the cause of this. He tried to defend it. Then I said I was going to back to my room. He wanted me to buy him a beer. I told him I was turning in for the night. He tried to invite me to see his family's house. I told him maybe later. Why would I go anywhere with this guy? He is annoying, talks too much, has no job, and uses drugs.
I can't wait to get out of this youth hostel. I don't know what to make of the people here. Perhaps I'll just leave on Sunday and forget about the last $4 night. I don't know if my stuff is secure here. There are too many shady characters. My dorm mate from Guinea seems unhappy that I am unwilling to help him get to America (with INS help and financially--like I can just spring for an airline ticket for a complete stranger) and was eyeing my laptop a little too much. He has no luggage at all. There are people at the gate of the hostel who commented that I didn't have my laptop bag when I left. I don't like people taking too much of an interest in my possessions. They might think I won't miss it as much as they want the money they perceive it could bring on the fenced goods market. I hate to cast unfounded aspersions on the guy, but I have to listen to my instincts. I can't afford to make a mistake and suffer a big loss. It's better to pay a little more for some security, especially since it will bring a modicum of privacy and comfort as well. And it's only for a few days until I get the last of my visas.
Africa is a great place to travel (for those with a certain set of characteristics) but it the pleasantness of the people you meet is in inverse proportion to the level of tourism in the area. The best people are found in places like Gabú, Labé, and Kankan. The worst in Dakar and Bamako. It's not that they are big cities. Conakry was great--only one bad guy--the one who tried to pass himself off as an off-duty immigration police officer with two different names the two times he approached me for enough money for 3 liters of gas. And my problem with Bissau was mostly linguistic--not the people who were very nice and accommodating.
A lot of Mali is heavily touristed--some areas having little industry other than tourism. Indeed nobody would go to Timbuktu if it weren't for the fact that it is a symbol of remoteness. Almost everyone who does go there does so for that symbolic value. There is no other reason unless you are a scholar of African or Islamic history. So I suspect that I'll be hustled and annoyed a bit there. Mopti is apparently the worst. I'm not sure why. it's a transport hub and not a major tourist sight. But all tourists go through Mopti. Then once I'm back in Burkina Faso, things should settle down a bit. I have to figure out how to put Niamey in my trip. I'm not sure I can make it to Nigeria and Cameroon. It's already almost the middle of September. I won't even get out to Burkina Faso until early October. Then Niger, Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire will take me to the middle of November. I should start looking at an airline ticket to get back. Apparently American Airlines has a direct Accra, Ghana to JFK flight. That would be sweet. I could take my time from there if I arrive early. Maybe rent a car and drive it.
September 13, 2008 22:00 Mali local time
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