A Day In Gao

Having successfully gotten out of the Atlantide Hôtel without the English speaking guy around I was free to explore Gao. Gao is a small city on the Niger River and is basically in the desert. The streets are sand and only a few are paved. My first destination was to the tourism office, but there didn't seem to be one where the icon was. Too bad because Lonely Planet said it's the best one in Mali. So I wasn't able to check the price of my hotel.

Next I went to find the Museum of the Sahel. I found it but it was closed. The door said it is open everyday from 8 to 12 and 15 to 18 except Monday and Saturday. It was 8:30 but maybe it'll open later. It didn't look like much from outside.

I then headed over to the Tomb of the Askia. It's a mosque so given that it's an Islamic holiday (last day of Ramadan) it was pretty easy to spot--just follow the crowd. I had to shake one guy who wanted to be my guide. The tomb is kind of a neat structure. It's made of mud and logs. There are stairs going around it like a ziggurat. It's not very big and is surrounded by a think mud wall. I'm not sure it's worth coming to Gao to see this attraction, but it was neat. I gave a coin to an old lady in a wheelchair and then some kid wanted a coin too. I told him I only give to old people.

I headed back to the museum. Stil closed. I looked into a keyhole. There was a guy in there. But I wasn't sure I really in the mood to go there so I decided to just skip it.

Next I went to the Bani bus station. I asked what time the bus to Sevaré leaves. They said it won't leave for 3 days. Yikes! What if the end of Ramadan shuts down the busses? I certainly don't want to spend my birthday in Gao. The Gana bus company is right around the corner. They have one tomorrow at 9:30 am. Whew! CFA 8000. I got my ticket. Tomorrow I get the hell out of Gao and after an anticipated nice night in the Via Via in Sevaré, adios Mali! I can't think of a better place to turn 40 than Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

I came back to the hotel where I got my clean shirt back. I asked how much. He said CFA 1000 (US$2). Not what I wanted to hear. I mumbled under my breath that I should have set the price up front. I didn't look happy and I just looked at the guy shaking my head. OK, he said, 500. OK. That was the first time I got a price down on a service already delivered. It was easier than I thought. I guess I should have been doing that all along.

Then I went out to find the Restaurant Bon Sejour. It was pretty far. It was actually one of my first choice hotels, but I opted for the one I'm in since it's so centrally located. (Actually the Atlantide is pretty crappy. The plumbing is shot, the rooms are dirty and disgusting by even my low standards. And it is infested with locusts. I killed about 20 in my room so far. Next time, it's Bon Sejour.) I had some chicken, a bottle of water, and 4 beers at the Bon Sejour. A nice lunch/mid afternoon diversion.

Tonight I'll go out and see what the end of Ramadan looks like in the streets. But other than that, I'm ready to just rest and recover and prepare for my trip to Sevaré.

September 30, 2008 17:01 Mali local time