Mali: Sahel Journey
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Dispatch 4 - Mopti |
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Most people would label getting off the boat a 100% African experience, though I expect a version of the same dynamics can be found on most every continent. In space less than half the length of the boat - because that is as long as the usable portion of the dock is -- hundred of people are jostling to off-load and on-load the boat at the same time. The people try to get off have no place to go because of the push of people trying to get on. Through this scrimmage we needed to move our panniers, helmets, water bottle, packs with valuables, pumps and bicycles - way to many things that are either too small or too big. To add to the challenge you need to run the gauntlet of boys who want to be your "guide." Mopti should be a quaint and charming town; it has a river bordered by a tree-lined road and a busy shore filled with boats of contrasting size and character. The market is interesting and "African". Parts of town have unique and esthetic residential and mosque architecture. And by in large the people are friendly. So why do I qualify my enthusiasm? Because constantly getting in the way between you and a pleasant experience are a seemingly endless stream of want-to-be boy-guides with every sort of hustle and scam and no manners to take "no," in any language, for an answer. They can useful if you are trying to find some place of something. They know the physical layout of the town, but as presenters of the culture, instructors of history or interpreters of nuance, their skills are minimal. One of their many impacts can be to effectively prevent you from meeting or talking to anyone else in town. In Mopti, one tends to hire a guide more as a form of protection money from being harassed by the other guides, rather than for what they added to the program. One example of the shenanigans is, in Mopti, the guides insisted that you needed to go to the police in Mopti to register. As advised we went to the police. We filled out the form that was presented to us, our passports were stamped and then the gentleman who runs the bureau told us that we would have to pay 1000 CFA each. No receipt or tickets were offered. When we later met the regional tourism office we were told that this fee had been stopped several years ago.
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Addendum: When the boat is late you get the benefit of another
beautiful sunset on the river,
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