I’m almost a month into my travels and still hadn’t moved away from Bamako. Granted I’ve been to the Festival in the Desert and the Dogon country but the rest is all on hold. Even Teberemt, the nicest of all villages in Mali – home to my family – is still on hold. Read the rest of this entry
Obamako
21 January 2010 – 15:28
There seems to be a quiet dissatisfaction regarding the lack of news from this side of the Mediterranean so here’s the briefest of the briefest of headlines – me happy. Very happy indeed. Just in the first two weeks there was so much nice, sweet and utterly good stuff happening to me that I started worrying the rest of the trip might not rise to the new standards. Read the rest of this entry
Enjoying it yet?
4 January 2010 – 20:04
It’s my fourth day in Mali and up till now there was nothing but pleasure. Granted the start was a bit chaotic but the rest is pure joy. I had one real worry before setting off and it almost came to fruition. The only thing I did not want to miss was my connecting flight from Paris to Bamako. Flying in from Trieste I had hour and 20 minutes to get off the plane switch terminals, go trough customs and checks and board the plane. Read the rest of this entry
Sensing the departure
15 December 2009 – 14:45
It’s only 15 more days to go and I can hardly wait. And the signs of anxiousness are popping up too. The other night I woke up all confused and worried. I was dreaming that is was already time for departure. Now I’m not one of those people that get all packed up 3 days before departure but am always packing at the very last moment – which might get stressful sometimes. But hey, what’s the point of having your backpack half packed for days? Read the rest of this entry
Top 5 experiences in Mali
1 December 2009 – 20:08
There are many guides and lists detailing top 5 or top 10 must see sites in any single country or region. But rarely will you come across such lists that will not concentrate on most renoved monuments and crowded tourist places. I find most of those lists uninspiring and lacking either imagination or freshness. So here is my stab at producing a list with a bit more salt to it. What do you reckon? Read the rest of this entry
Festival au Désert concert pictures (2009)
24 November 2009 – 14:57
Over the years there have been many great concerts and performances at the Festival au Désert. And to celebrate upcoming 10th edition of the festival here is a selection of those concerts in pictures. Read the rest of this entry
Festival au Désert concert pictures (2008)
24 November 2009 – 14:25
Over the years there have been many great concerts and performances at the Festival au Désert. And to celebrate upcoming 10th edition of the festival here is a selection of those concerts in pictures. Read the rest of this entry
Festival au Désert concert pictures (2007)
17 November 2009 – 14:08
Over the years there have been many great concerts and performances at the Festival au Désert. And to celebrate upcoming 10th edition of the festival here is a selection of those concerts in pictures. Read the rest of this entry
Festival au Désert in pictures
10 November 2009 – 15:18
Following up on previous post about Festival au Désert with pictures of this magical happening. Read the rest of this entry
Festival au Désert
3 November 2009 – 11:09
Festival in the Desert or Festival au Désert as it is officially named is a special place. Situated in plain desert between the magic sand dunes of Sahara desert near the little village of Essakane on the outskirts of mythical Timbuktu, Mali it offers three days and nights of musical extravaganza. With over 35 musical groups performing in one of the greatest cultural events it also prides itself as probably the most remote music festival in the world. It all started in 2001 in the aftermath of popular Tuareg uprising. Following symbolical burning of more than 3000 firearms in a ceremony known as La Flamme de la Paix (The Flame of Peace) in 1996 in Timbuktu the festival was meant to serve as a bridge between the Tuaregs and the rest of Malian population. Meanwhile it has evolved into the most prominent music festival in a country which is renowned for its music and musicians. Read the rest of this entry
