This weekend I decided to hit the market. On Saturday me and Sophie ventured on the sutramas to the market. We were so distracted by so many beautiful fabrics (and hassled by a lot of shopkeepers) that we didn’t even do what we set out to do. Instead we bought dresses. The people at the market do not stop with the hard sell but are nonetheless amazing sales people and I think this can only be admired as they are so creative with their story telling (lies). There seems to be some network in place where people show you to shops and gain commission. Whilst at times this was frightening, the length that people go to sell you things is astonishing. I just wish I knew what a good price was, as my haggling skills leave a lot to be desired. On the plus side, it’s a very good way of practicing French.
We were quickly whisked to this man’s shop after being accosted for being “tubabu” (white) which was “2 minutes away.” Fifteen minutes later however, we were there. Sophie bought some dresses and the jewellery was lovely. The sob stories and hard sell less so. Next, we were whisked away by a guy with the nickname “manu chao” he was hilarious, quite the Rasta and just kept saying “we get on regardless of race, gender or colour” it was all a bit strange. He also tried to read my palm suggesting firstly that I am too attached to my mother (sorry mum) and secondly that I would never be able to have one husband but needed lots (haha I also hope this was a lie). On the plus side he took us to his brothers discount fabric shop which was amazing. I bought some beautiful fabric and it was only 4000 cfa for 2 metres which I hope is cheap(ish). Then he took me and my fabric to this Aladdin’s cave above some very muddy stairs. Here there were at least 50 men sitting at old fashioned singer sewing machines making dresses. The noise and heat were overwhelming and I had to wade my way through scrap fabric to find a dressmaker. In a way it seemed like a sweatshop and this worried me, but their skill, speed and precision was inspiring. What struck me was the fact that they were all men. This was the one sector where I expected women to be working, but any women there were sitting looking after their children. After being measured we left for a coffee with our new market friends. Whilst they continued to try and make us buy things (I caved and bought a very nice bracelet but probably got a bit ripped off), their stories were interesting and I learnt a lot about the city. Within 2 hours my dress was finished .TA DA. I really love it but I don’t know how women wear them all the time, they are really hot and impossible to walk in. I proceeded to walk shuffle around Bamako like a penguin for another hour. The sutramas home was quite the experience as they were all rammed and we had to wait for about 5, and then we nearly missed our stop because it was dark and you can’t see out the front.
I'm not sure I make a convincing African but its pretty nonetheless.
Sunday is wedding day in Bamako and throughout the day you can hear music and car horns beeping, as well as seeing beautiful African dresses. People really put on their Sunday best here. It’s like this. (I also love these singers, it’s a shame they are not returning to Mali whilst we are here. )
After battling through wedding traffic we took another sutrama with view to going to the potions market. It was so hot however it was barely tolerable. The potions market sells all sorts of weird wares that people use to ward off problems. Apparently the fishermen on the Niger buy things to protect them. At the market we saw a lot of animal heads. It was quite shocking. I couldn’t take a photo as they wanted me to pay but there were horse’s heads, deer heads, crocodile heads, monkey heads, rhino horns and antelope horns as well as few unrecognisable things. It was really quite sad and I’m not quite sure what’s lucky about any of those things. After a brief spell here (excuse the pun) we moved on because the smell was so overpowering. I still find all the smells quite overpowering in the market but nonetheless new and exciting. A few of us tried to find the fruit market but it’s so big we failed and ended up wandering the spice market which sold lots of spices and dried fish as well as lots of very unidentifiable things. The market in 38 degrees is overwhelming but I still love it. We failed at the fruit though and navigated our way to the sutrama instead.
This afternoon René who works for IS took us to this bar by the Niger. It was beautiful, we sat on chairs that were like deckchairs and it was like being at the beach. From this side of the river you could see downtown Bamako shrouded in a dusty orange haze. It was really beautiful as it disappeared on the pink skyline. We had beers and watched the sun go down. The Niger is huge and flows so fast. There were lots of long rowing boats floating along. Apparently to go upstream one boat needs an engine and then another 25 can be attached to be taken all the way up river to Timbuktu. There were a number of men working on this part of the river, they dive down under water and retrieve sand which is later taken upstream. It was amazing to watch. I really hope I can take a boat up river one day (so long as i don't get eaten by crocodiles.)
All in all, it was a lovely weekend. Although its not all play and no work. Back to work to properly start our projects at 7.30 tomorrow morning. ouch. I am however, surprisingly optimistic that this working week will be more of a success and we will actually get somewhere. Fingers crossed.
Over and out,
Alice x
p.s In the hour it has taken me to write this my washed hair has dried entirely. It is TOO HOT! but my bedroom fan and heat combined seem to make a very cost effective hairdryer!
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