My neighborhood in Bamako

This is a pictorial of my temporary neighborhood in Bamako.

The following photos were taken on my morning stroll around the neighborhood:

There are no strollers in Mali

Boys on a horse

Nor are there carseats

Wedding party pictures in front of an elephant sculpture

So as you can see, the neighborhood has a local flavor.  So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across the ridiculously nice Radisson hotel (that has just been open a month!):

Bamako Radisson hotel room

Atleast now I know where to go for some R & R (rest and relaxation)!

Badminton in Bamako

My previous experiences in Africa were as a researcher and Peace Corps volunteer.  I slept in huts, pulled water from wells, ate with my hands, and lived in the bush.

Thank God I packed my stilettos. Yesterday, I drank French red wine, ate pepperoni pizza and vegetable lasagna, played a few rounds of ping pong, kicked some major booty in a game of lawn badminton, all the time conversing in English with at least 50 guests in an immaculate house completed with a sparkling swimming pool and gorgeous terrace…overlooking the Niger River.

I was invited to the expat party through a friend of a friend of a friend, whom I had not met.   When I arrived, I didn’t know a soul.  When I left, I had several events already planned with other for this week.  Throughout the party, I kept on making connections with people.  It turns out there were 3 other people whom I had direct connections with through a mutual friend!  The crowd also read like a “who’s who” of Mali International Development: Malians, Americans, French, German, Chinese, Japanese….Directors, Heads of Offices, Fulbrighters, Nightclub owners, etc…  Talk about speed networking!

Ok, I’m off to visit the National Museum of Mali.  Mali is a country very rich in treasures and artifacts.  If you visit either the Met in NYC or the Field Museum and Art Institute in Chicago, you will agree that Mali DOMINATES the African Art exhibits.  Most of the masks, carvings, and artifacts come from here.  So I’m thinking the best pieces should be here as well, n’est ce-pas?  Let’s hope.