Niger River Project

Bamako looms out of the dark. I’d like to say it’s an explosion of colour, noise and sound – which after the gloom and emptiness of the previous hours, I suppose in some ways it is. But, objectively speaking, the city trickles into our consciousness, a string of weak street lights and ramshackle buildings that slowly cohere into what eventually looks like a proper city.

We have another argument with a gendarme at a checkpoint, again over the boat. This one’s more awkward, demanding papers. We don’t need papers for a fold-up canoe, we argue. He maintains that we do, but soon, like the customs man, he too gives up and waves us on. Djoliba is becoming something of a millstone.

The next morning Bamako reveals itself in all its manic glory. Orginally a Bozo fishing village of no more than a few families, Bamako has grown to over 2million today. The name means ‘river of crocodiles’, a reference to an age when this used to be a popular spot for hunting the eponymous lizard. Now, though, there are all but no crocs left, and, sadly, the city has pretty much turned its back on the Niger, even though the river is broad and magnificent at this stage of its journey.

Modern day Bamako, much like any other large African city, is hectic, hot and polluted. The best time to enjoy the city is in the evening, as this is when it’s coolest to walk around, but it’s also the time when rush hour traffic fills the air with great clouds of unfiltered exhaust fumes that catch at the back of the throat and make walking an endurance feat. It’s not a pleasant experience.

By night things can improve, as it’s then that you’re most likely to catch what Bamako is most famous for – its music. In our few days there, we manage to find one of the city’s famed music spots, a bar called Djembe after the ubiquitous African drum. It’s only a Wednesday night, but the place is busy, a five piece band, complete with a kora (local instrument, a bit like a lute), weaving a blend of moody blues and locally inspired griot music.

It’s a fantastic introduction to Mali’s music scene, but one that’s sadly brief as Dan gets struck down by a short, sharp bout of the Ds and Vs. No doubt there’s plenty more in store for us yet.

Tags: Travel

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