Are your wings rested?

It's 10:30 on Sat morning and we fly with the bus at 2:30.  This is a short trip to Sevare (they say only a few hours).  We'll just be overnighting there.  I continue to reserve nice accommodations for us because we are worth it; so plan for A/C again.  I really am going to miss that a lot when we get with the Dogon. 

Do you know what it's like when you put too much on your plate at the Smorgasbord ??  Well imagine that you feel obliged to finish it all.  That is what yesterday was like.  We did  too much and I'm sorry to exhaust all of you.  Of course, it was my Choice... but these people are just so nice.  For me, I was tired and just getting close to whining by the end...

It started sublimely as I was very aware of the sounds of a long walk at 6 AM. 

• The sound of your sandaled feet walking on the firm, reddish brown, packed earthen roads as you weave amidst the large enclosures where people live.
• Barnyard sounds... some far away and some a few feet away.  rooster...  quiet... barking dog... quiet... braying donkey... quiet... the breeze in the trees of mango and palm... quiet... a solitary motorcycle.... quiet...
• Just like everywhere on this Earth, people waking with sleepy eyes and re-learning how to walk and figure out what to do with the day.   Hearing BonJour.. Ca Va  (french)  Or  Ani-so-goma.. i ni se  (Bambara)

We rode in the Sisters truck to a village several miles away to spend the majority of the morning.  They do this routinely to many differing villages.  In these villages there are many people, there's no electric, and they are self-sufficient... but they do have cell-phones.  That is funny to me... and another funny thing is that they have no concept of the rest of the world.  They don't even know where, or what, other African countries are.  AND, they are happy... Think on that one... we live so differently and yet they have the secret to the prize we all desire.   Makes my forehead pucker... especially when you are looking at it with your own two eyes.

So two Sisters took an entire pharmacy in the back of a truck to a village, and the people were all lined up before we arrived waiting to be diagnosed and treated by very knowledgeable women who had every kind of prescription medication you could think of in abundance.  For a moment; just consider looking at it this way.  These people are so cared for by our Creator/Fate/Good Luck/God/whatever-you-want-to-call IT... that the medicine comes to them; without prescription or cost.  Thank goodness for that because they do become ill, either from intestinal disease, infection, or especially malaria.   There is no crying, no complaining, just a quiet acceptance, and the hope that the medication will allow them to feel better.

OK, so back at the Mission it was time for rest and food.  And I gotta admit that we were offered, absolutely , the most nauseating meal I have ever had before me.   The women living here with their children cook each day and share their meal with me.... but this day it was To.  YUK.  A very firm slab of thickened millet that you use to scoop up "something" (which can vary). That wasn't bad because it reminds you of firm polenta.  But todays sauce was a greasy tomatoey broth containing chunks of whole fish that were the size of your hand... bones and lips included.  And then another dish containing something green and very slimy.  And I was hungry.... oh my gosh... I tried to be a trooper and pretend I was starving on an episode of Survivor.  That only works for a short time.  Needless to say there was a lot left.  (PS... the food in Tanzania was generally much better)

Ralph/Raphael came for us on his motorcycle at 4 PM.  He is SO EXCITED that we are here; it's like being a celebrity.  So we are now going on a tour of San; followed by dinner at his home at 7:30 (which will include his wife and the four children still living at home).  Here I need to summarize, but you'll get the picture:  Ralph- Dogon, Teacher, and a Boyscout Leader

1. small motorcycle, hot sun, no helmets, constant tour-like commentary, hold on !!
2. long drive out a washboard dirt road.... where is he taking us ??!!
3. another neat village with a large meandering lake, a boat ride on a traditional canoe-type boat and we must meet everyone.
4. Back to town (long drive again), stop to find the house that has these special hand made blankets and look at them all, stop at the bus station we will be using tomorrow and meet ALL the people that are there.  Stop to see the school that he works at and sit down with the head-master for a visit.
5. To his home, no electric, dark with flashlights, and a sand storm outside with lightening.  The dinner was Fantastic.  Coke, french fries covered with a sauce of beef and onions, a real salad, and a Dogon gift wrapped in paper.
6. ride back to hotel

It was about 9 PM and I have never enjoyed a shower so much (well that's an exaggeration... a past trip to northern Minnesota wins that category every time; but that's a different story)

So, voila... here we are.  Are you ready for the next part of this journey??? I'm not sure I am but with all of you along I'm sure it'll be a blast.

No Alison,  no visit to Timbuktu this time,  it's not that far away from here but there's a reason why we use that place to represent The Middle of NO-Where. 

Special Thanks:  I came to Mali with about 100 or more small boxes of Mike and Ike candies... donated by the For Cats Only Clinic in Quakertown.  They have brought smiles to so many people... young and old.  Merci beaucoup !!