Today we visited Djenne (Jen-ay) which hosts a weekly market. This market is world famous - that is what I said too, famous to who??
To get to the market, we drove for about 1.5 hours on very good roads and then had to cross the Bani River by ferry. When we got to the crossing, there were couple other cars there and a bus loaded up. When I say loaded up, I mean loaded up! See the picture - that bus is loaded.
At Djenne, we had a guide who was exceptionally good. He walked us around Djenne and then the market. After lunch we went to a jeweler's shop. I pulled out our camera to take a video and a few shots - he wanted to see the camera. I thought I had offended him and was going to be at the centre of an international problem (see English teacher in Sudan). But he is just a technology freak. He wanted to play with the camera, how much it cost, how many photos it would hold, how to order one on the internet without a credit card. This lead to a very interesting discussion of finance, etc. He never made us feel like we should give him the camera or anything, just a genuine discussion about how he could acquire one.
On that point, Djenne in general was very genuine. People there didn't hassle us because we are white. They didn't pressure sell us anything. They would offer, if we didn't want, they moved on. As a comment on Mali in general, the bargining process is more a social interaction than just strictly commerce. Markets are such a part of their life - it is where they sell what they produce and where they buy what they need - all from potential friends. This maybe the reason we have pages of email addresses from new friends include guides, taxi drivers, jewelery merchants and general travelers!!
Our final stop in Djenne was at a famous ladies mud painting studio. You might not think mud painting is "high" art, but it is!!! This lady is so famous, she even made it into the Lonely Planet guide - which is how we judge everything when we are traveling!! The experience was similar to buying carpets in India or Egypt - they start throwing them all over the floor. Kim and I were both thinking the same thing - we need one for hanging on our staircase wall. After we decided on the one, before we even had agreed on a price, it was in a bag ready for us to take. Now we just had to decide on the price. The first price was 65,000 CFA (C$135). Our guide spoke up and it dropped to 55,000 CFA. I countered with 20,000 CFA. Some more general chatter. Then they wanted my final price. I said we could only do 30,000 CFA because that is all we had. This is kinda true because it isn't real easy to exchange money out here and we have to pay for incidentals along the way. Then there was a discussion on taking other currencies including Canadian dollars - oddly enough they had no interest in them. I guess they don't follow international finance and the general love of the Canadian dollar! Then Kim and I pulled the "we must go now" trick and he wanted a little higher price. I offered 60 Euro (C$80, 39,300 CFA) and it was accepted. We are now the proud owners of a great wall hanging/bed spread/carpet/table cloth...dyed in mud!!
We are back in the hotel and Kim was practicing her new signature and initials for work. Just like girls in elementary school!!
Off to Dogon Country tomorrow, sleeping on the roof under the stars. We likely won' have internet connection for a few days since they barely have electricity.
g&k
To get to the market, we drove for about 1.5 hours on very good roads and then had to cross the Bani River by ferry. When we got to the crossing, there were couple other cars there and a bus loaded up. When I say loaded up, I mean loaded up! See the picture - that bus is loaded.
At Djenne, we had a guide who was exceptionally good. He walked us around Djenne and then the market. After lunch we went to a jeweler's shop. I pulled out our camera to take a video and a few shots - he wanted to see the camera. I thought I had offended him and was going to be at the centre of an international problem (see English teacher in Sudan). But he is just a technology freak. He wanted to play with the camera, how much it cost, how many photos it would hold, how to order one on the internet without a credit card. This lead to a very interesting discussion of finance, etc. He never made us feel like we should give him the camera or anything, just a genuine discussion about how he could acquire one.
On that point, Djenne in general was very genuine. People there didn't hassle us because we are white. They didn't pressure sell us anything. They would offer, if we didn't want, they moved on. As a comment on Mali in general, the bargining process is more a social interaction than just strictly commerce. Markets are such a part of their life - it is where they sell what they produce and where they buy what they need - all from potential friends. This maybe the reason we have pages of email addresses from new friends include guides, taxi drivers, jewelery merchants and general travelers!!
Our final stop in Djenne was at a famous ladies mud painting studio. You might not think mud painting is "high" art, but it is!!! This lady is so famous, she even made it into the Lonely Planet guide - which is how we judge everything when we are traveling!! The experience was similar to buying carpets in India or Egypt - they start throwing them all over the floor. Kim and I were both thinking the same thing - we need one for hanging on our staircase wall. After we decided on the one, before we even had agreed on a price, it was in a bag ready for us to take. Now we just had to decide on the price. The first price was 65,000 CFA (C$135). Our guide spoke up and it dropped to 55,000 CFA. I countered with 20,000 CFA. Some more general chatter. Then they wanted my final price. I said we could only do 30,000 CFA because that is all we had. This is kinda true because it isn't real easy to exchange money out here and we have to pay for incidentals along the way. Then there was a discussion on taking other currencies including Canadian dollars - oddly enough they had no interest in them. I guess they don't follow international finance and the general love of the Canadian dollar! Then Kim and I pulled the "we must go now" trick and he wanted a little higher price. I offered 60 Euro (C$80, 39,300 CFA) and it was accepted. We are now the proud owners of a great wall hanging/bed spread/carpet/table cloth...dyed in mud!!
We are back in the hotel and Kim was practicing her new signature and initials for work. Just like girls in elementary school!!
Off to Dogon Country tomorrow, sleeping on the roof under the stars. We likely won' have internet connection for a few days since they barely have electricity.
g&k
1 comment:
So, will it still be Boozy McTarnahan or will it be MRS. Boozy McTarnahan?
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