After returning from Dogon I spent some time in Mopti Mali where the Bani river and Niger river meet. The city is formed by 3 islands and is known as the Venice of Mali. It was great to be around water again and I spent some time cruising the waterways during sunset on the wooden local boats. The river plays a large role in the livelihood of the community for transport and fishing. As I walked through to the docks it was a surreal experience to see the baskets of dried fish commingling with cut up fish heads, scraps of cassava and fumes from the passing diesel trucks. The town had a greyish tinge to it and it was amazing to see the contrast of the brightly colored merchandise on the boats with the dark murky water.
The old mosque is famous here and is the backdrop of the old town. I inquired about a bus to Timbuktu from here since it is only a days journey. The situation in the region is very shaky right now due to Tuareg rebellions and Al Qaeda having a strong foothold in the region. They have been known to kidnap tourists and even a few months ago a British man was kidnapped and executed. So, alas my trip to Timbuktu was off and I headed to Dejenne.
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