One day you may find yourself in Bamako, the capital of Mali. I know – crazy, right? But never say never! And if you ever want to see Timbuktu (which I suggest you do), you will have to go through Bamako. Besides, as I learned the hard way, YOU JUST DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GONNA END UP! And, as some of you may be aware by now, one of my (many) mottos is: Poor Planning Pisses Me Off.
So, After the jump I present you with a list of fun filled, fabulously odd things to do in Bamako that may just change your life:
1. The Death Market – which I have covered before – Found in the middle of Bamako is the Witch Doctor Market… and is clearly the reason Mali has no wild animals left. “But Paula – why the hell do I want to go there?” you may ask, to which I say – BECAUSE IT’S FRICKING COOL and, you may just be able to save a Penny the Hedgehog of your own and feel like a full on rockstar for at least a day.
Don’t you wanna have your own Penny?
2. The Musicians Market: Located near the Death Market, you can buy any instrument hand made here. Fun Fact: Mali’s music is the birthplace of the blues. 90 percent of America’s slaves came via the Salt Road, which runs through Mali, and when you hear Tuareg, Bobo, Fulani, Bambara or Dogon music, it’s like listening to BB King. And Malians take their music very seriously. Drummers have callouses an inch thick on the palms of their hands, guitarists are treated like heroes and singers are legendary. Behold:
This guy makes and plays guitars – he’s kind of my hero.
Can you believe those callouses? No manicure is gonna help that.
This man was building a drum
The Grammy winning Malian band Tinariwen playing at Essakane.
This guy just reeks of cool
3. The Recycling Market: Across town is a magical place where a car, a truck, a shipping container or aluminum cans can be broken down within minutes and made into… anything. It’s beyond fascinating… and My Aunt Deedee is obsessed with her angels made of cans.
4. The Appaloosa: Deep in the heart of Bamako is a cowboy bar. Yeehaw! The waiters wear red velvet cowboy outfits and the working girls are scantily clad cowgirls. It is apparently a favorite for ex-pats and Russian hookers. Whew knew [Ed note: What did those girls wrong in a past life to end up as Russian hookers in Bamako? That’s like the lost luggage for working girls].
5. Hill G14: This is the largest hill in Bamako (and also the place where I set Penny free) – it has a crazy Gym on the top of it where kids go to work out and play as well as a huge map of Mali, and the army barracks. You get the best view of the city from here.
Look at this little bundle of cuteness I found on top of G14…
Just getting in a work out – don’t mind me…
Just chilling at the big map.
Bamako at sunset from G14
6. The Clubs: on any given night in Bamako, you can go to a club and hear some of the best music EVER… and the dancing is to die for. check it out:
Out of interest did you hire a hooker in the Appallosa? I have been living in Bamako two years and go quite often to Appaloosa for the awesome pizza and have got to know the barmaids quite well. They have never once offered my sex or anything remotely suggesting it. Most of them have children in the Ukraine and are people come from a desperately poor country where there is no work and the options are limited to find work so they come to work in West Africa as barmaids and hostesses in casinos as they attract Europeans with money.
hi Paula
I was completely taken by the work death market itself it took me a few hours to check more details about it on internet. I also like the place hill g14 i would love to go for a workout there.