Mali Holiday
It’s difficult not to begin a love affair with Mali, a country of surreal beauty and seductive culture.
From the legendary town of Timbuktu to the eerie vastness of the desert and pretty pink sandstone villages, Mali is a place of many faces.
Shaped a bit like a butterfly and just as beautiful Mali is a vast and mysterious land, less travelled than its West African cousins - perhaps because it does entertain much of Africa's famous wildlife - Mali is the ideal place to experience ancient African tribal culture and history.
The fallen angel of West Africa, Mali still clings on to of remnants of its once illustrious past as a cultural and economical centre of the whole of the continent, remaining proud in the face of its depressing tag as one of the poorest countries in Africa today.
The nobility of the Malian people is unrivalled and this is reflected in their flamboyant cloths and jewellery, as vibrant and beautiful as the Malians themselves.
Mali is home to one of Africa's most noble and enduring cultures known as Dogon.
The Dogon people originated from the west bank of the Niger river -which stretches across ten West African countries - and emigrated west to Burkina Faso when they were known as 'kibsi'. In 1490 they fled the northern Mossi kingdom of Yatenga where they had settled and reached the safety of the Bandiagra cliffs region.
Now heavily concentrated along a stretch of escarpment known as the Cliffs of Bandiagra, a visit to the Dogon land is undoubtedly the highlight of a trip to Mali.
The Dogon carve entire villages from the stunning pink rock faces and even grow crops on cliff ledges.
Bamako, the capital, is also a must-see for intrepid travellers as is the legendary Timbuktu, though some are often disappointed by the latter's 'ghost town' quality.
Sitting on the north bank of the Niger, Bamako is typical of most African capitals, never resting, even as the sun sets on the pink cliffs.
Sellers fill the streets, weaving between motorbikes and beat-up cars while the relentless midday sun beats down.
The Grande Marche is brimming with gold, traditional cloths, jolly African music as well as more unusual finds such as porcupine quills, dried birds and monkey heads.
Travellers can spend more than a few francs here, such is the range of clothes and jewellery, which make perfect souvenirs.
Mali was invaded and conquered by the French in 1880, and, like much of West Africa, the official language is French while Bambara and other tribal languages are also spoken.
History buffs and culture vultures should head out of the hubbub of the market to the Musée National. The building in itself is a fascinating mud-brick structure and contains a wide range of ancient tapestries, masks and funeral objects.
In the triangle of streets surrounding the market travellers can find other shops, some restaurants and a few hotels.
The attractions in Mali are too many to mention, but the beauty of a trip to this fascinating country is that travellers need not go far to experience Malian culture and history. It is everywhere: in the mosques, the villages, the treacherous cliffs and the dreamy pink and tangerine sunsets.
Mali may be a poor country, it may be unbearably hot and dusty and its once noble buildings may be crumbling, but travellers will not find a country so rich in spirit and ancient splendour - qualities which cannot be contained between the four walls of any museum.
