on reaching great heights
There’s something about the vantage point from above that makes the origin look altogether different, And maybe worth the climb back to earth. Siby Village, Cercle de Kati, south of Bamako, Mali.
All posts tagged: bamako
what’s to drink
Hibiscus flowers drying on a thatched roof, soon to become bissap, also known as dableni, a sweet juice infusion enjoyed cold.
on the journey
In the space between steps, it’s hard to imagine that the destination will be worth the passage. There’s not much about the road less traveled to inspire confidence. Wise people say it’s all about the journey. But if we weren’t pulled forward by something –call it hope– then we’d simply stop in place. It’s the destination, imagined or real, that propels us onward. If we’re lucky, we’ll find the treasure (whatever it may look like) that we seek.
what’s to eat #10
Friday is market day in Ouelessebougou, and villagers from miles away come to buy, sell, trade, and snack. We indulged in savory bean-flour beignets and piment, a spicy paste.
on an empty sky
Mid-February, and the sky gives up nothing. Condensation ascends, gathers …and moves past. It’s a refusal, or a dare, or a test. There’s a missing link between earth and sky — a natural connection, absent. You can’t help but wonder if the clouds have simply forgotten you.
what’s to eat #9
“Al kachi,” dessert (or breakfast) from Timbuktu: a sweet dough flavored with tangy baking soda and sour, fresh tamarind syrup, then fried and coated with honey.
outerNotes 