And of course there’s much to do for fun and much to do for tradition. I’ll be posting slides of my travels to Northern Europe in September. And perhaps I can round up my pictures from two trips to Hawaii — one last year and one in about 2014? Plus the new dog, outings with Will, and the ever present involvement with Eastrose UU. You can see their website at eastrose.org and enjoy the fruits of my labors there. Yes, Amateur with a capital A, I know.
Yep, a long time.
So much has happened. The biggest is the arrival of a guy named Will in my life, and then the dog Lucy. Combining households, camping, traveling to Africa again, and working as a volunteer at my church implementing the PowerChurch accounting system and entering 2015 and 2016 data.
Goals *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+
1: make a market link on this website so you can see and buy the jewelry and art that I’ve got in my collection.
2: To make links to the groups I am part of now — Oregon Power and Light, Lyceum of Trees, Eastrose, and Nadaka Park.
3: To become adept at word press while I assist Eastrose in updating and keeping their website current.
4: CAMPING in my new Tin Tent! 
the bedroom . . .
The glow of new adventures is fading, but not gone. There’s been a paper bag floor at the house the church owns, the chart of accounts for the church finances, church personnel contracts, and getting ready to be church treasurer with a fully implemented finance program still about a month off.
The living room with the fireplace . . .
The paper bag floor —
it turned out B – E – A – U – T – I – F – U – L – !
It’s a tough project, that finance stuff. I hope by the next budget cycle (October, 2015) that the software will be smoothly functioning. I didn’t realize that membership, contributions, and a bunch of other data besides the money part will have to be set up in tandem. It is lots more fun to do other stuff than focus on the chart of accounts, but I DID promise to do it!
The hardest part is that this finance project feels just like my old job . . . I’m SUPPOSED to be retired, eh? And yet, I can work on it at my own pace and not worry so much about getting fired!
The great mosque in Djenne — the largest mud building in the world gets a new coat of mud this month. It takes the whole city to get it done!
Vieux at dinner.
We did our Timbuktu and Back worship service at the end of March. It was so well received that we’re doing a West African dinner and the show — in October — a fundraiser for the church. Talked to Mamadou today and they are spending the second Sunday in a row putting mud on the mosque in Djenne. It is great to keep in touch with the new friends from Mali. I got to meet Vieux Farka Toure on Monday night — he played a concert at the Melody Ballroom after he visited at the Ko-Falen dinner at the Queen of Sheba restaurant. Such an exciting evening.
More about our tour with Mali Mystere:
The postmaster at Timbuktu cancels the stamps on our postcards.
The postcards from Timbuktu arrived this week. I wrote one to a friend in January and shed a tear then, as I shed a tear now, for her support to encourage me to follow my dreams. Little did I know that the trip of a lifetime would stick with me in so many tenacious ways.
Aly Dicko in Pays Dogon.
So, Aly Dicko of Timbuktu is on Facebook and we were actually chatting in real time a few days ago. Do you know how weird that is? With the 8 hour difference to Mali, and the long waits between emails all summer, it was a bit disconcerting! But then, he was in Europe, too. I suspect the internet connections might be a wee bit speedier in Europe than in his hometown?
Our guide in Djenne was the knowledgeable Mamadou Diawara.
Then, Mamadou Diawara from Djenne is still in touch too. I’ve been sending him pictures as I find them. Here he is showing us a tablet from the Quran school in Djenne.
When I went to Germany with Sally and Carrie — we shared the memories among ourselves and our friends for many years. But we didn’t leave friends behind in Germany or worry about particular Germans we had met. This is entirely different. We met Aly and Mamadou in their homes and home towns, and saw the difficulties their country has survived and continues to have. We heard their stories, teased and got teased back, played with new languages and (sometimes just as entertaining) experienced new cultural norms. Since our friends were hesitant about our trip, it was easy to notice the tourist infrastructure in Mali that was more than a bit short of tourists. We who have social media at our fingertips can at least do reviews, post pictures and connect in social media ways that might help Aly and Mamadou be more successful.
And the music. There was laughter about listening to “the soundtrack to Timbuktu” for the whole trip. I finally heard Tracy Chapman’s lyrics and Bob Marley is Universal, isn’t he? Aly had quite a collection of music on that USB flash drive. We asked him for the list of artists, but of course I didn’t get the actual albums or songs, so I’m on this quest for Malian music that is utterly absorbing. The Limelighters had a song about a woman completely besotted with Russian fashion and music. In part: “A-Yee A-Yee, she wears a Cossack blouse, she dances wildly all around the house, tomorrow morning they will find me dead, she even wears her Cossack boots in bed!” If I could only adjust that Russian reference so the song would be about Mali! Kathie heard me sing the Limelighters version while we were still traveling, probably in the middle of the trip, when I was most thrilled to be in Africa, especially Mali.
Portland had the movie “Timbuktu” showing in the Portland International Film Festival and Kathie and I saw it last weekend. We remarked how glad we were that we had actually been to the desert before we saw the movie. (It was showing in Brussels over Christmas, we almost saw it there.) The movie is astounding and I hope it wins the Oscar for Best Foreign Film next weekend. The tents, the cattle and the river, and the central themes of love and the desire for peace — a beautifully crafted story filmed in Mauritania because Timbuktu was pretty shaky at the time. If you have a chance to see it, you should. The dust, the acacia trees, the desert . . . they are almost characters in the film too.
At the same time Portland is hosting the 25th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films running through the beginning of March. I’ll be trying to connect with some of those free showings, too. Maybe I can get a good recipe for Ginger Juice while I’m there!
I know the world has changed but I can’t put my finger on exactly what has changed for me. Traveling does that, I guess. Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. Per capita annual income is like $620 per year. I think I heard that 25% of the government’s budget comes from foreign aid. They are just coming out of a state of seige from the incursion of sharia law extremists in the north. I was fascinated by Timbuktu since my buddy Thom had photos and stories about hitchhiking from Timbuktu to Alexandria in the 70s after his peace corps assignment in Cameroon.
But it was so much FUN to be there. Aly Dicko, our guide, was knowledgeable and provided a recurring sense of humor even when things were a bit harsh for this city girl. (There was the evening he asked questions and wanted me to answer in French . . . much hilarity, that.) As the journey unfolded I realized just how risky such a trip is. Right down to the tap water in the capitol city Bamako. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed. There is so much empty tourist infrastructure it felt almost strange just to be a tourist at all.
Maybe in another year I’ll put my finger on what made this such a powerful experience. In the meantime, I’ll keep adding little bits to the web page to share the experience.
I was making a face for the camera at the time, but at the moment it is more like how I feel about this trip!
So today I found a foreign language collection of tapes for the widespread Maliian language Bambara. (Maybe I can leave the French to Kathie?) And I’ve survived the yellow fever vaccination reaction, and my passport has the Mali Visa ready to go. More and more it feels like a real trip. When I visit with people who have travelled to Africa, they are glad for us going to Brussels for a few days first. That means we’ll have a chance to adjust to the time zone change before we land in the capitol city Bamako for the 16-day tour.
Brussels at Christmas should be a destination all by itself though. Chocolate and lace, beer and old Europe, altogether a great start. I found an apartment very close to the Grand Place and with a kitchen we don’t have to eat out all the time. Might have a side trip to Bruges or anywhere else, and we have to make our way to Charles de Gaulle airport to fly to Africa.
Here’s the tour itinerary:
Mali Mystere 16-day tour : From the River to the Desert
Bamako, Djenné, Dogon country, Mopti, Niger River, Tombouctou and the desert, Ségou, Bamako.
Day 1: Saturday – Bamako
Upon arrival at the airport in Bamako , your guide is there to welcome you and accompany you to dinner. Overnight at the hotel Tamana.**
Day 2: Sunday – Bamako to Djenné
Morning departure from Bamako to Djenné via an air-conditioned 4×4. We will pass beautiful mud villages and meet with villagers who will explain the tradition of millet and the traditional costumes made from bazin. Lunch en route. Dinner and overnight at an encampment/hotel.** You will enjoy breakfast in the lovely shaded terraces.
Day 3: Monday – Djenné
Morning tour of the city and its rich history, with the largest and most beautiful mud mosque in Africa and the world. Monday is the day of the colorful weekly market, where you can find lovely traditional fabrics. You will walk through the narrow alleys to explore the majestic Sudanese-style mud buildings. Behind each door a warm welcome awaits you. Djenné is the ideal setting to enjoy the great variety of ethnic groups that inhabit the Niger River Valley and the inland delta. Lunch in a local restaurant; the afternoon is free to enjoy the market; dinner and overnight at an encampment/hotel.**
Days 4 – 7: Tuesday to Friday – Dogon Country
Morning departure for Dogon country via the Bandiagara cliffs. Lunch en route. Change of scenery for 4 days, amid Dogon villages with their unique cultures and long-held traditions.
Hike along the cliffs to meet the villagers and ancient dwellings of“Tellems.”?You will discover the Dogon traditions of weaving cotton to make bogolan (mud cloth) as well as carving wooden masks and fertility statues. Each village hosts its Tougouna, a place of exchange that welcomes all village elders, called the “house of words.” Discover Dogon cliffs, plateaus and plains through trekking. Nights are spent in safe, comfortable encampments in the village.
On the seventh day, we return to the 4×4 and depart for Mopti.
Guided tour after lunch: the crossroads of trade on the Niger River. Observe dugout canoes and pinasses being built. You will be surprised by the elegance and unique colors of each pinasse; this is how the city of Mopti gained the prestigious name “the Venice of Mali.” Dinner and overnight at the hotel “Ya Pas de Problème” [the quaintly named, There is no Problem Hotel]**. Do not deprive yourself of capitaine skewers, a succulent white fish and local Mopti specialty!
Days 8: Mopti – Tombouctou by Pinasse
Morning departure via a fully equipped, motorized pinnase along the Niger River . Three days and two nights to experience the tranquility of the river:?meeting Bozo fishermen, visiting villages and witnessing the smoking of fish, roaming livestock, and petty trade; crossing Mali ’s largest lake, ” Lake Debo ” where many species of migratory birds reunite; and swimming with our friends the hippos! Every night at sunset, we reach beautiful places to camp along the riverbanks in complete safety. Somehow the river will make you work up quite an appetite for fresh-caught fish, eaten sitting around the campfire under a brilliant sky of stars.
On the tenth day, arrive in Tombouctou in the afternoon and overnight at the hotel Ya Ka Seme or Colombe **.
Day 11: Tuesday – Tombouctou
Morning tour with a historian who will unveil the rich cultures and traditions of this most famous, mysterious city. Discover its mosques, the center of 16th century manuscripts, the houses of early explorers, the museum, the traditional spice market, and witness the creation of handicrafts and silver jewelry. During lunch with a Tombouctou family, (Note: someone on trip advisor says this is our tour guide’s mother!) you will taste a local specialty with 12 spices. In the afternoon, depart for a camel ride in the desert. You can savor the beauty and total silence of the desert. Meet my friends the Tuaregs and their leader Ibrahim who will tell you the legends of the Sahara under a star-studded night sky by the fire. We will partake in traditional Tuareg meals and tea, and spend the night under the dazzling stars or in a Tuareg tent.
Day 12: Wednesday – Tombouctou
Return to Tombouctou by camel; free afternoon in the city of 333 saints.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel Ya Ka Seme or Colombe**.
Day 13: Thursday – Tombouctou to Mopti
Morning departure by air-conditioned 4×4 where you will have the pleasure to enjoy magnificent scenery.
Picnic en route. Arrive Mopti in the early afternoon. Dinner and overnight at the hotel “Ya Pas de Problème.”**
Day 14: Friday – Mopti to Ségou
Morning departure to Ségou. You will marvel at the giant, luxurious baobab trees lining the roads, as well as Bambara and Bobo villages. We will stop briefly to admire the mosque in San. Arrive Segou in the mid-afternoon; dinner and overnight at the hotel Esplanade.**
Day 15: Saturday – Ségou to Bamako
In a morning tour of Ségou, you will have the opportunity to discover the pottery made by a cooperative of women in the market, and the dye house where everyone can paint a bogolan. Lunch on the restaurant then depart for Bamako for 3h30min drive; enjoy the afternoon at leisure; dinner is at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel Tamana**
Day 16: Sunday – Bamako
Morning tour of the city: the home of artisans, the market with fruit and spices, the National Museum. Lunch is at a restaurant; the afternoon is at leisure; finally, transfer to the airport with the help of your guide.
(Note: somewhere else indicates the ** have a meaning about the lodgings. Mostly that a 5 star “western style” hotel is out of the question, that the best lodgings in Mali would be more rustic, or words to that effect.)
For the 16-days tour: The cost: 1940 Euros
Included:
The rental of a the car and driver throughout the stay;
The fuel,
The pinasse (boat) rental;
Overnight stays in hotels and encampments
Three complete meals per day for the entire trip;
Tourist taxes; hotel taxes; the accompanying guide
Not included:
The international flight, drinks
Responsible travel: Cultural tour of Mali
Community
We work hard to ensure positive impacts to the local communities and surroundings that we encounter, and encourage travellers to contribute items that are inexpensive and easy to pack, such as pens for schoolchildren and recycled clothing.
Our group sizes typically range from 5 to 9 people, which we believe minimizes impact to the environment and allows our travellers to gain more insight into their surroundings through more individual attention from our guides. We derive ultimate satisfaction from teaching our guests about Malian culture and keeping our traditions and heritage alive through carefully-planned, sustainable, developing tourism.
We employ 100% local guides, drivers and cooks. Guides are selected who already have special knowledge about the areas they will introduce to tourists, have numerous local contacts, and constantly seek to increase their knowledge and have a passion for teaching tourists about their environments. With visits to local fruit and spice markets, a local women’s cooperative selling pottery & eating in local restaurants, this trip helps to stimulate the local economy.
Environment
In Mali, key tourist destinations are spread far throughout the country, and we plan tours carefully so as to maximise ride sharing. We make sure to arrange transport that accommodates maximum capacity while still maintaining comfort for our guests. Mineral water is safest for tourists and we always offer empty bottles to children and adults along our journeys who will continue a long cycle of re-use for the bottles. Mali currently is working to reduce large amounts of plastic bags that are not properly disposed of throughout the land, and travellers are quickly made aware of this and encouraged to individually do their part to dispose of any waste in designated facilities.
This time last year I was planning to travel to N. Idaho for my oldest brother’s memorial service and a weekend campout with family. All systems normal, work is great, life is good, and I was looking forward to my first visit to the Portland Highland Games in July.
Now, 2014, well, the good news is I’m retired as of today. It was difficult and I still get hiccups sometimes if I think about it too hard. In May, I was told my position was eliminated. Sorta like lightening, you never think it will happen to you!!!
I’ve planted a garden, acquired a federal Tax ID and a Mailbox for a potential home-based business, and cleared out the blackberries in the back yard to make room for a woodshed.
NOT QUITE A LOGO — more a symbol of inspiration and new growth. Originally this was an African symbol in a family of symbols called Adinkra — a t-shirt company says it means, “Excellence, Genuineness, Uniqueness.” I modified it to show growth and imagination as well.
I want to work again, but not full-time. I can do anything — really! It’s almost like getting out of high school again, with the infinite possibilities laid out like a giant what-should-I-do-now buffet! June was a month of taking time off, going to lunch with friends from work and vendors I’ve worked with, and basically hanging out. Today, July 1, I want to start completing some of the projects I’ve been playing around with — the wood shed, the kitchen floor, the yard (there’s a retaining wall to build — curved and on a slope no less), fix my bike, clean the garage, etc. With the gift of my brother’s inheritance, I’ve set aside the money to plan a trip to Africa — a trip I’ve wanted to do for over a decade.
Lunch with people from companies I’d like to work for is also on the list for July and August. A couple of companies are in my neighborhood and I have admired them from afar — can’t hurt to go visit. There’s a catch though — a jury summons early in July! Whoops! Guess I’ll wait and see how that works out first. There’s a vacant house next door too. It’s a mess inside and maybe someone would let me clean it out so that a “flipper” might actually buy it! So many possibilities.
Its been great to learn how to live on my own clock and honor my own preferences. Too many clothes! that’s a hobby I won’t need to continue. Yum, juicing in the morning! Watching Jimmy Fallon once in awhile. Getting a “real” internet connection. And I’ve been enjoying my time with friends and family. Took me an hour to get my Google calendar and my paper calendar lined up so I might not miss anything!
Nadaka Park is coming alive. The proposed community garden, picnic shelter, nature-based play area and other amenities will be constructed this summer. I have the masters of a walking map the MHCC SEED students made and I want to make a fold-up pocket map for the park. The annual Community Festival is September 27 this year — much later in the hope that the construction might be mostly done by then. It’s an amazing park and an unusual gathering of community volunteers and non-profit partners made it happen even while the City of Gresham struggles with Parks financing. I’m glad I can contribute to it. This week I made a coloring page for the Turtle Rock in the NW corner of the park.
The rock really is this adorable — right down to the eyelashes and the grin!
Oh and learning WordPress . . . that might take awhile too. And Meetups! 3-D printing meetups look SO interesting! So much to do. Granny called it “re-tired” and complained that there were no more holidays after retirement! All I know is every time I can hang out with my children and their peeps is Mother’s Day. That’s holiday enough so far. And there are many, many worse things in life than retiring at the beginning of summer. Not that I am particularly wealthy by American standards, however I am surrounded by riches in all other ways.