Mopti

December 10

I joined the medical team at the end of their work in Ouelessebougou. After finishing there, we went sightseeing for 4 days.

First we visited Mopti, population about 109,456. The classic sahel-style Misire Mosquee (Grand Mosque)--in first photo, built in  1933, towers over the old part of town. The guidebook describes clamorous river-based coming  going, but on this day it is quiet because of the Eid Mubarek holiday--except for some VERY persistent vendors. I agree with the guidebook that tourism here is a contact sport. 

Boat building happens at the mouth of Mopti harbor. The nails are pounded out over small fires and the rough wood pieces carved and nailed together on site. You can see in these photos the paint detail too.

We have some fabulous guides on our sightseeing expedition. They are from Timbuktu. They took us by boat on the Bani and Niger river to visit the villages of:

Bozo (fishermen)

Fulani (animal breeders)

and Tuareg (nomads)--the last photo is a Tuareg girl holding a lamb