MLI: Bamako Downtown

Bamako, Mali

As the capital city of Mali, Bamako is also the largest city in the country. Its name is derived from a word in Bambara, the national language of Mali, which literally means 'crocodile tail'. The official language, however, is French. Bamako has been continuously inhabited by human beings since the Palaeolithic era.

Below are some photos taken on the way to Azalai Grand Hotel from Modibo Keita International Airport while taking a ride in the comfortable van provided by the hotel.

That's the place where expos are held.

I saw quite a number of small petrol stations along the way.

I suppose that's an apartment for residents with higher socioeconomic status.

As mentioned in the previous post, there are lots of peddlers outside Azalai Grand Hotel, our choice of accommodation for two nights.

I noticed quite a number of people selling thermal flasks.

We spent an hour and a half to explore the dusty and chaotic city. Bamako National Mosque was our first destination, but we didn't enter the building.

I trapped myself in a sea of cars. How could those cars get out?

I'm always fascinated at how Africans can balance things on their heads well.

From there, we made our way to Sacred Heart Cathedral of Bamako, which was unfortunately closed at that time.

I didn't take any photos when I was trapped in a sea of people and vehicles at Grand Marche (lit. Grand Market). As we were the only two Chinese-looking guys there, we attracted lots of curious stares, rather than discriminating ones that we may get in, say, France. Some asked us, "Chinois? Japon?", while others greeted us with "Ni hao!" or "Konnichiwa!"

The Mali Federation gained independence from France on 20 June 1960. Senegal withdrew from the federation the following month, resulting in the birth of the independent Republic of Mali on 22 September 1960. Here's a photo of the Indpendence Monument.

Subsequently, we made our way back to the hotel through a different path.

I wonder what's the statue in the middle is doing.

The kids were playing happily in that dusty field.

Not far from the hotel is a tributary monument depicting five soldiers of the Black Army that served France during World War I.

There are some interesting buildings nearby.

The building that houses the Chamber of Commerce looks relatively more modern.

Would you like to take a train from Bamako Railway Station to go elsewhere in the country? I really want to go to Timbuktu, but the situation there is unstable at the point of writing.