Part  I  II  III

Capital City
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Located on the north bank of the Niger River, Bamako is a sprawling city that seems to stretch forever in all directions.  The small communities and suburbs around the city add to the illusion.  In reality, the really spicy part of Bamako can easily be covered in a single day. Walking through the hot dusty streets gives the impression that time in this city stands still.  Bamako is a live, vibrant city that is a virtual feast for the senses.

The view of Bamako (left) is from the Hotel d l'Amitie, Bamako's most posh hotel.  Boasting a golf course, movie theater, and one of the few elevators in town, this place was the lap of luxury (except for the holes in the carpet and the musty bed sheets).

Spike's Joint in Bamako
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Although Mali is one of the world's poorest countries, capitalism is alive and well in Bamako.  Literally thousands of merchants sell anything and everything.  Whatever you need, you can find in the Grand Marche; whether it's food, medicine (the traditional kind, not the western stuff!), clothes, cars, mopeds (the preferred means of travel)...anything at all.  In fact, some locals told us that the entire city is just one big market!  Most vendors operate out of small, wooden shacks, but others have larger locations.  Even Spike Lee (well, maybe not that Spike Lee!) got in on the action with his health and beauty store (right).  The opening line of choice among merchants is: "Come to my shop.  Just look, no buy!"  If you express even the slightest interest, they will bend over backward to provide you with whatever you want.  If they don't have what you want, they'll run across the street and get it from somebody who does. 

As with most West African countries, haggling is a must.  The sales theory is: "if you want $50 for something, ask $150 and negotiate from there".  With that in mind, the caveat of "buyer beware" is in full effect.  The haggling process (or as they say, the "discussion") goes something like this:

To get the best prices, it helps to have a local friend who can take you directly to the producers.  You still won't get the "local" price, but the prices are a bit lower and the negotiation process is usually a little less aggressive.

One additional point: some westerners (well, actually it's just the Americans!) are turned off by the hard sell.  While the sales tactics are aggressive by American standards, the vast majority of the sellers we've dealt with were very respectful.  If you said "no" like you meant it, they would move on to the next fish in the sea.  Americans sometimes forget that many people have no salaries, no benefits, no sick days...if they don't sell, they don't eat, and everybody is a potential customer.  We've also found that once the deal is made, they will honor it, and work their "you-know-what" off to keep their end of the bargain.  For example, the ebony carvers (above) weren't finished with the order when we came to pick it up.  They dropped everything--and I mean everything--to finish polishing the pieces while we waited (they also offered us a cool drink and shade to sit in). 

Home Hair Care
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Returning With Supplies
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Many of the producers we visited were small, family-based operations.  They were typically run by the senior male (it is patriarchal society) and employed sons, daughters, cousins, nephews and anybody else capable of working.  These producers sold their products to the retail merchants of Le Grand Marche (the Big Market) and to the few adventurous foreigners who sought them out. 

These are home-based businesses are, so daily chores and commercial production occur side-by-side (left and right).  Such family operations are a rarity in the mega-merger, big-business environment of the U.S.  We could not help but be impressed at the cooperation and efficiency  of these operations.