First Impressions of Africa

Bon Annee, or Happy New Years to everyone

Our arrival in Casablanca on the 29th was easy, but as we (my brother Matt and his girlfriend Heather) went to get on the train to take us into Casablanca I realized how far from home I was. The station was poorly lit and everyone was in the traditional Muslim dress. I could not help but notice that every set of eyes were focused our way, and this was a little unsettling at first. I did not feel comfortable until we got to the next train station, where there were kids running around, laughing and playing, and genuinely excited to see us. Immediately I felt at ease as we not only smiled with the children, but also with their parents. The ability for children to make one feel at ease is a remarkable power that seems to be constant throughout the world...

Our destination in Casablanca was the Hassan II Mosque (www.mosquehassan2.com). This religious building is stunning and the meticulous detail found throughout it is awe-inspiring. It provided a final realization that I was no where near home as I was again surrounded by the Muslim world. Despite what CNN and the Bush Admistration would have us believe, people of the Muslim faith are incredibly welcoming and always willing to help...

While walking around the outside of the Mosque I found myself looking out at the Atlantic Ocean from the shores of Africa, where I realized that no matter where in the World we may find ourselves, the warm feel of the sun on our necks, the refreshing blow of the wind at our backs, and the way waves break and crash into land are Universal, just as humans are the same through and through...

After only a few hours in Casablanca we made our way back to the airport to catch our connecting flight to Bamako, Mali. As we arrived in Bamako at 3am on the 30th we were swarmed by taxi drivers before we even got to our bags. Despite the aggressiveness, the man who helped us, Ismail, was genuinely friendly and honest. When I awoke the next afternoon I was met with 30 degrees of heat and red dirt that I feel will become a symbol of Africa for me long after I leave. Along with an Irish guy named Keith, who is staying at the same house as us, I went to the Grande Marche. In order to get there we jumped in on the public bus, a surprisingly effecient and effective mode of transportation. The market itself cannot be explained by words, so I will try to post pictures soon...

Last night was our New Years celebration. Matt, Heather, Keith; and I went to a local club called Le Hogon, where we had dinner and watched several live acts of traditional African music while bringing in the New Year. It was a New Years I will not soon forget...

Tomorrow the four of us (Keith is headed for the Festival au Desert as well) head for Mopti where we will sleep on the roof of a Danish man's house who we met on www.couchsurfers.com before floating up the Niger to Timbuktu for the three day festival www.festival-au-desert.org...

Enjoy the snow.