The city of Timbuktu in Ancient Mali was legendary - its wealth, its culture, its architecture.
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The city of Timbuktu in Ancient Mali was legendary - its wealth, its culture, its architecture. Its university attracted scholars from as far as Spain, and from all over the Islamic world.
Whispers of its greatness spread as far as England - but it sounded so fantastic that the English assumed it must be mythical, like Atlantis or El Dorado.
It blows my mind that even today, 800 years later, many British people think Timbuktu is a distant made-up place.
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Paul-Gabriel Wienerreplied to David Njoku last edited by
@davidnjoku @BigAngBlack
In some Muslim countries it's traditional to have a multigenerational home. In the women's quarters, girls were raised free of the male gaze, surrounded by cousins, aunts, grandmothers. A wife could get a break from her husband's attention. It was forbidden (haram, opposite of halal) for any man to enter.A British "explorer" made his living writing tall tales of exotic adventures in savage places, and people to this day believe in harems.
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@davidnjoku We went when it was still possible. Library apart, only its situation makes it special. The most memorable thing was the two-day journey back to Mopti down the Niger (yes, Timbuktu is not far from a major waterway, hence its former eminence).
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@davidpnice What was the rest of the country like?
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@davidnjoku It was a tough trip, even though we were heading for our friend Sophie's hotel in Djenne. Needed 'guides' to keep off other guides, a level of hassle which makes Egypt feel like a piece of cake, and a few destinations overfilled with rude French tour groups (the 'pays Dogon' was like the Cotswolds). Not the most enjoyable trip, but totally memorable. And Hotel Djenne Djenno was a dream come true while it lasted. Old blog entry with a few photos here: http://davidnice.blogspot.com/2008/01/song-and-dance-in-mali.html
