When we woke in the morning we were just sitting enjoying the sunrise and letting ourselves wake slowly when I noticed something on the edge of the rood where the thatch for the overhang met. I was freaking out because I thought it was a snake slithering along the edge. It was 12 to 14 inches long, 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter and didn’t really have much of a face or mouth which I thought was strange. It moved so smoothly. I was trying to find my camera (even though I was peeing myself to get away from it). I have a picture section on the large Jurrasic Park like creatures I’ve seen since being here. Giant moths, beetles, snails and the like. This would have made a nice addition to my collection. While looking for my camera and trying to keep this thing in site as to make sure it didn’t get to close and upon further observation it wasn’t a snake at all. It was a frickin centipede. Dear lord it was disgusting. A 14 inch centipede. It was horrid. It also was gone by the time I got my camera out. I don’t know where it went but I got the hell off that roof as fast as I could stumble down the log I had to use to get up there... centipede pictureless.
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| Good morning sunshine!! |
*Djenne, the city we visited with the biggest mud structure in the world, was a real shithole. I think I mentioned. Besides all the obvious reasons...nyegen runoff running down the streets, trash everywhere, the stink...there were boys begging for money everywhere. Most of the boys that beg are called garibou. They live and are schooled in their religion and in the koran in these little schools that are located in these little rooms throughout the city (most are either orphans or are given away by their parents). Part of making their living is they are taught to go out and beg for money. Some will just stand in front of you with their little cans and stare. Some will sing to try and earn their money. As bad as I feel for them is equal to how annoying they are. They follow you and stare at you (especially us being white) and they will just not go away...even if you give them money. The first afternoon we were in Djenne we were walking down the backside of the market with our guide and these boys (around 10 or 11ish) started following us asking for money. They were not garibou, just annoying kids asking for money. The first kid I told no. The second kid I just looked at and kept on walking. He fell behind and got out of my sight and then kicked me in the ass. I was surprised and appalled. I don’t care what country you are in and how ignorant people claim themselves to be I was absolutely appalled. Respect is respect is respect in any country and I know without a doubt this child would never have kicked a Malian woman...or man or other for that matter. After he kicked me he and his friends ran away laughing I turned and started yelling at him, in English. Thankfully the kind of language I was using is not language even an english speaking Malian would understand or probably has ever heard. When my friend told the guide that the boy had kicked me he said he saw what happened and he would take care of it.
The guide sent his brother down the side street he had run down to get the boy and bring him back. About a minute later here he came dragging the kid behind him. They bought him down the side street and out onto the main road where we were waiting...the site of the incident. After the guide made sure I could see him he proceeded to beat the absolute shit out of him. By the third or fourth hit I felt kind of bad and thought that the punishment was a little extreme...they were BEATING this boy. That feeling went away though and I was hoping they might hold him so I could take a whack at him. Some older woman passed and tried to stop them. The guide told her what he had done and she said “OK” and continued on her way. Did the punishment fit the crime? I don’t know but I can guarantee that boy won’t kick anyone else anytime soon.
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