Sump

Have just returned from a walk around the markets of Ndar across the bridge, and have a 'sump' nut in my mouth. I thought it was a date. Except for a thin bit around that is mostly collects dust it is almost entirely a stone. My mouth doesn't really know what to do with it, but it doesn't seem to pose a problem. The area was generally a visual overload. I learned that if I want to take pictures, the thing to do is greet them, ask for permission, and thank them and then wish them a good day. This I learned from the Wolof apothecarist. If only we all had good manners!

New exhibition of Malian bogolanfini at the gallery, so S&J have been busy with that. I went on a bit of a shopping spree, and among things have ordered a pagne (wraparound fabric) to be made, exactly per a 100-year old piece I saw in the traditional weaving exhibition. Quite pleased with this. Anyways, a fabricky day.

A lot of wind today. Harmatten. Dusty everywhere, and it is thick and yellow. All the shutters are shut, and today is no day to hang laundry. Swept the floors. Tough to think the Sahara could be put in a bin - futile exercise but we do it anyways.

Random things sprinkled in a normal day. We saw a couple of 'fake-lions' (guys in lion character) on the streets. And last night was stadium-sized party noise until dawn, but it was far away so no issue. Have a feeling that I do not see an entire subset of the population that is up at night.