by phil | Dec 23, 2016 | Stories
Bintou was due to give birth on the 23rd of October. Andre, our child, was not impressed with the date. In fact, we will never know which date he had in mind as we took matters into our own hands (actually the hands of Professor Dolo) on the 2nd of November. On the...
by phil | Sep 26, 2016 | Mali
Last Thursday was Mali’s independence day. Happy birthday, Mali. A little perspective: when I write about Mali, I do so as an expat that has been living on and off in the country for 6 years. My wife is Malian, and her opinion often informs mine. I also run a...
by phil | Aug 24, 2016 | Mali
The above image is an excerpt of an article written on our postcards from Timbuktu project from La Vanguardia, which I learned is the largest newspaper in Catalonia. Wikipedia also informs me that: It is one of the oldest papers in Spain, and is the only Catalan...
by phil | Jul 20, 2016 | Stories
My thriving, long-term relationship with maquis – cheap outdoor bars with plastic tables and chairs, tunes playing, brochettes grilling, cold beer – began in Ghana at a small neighborhood bar in the Labone neighborhood of Accra. The bartender there...
by phil | Jun 13, 2016 | Morocco, N. Africa
After we got married, Bintou and I had a one night honeymoon in Segou. We had a fantastic meal at Hotel Djoliba and then slept in a simple room by the river. As blissful as that short trip was, we also planned on traveling outside the country at a later date. Due to...
