The rainy season wreaks havoc with a hotel made out of mud.
There is always a leak somewhere after a big rain. So we have been doing some maintenance work, and I have been touching up the wall paintings. The 'Saison Espagnole' is more or less over now (that is Mali Hotel speak, so called because of the disproportionate number of Spanish tourists who visit the country because they are obliged to take their holidays in July and August. It is also called la petite saison)
We had a good Spanish Season even in the face of more and more worrying rumours of Al Quaid'a activity in the whole of the Sahel region. Is it true?? We all feel it is the French authorities that are whipping up some unfounded hysteria, and we are all very annoyed with them. The other day Segou was closed down by the military. Why? Because it appears that a French tourist girl suddenly became worried about her Toureg driver and chauffeur, who she thought were 'behaving suspiciously and were on the phone a lot'. Apparently she thought she was going to be kidnapped and phoned the French Embassy. Segou was closed down for a few hours. This was all total nonsense, but doesn't help the country's fragile tourism industry.
BUT Hotel Djenne Djenno is doing very well and let me just indulge in some trumpet blowing: I was a little miffed that we hadn't had any Trip Advisor reviews recently ,but suddenly there it was, a five star one from a recent visitor from Amsterdam, whom I send warm thanks if he/she is reading this blog.

'The Best there is'
Absolutely the best hotel I've been in in Mali. Sophie, the Swedish owner, has created a little paradise just outside Djenné. The whole hotel is built true to the Djenné style. It is absolutely beautifull down to the last detail. Staff is attentive and pleasant and they will work hard to see to it that you have a nice stay. The food is made with local ingredients and can include "beignets d'haricots" or "meatballs swedish style" and is far above the normal fare you get in Africa. Don't miss the evening coctails on the roof viewing the sun setting on Djenné, which in the rainy season can be spectacular!