BONNE ANNEE 2011!
Happy New Year from the Tunisian coast where Keita and I took our last walk along the shore this morning. Tonight we return to Tunis to celebrate New Year in our old-fashioned and charming La Maison Doree with Foie Gras and champagne.

But soon,soon I will be back in Mali- and in Djenne the 4th January. Keita stays here another month for check-ups. Birgit has held the fort at the hotel and struggled on admirably in the face of some difficult guests recently it appears. Perhaps Djenne Djenno is a victim of its own success? We have had so many great reviews of the hotel over the last four years that people are expecting too much from us, and some now become disappointed and grumpy because we don't have wifi for instance! Four guests have complained about the lack of wifi in the last few days, Birgit moans. Wifi! If only it were possible, but alas, it is not as yet.

Some other guests have complained about the lack of choice of red wines. 'Is that all you have to offer?' Yes indeed it is! We only normally have a modest Beaujoulais and perhaps a bottle of reasonable claret. We also always keep a bottle of champagne, just in case. That is actually quite something in Djenne, where there is no alcohol available!

The thing is: We have never pretended to be anything but a very rustic hotel in the African bush! That is how people used to like us. Why suddenly people expect us to be five star or have wifi escapes me...