Much has happened : the people who were supposed to congregate from all the corners of the world did all come and our strange meeting did take place here in Djenné : there was José Manuel who made his documentary of my albino assistant Djennéba – but also of me , the library, MaliMali and everything else that happens here. There was Helen who came from Sweden to work on the conservation of the manuscripts in the library and to compile a report to be used to raise funds ; there was Eva from Hamburg, also working in the library. We had a great time - although I now feel as if I have been flattened by a steam roller...

I have a vague idea that there are important things afoot in Mali : The Prime Minister has resigned- and I have not even had time to find out why. Moussa Mara, an  energetic ; apparently  incorruptible  and much admired former Bamako  Maire has been put in his place. More to follow on this…
And I will leave for Bamako tomorrow and Algiers on the fifteenth, just before the Algerian elections and then England… more soon .