While you inaugurated a new president , we celebrated Army Day here in Mali when the French army was replaced by the Malian Army. Since there was no school I walked to the Palais De La Culture and took some pictures. They have sprinkler systems working there so the grounds are green even in the dry season. There are also several stages for various performances.
I had a very pleasant walk through the grounds.

As I left the Culture Palace I just had to take a picture of this Malian "Starbucks". It is located on a corner and everything. I was to slow to get the donkey cart but I will get one of those later.

I have no idea what kind of fruit is growing at the top of this tree and I am not going to climb up and find out for you.

I assume that these goats get their water from the river and maybe they get most of their food from the river bank where it stays green. What I really wonder about is where their home is and who they belong to. They just wander in the streets and only once have I seen someone herding them.

In the dry season everything is dry and brown but there are also spots of beauty such as these beautiful azaleas. I am told that the flamboyant trees bloom here in April and I will look forward to seeing them in bloom.

This is my first week in the classroom and I am pretty rusty but I think things are going fairly well. The kids are at least tolerating me. I am teaching two General Science classes , a Geometry class , a Trigonometry class , and a Business Mathematics class.