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What is it about Paris?

By Don George, Editor

The seductive heart of the City of Light


Philosophy au lait

By David Downie

I pose, therefore I am.
"Philocafes" conquer Paris.

- Books on Paris

- Philocafes schedule



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The Surreal Gourmet

By Bob Blumer

Asparagus with attitude


Passages:

"Anatomy of Restlessness"

Gone to Timbuctoo

By Bruce Chatwin

- Getting there


Postmark: Los Angeles

Lost in Los Feliz

By Dawn MacKeen

What happens when Madonna, Gwyneth and Brad take over your old neighborhood? 

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Readers' Tips and Tales

Your favorite city
in the whole wide world!  



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Tuesday, May 6


Riding high

By Cintra Wilson

Our resident enfant terrible does the Kentucky Derby



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                      |   G E T T I N G   T H E R E   |






t i m b u k t u


There really is a way to get to Timbuktu.  But getting to the farthest corner of the earth is not easy.  Located in the middle of Mali, in West Africa, Timbuktu is about 250 miles from the capital, Bamako.  
Most carriers will take you as far as Bamako: From the United States, either fly to Dakar, Senegal, or to Paris, Zurich or Brussels, and then take a connecting flight to Bamako.  You can also get to Bamako from most neighboring West African countries.  After that you're on your own. 


Timbuktu has an airport, but it's nearly impossible to book a flight on Mali's regional carrier when you're outside the country.  It's best to make travel arrangements (for a flight or surface transportation) when you arrive in Bamako.  A more picturesque way to get to the city of mud homes and dusty roads is to take a four- or five-day trip down the snaking Niger River.   But in order to do this, you first have to get to Koulikoro, which is about 35 miles east of Bamako.  And so goes the long, complicated road to Timbuktu.


To enter the Republic of Mali, a visa is required.  Contact your nearest embassy or consulate for more information (see address below).  Because of Mali's unstable political structure, register with the U.S. Embassy (see address below) once you arrive in the country.  Mali is holding its presidential elections until May 18, and the U.S. Department of State recommends keeping a low profile and staying away from demonstrations and rallies.


Many U.S. health insurance policies are not valid in Mali, so bring extra cash -- most hospitals expect immediate payment and do not accept credit cards.




May 13, 1997


For more information, contact:  


Embassy of the Republic of Mali

2130 R St. N.W.

Washington DC  20008

(202) 332-2249


U.S. Embassy

B.P. 34

Bamako, Mali

(223) 22-56-63





A general note about travel information: A wealth of travel-related
information is available online from a variety of sources -- guidebook
publishers, database "travel agents," government-sponsored tourist information and private sites. You can
access such information by doing a destination-based word search -- e.g.,
Mali, Timbuktu  -- using any of the standard search engines. The
information above is meant to provide the essentials you need to know
before planning a trip. It is not meant to replace a Web search. We
strongly encourage you to explore the extraordinary resources of the
Internet to find the information best suited to you.


And don't forget our
Table Talk area -- another great source of detailed advice!









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