The Bamako Racecourse has gone bankrupt and is now closed. A half built concrete stand bears testimony to this and betting is on televised racing from France to various PMU Bars (Pari Mutual).
BIAO is now called BIM (Banque International Pour Le Mali). BDM charges an outrageous 5.75% commission to change French franc travellers’ cheques; BIM charges a much more reasonable CFA 3450 flat fee per transaction (regardless of amount changed) but travellers’ cheques are only handled before noon (or 11 am depending on the day).
Due to security problems with the guides, the Peace Corps has forbidden volunteers to travel alone into Mopti, as of June 1997.
The Malian consulate in Paris was an excellent place to get a visa. Visa applications (100 FF, 2 passport photos) are only accepted between 9 am and noon, but I was able to pick mine up after 4 pm on the same day (office hours are 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm). The consulate, and not the embassy, issue visas which is located at 43 Rue de Chemin Vert, Paris 75011 – metro stops : Saint Ambroise, Breuget Sabin or Voltaire.
The Gambia, (Banjul) seemed to be a great place for getting cheap visas. For Mali I paid D 125 for a three months visa within the same day. The embassy is at the back of a petrol station which also sells fax machines.
Mali isn’t somewhere I would have ever considered going on holiday, nice article!