Timbuktu mosque

iPad drawing

As one of the last tourists I visited Timbuktu in 2009. It might have been freed from Islamic extremists this week. Hopefully they didn’t destroy this old mud and stick building.

Beatrix

iPad drawing

Today The Dutch queen announces that she will abdicate in favor of her son. She and her hurricane proof hairdo celebrate their 75^th birthday this Thursday.

Snow in downtown The Hague

iPad painting

Just before the thaw would come there was a fresh thin layer of snow on Lange Voorhout’s road.

Clearing sidewalk

iPad painting

My neighbors have removed their share of snow.

Winter in The Hague

iPad drawing

A sidewalk in the historic center is partly covered by snow.

Footsteps in the snow

iPad tekening

Muhammed Ag

iPad drawing

When we lived in Bamako 4 years ago, we had a Touareg security guard. Skinny Muhammad wasn’t very popular among his colleagues, I sensed. We could hardly communicate with him, because we did not speak his language and his French wasn’t good enough. During our parting he gave a leather pillow gift, made by his brother. I wonder how he’s doing now the French have started a desert war in Mali. The Tuareg people must have a sense of insecurity in Bamako nowadays.