Niger River and Canoe guides

Canoes
Originally uploaded by dkoepke.

This is the Niger River where we took a canoe trip to see hippos. It was really neat even though the water is brown. That is due to the color of the sand and the rain we have been getting washing the sand into the river. We got to see the hippos but stayed a good distance away because they are very dangerous.

My favorite part was passing the small villages along the river while the women and children were washing clothes. The children would chand "kaado kaado" which means gift and wave and yell. I did not like being singled out because I am a westerner, but I did enjoy seeing the culture and the people as they go about their lives.