Travels with Palin S06E03 · Sahara: Absolute Desert

Overview

Michael Palin did make it to the mysterious Timbuktu, and this episode opens with views of the famous mosque built of mud. Palin talks to the imam, who shows Palin documents indicating that Muslim scholars had discovered that the Earth circled the Sun at least 100 years before Europeans figured it out. After this Palin joins a tribe of Wodaabe nomads on their way to Ingal (in Niger) to participate in the Cure Salée festival. He talks to a young Wodaabe man named Doulla and to Céline, a young French woman who is also following along with the group. The subject of polygamy is again raised, and we see the unusual courting rituals of the Wodaabe. Here the young girls choose the man they would like to try out, while the young men stand in a line dancing and rolling their eyes and looking very feminine (by Western standards) with lots of makeup. At Tabelot Palin visits an oasis, where a camel is used to raise water from a deep well using a long rope and a goatskin bucket.

Torrents

Subtitles

Episodes

1. 1 1. Sahara: Line in the Sand2002-10-13 · 37mThe programme starts in Gibraltar, shown to be a bit of Britain only a few miles from Africa. In Tangier, Morocco, Palin rides a camel on the beach, and then plays football with so
2. 2 2. Sahara: Destination Timbuktu2002-10-20 · 37mThe episode starts with Palin crossing the Sénégal River, leaving Mauritania and entering the town of Saint-Louis in Senegal. He has left Arab Africa and entered Black Africa, and
3. 3 3. Sahara: Absolute Desert2002-10-27 · 37mMichael Palin did make it to the mysterious Timbuktu, and this episode opens with views of the famous mosque built of mud. Palin talks to the imam, who shows Palin documents indica
4. 4 4. Sahara: Dire Straights2002-11-03 · 37mThis episode starts with Palin crossing the border from Niger to Algeria, a desolate border with nothing but sand. A bit north of here are the Hoggar Mountains. At Assekrem he gets