Timia 2

Timia is known around Niger as a mountain oasis that is an incredible fruit producer, so we took a tour of one of the orchards. Most of them are a thin irrigated strip between the mountains and the sand, but are incrediblly luxurious - grapes, date palms, apples, oranges, pomegranates, mandarins, grape fruit, all practically on top of each other, and trees just weighed down with fruit. I have never seen anything like it! I bought a sack of grapefruit and a sack of pomegranates.

Pomegranates
Grapefruit


As Timia sees its fair share of tourists, a couple small hotels have sprung up, and one has a pair of ostriches, some Barbary sheep, and several Dorcas gazelles. As large animals in Niger have been hunted almost to extinction, it was a treat to see them, and these folks are trying in their limited way to guard their existence. The animals have fairly large enclosures and looked healthy and well cared for.

Me trying to convince a rambunctious little Dorcas gazelle to hold still for a picture.

They are absolutely precious!


When the sun set, we climbed to the top of the hill to the fort with a guide, who showed us around the inside of the fort and explained its history. Here are some of the orchards, seen from the top.


Here is the village of Timia, illustrating that it is just a thin strip along the edge of a sandy mountain valley, with surrising lushness. In the foreground are the pits out of which the mud for the houses was dug - they now fill with water for livestock.

The guide on the left on one of our military escort on the right on the fort's balcony. Yes, I am small and stout next to Tuareg! The military guy's name is Akadam Bougnasse, apparently a classic Tuareg name, and he's got to be at least 6'6". He had such striking facial features that I had trouble tearing my eyes away from his face on occasion. I never got a picture of him smiling, but he had a great smile. That afternoon he accompanied me and Idrissa everywhere we went, enjoying the sight seeing, but always alert and clearly on duty. Made me feel very protected!