After breakfast at the Hotel Tombouctou, we left the desert, driving in the van to the road a few kilometers away and into the town of Rissani. Behind a wall with a blue door was the House of Tuareg. Inside, sitting in a tiled and columned room, we listened with interest as a courtly young man in blue desert robes told us of the “people of the wind”. The Tuaregs, traders and merchants, crossed the desert by night, guiding themselves by the stars. A mixed-race society, including Germanic Vandals and black Africans, they were matriarchal, and women were the teachers. Wearing blue, the color of the sky, they were called “blue men” because the dye could rub off on their skin.

He explained the Tuareg jewelry: the cross (four points of the compass), the brooch tied to the end of the headcloth and flung over the right shoulder to keep the wind from snatching it, and double brooches on a chain worn by women—if the right side was unpinned, the woman was single; if both were pinned, she was married. Jewish silversmiths had taught the Tuaregs: a hand of Fatima might have a star of David in the palm. We sipped mint tea and looked as he and his family (all men) unrolled numerous rugs and brought out other beautiful objects in wood, ceramic, and metal.

Of course, this led to lots of negotiating, and quite a few purchases! Rugs are all-purpose in the Tuareg culture, serving as carpet, bedding, roof, tent partition, and even blankets and capes. “Where my rug is, there is my home,” our speaker said. The rugs are woven, knotted, and embroidered with symbols of nature and landscape.

Lunch was at the Kasbah Asmaa, with a tomato-red onion-cucumber salad very like pico di gallo, chicken, bread, and vegetables, and a junket-like pudding. Back at the hotel, Tom joined the camel-riders. His camel’s name was “Sam”. They rode camels up to the dunes, and then climbed them on foot. They were met on the dunes by people selling stone objects and fossils, and a few more came back with him. Dinner that night (Friday) seemed very festive, with lots of eggplant and beef stroganoff. Outside the desert sky was deep black, with numerous stars.-