I look up and up, marveling at the cliffs rising up into view.

The scent of earth is faint as the dust and sand are kicked up by the breeze, creating a deep craving for water to quench my thirst.

My eyes travel downward a little more and dotting those rugged cliffs are old dwellings carved into the cliffsides, now used as storage granaries.

And my eyes continue their downward trek to see the village before me. I process the sound of children’s feet scampering on the mud and pause in my ruminations. They run up with a friendly hello asking for sweet bonbons. They playfully pose for my camera. Goats meander freely occasionally letting out quiet bleats.

It’s a place of beautiful layers that is a glimpse of the past and the present. Each step taken into the village is a wonderful discovery of the workmanship of the Dogon people. Art is everywhere, from the carved doors and ladders to the tools lying around.