Timbuktu, 2007: Following a 3-day, slow boat, tranquil desert river trip down the Niger, I arrived in the ancient and mysterious Saharan trading town of Timbuktu. Indeed it is remote - an end of the world destination. Once a fabled city of great gold wealth and Islamic scholarship today it's a quiet, dusty outpost ... During my 5 days I mostly just sat around, taking in the ambience. But off course, I did wander the streets ...
Timbuktu was established by the nomadic Tuareg as early as the 10th century. Its name is made up of: tin which means « place » and buktu, the name of an old Malian woman known for her honesty and who once lived in the region. The two terms ended up fusing into one word, thus giving the city the name of Tinbuktu which later became Timbuktu.