That's just what this photo reminds me of. It was both that day, especially
walking around this village in the Sahara on the side of the Niger River.
...and this village, especially poor by western standards, with guys like
this in dire need of some lotion.

In reference to Mali, the sun and sahara: The sun is not the sun here. It is,
as I affectionally call it, "The Blazing Fireball of Death". As soon as it comes
up in the morning, it heats, and heats, and heats. Those movies where you see
the actor stranded in the desert soaked with sweat, well, don't believe everything
you see. 120°F and your as dry as the sand. You start sweating like that and you'll
be dead in, oh, probably an hour or so. No water, forget it. No sunscreen, forget it.

A wider angle version of the same shot can be seen here.

Taken in a small village beside the Niger River, one a half days cruise, in a piroque, from Mopti headed towards Timbuktu, Mali.


Some more kid shots: