Mopti

Mopti is a city in Mali, located on the Niger River, on the road to Timbuktu. It is made up of three islands, but the most interesting is the old town, with its houses of dried mud and lively market. It is called the Venice of Mali. People mainly speak French as a foreign language, a bit of English, but I don't think they have any Spanish. Many people speak up to five African dialects and are used to understanding foreigners so you will have no trouble getting to your hotel, finding food, and you can get on with your trip. Just so you know, the buses do not leave Mopti at a specific time. You get a ticket at the station, with a number of 1-60.