Two sets of three people riding motorcycles.

Cameroon

by Eve Andersson

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The lush, tropical countryside of Cameroon, a country in Central Africa, is absolutely gorgeous. I was less impressed by Cameroon's largest city, Douala, which has about 3 million inhabitants. Douala is the most expensive city in Africa; yet it isn't particularly well-kept.

Tribal Compound in Bangangté

Bangangté is a town in the interior of Cameroon, a 250-km drive from Douala. I was fortunate enough to be able to meet the chief (not pictured) and members of his family in a tribal compound in the area. Despite coming from a Francophone area of Cameroon, the chief had studied in England and understood English perfectly.

Girl. Boy. Girl. Children. Woman. Man. Children on a statue. Children. Boy and girl.

Building with satellite dish in a tribal compound. Building in a tribal compound. Sitting room, tribal compound. Car in a tribal compound.

Genealogy of Bangangté tribe. Chair depicting man with unusually pointed appendage. Wood carving of a woman with children. Wooden carving of a man with white eyes and smile. Rhinoceros feet.



Transport

In Cameroon, motorcycles are very popular, and it's not uncommon to see three riders at a time. Vendors eagerly peddle their wares to passing motorists.

Fruit vendors on Route N5. Vendors proffering pineapples on Route N5. Woman with a bucket on her head and bottles in her hands. Banana vendors on Route N5. Three men selling goods at the side of the road, near the town of Bangangté. Street vendors on Route N5. Fruit vendors showing wares on Route N5.

Very full car. Bus loaded with cargo on Route N5. Car loaded with bananas on Route N5.

Man and woman on a motorcycle. Three people riding one motorcycle. Man and woman on a motorcycle talking with a woman at the side of the road. Motorcyclists and pedestrians. Three men on a motorcycle on Route N5.

Other Images from Rural Cameroon

Boy carrying bananas and a machete on a farm near Bangangté. Magenta, red and yellow flower. Red and white flower. Landscape in a vast farm near Bangangté. Landscape in a vast farm near Bangangté. Landscape in a vast farm near Bangangté. Houses in thick foliage on Route N5. Houses in thick foliage on Route N5. Landscape seen from Route N5. Church at the side of Route N5. Houses on Route N5. Pink building. Houses on Route N5. Roadside of Route N5. Roadside of Route N5. Roundabout on Route N5. Chickens in a farm near Bangangté. Restaurant Prestige sign. Women carrying bags on their heads. Pedestrians and a satellite dish. Woman carrying a bag on her head. People in a farm near Bangangté. Man carrying fruit on his head. Woman holding baby. Women at the side of the road. Woman walking down the road. Sign depicting human figure at the side of the road. Indicates that someone died there in a traffic accident.

Douala

Colonial City Center

The center of the city contains some nice examples of colonial architecture, in various states of repair.

Le monument aux Morts, which reads "à la mémoire des militaires et marins français et alliés tombés au champ d'honneur pendant la campagne du Cameroun" ("in memory of French soldiers and sailors who fell in battle during the campaign of Cameroon"). Ministère de la Justice (Ministry of Justice.) Place du Gouvernement, including the pagoda. Sous-Préfecture (Sub-Prefecture). Pyramid-shaped fountain.

Boulevard de la Liberté

Boulevard de la Liberté is supposed to be the most happening part of Douala, but I didn't see much happening there. Tourists at my hotel (on the Boulevard) didn't venture out; they remained sequestered sipping their $16 drinks on the courtyard patio. They may have been smart. A block and a half from the hotel, a man threatened my colleague, with whom I was walking, with the sharp point of his umbrella and attempted to snatch his cellphone.

Boulevard de la Liberté. La Baleine, Boulevard de la Liberté. Boulevard de la Liberté

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul

Two blocks from Boulevard de la Liberté sit the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul) and the adjacent graveyard. On the sidewalk in front of the graveyard, with a dozen people at the bus stop nearby, a man struggled with me in an unsuccessful attempt to steal my handbag and then ran into the graveyard. Only then did I notice the graveyard was swarming with people hidden by the tall grasses.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul). Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul). Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul (Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul).

Graveyard on Rue Joss. Graveyard on Rue Joss. Graveyard on Rue Joss.

Douala International Airport

Douala International Airport.

Other Douala Photos

Obelisk. Billboard promoting the iPhone 4. Billboard advertising Ariel clothing detergent. Church, with woman walking past. Woman and man in matching green clothing. Central Douala.


More photos: View all photos in the directory /photos/cameroon/.
Eve Andersson (eve@eveandersson.com)
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