Yaounde, You're Pretty From Up Here!

After taking the overnight 12-hour train to Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital and the headquarters of the Peace Corps, the morning was spent taking care of PC business: rent checks, reimbursements, medical reports, vacation forms, and packages to give from people in North Cameroon (where my post is located) to South Cameroon. As this was my first time back in Yaounde in four months, there was loads to do!

After lunch with some PCVs at Restaurant Complexe, I met up with Mubarak, a student at the University of Yaounde who is originally from the Adamawa region. Studying Bilingualism, Mubarak is one of the few Cameroonians I’ve met who can understand me if I speak English like a Californian!

Lunch at Restaurant Complexe...mmm!

My university buddy, Mubarak, climbing the steps to Mt. Febe

We took a 500CFA ($1US) taxi to Bastos where we took a 1,000CFA ($2US) taxi to Mount Fébé. At the top of the mountain lies a beautiful Benedictine monestary along with a small art museum, Musée d'Art Camerounais. The museum only has three rooms, but the beautiful Bamileke art may just be worth the trip!

Yaounde looks pretty from up here!

Bamileke art

Underneath the Benedictine Monastary

Tip: If one goes to the Monestary, be sure to go underneath and behind the church. The surprises are a sight to see.

We walked for an hour taking pictures around the city before I headed off to dinner with Dali, my best friend from the Adamawa, who was visiting her aunt in the city. Forgetting how large Yaounde is, I was easily reminded of the fact as we spent 45 minutes in a taxi to get to Djackobert and we were still in the city! This may be normal to anyone who reads this post, but when some PCV villages are a twenty minute walk from end-to-end, Yaounde is a reality check!

Fifty years of independence!