weekend in Bamenda On Friday the 17th September, we go for the weekend to Bamenda. The idea is that we start with two clock. They are Ruth, Brian, me, Mona (a German doctor) and Louis (a friend from Kumbo). We want to go by public transport (public transport). We are looking for us in the "car park" in Kumbo a suitable means of transport. We find a van that is ready to take us for 2500 francs. Now it's wait until the bus is full, because the driver only passing whomever every seat is taken. Full is for a bus, in the Germany match in 15 people would fit in here that 20 people plus children (because the pay and need not therefore no seat). Larger bags are stowed on the roof. At four, the bus is full and it can finally start.
Only a few sections of road are paved Kumbo to Bamenda. It is amazing how resilient such a bus. Its shape conforms literally to the potholes. Since the outer wall or the seat ever move to two inches with a pothole change. can
of legroom or the like to speak, of course, although we were lucky to have relatively slender seat neighbors and no "fat mom" next to us.
Man eats peanuts, the shells are thrown out the window, and then the bus hops through the beautiful landscape of the highlands of Bamenda, sometimes more reminiscent of the Swabian Alps than the classic image of Africa.
At seven, it is already dark, we arrive in Bamenda and we look forward to finally come from the small bus out. But it's raining and keep the Cameroonian it probably more convenient to be constrained than a few feet to walk through the rain in a stuffy bus, to see which is that the rain will not soon stop. When the driver not even after repeated requests from our side the door will open, we get out of the window.
Louis still has his bag from the roof of hollow and just then the bus driver decides to drive five meters below a gas station roof. A funny image: Louis with an umbrella on a moving bus!
we sleep in the guesthouse of the "Cameroon Baptist Convention ". A nice room with standard as in a hotel. But before we sleep, we still want to eat. We rush into the road of Bamenda (as many cars we are no longer used) and look for a Cameroonian fast-food stand. On the road, women sit in front grills or fires that are lit in the rims of car wheels. There are either grilled fish or goat meat kebabs, spaghetti omelet, fried potatoes or plantains. We take potatoes and spaghetti omelette. The egg is of course with some spaghetti and Maggi cubes fried in the pan. There are beer, as always, from 0.65 liter bottles.
In search of a good bar to land we are in a cabaret bar, as they call it the Cameroonians. There, listed under British and French Moderation a dance show where the visitor can participate. Fortunately, the Cameroonians know or not homosexuality is punishable by law, otherwise one might think that all the dance-mad men in Cameroon are gay.
with my jeans and fleece jacket I'm pretty dressed inappropriately. Everyone here is smart and above all dressed Western. Sometimes it's very funny because a lot of second-hand goods come from Germany. So one can T-shirts saying "lifeguard Bad Schönau" or "I head - nothing you" see, think they own, of course, what they have expensive designer clothes.
The music is typical of Cameroon. It's the same music that we hear from six in the morning until night in all the streets and out of the houses. There are songs in French, English and Pidgin (which is a newly developed language here. The basis is English with a much simplified grammar and vocabulary and influences from all kinds of African languages and some German). Each song is like I feel the same underlying African rhythm. Fast rhythms are sought in vain.
The next morning we enjoy a hearty breakfast. In Bamenda, there is a bakery, the croissants and baguettes sold. The French influence is even more pronounced. Fortunately, because we have a change from the sweet bread in Kumbo.
For breakfast, there is French bread, croissants, papaya and bananas Tartina, that's the Cameroonian Nutella. There are coffee, of course, from the region.
We then explore the city. First, the supermarket is visited when you know immediately that you are in a big city. The supermarket even though only the size of the IC in Kiedrich, but you can even buy deodorant or Knorr instant soup. The products are also cheaper than in Kumbo. You have not mitbezahlen transport over four hours dirt road.
Then we go to the big market where you can buy really everything that gets in Cameroon Sun We can move as tourists, because not everyone knows one. Still, there but by all sides, "White man! What do you want? Nice Shoes! "Afterwards called.
shoes to shoes!
I will be using the traditional head covering, the one here in the region equipped with: a black cap, all carry the tradition-conscious men here. If you put a red pen because it is a "Shey". This is a title that is awarded by a Fon. Then one is a kind of adviser to the Fon. I'm not. The Fon is a kind of king who is the head of a moral Fontums. Major attractions are
not in Bamenda. We head back on foot to our accommodation. We run an hour through the town and let the impressions affect us. It is unusually warm in Bamenda, although there are only a few degrees. But as the sun comes you can get into a sweat. And of course I only long pants here, because I am the temperatures used in Kumbo.
Two things I had to photograph simple: a football field, through which a running stream and no grazing on the sheep.
And the first wild animal we see: a green snake (street art)
We eat corn on the cob grilled taste and the first time sugar cane. This requires really good teeth. You have to first bite off the bark and can then suck out the marrow. And then says to Louis, the cane that we spit on the street please do not. Hello! The Cameroonian throw everything here just like in the landscape whether plastic, metal or banana peels - makes no difference. Sugar cane, however, is at least biodegradable. This is probably a logic of its own.
cane is really sweet and then glued it all. We create all eat more than half.
In the room we are awaiting the afternoon's rain and make our evening to find something to eat. There are fish this time. Yes, I also share a fish with Mona. A whole is then too much. But I suck the crowed not so neatly as the Cameroonians. Ruth is already a step further. She is the eyes.
The fish here is to the charcoal, which is left over when cooking, grilled and coated it with an herbal paste. As the fish comes from Douala, and thus a journey through half of Cameroon behind, you should enjoy it with caution, but it tastes good.
After lunch, we meet two former volunteers who are currently in Bamenda for a visit.
On Sunday morning it goes back to Kumbo. This time we travel in a passenger car with 8 people. This is the normal number of people who fit into a car. Four people in the back seat, two in the front passenger seat and shares space with the driver. For a short taxi ride is the so okay, but after two and a half hours it already uncomfortable. Because it was raining or not this afternoon, we come relatively quickly in Kumbo. It's almost like coming home. We know the area and listened again Lamnso. That was funny in Bamenda. It's gotten a few miles and no one understands more Lamnso?
the weekend and our trip to the big city we have in our local pub in Kumbo end.
As far as a little vacation report
Maximilian
