The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age
    Orion's picture

    Pictures of Douala, Cameroon

    By Orion on Mon, 08/05/2019 - 6:08pm |

     

     

     

     

    Yes, this is the same gentleman in another shot:

    My apologies for this one - the window created a barrier as driver was turning it down, I think. 

    The following are by foot. Most pictures by foot were taken in the commercial area:

    More pictures by car:

    I was told by compatriots that this is where Orangina, a favorite here, is bottled: 

    Africans really do carry stuff on their heads. All of the time, like it's no big deal! 

    Comments

    Fun to see your photos and descriptions.

    Myself, I am only familiar with their mission to the U.N. in Manhattan. While other small African countries might have their missions in like a cheap junky suite of offices in Queens looking not unlike some of those in your photos, and take the subway to the U.N., Cameroon has been in this very valuable upper East Side mansion @ 22 E. 73rd for at least 15 years, and uses the whole building. (It's the one with the flag, behind the parking sign which also happens to give them 2 free non-ticketed diplomat parking spaces right in front.) And the representatives often throw big noisy parties there, with limos pulling up and such....Just reportin' what I know.


    by artappraiser on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 12:31am

    Sounds about right. Paul Biya and his family are known to live large in Switzerland. The tribes of Cameroon, like the ​Bamileke, have a lavish history but there isn't much explanation as to why Cameroon is generally a better place to be than much of Africa. Being a coastal, port country probably helps.

     


    by Orion on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 6:04am

    Oil drives their economy, 40%. Having lots of rivers, i.e. source of clean water, helps.
    Fertility rate is high but now below 5%. Rural areas still seem quite poor.


    by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 6:10am

    Anyone who really knows what is happening in Cameroon since 2016 would think you were paid by the government of Cameroon to write this article. Please search for news about Cameroon in the internet to get a full picture of the situation in Cameroon. see for example https://www.google.com/search?q=cameroon&rlz=1C1GCEU_deDE855DE855&tbm=nws&ei=1wYVXbe8N8XdwAKuzZKICA&start=10&sa=N&ved=0ahUKEwj3g7C9oYrjAhXFLlAKHa6mBIEQ8NMDCHI&biw=1266&bih=561&dpr=1.5


    by Anonymous (not verified) on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 7:14am

    Ouch.

    The CNN article makes clear China only forgave a tiny sliver of aid, for one.


    by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 7:38am

    I knew the most mundane post had to piss someone off. They weren't even really any opinions here.

    Have fun with a text free post! Maybe I was also paid for these pictures - they are all really of West Hollywood?!


    by Orion on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 11:04am

    It's a danger we all run, trying to comment on places we know just a sliver, and even that can completely change over 3 years. My knowledge of Cameroon is zilch.


    by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 08/06/2019 - 11:36am

    I doubt this person knows anything of it either. It's just an anonymous troller who is looking for problems, like a lot of people these days. This is why blogs have emptied out and no longer have the enthusiasm they did during the 2000s.


    by Orion on Wed, 08/21/2019 - 11:31pm

    Well his summation of recent Cameroon politics seemed to be accurate from what I followed up on so I think you just walked into one. A number of places in the world have shifted badly the last 3 years. Missing one in Africa is hardly a crime. And the pics were still good. Frankly I liked the juxtaposition of the optimistic writing and the slapdown. As places get easier to travel to, it's a bigger risk in saying anything, but no guts no glory.


    by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 08/22/2019 - 1:47am

    No, dude, this comment was anonymous and only linked to a "Cameroon news stories" search on Google. Nothing specific. A good amount of my post talked about chronic unemployment and Boko Haram. It's a troll comment meant to derail a blog. It's doubtful the troll even read much of what was posted. This is why blogs are not what they used to be.


    by Orion on Sun, 08/25/2019 - 10:54pm