A tale of two capitals
Adam Karlin gets to grips with Yaoundé and Douala – the two poles of the Cameroonian city experience
Cameroon likes to present itself as all of Africa in un pays, a country that encapsulates the continent – or at least the western and central parts – as a whole: jungle and Sahel, Islam and Christianity (plus traditional religions), Anglophone (20%) and Francophone (80%).
It certainly has all the elements of African urbanisation: spurts of unplanned building and colonial infrastructure; migrants and fast-talking city boys; high-rise hotels and squat pensions; microfinanced developments and large government construction sites. At the heart of all this lie Yaoundé and Douala, the political and economic capitals respectively.
Yaoundé retains a sense of colonial proportion; Douala expands with West African entrepreneurialism. Yaoundé hosts diplomats, bureaucrats and NGO workers; Douala attracts merchants, sailors, Chinese immigrants and new businesses. Even geographically, the distinction is pronounced, between Douala’s humid littoral plain and the green hills of Yaoundé.
Douala: wheeling, dealing, reeling from growth
In Douala, Cameroon’s largest city, it’s all about the deal: make that franc and make it fast. This entrepreneurial energy is evident in the city’s restaurants, hotels and even its layout. Downtown Douala, as it were, is bisected by Boulevard de la Liberté and anchored by the Akwa district, packed with chic Lebanese cafés, upscale restaurants and the city’s grandest hotels. Hotel Akwa Palace (Boulevard de le Liberté) is the best of the bunch and recent renovations have given it the modcons that complement a subtle vibe; with a bit more period furniture, it would feel consciously colonial. As it is, it still feels like an outpost of western luxury where you can sip a drink by the pool and be served by expertly unobtrusive waters. “Colonial” also doesn’t capture the feel of the rooms, which are modern, spacious and clean. The most obvious sign of Douala’s economic activity – and expansion – are its port facilities, which buzz 24/7 with the slow rumble of Maersk containers being loaded on to trucks. These vehicles are ubiquitous inside and outside of Douala, screaming down Cameroon’s highways, bound for all corners of the country and beyond. The port isn’t easy to visit owing to security restrictions, but you can watch its bustle with a cold beer and fish from the terrace of Foyer du Marin (Rue Gallieni), one of the hearts of local expat and upper-class Cameroonian socialising. Besides being a decent mid-range hotel, the Foyer’s dark wood veranda shades British overlanders, French tourists, NGO types, Cameroonian businessmen decked to the nines, merchant marine crews and the odd journalist, all getting slowly merry around a crystal pool. Just around the corner is Résidence Hôtelière la Falaise (Rue Joffre), one of Douala’s newest and largest hotels. The rooms here are a little bland, but the restaurant serves legal bushmeat and the en-suite internet access is reliable – rare in these parts. Because Douala is an economic hub, new expansion tends to come in the form of mercantile additions to the city markets, which cluster in the chaotic neighbourhood of New Bell. Marché de Lagos (corner of Rue de New Bell and Rue Congo Paraiso) is still where most market activity occurs, but the new Marché Chinois (New Bell) and its Chinese immigrant managers are giving it a run for its money, selling boxes of cheap shoes, watches, T-shirts and the like.Yaoundé: garden city in the hills
There are fewer new buildings going up in green Yaoundé then you might expect, partly because there’s little room for expansion in the crowded centre of the capital. That said, the city centre is worth some exploration, particularly of the culinary kind. Here you’ll find some of the best examples of French colonial cuisine in Cameroon. This isn’t just a reminder of the country’s colonial history; it’s the living evolution of it. There are pâtisseries, boulangeries and brasseries all over Cameroon, but they feel more authentic in the capital, partly because downtown Yaoundé’s vibe is a cross between modernist African building blocks and romantic colonial rot. It’s as humid as hell, but pop a dry red and people-watch from the footpath terrace of Le Cintra (Avenue Kennedy). The restaurant isn’t quite so atmospheric as to deserve its own Edith Piaf song, but the steak frites and other dependably bistro French fare are superior stuff. Near the main market (and, appropriately enough, Alliance Française) is Pâtisserie Select (Avenue Monseigneur Vogt). The regular expat clientele base and the smell of beignets, croissants and pizza are some of the best evidence that this is a great place for French bakery mainstays. The saucisson and cheese-filled baguettes in particular are a revelation. After discovering a hint of Paris in central Africa, you may find the crush of people in Yaoundé gets under your skin. If this is the case, perhaps the best way to appreciate the town is from one of its best features: the surrounding hills, packed with interesting nooks to explore and places to rest. Petit Musée d’Art Camerounais (Quartier Febe; open 3-6pm on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday) forms part of Yaoundé’s idyllic Benedictine monastery and sits in the shade of Mont Febe. It’s a good place to see traditional and modernising Cameroon come together – note the way the Catholic rectory is decked out in pre-Christian art and crafts. The monastery itself is a fascinating place to explore, an example of Yaoundé’s emphasis on culture (in this case, religion). If you’ve driven or taken a taxi all the way out here, you might as well lay your head down at Hôtel Mont Febe. After rumbling through the poolside buffet, kick back in the water and watch Yaoundé from one of the capital’s best viewing points, content to explore more in the coming days.Pages: 1 2