The Speeches Come to Cameroon

For the past two weeks, I have been lucky enough to share my Cameroonian home with Mom, Dad, and Cate.  It was a whirlwind trip all over the country, but it was wonderful to spend two whole weeks with my family and show them all of the things I've been trying to explain over the phone for the past 15 months.  They dealt with all the frustrations like pros and I was so proud to have them here.  Here are just several of our thousand photos (photo cred to the whole family).

Yaounde

First stop was Yaounde for several days.  We visited Doudou and her whole family.  It was a great, but very busy welcome to Cameroon.  They even got to try Cameroonian cuisine right off the bat!

Almost the whole gang

My sisters together

Ngaoundere

Next we headed up to Ngaoundere on the train.  We did a lot of shopping, climbed Mount Ngaoundere, and celebrated the new year.

The top of Mount Ngaoundere from the base.  Look for the little kid in the red shirt to see how huge the boulders are.

Climbing back down Mount Ngaoundere

Shopping at the Ngaoundere market

Ngaoundaba Ranch

For a break from big city noise, we headed to Ngaoundaba Ranch south of Ngaoundere.  It also happens to be a huge birding spot!

Walking around the lake

The picture isn't great,  but at dusk we saw these beautiful iridescent starlings.  Purple glossy starlings, we think.

Speckled Mousebird

Ngaoundaba Ranch from the other side of the lake.  One morning, Dad and I got up early to go bird watching down at the lake.

Danfili

After our relaxing two days, we went down to Danfili.  Everyone wanted to welcome my family and feed them.  It was wonderful to have my two families together.  

Mom, Dad, and Cate with Asta and Hamza (my parents in Danfili)

A surreal experience: sitting with my family at Asta and Hamza's compound

My sister with Hamza's children and a ton of neighbor kids.  Oh yeah, and a newborn baby.

Bamanga and my Dad.  Bamanga sewed and embroidered this traditional outfit for my Dad.

Kribi

After being troopers for three days en brousse, the family was rewarded with a trip to Kribi.  We relaxed on the beach for our last few days together until next winter.

See the huge fish?  That's the one we ate.  Along with shrimp, french fries, avocadoes, veggies, and warm 33 beer (Cameroonian beer).

The whole family at Lobe Falls