The Day Off

Here is what I look like in front of the Heifer Cameroon offices in Douala.

Day 3

February 3

I have now been here a little more than 50 hours and I am almost at a loss for words when trying to describe my experience so far. Today was a wonderful day spent exploring the botanical gardens near the ocean, swimming in the ocean, and relaxing on a rust-colored beach. Humphrey grew up in Limbe and said he after school he and his friends would go to the botanical garden and eat the fruit. The best part of the gardens was a natural amphitheater that is somehow hidden up a path in the middle of the gardens. When we walked up to it, two men we’re sitting in a wooden structure at the far end singing hymns.
Later, on the way back from the beach, we stop and buy some freshly cut sugar cane from the side of the road. Unpeeled, its tough to eat, at least for me. Hilda told me how little children will slip into someone’s patch of sugar cane and tie a string around several stalks of sugar cane. Then they’ll sneak back out and take off running while pulling hard on the string, bringing fresh sugar cane with it. That little story sticks with me all day.

The Limbe river borders one side of the botanical garden.

The natural amphitheater was used for wrestling and plays, and later for religious ceremonies.

A sign on a run down greenhouse at the botanical gardens.

From left: Dr. Humphrey Taboh, assistant country director; Dominic, driver for Heifer Cameroon; and Hilda Mbungai, zonal manager.

We stopped briefly to look around a church that's just a few feet from the rocky coast.

I wanted to go in the church and take a whole card of photos, but instead I settled for just one outside the door.

(Later that day)
I just finished a late dinner of grilled fish and chips at the Royal Palace Hotel’s restaurant. After we arrived back in Douala, I got high hopes that the Super Bowl will be broadcast on one of the 30 or so channels that show sports (soccer). I took an early evening nap so I’ll be good to go if the post-midnight broadcast happens.

(Writer’s note: Just after midnight I find a French telecast of the game that’s amusing and impassioned.)
Patriots just went for it on 4th and 13 just outside the red zone in the third quarter, leading 7-3. Could be the turning point. It’s almost 3 a.m. here in Cameroon and I am having a one-man Super Bowl party.
Tom Brady just got waylaid in the end zone and the French announcer exclaimed: “Ooohhh la la la la la!”
Priceless.

Tomorrow we travel six hours to the Western Highlands province to Heifer Cameroon’s headquarters in Bamenda. On the way we will stop in Manjo to visit a group.

–Jeremy Glover