Douala and Yaounde: A Tale of Two Cities Production is underway on our Great Cities of Africa series which will appear on our website, coming editions of Africa Travel Magazine, plus and a new Radio and TV Program. Among the first to be featured are two of my favorite cities, both of which we have visited several times in the last five years. Watch for more announcements as the launch draws closer. Just to prove that we have made our mark in promoting Cameroon, Africa in One Country, check the current Google statistics from searches consulted in August 2006. And we're sure the results will get even better. The Editor Douala and The Cameroon Story by Jerry W Bird Douala, Cameroon's largest city with over 2 million inhabitants, has hosted two major events sponsored by the Africa Travel Association since 2001. During post tours, we had many opportunities to sample the hospitality and feel the true spirit of the people, who make up this land they call Africa in One country. Nowhere was this feeling more evident than in Douala during the Ngondo Festival, a spectacle unlike anything I've ever seen in Africa. Annual festivals and gala events abound throughout West Africa, but this one tops them all as a simply outstanding spectacle that has deep spiritual significance. Having read Wilbur Smith's great book "The River God," concerning life on the Nile and Blue Nile in ancient times, I have been keenly interested in the rivers of Central Africa and the mysteries they hold. In this case, the Wouri River, focal point of the Ngondo Festival in Douala, has its own River Gods, it's a ceremony involving the "water spirits," who communicate their message in an unusual way. MORE-> Yaounde, Cameroon's Visitor- Friendly Capital After spending several fun weeks in Yaounde. Cameroon's capital city, the place really started to feel like home. Almost everyone we encountered knew who we were and made us welcome, and the local print and broadcast media were anxious to record and publish our views on the country and its potential for trade and tourism. To say that I am yearning to return at the drop of a hat is truly an understatement - the Yaounde experience stands out as one of the most unforgettable periods of my life. Our book of memories is full to the brim with images of Cameroon and its people, and our magazine's photo library is loaded with great scenes. Having a background in audio visual writing and production, one facet I remember most vividly about Yaounde was the endless number of superb cinemascopic vistas, starting with the view from the Hilton Yaounde's penthouse. Cruising the winding road to the Mount Febé Hotel is awesome, and the impressive route that leads to the modern government complex makes you think you're on the Riviera. After all, like Rome, this emerging Africa capital incorporates seven charming hills, and each offers a different set of perspectives. MORE->