Cameroon Photo Blog #47 - Lac Tizon 02 - There and Back Again: From Lac Tizon to Chute de la Vina and back again

Hi everysteembody,

I want to continue the story of Lac Tizon and of the close encounter of the third kind at night.
But more on that later.
Let me start where I have ended last time. The first part you can read here, if you like.

So Alim, Hairou and I left Lac Tizon and hiked through the bush heading for Chute de la Vina.
We were prepared to go fishing there. Hairou brought some hooks and a nylon cord with him, but for luring the fishes we only had some bread and tin meat.

On our way we met an old marabou whom we asked for the way and he accompanied us a good part of the road.

We crossed a little creek, where even motorbikes could cross over facilement, if you're not afraid to fall down. Later on my trip to Ngaha, Alim and I crossed such a little wooden bridge on the back of a motorbike. I tell, you it's really exciting.

When we got out of this little valley, a spectacular view over the country received us. You cannot see the waterfall, because the river has dug itself into the old red earth, called la terre rouge.
But you here the roaring of the water, when you're approaching the river.

The waterfall itself It is not as spectacular I had imagined, but still a sight. Compared to Chute de Telo which is some 20 km away Chute de la Vina is of a very different kind. 16 meters high but very broad. It must be hundreds if not thousands of cubic meters per second falling down the river. The water is brown as the earth and very strong and turbulent.

The highway to Meiganga is crossing the river so there is a new big steel bridge standing next to the old bridge build out of concrete. This old dinosaur was built by the Germans during colonial era and is still standing today. It is used by the pedestrians, crossing the bridge.

As I said, we wanted to fish, and we actually were bathing our bread crumbs in the water. But after the heavy rain in the days before, the water was so strong, that there wasn't any chance to catch some fish.

But as an unforeseen chance, some boy came around with a bunch of fresh caught fish, which seemed to be some kind of a barb. Hairou was so excited, that he bought the fish, to tell his wife it was him who had caught them.

The africans have very pragmatic uncomplicated way of handling animals, that I don't endorse. They don't kill the fish but simply put them on a stick through their gills, where they dry out and choke to death. Not very friendly.

We stayed there under the bridge during the heat of noon and then left the place to get back to Lac Tizon, where Alim and I wanted to camp for the night.
Hairou decided to take the fish and get back home. So he stopped a car on the highway and tramped back to Ngaoundéré. So he leaves our exciting story here. Too bad for him, because our trip was just starting to get really exciting.

Alim and I walked through the bush, not talking much due the hardly bearable heat.
But as we walked past these bushes, called pu solok, which means the bush of the sorcerer, Alim began to tell me the story of the solok, who lives alone in the bush, naked. He is the master of fire, always carrying a burning fire with him. He is very powerful and enchants other people, for whatever reason. He is a skin changer, which means that he can transform himself into any animal or human, he wants to. To hide himself or to trick other people.

If you haven't heard any story of african magic yet, you might be very suspicious. Voodoo has deep african roots and people believe it no matter from where they come or what other religious believes they may have. Even the muslims of Ngaoundéré carry a Talisman in their pockets, to protect them from dark magic.

Perhaps this beautiful little bug is in truth the Solok in persona.

Alim and I didn't believe it, but moved on to reach our destination.

We arrived at Lac Tizon early enough to relax and get supper before the sun set.

This is what we had for dinner, bread with eggs and avocado accompanied by tin tuna and tin meat that tasted like cat food. That time I was still eating meat, so I didn't bother.

As you may have noticed, the warm and sunny day was giving way to a cloudy sky which promised rain.

A storm was coming ...
And a very spectacular night I'll never forget!

To be continued ...

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