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Set on a plain of rolling hills, in verdant green, cool country, Yaound? is the administrative capital of Cameroon. Originally founded by the Ewondo, the city (whose name is a corruption of Ewonde) was seized by the Germans in the 19th century. Following World War I, the French took control of Yaound? and made it their capital As Cameroon's capital, Yaound? has been spruced up in recent years. New modernist buildings have been built in the administrative quarter, the Quartier du Lac, though the heart of the city remains clustered around place Ahmadou Ahidjo. Here, you can sip a cup of Cameroonian-grown coffee at a sidewalk caf?, people-watch, or browse among the shops lining the streets. A few blocks up from the place Ahidjo, is the March? Central, which is not to be missed. Built in the shape of a circle, this crowded, noisy market is filled with fabrics, batiks, spices, and traditional medicines. Though the Mus?e d'Art Camerounais is tucked away on the northern outskirts of the city, it is well worth the visit. The museum, housed in a Benedictine Monastery, is home to some stunning Cameroonian art work, including Bamoun bronze pipes, wooden masks, wooden bas-relief, and Tikar bronzes. If you're interested in learning more about the country's politics and social attitudes, make sure to attend the monastery's Sunday Mass at 11 am, where lively sermons not only discuss spiritual matters, but also Cameroon's more earthly concerns. Another Sunday service to attend is the Ndjong-Melen, located in the Melen quartier. Given in Ewondo, the mass is a fusion of Cameroonian and Western culture, and reaches a celebratory pitch with drumming, singing, and dancing. Yaound? is also a good jumping off point to the beaches that stretch between the coastal towns of Londji and Campo. The beaches can be easily reached by bus.