A very short stay in Zhongshan, China

I'm back home. 

This will be my last blog post until I travel again. 

I don't know when that will be, but God does. Perhaps it'll be sometime next year, but I'm happy to leave that in His hands.

Just before I came home I spent a couple of very enjoyable and busy days with Aussie friends in China.

 I love markets, not that I think you hadn't guessed that already! Thought you'd like to see these fish heads

and fresh red meats as well. Fewer flies here than we saw in Bangladesh, but then this is inside.

So here it was possible to have clothes made virtually on the spot,

shoes repaired while you wait,

 

and also to buy all sorts of Chinese favourites like chicken feet! You can even buy them as take-aways on skewers, like kebabs. Didn't try.

 This part of China also had some VERY old houses - reminded me a bit of Europe with buildings a couple of centuries old.

This is the church we went to on Sunday. Guess I hadn't expected churches in China to look just like ours in Australia, and people wearing gold and silver crosses as Christians might here in Australia.

After the Sunday morning service we went out for lunch with some of the young people from church . Tried a few 'new to me' Chinese dishes, like this lotus root. It's my new favourite.

And I enjoyed these 'new to me' long, skinny mushrooms that I hadn't seen before

and these thin curly black ones served here with tofu skins - really yummy too.

And after our really yummy lunch my Aussie friend had arranged for me to do a workshop for older people on 'encouraging young people'. I hadn't done anything like this before, but I think I'll be doing it more in the future. The participants were keen and engaged and we had a really good time. I have been invited to do something similar in Kyrgyzstan.

Let's wait and see what happens about that.

Through the front window

While I was in Bangladesh I was amazed at some of the things I saw 'through the front window'. I noticed masses of people, people doing things we don't do or we're not allowed to do, some things that horrified me from a safety point of view and that Bangladeshi people love bright colours, especially yellow and blue. 

Many of these shots were taken on our trip up north and it was just before a major public holiday with huge numbers of people heading out of Dhaka towards home, just as we would at Christmas time. I was seldom sitting in the front seat and so my photos had to be taken with all sorts of obstructions as I poked my camera forward between the driver and the passenger in the front seat. Before I finish blogging for this trip I just want to let you see some of what I saw, so I've cropped my pictures lots so you can get an idea. (Thankful for a 12 megapixel camera). 

No more words, just images. 

I remember when my children were young adults and travelling overseas, they did things and told me afterwards. I was not well enough informed to worry. 

I have arrived home safely now so there is no need for you to worry!

Following up with one last post soon - a very brief view of China .

Shopping in Bangladesh

I haven't been shopping much here, but I have seen some interesting things mostly whilst walking in the neighbourhood.

 Like the local butcher's shop. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) you can't see the flies in this picture.

At this shop just along the way, the guy is fighting a losing battle trying to keep the flies off the chicken pieces with his switch.

 

Does he get points for trying?

 Chicken might be a more sanitary option. At least it can be killed and then eaten before the flies have opportunity to get to it!

These guys were delighted to be photographed by the white lady and I think they added an extra bunch of bananas into our bag because they were so happy about it.

 

 And between the banana guy and the meat guy was another fruit shop where my friend bought our apples and oranges. He also was very happy to be photographed.

 When we were out walking one afternoon we decided to buy icecreams to eat as we walked. They are available, but depending on how long it is since the power came back on they come in varying degrees of 'meltedness'!

And the shop owner doesn't use a cash register - its notepad and pen to record his sales.

Dressing for Bangladesh

The clothing of the Bangladeshi women is so very colourful,

 

and feminine and pretty. My Aussie clothes just didn't look right here. 

I decided that I needed to get on board while I'm here

  and so two of the ladies took me shopping for my very own Salwar Kamiz (x2)

This very pretty pink and yellow one  

and a gorgeous blue and aqua one.

 

 I'm loving wearing them and the 'family' is thrilled that I am wanting to identify with them by wearing the clothing they wear. Mind you, its no hardship!

Yesterday these three gorgeous ladies told me that today they wanted to dress me in a Bangladeshi saree. And so today we had lots of fun doing just that. At the end they told me it was a gift. It's beautiful, don't you think? I sure am thrilled. Everyone in the office was so happy to see me dressed like a Bangladeshi woman.

 What a colourful clothesline for the home where 27 girls live. A bit more colour than most clothes lines in Australia, eh?

Getting around Dhaka

Glad I don't have to drive in this city!

 On our way into town from the aiport as soon as I arrived I saw THIS!!! This alerted me to the fact that things were going to be VERY different in this country. Perhaps I already knew that but I was pretty surprised. I thought that riding on train rooves was only for the movies these days. Wrong!

 And riding on the roof of a bus is also very common. I guess

 if you want to go somewhere and there isn't room inside the bus it makes sense (in some cultures!) to climb on top.

 Or on top of the main load. Whatever will get you there, I guess.

How cute is this little number! These look like little beetles cutting in and out of the traffic. This is called an auto ricksha (no spelling mistake, grammar snobs)

And this, of course, is a manual ricksha.

It was fun going for my first Ricksha ride. Not sure that I would attempt it on the main roads, but down the back street on the way to the girls' home was safe enough. 

Because the roads are super busy

 and the drivers drive too close and don't use indicators,

 it can be pretty hairy on the main roads

and the scars on the public transport vehicles tell a pretty descriptive story.

Rather than use indicators to let drivers of other vehicles know when they're intending to move lanes, the drivers here use horns to say 'I'm moving over, don't get in my way'. It makes for lots of scrapes and knocks and damaged paintwork.