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.

Bangladesh, here I am!

I arrived in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh on Saturday 27th around the middle of the day. I travelled from Bangkok with the 9 members of the Bangladeshi contingent to the General Assembly. How good to be travelling with a team! Usually I'm travelling on my own these days and I don't mind at all, but having a team to travel with was a lovely change. It was the small things like being able to leave hand luggage with someone while I visited the ladies, having company for the long waits in queues to check-in, collect luggage and go through immigration and having someone help me take my larger case off the carousel.

Dhaka has a population of more than 15 million. That's a lot of people. Bangladesh is the most densely populated nation in the world, is about the size of England and has a population of over 160 Million! More info here if you're interested.

 

I can't stop taking photos of everything that's different from my 'normal' life, my Aussie life.

Our life is so ordered, theirs doesn't seem to be. Their traffic is chaotic, ours is very controlled. Clothes in our cities are dull by comparison with their wonderful colours everywhere. Most of our vehicles are private cars whereas there are very few here. Our vehicles are almost always pristine, theirs are far from it!

 

  I'm planning on writing a post on transport soon and adding some interesting pics.

 

On my first full day here I was taken to the 'National Monument'. What an impressive sight.

From a plague at the monument I was able to gleen some information about the recent history of Bangladesh. The war of liberation from West Pakistan began on 26th March, 1971 and ended in victory on 16th December, 1971. 3 million patriots laid down their lives in this struggle for freedom. I gather it was more like genocide. 'This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the heroic struggle of the people and as a mark of respect of an indebted nation. The seeds of the movement sprouted through the struggle for the honour for the national language, Bangla in 1952 and thereafter grew in phases through the mass upheavals of 1954, 58, 62, 66 and 69 and eventually the liberation movement in 1971.' 

It's important that its not just about a language but all of the culture that goes with that.

I am interested that the border of Bangladesh is defined by the ethnically defined Bangla-speaking people. That makes so much sense. In contrast, when the Europeans imposed borders around Rwanda, Burundi, D R Congo and Uganda, they didn't consider the tribal groups living there and the country boundaries split tribes and families into different nations. Complicated their lives bigtime.

I am enjoying my Bangladesh experience VERY much and hope to blog more while I'm here. Electricity is unreliable and we seem to lose power a few times each day. It could be for as little as half an hour but perhaps much longer. Best to keep things charged and mobile phone handy for a light.

5 years ago today

Malcolm Brian Knowles, a wonderful gift to me from a loving Heavenly Father who gives good gifts to His children.

It's 5 years ago today since Mal left us. Mal was God's gift to me. He was my love, my rock, my treasure, my happiness. Oh, how I miss that man and sharing life with him.

  Something I really miss is the fun we had together.

  

 Mal was a larrikin - in the best sense of the word.

 

Everyone enjoyed Mal's sense of humour, but no-one more than me.

 

 I was chuffed when he told me that 'life is fun with you'. For me life was fun with him!

 Obviously it went both ways.

On a country road in Switzerland we came across some hard rubbish he had to try out,

and in England it was a village sign he identified with.

Sometimes I feel that this gig is too hard on my own, but then my loving Father picks me up and dusts me off and gives me all I need to set out again. Little by little I am adjusting to life without my beautiful Mal. I know that my Heavenly Father will continue to give me good gifts. He's still my Father and I am still His treasured daughter.