Friday, 26 November 2010

Friday 26th November 4.30pm

There are small pockets of wealth here and the beginnings of some commerce. I am staying in a very nice and comfortable, if slightly dowdy, hotel. And this is a massive shopping centre in Dhaka - the only one as far as I can make out:



But most people who are buying anything are shopping in bazaars and street stalls. The quality of the vegetables in particular is wonderful:


If you want a chicken, they will kill it and pluck it for you on the spot:


Yes, those are the innards in a pile on the street - plenty of carrion crows swooping down. You can buy wild or farmed chicken but one Bengali man told me there was not much demand for farmed chicken as it wasn't natural. Mmm...I think they might be smarter than us in a lot of ways.

I mentioned the electricity was a bit sporadic. Well, you can see why:


And I said the roads were lethal. This is a typical sight ahead of you as you bump along at 50 miles an hour:



Not sure how you're meant to get passed but somehow, miraculously, you do. In general the solution is to drive off the road and send pedestrians scuttling.

2 comments:

  1. HELLO!this is T speaking,it started snowing when we came out of school and is settling. If it is still there tommorrow we will take some pictures. looking forward to seeing you love Thomas
    Hello, Anna now. It's a shame I couldn't take any photos tonight as it was dark by the time we got home. It's weird being home on a Friday night, listening to the Now Show as if you are about to walk in. Doesn't feel as though the weekend has started at all.
    No school matches this weekend, so it'll be a quieter day tomorrow.
    T loved the photos - didn't blink an eye at the chickens, either!
    Will post or email again tomorrow.
    A x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi David
    This is me trying to become more like a native and less of an immigrant! Trying to post a photo of snow but can't work it out!
    Sounds like you're having a great time. Did you crack the slums conundrum yet?
    Don't suppose you caught the BBC news over there - Ed Miliband declaring himself as a brand ambassador - catch it on iplayer.
    Kate

    ReplyDelete