On the way home from work

Yesterday was a slow trip home from work, well the first part anyway as the main road was packed with people heading home from Ijtema, a Muslim religious festival just outside Dhaka. It is said that more than 2 million devotees attend and spend 3 days in prayer but afterwards, clothed in white, they walk, ride in buses, on top of buses, pile into rickshaws, pack into the back of trucks; basically travel in any vehicle they can. The result is a huge traffic jam. Our first challenge was to get on the road. The second was to travel far enough along the road so we could turn off.

Here are some photos. The first is of the cowshed we drive past most afternoons. Occasionally they are even busy milking them by hand. I do feel sorry for them having to spend all their time on concrete but the shed is always clean and they appear well fed.
The rest are of the crowds and traffic.

It has been soooo . . . cold, well for Bangladesh anyway.

Since I came back from the break over Christmas, it has been so cold - well for Bangladesh anyway. By far the coldest in the 18 months I've been here. So bad has it been that I had to get out my Winter woolies and unpack my doona that I haven't used since I lived in Morocco. Plus I wear my moccasins around the house to keep my feet warm.

Even yesterday after going for a walk to the ATM at the Westin Hotel then to the supermarket, I was a little warmer when I got back. Then cooking helped warm up the apartment a little. The trouble was that there was not a hint of sun all day. Instead it was fog or smog all day long so as a result felt quite damp.
During the early morning and evening I had to wear two long sleeve layers - unbelievable. I suppose electricity is being saved though as no need for a/c and I don't have a heater. I am lucky though that my apartment is one of the warmer ones. Plus I really enjoy getting all cosy in bed under the doona.

Today is a little warmer but I will wait and see if the weather is on the improve.

Really I shouldn't complain as all too soon I will be complaining about the heat!!

Some people are never happy!

A few Morocco photos

Here are a few photos from my holiday in Morocco.

The first three are from a group of spice and dried fruit shops hidden up a short alley.

Small shops selling sweet pastries

Miniature babouche

The minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque in black and white

Donkey cart

Hand-carved wooden chess set

A little bit lax, I know!!!

In between work at school and a Christmas break in Morocco plus golf one day each weekend, my blog updating has been rather slack. Then in a minute I am off out to dinner and a local Bangladeshi-Indian restaurant not far from where I live. Looking forward to some phuska (I'm sure its spelt wrong). Thin pastry type cases (sort of like cream puff cases) filled with a mixture of vegetables and chick peas and sometims served with a thin yoghurt dressing. My mouth is watering as I type . . . . . . . . . .

Must go