Outside Dhaka

Last weekend when we went to visit the ceramics factory, we stopped at an Italian restaurant on the way back for a late lunch. The pizza I had was nice with a thin crust which I like. Plus the creme caramel is one of the best I have had for ages!!
It was right on a main road - here is a picture of the road with vehicles of all descriptions as we tend to get on roads everywhere here. Unusually though the pedestrian is walking on the side of the road rather then on the road and expecting all the vehicles to go around!!!As in Nepal and India, the big haulage trucks are decorates with quite ornate and detailed paintings on them. Although these trucks are banned from most of Dhaka during the day, only being allowed in at night when the traffic isn't quite as bad!!!

While going there and back, again I saw lot of evidence for where all Dhaka's pollution comes from - the brickworks.

They are everywhere with thick, black smoke pouring into the air (and our lungs). There is a lack of gravel here in Bangladesh so bricks are made, then broken up into small pieces for use instead of gravel or stones.

Monno Ceramics factory visit

Yesterday a group of us drove for about an hour to just outside of Dhaka to visit the Monno Ceramics factory. Unfortunately we didn't get to look over the factory as you have to book in advance, instead just getting to look in the showroom. Wow what stunning stuff - so different to what you see normally in Bangladesh. Bone china and porcelain and "normal" dinner sets and accompanying pieces that is made for the upmarket shops throughout Europe, Australia, New Zealand, US, UK, Japan and more. Names include Ikea, Country Road, John Lewis . . . . . . (can't remember the rest)!!

Anyway here is a sample of some of their wares:

Dhaka - River and boats

Here are a couple of photos I took when I was in Old Dhaka a couple of weeks ago. They show the river that runs through central Dhaka and the amazing collection of boats for which the river is home. Mind you I'm sure there are many other smaller rivers or tributaries in Dhaka as well, as it is a huge city with a population of more than 15 million.

Note the smog!!!

Dramas in Dhaka

Today has been an eventful day in Dhaka. Not only did we have the athletic sports on at school on probably what has been the hottest day for months, but shooting broke out in central Dhaka. Apparently the border security guards, unhappy with their pay and conditions and the treatment in regards to getting them improved somehow lead to a "fire fight" in their barracks. Then the whole area was surrounded by soldiers with some roads being closed.

Our parents who are readily panicked, maybe with reason as many have close connections to the government and political parties, started coming to collect their children. With two thirds of the students gone by the end of lunch, the day was shortened at school finished at 2.30. However, I must say that our students are overly protected - they never walk anywhere as they have drivers, they never clean up after themselves as they have maids, they struggle to think for themselves as many have tutors (a teacher's worst nightmare), hence the parents always think the worst.

What is happening now? The streets of Gulshan are super quiet. Road 35 that I can see from my kitchen window is usually aglow with headlights as cars bank up tooting their horns. Instead tonight there is rarely a car to be seen!! The latest on the mutiny is that some members of the rifles brigade have met with the Prime Minister, who has granted them an amenesty but otherwise negotiations are continuing. Hopefully the situation has been defused. Looks like work tomorrow.

Another published article, not Bangladesh though

This weekend, an article I wrote about hiking in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco has been published in "The Weekend Australian" newspaper. It also has a really cute illustration to accompany it.
Here is the link.

Enjoy and feel free to comment.

My new project . . . . . . .

My new project that I have started on today is to try and make some money from my photographs via joining a website that enables people to order online cards, calendars, prints, framed photos and canvas prints of my photos. It is through a site called redbubble that is actually based in Melbourne. Search for heatherf and you will find what photo I have put up so far, not many yet but I have to be selective so that I only put the best up. The other problem I have that is any I took on my old, small digital camera are only available as cards or matt prints because of the size/number of pixels. I am also going to try and put a link on the side of my blog, but it takes me a while as I have to paste in html code for that.

Enjoy and feel free to tell me what you think.

School - a bit late but here it is

Rather belatedly, here are a few photos of where I spend most my daylight hours: school. I meant to do this much earlier, like last year, but just didn't get around to taking some photos. That is the front entrance to the school above. Below is my classroom.

This is one of the outside passageways linking the buildings.

The upper primary building.

Inside the secondary building: the secondary well