Christmas in Dhaka

Hi Everyone, and a belated Happy New Year. May God bless you all in 2010.

Sorry for the long gap between blogs. We've been entertaining visitors and they tend to need a lot of supervising!!

On 24th Dec we went to the airport to meet, Nigel, Margaret, Peter and Louise who had bravely decided to leave the snow and ice and travel a few thousand miles to share Christmas in Dhaka.

We had a great 6 days with Peter and Louise with lots of food, site seeing and meeting with people. On Christmas day we got up late to enjoy a lovely breakfast of pancakes and cereal before opening some 'light weight' presents shipped over by Smith Mail. We enjoyed a lovely Goose and Chicken lunch prepapred by Nicola and Halima (Including some lovely mash potato!) before taking everyone out for their first Dhaka experience: a trip to our local market. At the market you wouldn't know it was Christmas with the usual hussle and bustle, sights, sounds and of course, smells!

Peter and Louise took to the adventure easily and were soon interacting and having a laugh with the locals. In the evening we enjoyed a usual christmas lunch leftover feast and played a few games that had been opeoend earlier in the day. A coldish day but no snow in sight.

On boxing day we took a trip to Dhanmondi for lunch at the Bengali art cafe and had a look around some of the local shops. In the evening we spent some time socialising with the HOw family (Our Oasis Boss) and resited the urge to a let a sky lantern into the Dhaka sky less than 5 miles from a aiport and 1 mile from a military base!

Next day came New market, which was fantastic fun. Lots and lots of bright colours, over helpful staff and ages spent deciding on Margarets Saree. (Viewings by prior arrangement). We even enjoed an argument on a bus on the way down to Dhaka over whther or not we should pay the fare. In the end the passengers on the bus would not let us pay for our ticket as we were deemed guests.... the bus whaller (ticket guy) was not that impressed!!

On the 28th we went out of Dhaka to see a friend, Daniel and his family in Savar. I did a bible study and we took a tour around the local villages. Everyone was again really friendly and the peace and quiet of rural life was greatly recieved.

On the 29th (Andy's Birthday) we travlled down to Old Dhaka. Deep in the heart of Dhaka is this bee hive of activity with small sole traders doing every sort of business you could think of. We popped into the local branch of HSBS to get some money, only for Pete to make some new work friends, us use the toilet and enjoy a welcome sit down and cup of coffee! We were invited back to the office for lunch but instead we headed to the river in search of a boat (Noko) ride.

The boat took us past the busy piers and many boats of all different sizes, loads and cargos from Bamboo to fruit and veg to cement and rubbish. The water was dirty and the smell very un-inviting yet people were still swimming and washing their clothes at the river bank. In the afternoon we took a trip to some nice shops in Banani before heading back to the Flat for a murder mystery dinner evening (see Margaret or Louises facebook Profile for photographic evidence!)

On Pete and Louises last day we headed out shopping in the morning before visiting the Oasis office in the afternoon. In the evening we all got dressed up in Sarees and Punjabs for a lovely meal at a superb local resturant close to our flat (I had the chicken Tika!). It was a nice end to a busy six days trying to fit in all the sights and expertiences that Bangladesh can offer. All of us had a great (if not a little different) Christams week and it was sad to loose two of the family back to the UK the following morning.

But un derttered the foru remaing smiths continued to enjoy their time in Dhaka. NEw year was spent at the flat with Jo (Oasis colleague). BEcuase the Bangladeshy cgovernment had decided to use midnight on the 31st as the date to change their clocks back we actually managed to dance around and sing Auld Langs Aine twice (once in the flat and once on the roof!)

On the firday we went to church and enjoyed meeting up with all the brothers and sisters. Saturday was spent relaxing before getting back into the habit mixing work and caring for parents! Not too difficult - this time they were pros!

We had a great two weeks with Nicola visitng Inidia once on a trafficking case and Andy, Mum and Dad having a trip to Nilphamari to see the factory and meet the staff up there. It was cold up in Nilphamari and 2 or 3 jumpers were pretty much essential all day.

We also managed to get in lots of time with the church members and two more boat trips and a posh aromotherapy massage for Mum. It was even cold in Dhaka on the last week with Blankets and Duvets all round!

As I write this I'm standing in Dhaka aiport awaiting our plane to India for the final part of the Rents visit. We're heading to Kolkata and then on a train to Varanasi (religous city of India), Agra (Taj Mahal) and Udaipur (Lake Palace) before flying back to our respective homes from Delhi.

3 Trains, 3 planes and four hotels all in 10 days (and two oldies on tow) - should be a great adventure!!

Love to you all!

Andy and Nic

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