You'll have to forgive me today, I ate some vendor food yesterday and my juju (and stomach/head/body) is kinda low. In Vietnam I would coat my stomach with a bag of Doritos before eating vendor food and didn't get sick but couldn't find Doritos here. My theory is that Doritos are so toxic that it would kill any bacteria before they multiply.
I am getting tons of email and apologize for not getting back to people, its been overwhelming and the computers here are kinda crappy so its hard doing computer stuff. I am reading the email and appreciate your comments and its very cool you enjoy my blog. One of these days I'll figure out how to post pictures, I don't have the right cable.
SOOO where to start? Its Sunday the 20th and leaving the airport in Dhaka is a trip. Seemingly thousands of people behind metal gates screaming at you "White Boy with No Ass! Want a ride? (in Bengla so not quite sure what they are saying)" and beggar kids poised to attack. Its daunting walking out into the thick of it. But as I look around I realize none of these people have asses either, so they are all my brothers and sisters and we are one. 150 million people with no asses, I'm in heaven.
Luckily my contact showed up and guided me through the chaos. The original contact Tanvir was driving his car to pick me up, but the cops pulled him over and found out he didn't pay his taxes and took his car and fined him about a thousand dollars which is huge bucks over here.
Sunday just slept but Monday had to get India visa. Tanvir's neighbor was the India visa officer (small world) so I had it wired. Also went to American embassy to check on visa for Shilpi in case her dad let her visits. Get this, I went through 4 checkpoints and searches , and when I spoke with the officer she was behind a blast window. Wild security, the place is a fort. I kinda feel sorry for embassy people. I guess visas are going to be hard to get, so I have some embassy contact people in case I have trouble. They interview each person before granting visas.
At night I went on this massive shopping binge picking up candy, jewerly, pens, etc for Shilpi and her family. Three of us piled into a rickshaw with 10 bags dodging huge trucks and busses (they only let trucks in at night).
Like Vietnam, there are no traffic rules and if there was a traffic rule if you beep your horn you can do whatever you want. So going against traffic, riding on sidewalks, hitting car hoods, a rickshaw drove over my feet, yelling,etc are all fair game. The pollution and dust is incredible and is killing my lungs, not sure I could save the world in this city.
They said pollution was much worse several years ago but get this, Bangladesh has a ton of natural gas. So they are converting all their vehicles over to natural gas which doesn't pollute. All the rickshaws are converted, 35% of cars/trucks and busses. Seems they are ahead of the game when it comes to weaning themselves off oil, wish it was same in USA. They say its a lot cheaper too, I didn't get the numbers.
Finished the night visiting Tanvir's relatives and eating eating eating. Lots of rice, fish, yes meat, etc. Tommorrow we start the journey to visit Shilpi, my main mission so I'm pretty excited and can't sleep. Lets watch TV.
They have lots of American TV for a Muslim nation, some of it pretty racy I'm suprised. Tanvir says the country is very secular and because the extremists backed Pakistan during the 71 war, they are not popular here. I'd say about 10% of the women do the full burka thing, and 50% cover up lightly. But I sense women are not totally totally subjigated like in other Muslim countries. I'm carefull not to touch any females just in case someone wants to jihad my ass. They are becoming more liberal so dating is starting to happen instead of marrying off the daughter to rich guys. Although my guide Mizan?? had to hit the "Buy Now" button and his cost him a couple thousand. But they are not having kids and instead just working and going to school.
So if you are my age you probably remember the Dec 71 "Concert for Bengladesh" by George Harrison when there was a famine. We'll I'm happy to report that you can wipe all that from your impressions. Bengladesh use to be 40% supported by NGO's, but that is down to I think 4%. The garment industry is booming and they are competing with China because they have better quality. THey are basically becoming an export nation of people, garments, manufacturer,etc. Cell phones work better here in the middle of bum fudge nowhere than they do in downtown Minneapolis. They are trying to become a Malaysia/Vietnam. The military got rid of the government Jan 2006 because they were all corrupt and threw all the politicians in jail. A intellectual caretaker government took over and is killing corruption I'm told. The economy is moving forward although not booming, but at least its not imploding like USA economy. Get this, the taka local currency is gaining against the dollar! which has rarely happened. Last time I saw tons of military with big guns, this time not so much. So I think the place is stablizing and moving ahead. I know my contacts Tanvir and Majir are constantly talking about make Bengladesh a great country and kicking Malaysian ass, etc. So people are very proud of their country here.
That said, its not like people are living like Paris Hilton. There are volumes of beggar kids, women with almost dead naked babies begging, amputees, blind people, etc that are basically just tossed into the street. I'm having a hard time morally just turning my back and walking away I have images of some of them burned into my memory that won't go away. I can't give them money or they will never move on, so I'll just have to give to organizations instead.
The service level at the hotel is almost annoying they would almost get in bed and read you the paper if you let them, because they need tips and enjoy speaking English. As a Westerner I bought 4 Heinikens for $10 including tip because the bus boy knew where to get me the stuff and jammed them into his pockets. If he got caught, he might go to jail its illegal for them to have liquor. Kinda hard getting any privacy in the hotel or on the street. People LOVE Americans and it is the big dream is to come to America. Everyone wants to shake my hand and talk to me which is cool, but its hard walking down the street without 10 people wanting to talk to you and ask about America.
Ok, done dribbling on for now. Tommorrow I get to see Shilpi!
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