Whew! We made it!...

Early this morning, Betsy, Chris and I and our entourage of 10 plus Tuna, Rubel's sister, jumped into the two vans and headed off to Rangur, a 7 hour trip North of Dhaka. We stopped at the Memorial of the Martyrs of the 71 War of Independence, the Birth of the nation of Bangaldesh. The Prime Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation is buried there. What touched all of us is that Bangladesh has only been independent since 1971. The respect and reverence for these martyrs was visible in all the people there. It is a beautiful, stark memorial set in a park with reflecting pools, lakes, flowers and trees. Every year the school children are brought to the Memorial Park to pay their respects and to learn the history of their country.




Back into the vans and the "highway" to Rangpur. We thought the traffic in Dhaka was hectic but it doesn't hold a candle to the people,goats, buses, rickshaws, trucks, tractors all vying for the same piece of road. We had read about Bangladesh's large population, but today the people were crowded along the sides of the roads which were lined with shops, bazaars selling fruits, vegetables and meats of all kinds neatly piled or hung from the frames of the structures. Big stacks of brick also lined portions of the highway. The smokestacks from the brick oven, with smoke pouring out of their tops dotted the countryside. Hugh mahogany logs lined the roads in various towns. Many of these logs are turned by hand into magnificent headboards and other furniture. As we passed the log piles the scent of the wood filled the air.

Hundreds of workers were pouring out of the garment factories at the end of their shifts. The garment industry is by far the largest industry in Bangladesh. The workers earn $25 a month, not enough to feed their families.

We stopped for tea at a local hangout where Betsy, Tuna and I were the only women. I'd like to think the men were staring at Betsy and I, but I'm sure they were much more interested in Tuna. Once again we felt well taken care of by our entourage from Design Bangladesh.

As we reached the outskirts of Rangpur there was a wonderful surprise awaiting us. Rubel's mother had invited all 14 of us for dinner at her home. It was a delicious, traditional Bangladesh dinner consisting of rice, chicken curry, beef and two kinds of fish and a fabulous custard like desert. In accordance with Bangladesh custom, Betsy, Chris and I were fed first, then all the other men and finally, the women who prepared the meal. We are becoming experts at eating with our right hand only. We marveled at what goes into preparing these wonderful Bangladesh dishes. Betsy and I would like to learn how to cook Bangla. Perhaps we'll become the Julie and Julia of Bangladesh.

Off to bed. Big day planned for tomorrow...

Salley, Betsy and Chris