Bangladesh (I)
Before I started typing this entry, I was looking at the photos in my camera and reflecting on the things we have experienced in the last week. Much to my delight, I found some photos that I think best encapsulate what the first trip to Bangladesh was like for me, so I don't have to kill too many brain cells thinking about what to write! haha :P
We were often stuck in such congested - and really chaotic - traffic, it nearly always took us at least an hour to get to our destination, and I never fail to complain about the sweltering heat while cramming with Shi Xiong and Philip in the pathetically small backseat of a CNG (a mode of transport that resembles a tuk-tuk. See the green thingy right smack in the middle of this picture?). I dreaded it every time the traffic came to a halt because then there would be no wind, no ventilation at all. RAHHH. But I must say that I kinda got used to the sweating and the incessant "beep! beep, beeeeeeeeeep!" from all the honking by the third day or so, though I still complained "WAH, VERY HOT LEH!" every day after that. Hah. And I thought I was a queen of jaywalking after conquering the roads in China until I tried crossing the roads in Dhaka. *heart skips a beat*
Rickshaws are one of the main modes of transport we used in Dhaka. The rickshaw rides are generally okay, although there was once when I was on a really small, and rickety one that felt like it was going to break apart any moment. The rides through town can actually be quite enjoyable if you are not busy worrying about how to maintain your balance and not "fly off" when the rickshaw-wallah suddenly brakes or knocks into the rickshaw in front. It happened to Shi Xiong once, and the locals around were trying hard not to laugh at him. haha :P
This photo was taken on one of our CNG rides :) I lost count of the number of times we took a CNG, especially between Gulistan Bazaar and Gulshan.
For me, I thought it was interesting to see how networks can grow, and how one contact can lead you to several more contacts, who, often, are people with more authority. For example, we just walked into a Dhaka University Film Society's meeting, happened to meet a young, independent film-maker, and then from there got to know about Goethe Institut's role in supporting the indie film scene in Bangladesh, found a contact person in the institute, and from that person, managed to talk to Morshedul Islam (the picture above!), one of the most established Bangladeshi film directors. Somehow, making contacts and building networks was so much easier in a place like Bangladesh where there are not as many restrictions and people are more than willing to speak.
Talking about its people, I must say they are a really curious bunch. We were "mobbed" at Lalbagh Fort, and thus resulted in such a scene
where Shyam literally had to shoo people away so that he could properly frame the photo. People were whipping out their camera phones and what-nots, taking photos AND videos of us. I felt like an exhibit in the zoo -_- Okay okay, maybe felt a little like a celebrity too. Oh, is it possible to demand image fees from that Bangladeshi guy who took a photo with me ah? HAHA :P
You know, in Bangladesh, people are somehow very open to you taking photos of them. Some are just so ready to smile for the camera. They are either really friendly, or it's just not in their nature to be aggressive and refuse strangers. I think it's both, but it's more of the former.
I also had the rare chance to visit a typical local residence, an experience that left quite a deep impression on me. The moment we stepped into the building, it was pitch black. I'm serious, the electricity was cut off then, we totally couldn't see the steps at all. AT ALL. If not for Shi Xiong's torch, I might have had to go on all fours to climb the four storeys. The apartment was dark, and the fans were not working because there was no power. The apartment was very simply furnished, if at all. What struck me was the fact that even though life was simple - really nowhere near what we are blessed with in Singapore - and there are obstacles to overcome, the film-maker had a firm belief in what he was doing. His workspace is merely a desk in the small little balcony (about the size of the toilet in my kitchen) where he wrote his script under the sunlight. I thought, how many of us would actually have the same level of conviction in us?
So that basically sums up my experiences in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I went there not knowing what to expect, which is also good I guess because then there is no dichotomy between what I THINK is there and what IS there :)
Of course then there is also the story about me and my A&W.
haha. But I shall keep that for another day! :)
Cheers,
layming :P
P.S. I'm finally starting to get the hang of using wordpress. Yay.
We were often stuck in such congested - and really chaotic - traffic, it nearly always took us at least an hour to get to our destination, and I never fail to complain about the sweltering heat while cramming with Shi Xiong and Philip in the pathetically small backseat of a CNG (a mode of transport that resembles a tuk-tuk. See the green thingy right smack in the middle of this picture?). I dreaded it every time the traffic came to a halt because then there would be no wind, no ventilation at all. RAHHH. But I must say that I kinda got used to the sweating and the incessant "beep! beep, beeeeeeeeeep!" from all the honking by the third day or so, though I still complained "WAH, VERY HOT LEH!" every day after that. Hah. And I thought I was a queen of jaywalking after conquering the roads in China until I tried crossing the roads in Dhaka. *heart skips a beat*
Rickshaws are one of the main modes of transport we used in Dhaka. The rickshaw rides are generally okay, although there was once when I was on a really small, and rickety one that felt like it was going to break apart any moment. The rides through town can actually be quite enjoyable if you are not busy worrying about how to maintain your balance and not "fly off" when the rickshaw-wallah suddenly brakes or knocks into the rickshaw in front. It happened to Shi Xiong once, and the locals around were trying hard not to laugh at him. haha :P
This photo was taken on one of our CNG rides :) I lost count of the number of times we took a CNG, especially between Gulistan Bazaar and Gulshan.
For me, I thought it was interesting to see how networks can grow, and how one contact can lead you to several more contacts, who, often, are people with more authority. For example, we just walked into a Dhaka University Film Society's meeting, happened to meet a young, independent film-maker, and then from there got to know about Goethe Institut's role in supporting the indie film scene in Bangladesh, found a contact person in the institute, and from that person, managed to talk to Morshedul Islam (the picture above!), one of the most established Bangladeshi film directors. Somehow, making contacts and building networks was so much easier in a place like Bangladesh where there are not as many restrictions and people are more than willing to speak.
Talking about its people, I must say they are a really curious bunch. We were "mobbed" at Lalbagh Fort, and thus resulted in such a scene
where Shyam literally had to shoo people away so that he could properly frame the photo. People were whipping out their camera phones and what-nots, taking photos AND videos of us. I felt like an exhibit in the zoo -_- Okay okay, maybe felt a little like a celebrity too. Oh, is it possible to demand image fees from that Bangladeshi guy who took a photo with me ah? HAHA :P You know, in Bangladesh, people are somehow very open to you taking photos of them. Some are just so ready to smile for the camera. They are either really friendly, or it's just not in their nature to be aggressive and refuse strangers. I think it's both, but it's more of the former.
I also had the rare chance to visit a typical local residence, an experience that left quite a deep impression on me. The moment we stepped into the building, it was pitch black. I'm serious, the electricity was cut off then, we totally couldn't see the steps at all. AT ALL. If not for Shi Xiong's torch, I might have had to go on all fours to climb the four storeys. The apartment was dark, and the fans were not working because there was no power. The apartment was very simply furnished, if at all. What struck me was the fact that even though life was simple - really nowhere near what we are blessed with in Singapore - and there are obstacles to overcome, the film-maker had a firm belief in what he was doing. His workspace is merely a desk in the small little balcony (about the size of the toilet in my kitchen) where he wrote his script under the sunlight. I thought, how many of us would actually have the same level of conviction in us?
So that basically sums up my experiences in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I went there not knowing what to expect, which is also good I guess because then there is no dichotomy between what I THINK is there and what IS there :)
Of course then there is also the story about me and my A&W.
haha. But I shall keep that for another day! :)Cheers,
layming :P
P.S. I'm finally starting to get the hang of using wordpress. Yay.
Labels: Bangladesh
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1:31 AM
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