Bangldesh Day 2

Picture 1 - Jesse & Bert looking across the River

Today was quite interesting. After sleeping for 9 hours, we got up feeling very rested. We were afraid that we would be waking up at all hours of the night, but we were so exhausted, that we slept until 5:45. Our room here at the Rigs Hotel is actually quite nice. It is located right on a street with poverty surrounding it. There are rickshaw drivers outside of the gate waiting to take anyone where they would like to go. These rickshaws are tricycle pedal bikes with bench seats on the back with brightly decorated canopies. Jesse and I are on the 5th floor, and Blaine, Bert & Sally are on the 3rd floor. We have to climb 10 flights of marble stairs to get to our room on the 5th floor. We are fortunate to have airconditioning and a comfy bed with decent pillows (and no visible cockroaches yet).

Picture 2 &3 - River, Boats & Shanties

This morning Jesse and I went for a walk just down 1/2 block from our hotel. Nearby is a tributary of the Gangese river. Across it, is a slum/low income community made of tinned shanties like you would see in National Geographic. Crossing the river are many boats laden with goods bound for the market. On our

side of the river, there were a few shanties as well. These were made of blankets stretched over poles. The poverty and filth is stunning, but the people seem to be very very happy and so friendly. The children were having fun practicing their English on us with short phrases like "how are you" and "Good Morning". It was so fun to talk to them and observe how happy and carefree they were.

Picture 4 - Children playing with the bricks - little girl waving at us

After Breakfast we drove to Gasipore to the BARI - Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, where we stayed all day listening to research seminars from researchers around the pulse producing world. Everywhere we go we are treated like royalty. The people are always saying "Please" as they escort us to a seat that is better, or food that we should eat, etc.

Vehicle travel is harrowing. Imagine 5 lanes of traffic packed into 3. Ok, so you are imagining that... now times that by 10 million people (Dhaka's population) and no traffic lights/signal lights/stop signs or driver courtesy. The constant honking has brough Jesse to cursing a blue streak and have had to be reminded that appropriate language is needed by Shauna.

If we had one complaint, it's the smell of Dhaka city. The pollution is staggaring. We blew our noses after just driving through the city in a van with the window open, and it was black. It smells like (as Jesse explains it) butchering chickens & pumping sewage (which runs freely down the gutters).

We haven't figured out if its the jet lag, or the food, or the combination, but Shauna has had a bit of a harder time adjusting. Her stomach is pretty weak (although no major reprocussions) Blaine & Jesse seem to be doing fine, although we are all exhausted.

Well, it's 11pm here, and we have to get up for 6. I hope this gives you a look of the life in Dhaka city, as we are heading out of here tomorrow on the pulse tour across Bangladesh.

We love and miss you guys!