TBK Travels to amazing Bangladesh- part two

I have visited Dhaka in Bangladesh twice now to see my friend Abhi and found it to be a very interesting place. There are none of the usual tourist attractions like beaches and Theme parks, but i could just stand for hours watching the traffic, the people and walking in the lovely parks. I have also been taken to some wonderful old buildings and found the locals very welcoming.

Rush hour in Dhaka- from the roof of Fars hotel. It is the variety of the traffic that amazes me from cycle rickshaws, to auto rickshaws, big old buses, cars and guys pushing trolleys all fighting for the same space.

When the traffic lights change all the cycle rickshaws edge forward and then as the light goes green they all race off like some kind of Grand Prix with the cars and buses trying to get past them. The noise of honking horns and the smell off the exhausts all adds to the craziness!

Some of the old red double decker buses look like they did service in London and then retired to Dhaka! I think some also raced on a go karting circuit as they have all been damaged by multiple crashes. They have no AC so you see the boys hanging out the windows trying to get air!

Then in complete contrast to all the mayhem on the roads are the old beautiful parks that Abhi took me walking in, with beautiful flowers, birds, animals and peace and quiet.

On my last visit in 2019 I was there for Eid which is a long holiday combined with a local holiday for the mainly Muslim population and at the end of Ramadan we saw the boats and trains crowded as everyone left the big city where they work for their homes in the provinces , and the city fell eerily quiet over Eid.

What a transformation, the same street during Eid!

As there were only a few of us staying in the hotel the Manager invited us for a free lunch to celebrate Eid and Abhi and I went to the Grand Mosque where security was tight as the Prime Minister was praying.

While I was there I met up with some other friends and we enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool, eating and chatting.

Stevie and I swim in the roof top pool of Fars Hotel .

Last time I stayed they had the pool closed for refurbishment. The hotel has a spa and a gym, a restaurant and roof top dining area and a coffee shop. They also have extensive conference facilities, and underground parking. The hotel is well located and heavily secured with armed guards outside and airport style scanners inside as it is used by many VIP's and business people. I always felt very secure and welcome there and enjoyed sitting in the lobby with a coffee watching everyone come and go.

In spite of the high security at Fars I felt very safe walking the streets with Abhi, Stevie and the other guys I met, or alone , taking photos, visiting the markets, getting street food or fruit to eat.

All in all it was a wonderful trip and I look forward to going back again to see all of my friends there in 2023 after I get my house here in Palawan. I also want to go to Chittagong and Cox's Bazaar where another Bangladeshi friend Uhla lives. He is an amazingly talented guy who sings, dances, plays musical instruments and does charity work, which I support, teaching the indigenous kids to paint and draw. I was hoping to take Abhi to meet him in 2019 but he won a scholarship to study dance in France and has been there ever since.