Joel Katz Outreach Blogger 12 June 2010
Today Sharna and I met up with one former Actionaider and one present one, Jo and Lara. They've been awesome ever since we got here, and even got us into the heavily fortified bunker that is the Australia Club. With pool and tennis courts it makes the Greenzone look like a kid's playground.
Squeezed into a baby taxi, a steel cage on wheels. Three girls in back, and me up front, sitting on driver's lap. If we crash, it'll be death by a thousand cuts as we're sieved through the steel grates. Hold on tight guys - we're off to Old Dhaka's bustling bazaars.
It's Saturday - Bangladeshi Sunday - but traffic's still full on. Old Dhaka, in the city's south, is a maze of narrow alleyways. Streets are so packed. Like we're in the video game Tetris, but with jazzed-up rickshaws and tricycles, not L-shaped blocks.
First stop is the old Armenian church, built back in the late 1700s. Armenians had a big presence here back then as merchants, and there's still a small community, we're told. Highlight is the friendly church Labrador that is instantly attracted to Sharna's toes. Dogs are a rare sight here.
Then it's off to the Pink Palace near Burigana River, the muddy artery that runs through the city. Museum's full of history and also down a tasty mango flavoured drink.
Down by the riverside kids back-flip off boats into the shimmering liquid-chocolate chaos.
Last stop of the day is the bazaar. Except for rickshaws, all vehicles are banned here. Could be in an Ottoman marketplace, but for the Brazilian and Argentine World Cup flags that flutter above and just about everywhere else.
We pop some gulabs and buy some knick-knacks, then back to hotel.
Knackered after ride home in motorised chicken coup. Even though we'll need physio treatment to untwist our spines, it's been an eye-opening day.
On a much more serious note.
Couldn't get into the part of Old Dhaka where so many lives were tragically lost during the fires just last week. If we got there, this piece would have been very, very different.
Sharna, Lara, Jo and me hit Old Dhaka's Bazaar - sorry about shaky camera, y'all.
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Two things to add. My amazing girlfriend skyped me last night and said - that story about giving street kids money, why'd you post such an upbeat photo. Those were beggars, but a strange thing happens when cameras come out here - smiles break out across everyone's face, even if they're desperately poor. Guess, when you live in so much misery, little things like a photo being snapped is momentary release. Guaranteed there are no Emos here.
Also. Might be wondering, is Project TOTO just about us blogging about our experience in Dhaka, and the poverty we see? Actually that's just what we do at night. Day's are jam-packed with training, toiling away with AA Bangladesh team on their swanky new blog, and working with community groups towards getting the kids in the development areas (DAs) savvy with all this social media technology.
That's really the main focus. And getting their blog looking swish enough to attract more sponsors, potentially in Australia, but also in the European countries where there are existing sponsorship relationships, so AA Bangladesh's projects can keep going. We'll talk more about this.
Starting from tomorrow we'll be in the DAs teaching marginalised kids social media and making tons of friends.
Now off to dinner - once I get that herniated disc sorted out. Damn you baby taxis!
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