Traditionally, Bangladeshi men wore (and still do) a sarong called a “lungi.” This plaid cotton tube of cloth can be worn in many different ways and the knot can be tied as distinct as the neighborhood that you grew up in (West Bengal, Dhaka, etc.).
For fun, we had a lungi party and were fortunate enough to have expert knot-tiers able to provide us with an education in how to wear a lungi. Some of the guests at the party chose to wear a “dhuti” which is a different style of sarong, made most distinct by the front folds being tied between the legs and hitched into the back of the waistband.
My lungi cost around 325 Taka ($4) so it was about double the cost of what a Bangladeshi man would pay for it.
***Update September 2013: Jewel is no longer my favorite tailor but back when I wrote this blog posting, he was (I have since found someone who makes house calls and delivers on a more reliable schedule — I think we may have inundated Jewel with our orders and he fell behind during the Ramadan season). Please see my map of 99 expat places for some of the tailors I now like, plus other postings on tailors. *** My favorite tailor in Dhaka is a man named Jewel (well, it may spelled “Jhul”). He does not speak much but his smile is sweet and he can tailor shirts, dresses, sarees, shalwar kameezes, etc. It’s best to take a sample of what you want or look through his books of necklines for what you want. He usually measures me although now I’ve got a good relationship with him so he knows my style and measurements. He gives you a receipt with snippets of your material taped to it (and he tapes the other snippets in the big book of work orders). One week later, clothes are usually ready. Unless it’s wedding or holiday season. The cost is around 250 Taka ($3) per yard of material and 600 Taka ($8) to make a shirt.
Jhul the tailor with his big book of orders.
Jhul works at Aadita tailor shop in Gulshan One market. The shop is about the size of two king sized beds with a myriad of material stacked neatly from floor to ceiling. The shop owner is also a fine gentleman and he has another shop around the corner called “Fit” where they specialize in menswear and western style business suits.
If you spend a long time choosing “ribbon” (edging), cloth, and patters, the staff boy will run and fetch you sweet cha (chai). The five or six guys working here will always invite you to take a seat (stay a while) which can be necessary since some trips to the tailor can take three hours. The time spent will also depend on how “insistent” you are. The ladies buying sarees usually push their way to the front. You too should show your eagerness.
I have longed to experience the monsoon. I watch with great joy. It’s so wet that photos are hard to capture.
Monsoon.
I’m told that this is the end of the hot season. The monsoons have come early this year. The days are sunny and the temperature reaches only into the 90s F (35 Celsius). Every few days, the sky will darken, the winds whip the trees into a frenzy, and then the water descends from the sky in buckets.
Wear red and white… see THE tree… join the parade down by Dhaka University… The new year is a time to clear old debts and start fresh! Everyone is merry and enjoys the carnival atmosphere. It was great fun. Truly festive.
The most photographed girl at the parade.
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As a foreigner here in Bangladesh, YOU may become part of the parade. I would guess that I had my photo taken, overtly and covertly, at least 100 times in five hours. I let many people take photos of me… Just as I took many photos of them.
In Bangladesh there are many happy (and bittersweet) opportunities for decorating the house with lights. For a farewell party last week, professional lighting guys arrived in the morning and strung (and flung) lights on the trees, gate, and house.
Draping lights off the roof.
There is a famous company here in Dhaka called Banani Decorators who charge around 6,000 Taka per day ($80) but my friend has a friend who knows a guy who is the guy… 3,500 Taka ($45) for the first day and 2,500 Taka for the second day. This price includes labor and lights. Always be friendly and ask around. Find out who the “nodes” of the social world and “get up and go” kind of people are… they will set you up. Plus, a proactive type personality will probably also help you with the music, logistics, etc… and even be a good friend.
The magical result.Tape and lights.Weaving lights through the tree.
Going out to eat is a hobby of mine (some people collect stamps; I collect restaurants)… in the next year, I hope to go to 100 restaurants in Dhaka.
Eating sheeshlik with rahmali bread at BBQ Tonite
Until there’s a website or app for restaurants in Dhaka, these are the ones I have been to (and my own rating system):
BBQ Tonight (11/13 stars): meat on stick, three kinds of fresh flat bread, Afghan/Bangla/Pakistani/Indian food – must try: the “rahmali” or “handkerchief” bread.
Thai Kitchen (8/13): Thai cooked by a Thai cook – must try: chicken dumplings steamed.
Dhaba (7/13): Bengali street food in a cafe – must try: “Phoughka” which are chick peas in dough shells.
Roll Express (8/13): Bangladeshi filled flat bread – must try: dhosa filled with potatoes.
Oh Calcutta (8/13): West Bengali food – must try: Luchi/puri = fried bread. Elegant interior and good for business clientele.
Bamboo Shoot (9/13): Chinese owned Chinese food. Must try: fried dumplings.
Spaghetti Jazz (7/13): Italian. Must try: homemade spaghetti with garlic and chili flakes.
Caspian (6/13): Persian. Must try: Baklava bites.
El Toro (3/13): Mexican. Must try: going on a night when they have avocados.
Soi 71 (7/13): Thai. Must try: the play room in the basement. Good for business clientele.
The Steakhouse (8/13): Steak. Must try: Australian beef medium rare.
Khazana (7/13): Indian. Must try: the naan? This place is the place recommended by Indian business clientele.
Heritage (7/13): Indian/Bangladeshi. Must try: the buffet lunch for 450 Taka? Also popular with business clientele.
Don Giovanni (4/13): Italian. Must try: fried cheese.
Wasabi at the Bellagio (5/13): Japanese. Must try: a drink at the bar. One of the few places with a liquor license. Popular with business clientele.
Le Souffle at the Bellagio (6/13): French. Must try: the red mirrored bathroom. One of the few places with a liquor license. Popular with business clientele. The most expensive restaurant in Dhaka. 5,000 Taka for dinner for one.
Arirang (3/13): Korean. Must try: some other place.
Koreana (7/13): Korean. Must try: jigae.
Sura (3/13): Korean. Must try: shabu shabu.
King’s Confectionery (6/13): Baked goods. Sells chicken with curry. Must try: Croissant filled with Nutella and cream.
Movenpick (6/13): Ice cream, Swiss style. Also serves one sandwich type. Must try: a waffle under your ice cream.
Northend Coffee Roasters (10/13): Coffee and baked goods. Must try: cinnamon buns warm from the oven.
Best Western (2/13): Hotel food. Must try: the smoky bar on the roof?
Northend Coffee Roasters Cinnamon Bun…
That’s it for now except for a few local places without names.
Custom-made clothes (for about $10). As mentioned before, it’s another great thing about Dhaka. Release the inner fashion designer and design your own clothes!
Road 108, House 11, Apt. 201 on the second floor so behind the tree.
*** As of August 2013, the new location is Road 108, House 11, Apt. 201*** Organic vegetables in Dhaka? YES! And organic fish, eggs, flour, and rice. The shop is spare in decor with fridges filled with green onions, basil, spinach, etc. The shop has kohlrabi, carrots, potatoes, onions, cabbage, etc. There is a freezer for sea bass, snapper, chicken and so on. I asked the grocer how often he gets his goods delivered from the farm (located to the south on the riverbank) and he said that the delivery is fresh every day.
Flurry photo of the sign by the door to Southwest Gardens.
Tucked away (like many things here in Dhaka) on a road parallel with Gulshan Avenue behind where the Wonderland amusement park once was located, is the organic grocer of Dhaka. The previous employee, Laurence, has been sent off to India to open the shop there. The shop is located in an apartment building. You cannot park in the building but there is plenty of parking on the street. The shop is on the same floor as a spa with has red signs. It is open Tuesday-Saturday, 9-6. The new location has less character and appears to have a tailor connected to it.
Dhaka is famous for the number of people who live here. But, for every four people, there must be a dog… there are 15 million people in Dhaka. There is a thin, lanky, dun-colored dog “breed” that dominates the street scenes here. If you see a recognizable breed, then you will most likely see a dog walker attached to it. Every day I see dogs lying in the streets, lopping down the streets, using speed bumps as pillows, and reading canine news (sniffing). One night I saw a small white fluffy dog tiptoeing along beside a rickshaw… it was being walked from the rickshaw. So very Dhaka! Be warned, it is hard not to adopt a dog when you come here!
Designing your own tablecloth (or material for any use) is another fun thing to do in Dhaka.
Spray painting design
You pick out the block pattern from giant pattern books, choose the cloth (dyed or untreated), choose the colors and pattern. You can even have your own blocks designed if you want something specific put on the cloth. If you don’t want block printed designs, you can get a spray painted design.
Hand applied paints.
An eight foot long tablecloth costs around 3,000 Taka ($33). Get it while you’re here!
