Yes, our son has tasted his first Scottish Whiskey. In Dhaka of all places. I will get to the
story behind that shortly, but first some updates on the various festivities!
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| These cattle aren't lowing - but they are ready for Eid! |
We’ve had a busy busy few days. I have been at work (of course) but as it’s
holiday season here for all the religious festivities the kids have been off
school and I only have to work 2 days this week. Result – tire everyone out with lots of
visually (and nasally) stimulating events!
The cows were lined up on the streets ready for Bloody
Eid. The
killing of the cows started after prayers at 8am. It can take all day and then 36 hours to
clean up afterwards. We were advised
to turn the music up in the flat in the morning to drown out the sounds of the
cows in distress! However, to be honest, it really wasn't that bad!
The kids are fascinated and yet slightly scared by the
cows. Afterall, the cows are
massive. There are plenty of wealthy
people living near us – some people have 4 or 5 cows! They have to give 2/3 of the meat away to
neighbours, family and the poor apparently.
If you are less wealthy, you have goats and sheep. And if you are really rich, camels! They have these big cattle markets set up
around the city. We haven’t been able to
get to any this year but rural families also bring their cattle into the city
to sell. There was a terrible story of a
man who was on his way to sell his cow at market when the cow took ill on the
way and died. Imagine, losing your major
asset – income from selling that cow would be a very important part of their
yearly income and it dies on the way to market.
Anyway, the cows were killed yesterday. There was blood on the streets. And parts of cows too. We went out to see what happens – though not
with the kids as whilst we want to expose them to new cultures and traditions,
that might be a bit much. I’ll write
another update on the Eid excitement soon.
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| Lots of red at the Durga Puja! |
The other two major goings-on have been – the Durga Puja
and…..wait for it….the Queen’s Commonwealth Games Baton Relay. Yes, you heard it heard first – the
Commonwealth Games Baton Relay. More on
that in a moment (I can tell you’re excited – almost as excited as the kids
were….and then their excitement was dashed when they realised the Queen wasn’t
actually there, running around the world with a baton. Shame).
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| At the Durga Puja - Pink - Isobel loved it! |
The Durga Puja. We
went to what was the last day in this event – and my goodness what fun we
had. The kids were amazing. They really were. Isobel was dressed in her lovely blue sari
and so was very much looking the part.
Arty was just Arty. They had so
much attention and yet they didn’t squeal or protest at all!
So, the Durga Puja.
Well, it’s a Hindu festival and it basically ends with the statues of
the goddess (Durga) being taken to the river to ‘return to her husband (Shiva)’
(i.e she is basically drowned in the river).
It started on Wednesday 9th October and ended on Monday – so
we witnessed the final stages of preparing the goddess statues and loading them
onto trucks to drive them down to the river in Old Dhaka.
Then on Monday evening we were lucky enough to go to see the
Queens Commonwealth Games Baton as it takes part in it’s relay around the
Commonwealth. The High Commissioner
kindly hosted an event and we all managed to hold the baton. The kids were probably more excited by the
canapés and, in Arty’s case, the small glass of brown liquid hidden behind the
curtain behind where all the speeches were taking place. Where is Arty we wondered on a number of occasions?
Where indeed. Helping himself to the ice
from the little glass of brown liquid….which we later found out was the High
Commissioner’s glass of whiskey! Oops.
Oh well. Arty slept well anyway.
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