The Camerist's Collection

Worldwide WP 5k Run/Walk!  WordPress decided to have their 80 Automatticians from 62 cities to run/walk a 5k on the same day!  They also invited the Word Press bloggers and their families and friends to join them.  I decided to participate.  I did my walk on April 10, in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  For me I also used it as a photowalk taking 270+ photos.

Map of  Worldwide WP 5k walk

I started my walk from Iqbal Rd, Mohammadpur, Dhaka at 2:45 pm.  I was expecting not to be able to do this since 18 days I was diagnosed with two broken bones in my ankle.  I had a cast for 11 days, which they took off 8 days ago, much to my pleasure.  I headed west on Asad Avenue toward the Beri Bandh Rd.  To record info as I walked I had taken along a little recorder.  I kept wanting to hold it to my ear to record which didn’t work real well!  A beggar lady grabbed me and really wanted me to help her out, but I finally convinced her I wasn’t going to help her.  I could tell I wasn’t going to break any speed records with this 5k walk.

Since it was around 95 degrees F, when I left I decided to drink a bottle of Diet Pepsi (available here for 45 cents).  As I was passing the Town Hall Market two little Bihari boys came to me wanting to say, hi!  The one had his arm in a sling.  They saw my Diet Pepsi and wanted it, so I gave them what was left of it (1/3 bottle).  It looked like I made their day.  At the end of Asad Ave, along Shat Moshjid Rd a fellow grabbed my arm, and I saw it was my Mishti Dhokan (Sweet’s Shop) friend.  I hadn’t seen him in awhile, and he told me they opened another mishti dhokan there.  He talked me into eating a piece.  As I was leaving a young man said they were just taking advantage of me.  He said they try to sell goods for 100tk to foreigners that should be sold for 10 tk.  I laughed and told him that the fellow had given me a piece for free because he considered me his guest.  For three years I stopped in his shop almost every time I passed by.  This young man walked with me down the street and confirmed that I was going the right direction.  I don’t think he realized that I had been in the country long enough that I rarely get charged an excessive high amount because I am a bideshi (foreigner).

As I passed a little street-side restaurant I noticed a fellow sitting there with his crutches beside him.  It reminded me of what a blessing it was, to find out my ankle wasn’t broke, and now after 8 days without crutches I am basically walking normally.  After 30 minutes of walking, talking, etc. I arrived on the Beri Bandh Rd.  I took a photo of some bricks piled along the road and some crushed brick which is used to make cement.  Soon a worker saw me and wanted me to take photos of him and his friends crushing brick.  I was back on the road and soon another  man took me by the arm and told me to follow him.  He sat me down in a chair near a little stall where they sell minutes for mobile phones.  They had a ceiling fan and likely wanted to show hospitality and let me rest and cool down.  They wanted me to give the lady some money because they were poor.  I took some photos of the men and the lady. Soon her daughter showed up so I took their photo.  I did then give the little girl a 10 tk note.They of course want me to come back and bring copies of the photos I took.  I would suspect sometime I will do a follow-up 5k walk, delivering photos!   The man then escorted me out of the brick crushing yard and on to the road.  Then I said good-bye and walked on.  Bengali people are very friendly.  And when they find out you can speak Bangla they are overjoyed.  It breaks down any barriers there might have been.  I hadn’t gone far and a young man grabbed my arm and wouldn’t let go, until I agreed to go with him to the place where he worked.  There were five guys sitting around waiting for someone to come and by re-bar and cement.  They asked me if I wanted some tea, and then brought me some.  After drinking the tea they let me leave!  Soon I could see the Intellectual Martyr’s Monument.  It is a memorial to the thousands of Professors, Doctors, etc. who were murdered by the Pakistan Army the night they realized they had lost the war.  This was when Bangladesh became a nation (they had been East Pakistan).  One of the issues had been because they wanted Bangla as a national language and the Pakistan government wanted Urdu as a national language.

Intellectual Martyr’s Monument

As I continued walking along the Beri Bandh Rd this young girl passed me and ran down the road and then to her home.  I couldn’t resist taking a photo, with the stark contrast of the red skirt and the rest of the scene.

Young Bengali Girl in Bright Red Skirt

I left the Beri Bandh Rd and headed for Shat Moshjid Rd.  I’m sure I didn’t quite take the streets I had mapped out, but I finally got there.  On the way one fellow wanted his photo taken.  Then he grabbed me and took me inside a gate to an open area where many young lads were congregated.  After I took their group photo they freed me to go on.  I surely knew that for me I wasn’t going to win any speed records for this 5k walk!

Now I have seen everything!  I saw a man walking and wondered what he had on a leash.  It was a monkey, so I decided this would be a good photo-op.  He then tried to get the monkey to stand up and look at me for the photo.  From the looks of what the man was carrying, the monkey likely jumps through the hoop.  I was surprised he didn’t want some taka since I was talking photos of his monkey.

Monkey, where is the Photographer?

By this time I had been walking, etc. for 1 hr. and 23 minutes.  I had come out onto Shat Moshjid Rd. at the corner where Pizza Hut is.  I think this city of 15 million people now has at least 4 or 5 authentic Pizza Hut restaurants.  I headed across the street and down toward Dhanmondi Lake, my designated finish line.  I headed along the sidewalk beside Dhanmondi Lake until I came to this building.  It is a home which some rich Bengali gentleman built to resemble a ship.  It is really a grand structure along this peaceful lake.  Many young couples come here to visit along the banks of the lake.  I would have done the whole 5K walk around this lake, but I wanted to get another look at the Intellectual Martyr’s Monument.  It was around 1.5 hours when I crossed the finish line of the 5k walk I had mapped out.

Here I am Crossing the Finish Line of WorldWide WP 5K Walk/Run

Close-Up of Me Crossing the Finish Line

Helpful Trio of Young Bengali Women Who Took My Photo

This is the building I could see as I crossed the finish line.  It is a better view than I had through the trees where my 5k ended.  I thought you would enjoy a better view.  This might be my favorite photo of the 270+ I took on this walk.

A Bengali Young Man Enjoying the View of the House, Beside Dhanmondi Lake, Built to Resemble a Ship!

I decided to celebrate with some fuchkas [A mix of potatoes, chola (chickpeas) boiled in spices, tomatoes, onions, coriander, green chilies topped off with a sweet and sour tangy tamarind juice or sauce] and Mango Juice.  There is a spicy liquid which is poured on the fuchkas, which I really enjoy.  This is also one of my son Austin’s, favorite foods.  It was refreshing to sit and relax before grabbing a rickshaw and heading home.

I celebrated finishing the 5K walk with Fuchkas and Mango Juice!

It was enjoyable to be a part of this event.  Thanks Word Press for organizing this event.  I wonder if it didn’t take as long to post this blog as it did to cover the 5k!  🙂