My mother and her beloved adopted son.

My husband, me, Saif, Little Shompoo, Pink, Lukmu and Maria - Daughter of Saif and Pink. The one behind Pink is not in our group.

HS1ENH my husband


Beautiful mustard field

He must have slept happily until we made noise..

What!! Only 101 Mile?

Saif Shahid, that most of the world knew him as S21A, was the president of BARL He had worked hard to have the amateur radio set up in Bangladesh.  He had come to Bangkok many times and had chances to visit my mother.  He was the most loved child in his family.  His parents must be kindly looking at him from heaven.  The love for his mother was overflow to my mother.. and he became her adopted son and one of our family.. Automatically I became the youngest sister to his family. 

On the 100th birthday of his respectful father who had done a lot to get the education to Bangladeshi boys and – Girls, the town prepared to celebrate it and I was invited to the ceremony.

I have been in Bangladesh fore the SEAnet Convention and was very impressed in the serenity of nature in Sunderban, the biggest mangrove forest in the world.  So it was a very good chance to be there again with my family.

My kids were still young.  I taught them the Islamic way of greeting - Aslamo Alaikum or may the peace be with you.  The airplane was full with Bangladeshi so my two little balloons were quite noticeable.  People came around them and smiled.  My shy daughter was a bit afraid and decided to say the greeting phrase and everyone was so pleased..
She did that at Dhaka airport and made the long faces or the immigration officers bloomed.

Uncle Saif was there and drove us to his house.  He and Pink -S21J, his beautiful wife planed to have my kids stay home with his kids and the maid and all the adults went to Dhaka Club, the highest class club of Bangladesh.  My husband denied firmly.  He would never leave the kids alone so we decided to buy some food and cerebrated the new year at home.

Pink was a bit disappointed.  She had been waiting to go to the club.  They brought me to the club and order some food and had a little drink while waiting.  Seeing the waiter brought food to all tables, except us and it was quite a long time, Saif called a waiter and asked about our food.

Very soon we found ourselves at the kitchen of the club, waiting for fried rice which was the only food they could prepare, all other food was out of stock.  The captain who took our order was off his duty, did not pass it to anyone. 

We bought some grill chicken from the street side and reached home very late.  My husband sat back, sleeping on the sofa.  My son-Lukmu, slept on the floor.  My little daughter-Shompoo, climbed into the open luggage and slept soundly.  All of them were black by the new year party of hundreds of large mosquitoes.  I was very guilty.  We took the kids the bed covered with screen.  Pink cooked.  Her chicken curry had brightened the fried rice and grilled chicken.  Saif told my husband how sorry he was, instead of a new year party in the most luxury club, we celebrated it in the kitchen.. We sighed, looked at each other, and then laughed... a emorable one

The next day we all packed up in a small van heading to Jesso town.  We left the house at around 10 am. Some part of the road was under construction and our road was disappeared.  Saif had to get off the van to ask for the way to get the road back.  We were in the traffic jam once.  The cars before us were in line of sight.. then the cars behind started to overtake on the other lanes.  More and more cars passed us, no cars come from the other side.  Saif was upset and insisted he would not do such a shameful thing like that.. after a long time, we also had to do so.. and soon we  found the problem.  There was a construction in the middle of the street.  We got struck because all the coming cars were in our lane and all the going cars, including ours were in their lane.  All the traffic was opposite.. and it was so funny to me.. We all had another good laugh.

We had to cross the very beautiful and clear river by raft.  Sometime we need to slow down because of the carts in front.  We passed a village almost every 10 minutes.. Bangladesh has the highest density of population in the world - Saif told me.  We then had to get in a ferry.  It was very dark then.. I went to the toilet in the ferry.  When the door closed, I could not even see my fingers. 

After a loooooooooong time.. we reached Jessore.  Saif arranged with a friend who was the MP of Bangladesh for us to stay in his house.  We reached the house at 11 pm.. They prepared a lot of nice food for us.. but we were so tired.  The kids ate a little, took a shower and went to bed right away.. soon followed by me and my husband.. It had been a long day.

The Cerebration was lovely.  It was nice to see the respectful faces when they gave the speech that I did not understand.  The important persons from everywhere were gathering.  I and my family were the only foreigners, be there as adopted daughter and son in law.  We then went to the house of Saif's sister or sisters, I was not sure.. but all his and mine sisters were there.  They were very nice.  Some could speak English, some could not.  My English was not so good so.. most of communication were by hands and hearts.. hi hi  They all were very lovable, so dear..

We then had food.. so many kinds, nice looking and tasty snacks.  We had big party in the evening.. So many relatives attended.  A lot of children were there.  They played together with no language barrier.

I would like to see the fresh market so we went there.. The vegetables were so large and beautifully healthy.. It was quite busy and crowded.  There were a lot of people pulling bicycles.  Every single one rang the bicycles’ bell made the market very musical.  I and the kids looked at a vender that made dough ring, fried them and put into syrup.  They dried right away to be like piles of snow rings.  The lady smiled to us and my 2 little balloons spoke out together -Aslamo Alaikum- which was the Muslim greeting, meant - May the peace be with you. The lady came back with broad smile and answered - Alaikum Aslam, may the peace be with you too.. and gave the kids a big pack of what she was selling.. I told her I did not have money to buy.. She made me understand that she gave it to the kids, not a selling.. Wow.. so sweet. Dhonabad-  thank you.

We then stayed in Sundaban resort and went to see a kind like open zoo. 

One of the days we join the jamboree activity.  I wished that the children would be allowed to speak to the microphone better than show them our talking.

We went back by another highway.  It was a good road.  I saw a pile of snowy white turnips a long the way. Most of the fields beside the road were mustard flowers.. it was yellow from the road side to the horizon, very beautiful.  We stopped at one of the mustard field to have lunch.  It was only rice and Pink's chicken curry.. but it was the best thing and the best time.  We got into the field and took pictures. Suddenly a goat's head came over the mustard flowers, made us laugh.. It was really the best time that I always long for..

Did I tell you that I saw a road sign when we got to the highway?  It was written - Dhaka 101 mile. !!!
I was shocked.  We traveled from 10 am. to 11 pm. for only 101 mile.. Unbelievable!!

I have heard that the road construction was over and that it is easier to travel in S2 land now. However, this was one of my most impressive trip.. that makes me sad every time I heard about any disasters there..