Cox's Bazar -Others-

Even though I have lived in Bangladesh for 1.5 years, I still find something new especially when I go out from Dhaka.
What did I find this time in Cox's Bazar??

1. Seafood fry
City with ocean!

From evening, stall keepers start frying sea food.....like crab, fish e.t.c.

I so wanted to try......but unfortunately, I didn't have space for fried stuff at that time.
Ummmm...next time.

2. Snack stall for breakfast
I have passed there.....around 9am, I think.
However, snacks weren't ready.......(I expected something inside the pot, but nothing)

What is impressive about this stall?
He (will) have pasteries, boiled eggs, and tea.....so your breakfast will be completed!
In Bangladesh, people often sell only one item....but here everything at a stall.
Very reasonable, isn't it?

3. Parata stand

He is preparing Parata......and when it's done, hangs it.
In Dhaka, I see  people throwing fried parata on big plate and make a pile.
In this way, parata must stay better!

3.

 

 

 

By accident, I found something was fried.

In 2 kinds of shapes and sizes.

Fried bread with simple sweet taste.
Especially when it has just fried and you have it, it will melt in your mouth.
Only 5tk for a small piece!
I hope I found it in Dhaka.....!

It is always very exciting to find something new on the way of my trip :)
Thank you for reading Chittagong & Cox's Bazar trip!
 

Cox's Bazar(7) -Fisherman's village-

I will introduce fisherman's village in Cox's bazar.
If you ask Bangladeshi, they would say "there is nothing special to see", but it was interesting for me.
You can see processing dried fish.

The name of village is Shomoti Pala.
It takes about 20 minutes from Cox's Bazar city.
It is a short ride, but road wasn't good.....so keep it in your mind.

As I arrived, I found the villege half into water....
Let’s walk on the wall.

Oh, no wall.......

Then, take off shoes and walk into water.
Are kids going to go to school?

Passing through village, you will find natural beach.

On the beach, village people catch fishes or sit together. 

They are picking shrimp's baby and sell shrimp farm.

If you are interested in dried fish precessing, you have to go further into village.
I waited for a while and caught Auto which sometimes passes.

I came to a small beach.
There were some ships.
A fisherman told me that I could have seen many ships if I came earlier. They are now on the ocean to catch fishes.

A lot of fishes were carried...

Women prepared fished to hang.
There were fish, fish, fish and fish.

Finally found dried fish!!

Placed on table or hung.

It was worth coming to see.
A looooooot of fishes hung is very interesting scenery.
Atmosphere is quite different from Cox's Bazar city. It is really fisherman's village.
It is not easy to reach the place, but you will be able to manage somehow.
It will be interesting expereience.

Cox's Bazar(6) -Ramu Village-

Ramu is a small village 30 minutes from Cox's Bazar by bus.
Many Rakhain people lives there and there are many Buddhist temples.
I visited to see Buddhist temples and sleeping Buddha.
 
Bus to Ramu starts from Burmise market.
On the bus, I found people looks a little different.....more like us, Japanese.
 
After about 30 minutes, I got off at bazar.
OK, let's ask people the way......but then, I found.
 
I couldn't understand what they were telling!!
 
It was certainly Bengali, but different accent from Dhaka Bengali.
People understand my Bengali, but I don't understand their Bengali.
I was saying like
"sleeping Buddha!"
"Big temple!"
"Famous!"
Then, people got me bus.
 
If you arrive from Cox's Bazar, turn left and take auto.
It takes about 20 minutes.(I don't really remember)
Getting off Auto, you have to walk 10 minutes to the temple.
It was nice walking with blue sky and green field.

Then, suddenly I found Buddha statue!
I was surprised because it was bigger than I expected.

It's very new temple.(built in 2002)

 
Woow, it's quite nice especially with blue sky!

I didn't expect much, but it was good surprise.
 
Later I came back to the bazar and visited 2 temples.
Those two are in walking distance.
The first one.

The second one.

Both new and beautiful.
There were not only local Buddhist people, but also tourists who seems Muslims.
Surprised.

If you have enough time in Cox's Bazar, make a short trip to Ramu.
Temple (especially the first one) is worth visiting.

Cox's Bazar(5) -Himchori & Inani-

30 minutes from Cox's Bazar, Himchori is the place you can see waterfall which is very rare in Bangladesh.
(Most of land in Bangladesh is flat)

Entrance fee is 150tk for foreigner.
Get ticket, and go up stairs.

Keep going......

You will find nice view on the way up.
Then, go up more!

From the top of hill, you will find a small souvenir shop and cucumber stall.
How about cucumber with view of beach? 

I met a Bangladeshi couple who traveled from Dhaka.
The guy have been to Japan for Cricket game, and we talked with eating cucumber.
(I usually don't eat at cucumber stall....but it was good after exercise which means going up stairs!)
By the way....he said he couldn't eat Japanese food so survived with only fruits and yoghurt drink for a week.
Later, Bangladeshi staff arrived and cooked curry....ummmm.

By the way......where is waterfall?

"Not here. It's near entrance."
"wow.."

But it was worth coming up to hill.
I went down and down, found waterfall.

It was Sma............ll, to be honest.

Bangladeshi people was having fun with waterfall, taking pictures.

Even under waterfall!

Will it be his facebook picture?
Maybe.

Then, I continue my way to Inani Beach where coral stones are found.
Picture is dark because of weather.....

But with sun light, beautiful.

There were boys collecting shells.
I haven't noticed, but there were a lot.

Boys collect shells to make jewelry or sell itself.
They picked up beautiful ones and gave me.
Though I know I won't use it or won't bring to Japan, I brought shells to home because smile of boys was so lovely.  

Short trip from Cox's Bazar, enjoy a little different kind of beach.

Cox's Bazar(4) -Surfing-

City with the natural longest beach, Cox's Bazar.......how about trying surfing?

I got to know the first person who started surfing in Bangladesh through a volunteer who lives in Cox's Bazar.
His name is Jafar Alam. 
(Bring photos from his facebook.......of course with permission)

How did he meet surfing?
An Australian surfer said that he would sell a surf board to Jafar for $200.
Jafar had no idea about dollar, and said that he would give him 2000tk($20).
Eventually, he got it for 2000tk.

However.....he didn't know how to use it.
He didn't know wax, leash and other things to be used together.

But anyway, he kept surfing.
After 3 years, he watched a surfer standing on the board on TV.
It made a big impact on him.
He struggled to do it, but it was difficult without wax.
It took another 3 years to know about wax.

He kept going, and one day he got chance to go abroad with support of Christian missionary from Hawaii.
He went to Bali, Hawaii, Australia.....and did surfing.

Now he is in Bangladesh, trying his best to promote surfing.
He teaches local kids, run a surfshop, work as an instructor.

The volunteer said people could stand on board quite soon when Jafar teaches.
- 1 day board rental with full day lesson(1,500tk)
- 1 day board rental(1,000tk)

You can't imagine how cheap it is compared to other countries.
Full day lesson for 1,500tk seems a good deal.
He also has package.

- 1 night 2 days for 2 persons(5,000tk)
- 2 nights 3 days for 2 persons(7,000tk)

Include: surfing lesson with board rental, accomodation, airport pickup, day trip to Moheshkhali island/safari park/uninhibited island on request..
Details → http://surfingbangladesh.com/surfing-package/

If you want to find Jafar....
1). Go to Long Beach Hotel, said "Jafar!!".
      Someone will contact him and bring him.
2). Visit his office
      Address: Dokkin Bahar Chara, Cox's Bazar

In his office, there are many surf board.
However, board is not available in Bangladesh.
(Ingredient to make board is also not available)
People donated, or left it when he left Bangladesh.

Jafar really loves loves loves surfing and has passion to promote Cox's bazar as "surf city".

If you go to Cox's Bazar, I recommend to visit him.

<Contact>
Jafar Alam
Tel: 01715-729777
E-mail: surfingbangladesh@yahoo.com
Webpage: http://surfingbangladesh.com/

 



Cox's Bazar(3) -Poushee-

There is a restaurant a volunteer who lives in Cox's bazar regularly goes.
It is like his dining and was mine too while my stay in Cox's bazar.

It is a Bengal food restaurant.
Go through curtain, quite a big space there.

Wash your hands, and take a seat.
Staff will bring plate, hot water, and lemon.
He will pour hot water to plate, then you wash it with lemon.
Feeling clean?

Bhorta (mashed vegetables/fish with spices) is famous in this restaurant.
"assorted" Bhorta.

There were tomato, okra, dried fish, potato, bitter gourd, eggplant, beans, e.t.c....
I have never seen this much of kinds.

Then, Rupchanda fry again.
(somehow cut into 3 pieces....)

What's special in Poushee is complementary dishes.
We only ordered Bhorta plate, Rupchanda fry, and beef curry.
Then, got this much.

Salad, pickle, daar, something with tomato and onion.
These could make me full!!
All these dishes cost 750tk for 2 people.
I tried my best, but I was still too far to finish all the dishes.

And.......later fried potato came.

For some reason, with beef curry.
But the potato was good.

Another day.
I went to Poushee for breakfast because I heard chicken soup in the morning was very good.

So, this is the chicken soup and parata!

Huge parata....

 

The soup is a bit like green curry in Thailand.
Maybe coconut makes me feel so.

I ate about 60% of parata and almost finished soup.
I thought I would leave parata because the oil could make me feel sick later.
When I was about to finish, a staff quickly took away the dish, filled soup again.

So....
Of course, I finished the soup and parata.
I liked the soup very much.
Soup was 70tk, and parata was 10tk.....as I remember.


One another day.
I heard their Biriyani was also really good and the volunteer's friend praised it to the skies!
So, I went to Poushee again before my flight.
(My flight was 2pm. Lunch menu starts from 12pm....I went there at 11:45am, but they served soon)

I straightly went to a table without washing hands because I had heard hot water to wash hands would be given when you ordered Biriyani.
But why only when Biriyani??

This is chicken Biriyani.

Served with sauce, pickle, and again something with onion and tomato.
Yes, it was veeeery good.
You can smell the scent....and rice tasted good with nuts and fried onions.
150tk for a plate. (Unfortunately, they don't have half-size)

How about dessert??
I like Bangladeshi pudding.
Unlike other Bangladeshi sweet, pudding isn't usually so sweet.
Very smooth texture with simple taste of eggs, milk and sugar.

It doesn't look so big, but it was.
40tk per piece.

The volunteer said he would not be bored even though he ate here 3 days in a row.
I understand.

Pouchee Restaurant
Address: Muktijoddha Shoroni(Sayman road), Jhautola, Cox's bazaar
Tel: 0341-62343,01819-537370