Cox's Bazar(1) -Burmise Market-

Leaving Chittagong and going through bad condition road for 5 hours....finally came to Cox's Bazar where people say one of the best resorts in Bangladesh.
A JICA volunteer who lives in Cox's Bazar showed me around and took care of me well during my stay.
Every time someone comes, he shows them around Cox's bazar and takes restaurant...e.t.c.....so he is kind of professional.

Let's start with Burmise market.
Many products from Myanmar are available in Cox's Bazar, especially at Burmise market.
There are products of hill area tribes too.
The market is quite different from Bangladshi markets.
Very unique.

Design and taste are different.

 

It looks nice....but people may stare at me if I wear it in Dhaka.

This is a shop which sells snacks from Myanmar.
You will find many interesting things.

Guess what it is?

Pickles of "tree".
Tree?
Yes, tree.......tree, which is plant.
It was...........sour.

I bought small packages of nuts for souvenir.
It is very hard but tasty.
Why don't you get some for souvenir or for your jaw exercise?

One more thing you have to try in Cox's Bazar is Burmise noodle.
However, it is available at specific places where you won't find by yourself.
A bit difficult to explain direction, but try to give direction here.....

At first, go to Burmise market by main road.
If you come from main city, you will find a path before bus station on your left side.
(the beginning of Burmise market)

 

Right side is as below picture shows.

 

Turn left, go straight.
There is a gate at the end of the road.

Then, go through the gate.....you will find Burmise noodle place at the corner of garden.

There are 2 kinds of noodles.
One with soup and one without soup.
I and the volunteer ordered different kinds.

This is soup.
Broth is made from fish....

 This is one with soup.(20tk)

It doesn't taste "Bangladesh".
Not spicy, but very mild taste with tasty fish soup.

Another is without soup(25tk).
Noodle is mixed with sauce, served with the soup.

I liked the one without soup more.
Noodle with sauce was good, and I liked texture too.
I wish it was available in Dhaka......then I would have eaten everyday.(till I am bored, maybe)

Most of Japanese love this noodle, but him.
However every time someone comes to Cox's Bazar, he takes them to this place and eats noodle together.
So he has it quite often.
Thank you for accompanying me!

Burmise market where you can find different taste of Bangladesh...let's enjoy unique atmosphere.

Source (by Prokritee)

This time I introduce a gift shop which a fair trade Bangladesh handicrafts organization, Prokritee operates.
The name of gift shop is "Source".

Prokritee means "nature" in Bengali.
They manages 8 Handicraft Enterprises and help mainly village women to sell their products.
Especially famous for papers.

A paper costs 35-50tk.
These papers are so beautiful.

Besides papers, there are notebooks which were made of colorful papers.
Gift cards are also plenty.

The one I got for 50tk.
The baby chick was telling me to bring her with me.

Body is made of Bangla newspaper.
Bangladeshi people seem to think using newpaper isn't beautiful, but it is very good design and interesting for foreigner. 

Fabrics are also famous at Prokritee.

Batik costs around 250tk/gose(=36in/3ft).
Simple fabric costs 140-150tk./gose.

I didn't know much about fabrics, but this is Batik.



 

There are 3 pieces and sarees.
Sarree is 1500-3000tk.
Not so cheap, but I like design.

Except paper and fabrics, there are candles, "nokushi", soap, and many kinds of handicrafts.

 

When I visited there, I was supposed to get gift for a friend.
Scarf, bag, and a card.  

Then, wrapped with a paper.
Doesn't it look lovely?

I often have problem where to find gift and suvenior.
Source is one of the places you can visit.

<Source>
Address : #1/1, Asad Gate Road, Block-A, Mohammadpur, Dhaka
Tel : 9119135,9116461
Mail : source@prokritee.com
Webpage : http://www.prokritee.com/

Dhaka International Trade Fair 2014

Dhaka International Trade Fair 2014 has started on January 11, a little delayed because of general election and political instability.
However, this big annual event could start!

I heard it was the big fair, and it was.

I bought ticket and went through the gate.

 

It was larger place than I expected.
There are 471 stalls and pavilions(28 is foreign stalls from 12 countries).
Electronic company, funiture, interior goods, cloth and shoes, carpet, food (ica cream, daily products, snacks, noodle....)...there were a lots of pavilions.
As for foreign country, I found Thailand, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India and so on. 

For example, there is a instant noodle company I often see...

Snack company I often see.....

The biggest NGO in the world, "Brac" has one.
They sell not only cloth and craft items, but also milk and frozen food products.

Of course, there is a lot of stalls for cloth.
It was easier for me to do shopping because I didn't need to ask staff to open and show clothes every time I am interested.
(At bazaar, clothes are piled and customer can't see by themselves)
In addition, price was written!
So much easier.

I got fabrics for 2 clothes.
One costs 350tk and one 700tk. Good price.

For men....suit?

I understand they sell fabrics, not pants........but still the manikin is too weird.
Isn't he?

I don't know why, but there is a post office.
Staffs sit and are bored with no customer.
However, you can get Bangladeshi stamps here.

 

There are some attractions for kids.

This train runs faster than we expected.
I am not sure if going around and around and around the small place can be much fun, but it seemed so.
"Dremon" , Japanese anime character is popular in Bangladesh.
The face seems something different.....but doesn't matter.
Kids seemed enjoying.

There was even 3D theater.

I entered with my friends.
The movie was something like the one I saw in Disney Land.
The most interesting was......Bangladeshi audience.
Kids tried to catch images, people cheered or screamed.
30tk is worth paying for this 15 minutes short theater 30tk, I think.

However, many of pavilion were still under construction.

I wonder.......
They must know when it starts.
Why didn't they prepare in advance to start in time?

Unfortunately, I know the answer.
Because this is Bangladesh.
So, I recommend visiting not right after fair starts, but a bit later.

We visited around noon, but more and more people were coming when we were leaving.
If you want to enjoy with less people, better to go in the morning.
 

Place:Bangabandhu International Conference Centre

Term:Jan.11, 2014- Feb.11, 2014
Time:10:00 a.m-10:00 p.m
Entrance fee：30tk(20tk for children)
Webpage：http://www.ditf-epb.gov.bd/

Grameen UNIQLO

Japanese popular clothing store, UNIQLO opened as
Grameen UNIQLO in Bangladesh on July 5th.
The new was widely picked up by media in Japan.
2 stores in Dhaka in"New Elephant Road" and "Banasree".

I visited the day a store in Banasree in opening day.
Found store,

I felt the store was small because I used to see big stores in Japan.
But inside was crowded.

There are even "Panjabi", Bangladesh cloth for men!
Panjabi at UNIQLO......interesting.
I want to get one as souvenir......but what to do with it?
Ummmmm.....

Staffs speak fine English, and I can tell UNIQLO cares service to customers.
Yes, "service" is important.
In Japan, things are expensive, but you will get good service for free.

The price isn't high, but not really low thinking of prices in Bangladesh.
Price range 190tk-1190tk.
I didn't mean to buy, but .....


I also got an amenity bag, accidentally both black...

T-shirt for 350tk.

It is actually for men, but I got small size because I like the design.

By the way........
I like this paper bag.
Because, the handle is long.
Or let me say, the handle is NORMAL.

 Somehow.....the handle in Bangladesh is often too short.

Products for women are limited, but quality is good, I can say.
Take a look at talked-about store, Grameen UNIQLO if you come to Dhaka.

 

------------------------------
Grameen UNIQLO
http://www.grameenuniqlo.com/jp/
New Elephant Road
First Floor,
234/2, New Elephant Road (Dr. Kudrat E Khuda Road), Dhaka
Banasree
Ground Floor,
41/8 Block C, Banasree, Rampura, Dhaka