We had the opportunity to take a tour of the Bangladesh Parliament building yesterday, but could only take photos from outside. While we had a good hour and a half to two hours inside, setting a leisurely pace compared with passed visits, it felt like a very rushed visit. I could have sketched inside for... Continue Reading →
Yesterday we visited a garment factory shipping a relatively small batch of clothes to a boutique Italian clothing firm. About a year ago a garment factory collapsed outside of Dhaka near Savar, west of the city. That event marked a surge in interest on the part of the international community and western consumers as to... Continue Reading →
Today we took a bus ride west of Dhaka to the meeting of the Ganges and the Jamuna Rivers, crossing the river by ferry and exploring the ferry town on the other side. Traffic volume and etiquette takes some getting used to. Two lane roads mean three, as a game of chicken plays out as... Continue Reading →
Today was split between a tour of a few neighborhoods in Old Dhaka and attending half of the Asia Cup final between the cricket teams of Pakistan and Sri Lanka. We started out in Shakhari Bazaar, one of the oldest parts of Dhaka and one of the most Hindu. The main street is lined with... Continue Reading →
I didn't get any sleep before my bus up to New York but I sleep incredibly soundly along with most of the other passengers of the full DC to NYC red-eye. It took me a few minutes to remember where I was and where I had to go. The subway trip was long but I... Continue Reading →
In a city as old as Philadelphia there are various clues to be found which illustrate moments or aspects of the cities history. Mostly I notice the decorative metal sheets found near steps and entrances to houses which offer guests the chance to scrape the horseshit off of their boots before entering a home or... Continue Reading →
I have an ongoing interest in trying to "cast" the streets and alleyways of old cities, such as the Casbah of Algiers or the medinas of Ghardaia. Back in 1993 Rachel Whiteread cast the inside of a house in concrete, deconstructing the house around it and letting the concrete stand exposed. (The back story and... Continue Reading →
There is something beautiful and labyrinthine about medieval cities, be they Gothic and Christian or Muslim Medinas. These two examples should not be mistaken for one another, as they both represent unique ways in which culture and religion embed themselves into building patterns and neighborhood forms, I once compared the city of my father's childhood... Continue Reading →
A few high resolution photographs to celebrate the holiday.
Down at the edge of West Philly where University City meets the Schuylkill River two cities exist. The first is a bright world of Penn students power walking across the Walnut Street Bridge to their morning classes. Below them union member park at PennPark and head over to the AFSCME Local 33 building, dodging Postal... Continue Reading →
Adam Achrati 