Monday, February 22, 2010

At the Book Fair (Ekushey Boi Mela)

Dhaka's largest book fair - Boi Mela in Bengali - happens every February to coincide with February 21st, the Language Day.

Some came alone to the Boi Mela...



...but many waited in line with friends...



...and of course someone had to bring the books :-(



There were many kinds of bookstalls, from the picturesque...



...to the decisively child-friendly...



... the downright mysterious...



... and the profitable.



Most kids had a blast. While some showed off new treasures...



... others seemed to enter magical storylands...



....as Mommy and son discussed a possible acquisition.



Some kids probably found the whole thing overwhelming...



...and wished they were on top of the world...



...or playing peekaboo with the photographer!



And how about the adults? Well, books were not on the mind of some adults...



...while others seemed just a little lost.



Elsewhere, friends shared a joke...



... and discussed a hot topic, or maybe a pretty girl?



But still... Boi Mela is about the books, after all...



...and while some people's choices raised questions...



...most went home happy with their booty...



...except of course those who just could not wait!



[Updated on Feb 25 with two new photos...]

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Signs of Love

The Daily Star ran my Valentine's Day photo spread today.