Tom’s Web Diary

For those who do not know me or about me I would just like to explain to you who I am and what I am. My name is Thomas but almost always called just Tom. I live in a small village in Yorkshire called Kellington; thus my e-mail address is Thomas of Kellington or just “tomokell”. I am of mature years, in fact a silver surfer, but not quite a wrinkley. I have worked as a maintenance fitter in the heavy industry al my working life. At present I am employed as a mechanical maintenance fitter in the food industry. I intend to put some of my experiences on a ongoing web page and I will call it my “tomslog”this will form a web diary. Over the last few months certain events have happened which has made me think of things that happened many years ago. I will try to put these on the site with a short explanation and some information about it.
The next topic will be "Cox's Bazar" Try to think of what this this conjures up in your mind?

Cox’s Bazar
Until a few weeks ago when the terrible disaster in Burma happened I have never thought of Cox’s Bazar for many years. My father was in the RAF and stationed in the Far East during the last war. He recalled to me many amusing stories about his time there. One was about Cox’s Baxar.
My idea of this exotic sounding place has been ingrained in my distant memory. Long narrow streets with merchants, in long flowing colourful gowns and hats with tassels, selling brass long spouted jugs, figs on circular plates, trades men sitting cross legged making sandals and behind him racks of newly made sandals tied together with string, rugs of all colours and designs and local farmers with goats for sale. The smell of oriental spices drifting into local cafés, in which tradesmen sipped coffee from small cups and silver slavered waiters hovered waiting for the customer’s next request.
But what and where is Cox’s Bazar? Well it is located 150 km south of Chittagong along the Bay of Bengal in South Eastern Bangladesh. It has also been known by the name "Panowa", the literal translation of which means "yellow flower". Its other old name was "Palongkee". The modern Cox's Bazar derives its name from a British East India Company officer called Captain Hiram Cox who died 1798. He dealt with a long going conflict between the Arakan refugees & local Rakhains at Palonki.
Cox's Bazar town now is a small port and health resort. It is mostly famous for its long natural sandy beach, a centre for the tourist industry for both international and Bangladeshi holidaymakers.
 
My boyhood idea of this far away place is much different to the modern day Cox’s Bazar.
It’s very easy to form an opinion about somewhere or someone without knowing about where it is or who they are.

 

Darwin