Green Leaf Guest House

Green Leaf is perhaps the most, relaxing, lovingly furnished place on this trip so far (NW Indian Himalaya, Nepal & all round Bang since early Sep (now late Oct) and I've stayed at some great places, so a compliment indeed. It's an easy 10-15 min stroll up the main drag from the railway station, a wee oasis set back from college road. If sorely accustomed to the perpetual honking traffic noise & fumes of Bang, this will clear your head & lungs. What is immediately striking is the cute decor, built around bamboo/rattan furniture, quirky ornaments, a breath of fresh air. My room was small & simply fan-cooled, but not in any way claustrophobic. There had been a nationwide WiFi outage but, once restored, was fine. Ashik is a character. He kept forgetting my name, calling me Axl or something, so please please wind him up & call him Ishak or Akiss. He will instantly grin & accuse you of talking to the Crazy Scotsman! He can arrange good value local tours while in the area (I suggest 2 or 3 nights, recharge your batteries, before braving the chest assault of Dhaka or Chittagong (or, to a lesser extent, Sylhet). But you can easily get a bus to Lawachara Nature Reserve, the main nearby attraction apart from the heffalump in the room: Tea Estates. Hoolock Gibbons are amazing creatures, easily watched in the trees just by the entrance. Also try the Seven Layer Tea (much more delicious than I expected). Lawachara has various renditions of spelling, as does Srimangal. Srimangal's a pleasant little town to stroll around: grab this rarity while you can in Bang. Not unique: Puthia, with its adorable temple/palace complex, near Rajshahi in the west, for example; but Srimangal's got a bit more to it, between one-horse/buffalo villages & small traffic-choked towns: a good balance. Friendly folk, aye interested in saying hello to the rare johnny foreigner, but this is Bang all over. You need energy to cope with the irrepressible bonhomie, but oh boys oh boys is it worth it. For all Bang's undeniable problems, lasting memories will be those human interactions, bringing a reminiscent smile. Oh, and try Agra Restaurant, just round the corner: great nosh; great service. Thanks Akiss (hee-hee-hee)