Soaked in the rain, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa walked into the Prothom Alo office accompanied by elder brother Tashi Lama and Bangladeshi Everest summiteer Ikramul Hasan Shakil. They had just come from an event at the Nepalese embassy in Dhaka and arrived in Karwan Bazar in the rain. How does Tashi, a native of the cool Himalayan climate, feel about rainy, muddy Dhaka?

When asked, he replied, "At first, the heat, the rain, and the wind—all of it felt very different. But now, none of that matters. What has touched me more than the weather is the warmth and hospitality of the people."

And what else?

He looked around and said with a smile, "Alu bhorta!"

Alu bhorta? The spicy mashed potato dish?

"I’ve tried many dishes, but I liked alu bhorta the most."

Hearing his younger brother Gyalzen mention alu bhorta, Tashi Lama chuckled. Shakil added, "Yesterday (14 July), I took them to our village in Gazipur. They really enjoyed walking around and exploring the area."