Living in Sri Lanka

The need to get away

2012-01-22T22:11:00.004+05:30

We all feel it sometimes. The need to get away..to escape. The village, town, city or even country we live in gets too small and begins to squeeze the life out of us. To suffocate us. It's no different here obviously. Even though 'here' is the release for a lot of people. To us, and others who live here, the squeeze can get too tight.

So the need for travel erupts and off we go. In the last few days we have been all over the world. To Jerusalem with Simon Sebag Montefiore; to Gaza with Dr Izzeldin Abuelaish; we have explored the universe with Richard Dawkins; to Sierra Leone with Aminatta Forna. Along the way we feasted on recipes from Josceline Dimbleby and David Thompson and were entertained by DBC Pierre and Tom Stoppard.

I am referring to the Literary Festival
Simply put, if you were not here you missed out.

It is spoiling to say the least that when the need to travel emerges...such as it did after a busy few weeks preparing for the Christmas and New Year madness...we can travel the universe within a few paces.

A new dawn

2012-01-05T08:50:00.007+05:30

Hi...not only is this the start of 2012...the year the Mayan calendar comes to an end drawing to a close one 'age' allowing another to be born...but it is also what i hope to be the first of regular updates of my blog. Perhaps the birth of the new age might be a touch more significant than my blogging but none the less I hope there is a little amusement along the way.

Actually on the subject of new beginnings the picture below shows what might be the start of one for Galle.

In a suggestion of what is to come for this wonderful sleepy historic town the 'blue rinse' brigade arrives searching for trinkets. Of course it will change things...but the old ways will never completely fade.

Meanwhile closer to home...in fact at home...a friendly peahen continues to taunt Bifta..our rottweiler cross...on her morning stroll across the roof tops of the Fort.

Before coming to Sri Lanka I thought Peahens, and their more colourful beaus, only ever lived in parks and royal gardens. However in Sri Lanka the 'blue' peafowl abounds and whilst the national bird is a Gallus Lafayetti Jungle fowl, an image of a peafowl adorns the national carrier.

And with that the first day of Jan 2012 comes to an end...

...with a spectacular sunset.

Roads

2011-03-12T13:10:00.004+05:30

Staying on the driving theme...or shifting gear to a road one...there is much talk in Galle and indeed the whole country ..well southern part of it anyway...about the new highway due to open in June / July. Here is a photo of a section close to Galle.

Actually this is in fact the Galle exit...the highway proper is another two km inland but an honest Policeman in a newly installed Police hut would not let me on it. Apart from the obvious lack of white lines I think you'll agree it looks pretty good. Once completed it will cut the journey time from Colombo to just over 1 hour.

A few moments later I came across this flyover

In fact I had to scramble up to it and at the moment it looks more like the bridge in Alaska that lent the world so much confidence in Sarah Palin. However whilst this fly over will not be ready in June / July the President has said a section of the highway will be. So it will.

The highway is not the only road being built / upgraded. The main road leading into Galle is also being widened and is nearing the final stages.

You may note where the buildings have had their 'front room' shaved. Whilst nothing will stand in the way of progress there are two aspects that cause most concerned frowning. One - the four lanes leading into town narrow rather abruptly to two just outside the railway station. Hundreds of commuters spill out and Sri Lankan drivers are to pedestrians as predators are to their prey.

To call some yellow painted bars across a road a 'pedestrian crossing' is, in SL, to confuse the right of way. A 'take your life in your own hands crossing' would perhaps give a better understanding.

Two - has anyone thought about how many more cars and visitors will come into Galle as a result these developments. Where are they going to park, shop, eat and drink and what effect will it have on congestion and general living conditions? There is bound to have been an impact assessment....I must ask around.

a revelation

2011-03-04T14:34:00.004+05:30

I met a driving instructor the other day. Driving lessons in SL are conducted in groups. i.e there is one driver under instruction whilst the other learners sit in the back, watching and learning - theoretically at least.

Bypassing my obvious question why hand signals were still being taught I instead asked why SL drivers used an indicator (sometimes called 'flicker') to indicate the width of the vehicle rather than direction of travel. Indicators will be flicked when the road narrows - or, as is often the case, when two or more cars are abreast and heading into oncoming traffic - to show the edge of the vehicle and as such allow evasion action to be taken.

Why is this done? when the edge of the vehicle was painfully obvious...I asked.

Without hesitation he answered "Because those drivers have no brain".

So there it is. Confirmed by a master of driving instruction. SL drivers who use their indicator to indicate how wide their vehicle is are brainless. I kind of thought this anyway but it's always good to have one's understanding confirmed by those who know better.

Galle Literary Festival 2011

2011-01-30T14:15:00.003+05:30

The excellent literary festival was this year brought to a close with a 'conversation' between Jung Chang and her husband Jon Halliday talking about their weighty biography on Mao. A man responsible for more deaths of his own people than were killed in the two world wars combined, yet his portrait still rules over Tianamen Square whilst 'Wild Swans' - Jung Chang's book about her Grandmother's ,Mother's, and her life under Mao - remains banned. Go figure!

We were lucky enough to host a well attended dinner at No 10 (our home in Galle) for them both as well as a packed out lunch for another literary giant..Candace Bushnell. Most famous for introducing the world to Carrie Bradshaw she was asked about how much the TV and movie versions of 'Sex and the City' affected her. 'Not much..you (the audience) think it is everything about me but actually it is one book out of my five and was written 11 years ago'.

These hugely successful and influential writers were joined by the likes of Louis de Bernieres, Charles Allen, Sarah Durant, William Fiennes and many more.

It was the best festival yet and you can see all the details on www.galleliteraryfestival.com

Many thanks and congratulations to the organisers....and this time next year is already in my diary.

2011

2011-01-27T16:12:00.004+05:30

Hi, so sorry I have been absent. The new year started as always in Sri Lanka with school running races. Starting early to avoid the heat of the brilliant sunshine which begins to burn down from about 8am, school children of all ages compete in road races.

I took this picture on the main Galle to Matara Road just before 8 o'clock. The boy, running barefoot, who could only have been 9 years old was being chased by his mates on bicycles carrying bottles of water that they occasionally emptied on him. Traffic is not stopped so the cyclists second task is to keep their friend from being run down.
From the interest..or lack of it..of the sari clad lady walking by taking her child to school you would think there are races every day but whilst they are taken seriously there are not that common. Perhaps she was also more concerned about the traffic.

Heading into Tangalla..the town about 80km down the coast from Galle where the President hails from and in addition to that claim to fame Tangalla is also well know for its secluded bays; crystal clear waters; soft sandy beaches and fishermen....I stopped on a beach just outside the town.
The fishing industry, that was so decimated in the 2004 tsunami, is made up of several different sized boats. The larger ones use the several ports up and down the coast but the fishermen in this and smaller ones simply come and park on the beach in front of where they live.

Whilst I was walking I saw these guys come ashore by charging, full throttle, head first into the beach. The skipper pulled up the engine at the last second and the boat carved its way to a rapid halt. The men jumped out and started shouting at me 'you want fish?', in response I gave a head waggle which on this occasion I wanted to translate as 'no' and stood watching. The noise of the motor blades spinning out of water had obviously alerted other fishermen near by who came out from the palm tree covered fringe of the beach like an army appearing over the brow of a hill. Not a large army mind you but just enough to help heave the massive boat high up the sand.

Rubber

2010-10-18T11:14:00.002+05:30

Walked through a beautiful rubber plantation near Galle the other day.

In 1876, Henry Wickham gathered thousands of para rubber tree seeds from Brazil, and once germinated in Kew Gardens, the seedlings were then sent to Sri Lanka and other parts of the Brit Empire.

A half shell of coconut is used as the collection container for the latex that drips into it over a galvanised "spout" knocked into the bark - you can just see this in the pic. 'Tapping' normally takes place early in the morning, when the internal pressure of the tree is highest, and a good tapper can tap between 450 and 650 trees per day.

The trees will drip latex for about four hours, stopping when the latex coagulates naturally on the tapping cut, thus blocking the latex tubes in the bark.

SL is the world's 6th largest exporter sending products such as hoses, tubes, conveyer belts, auto parts and solid tyres, while latex based products include industrial household, medical and surgical gloves and rubber thread and general rubber products include door mats, rubber bands, sports goods, footwear and footwear components to Europe and America.

On the drive back into Galle I saw another London route master.

Milgro is a milk powder produced in NZ and widely sold here. The milk powder market is competitive in SL and Milgro offer a scratch card game with prizes of DVD players, Mobile phones and a Toyota Corolla. Must be good milk.....

Galle Literary Festival

2010-10-10T20:14:00.003+05:30

Just read the list of participants coming to the Galle Lit Fest next year. They include such international stars as:
Jung Chang
Her award-winning biography Wild Swans (1991) was an international bestseller.

Kiran Desai
Her first novel, Hullabaloo in the Guava Orchard (1998) won a 1998 Betty Trask Award, and her second novel, The Inheritance of Loss (2006), set in the mid 1980s in a Himalayan village, won the 2006 Man Booker Prize for Fiction.

as well as local Sri Lankan talent such as:

Ayathurai Santhan
two time winner of the Sri Lankan State Literary Award, for writings in Tamil (1975) and in English (2000).

and many more. Check out the festival website
and get here.

Since the last one...

2010-09-03T19:45:00.030+05:30

I do apologise to those of you who spare the time to glance at my 'posts' for them being so few and far between. The truth is that I never have been that good at keeping a diary and add to this the backlog of possible posts due to the abundant variety when living here I get over whelmed. Like a thank you letter that gets left until tomorrow and then the next day I retreat into embarrassed silence hoping it will write itself. So, apologies...I will try and post more frequently.

To get over the embarrassment this time I have decided to simply post a photographic diary of all that I have seen in the last month. Well not all....but some.

We left the heat of A Bay where everyone seeks out a cool spot

The drive back must be done in daylight as close to A Bay the road cuts through an elephant corridor and although during the day the pachyderms remain in the distance at night when drivers don't dip headlights, they have been known to take matters into their own feet.

A little further along and there is clear evidence of Chinese aid...

Hambantota is the location of the deep sea water port that the Government hopes will attract some of the 70,000 ships that pass by here annually. It has been funded largely by China and the tap was turned on at the end of last month. This donation pushes the Chinese to be SL's largest donor with further aid flowing in for roads, railways, a power station and an international airport.

The following week I was walking through a village and came across this Chicken farm. This village farmer sells the eggs locally for about Rs11 (about 6p) and was doing brisk trade as it was during the Muslim daylight fasting month of Ramadan when a lot of sweet foods get prepared for the night time feasting.
The farmer look quizzically, and then laughed as though I was mad when I asked about whether the chickens were free range. I will spare you the 'killing shed' but trust me....only veg from now on!

Then to Kandy and the golden Temple of The Tooth....

According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father's kingdom in India.

It immediately became an object of great reverence and was enshrined in a series of nested jeweled reliquaries. The tooth was brought out for special occasions and paraded on the backs of elephants, which takes place to this day in August. It has survived numerous attempts to capture and destroy it, most recently in 1998 by the LTTE. The relic is kept in a two-story inner shrine fronted by two large elephant tusks and rests on a solid gold lotus flower, encased in jeweled caskets that sit on a throne.

Another sight in Kandy was of the iconic London Routemaster. Ever wonder where they went? Now you know....ploughing the streets of London for nearly half a century they continue to spread their charm in Kandy.

After the heat, dust and frankly chaotic traffic of Kandy I retreated to stay with a friend who has a small house on a river...

...where he grows vanilla pods..

...and enjoys views of the Knuckles range from the top of his hill.

Leaving nature's warm embrace I went to Victoria Golf Club that has just been voted as the Best Golf Course on the Sub - Continent for the second time by Asian Golf Monthly Magazine.

and finally 5 weeks after leaving A Bay I took some friends to my favourite Temple at Yattagala a few km from Galle..

that has stunning views over the country side..

and where we nearly walked into this guy.

Arugam Bay

2010-08-27T09:43:00.008+05:30

Arugam Bay (A Bay) is renown as one of the world's top 10 surf spots but is perhaps less well known for this tree.

Probably the most photographed in the country there is no apparent reason why it might have grown this way.

Ok back to surfing....

The above pic was taken at The Point...not of me (dream on!) and not by me...which is the main break. It is a long right-hand point/reef break that breaks at the headland from anything between 2 and 6 feet but tends to max out after 6 foot.

Another break is Pottuvil Point...a 15 min tuk tuk ride from A Bay. It is every surfers dream tropical wave. A clean right hand break rolling across the bay towards a long deserted sandy beach dotted with some huge boulders at the waters edge.

The next most popular is Peanut Farm...the waves were not clean this day but Nico, on the right, was able to ride some..

It is yet another of those dream bays... crescent shape; soft white sand, warm seas...and mostly deserted. This pic taken as the sun was beginning to call time...

and the day ends with a drive back to A Bay thru paddy fields.

As the season on the east runs from May - Sept it is the perfect location to escape those ridiculously over crowded and over priced beaches of Bali for some summer surf. See you there in 0 11.

It is cricket

2010-08-09T18:09:00.001+05:30

In New Zealand it's rugby; in China it's table tennis; in USA it's basketball; in Germany it's the rush to get the best sun lounger and in the UK it's teenage binge drinking. But in SL the undisputed king of everyone's spare time, devotion and concern is cricket. Even the recent football World Cup lost air time to some regional cricket match and now that money..loads of it...is pouring into the India Premier League and 20/20 versions of the game I will find it impossible to see any of the 6 Nations.

The above pic is taken of the square just outside our house in the 350 year old Dutch Fort of Galle. The arches behind the trees in the background hide the High Court in which I have stood, before the Judge, on several occasions...although I will share those stories later. Mostly he has better things to do.

The square during the week is a car park for lawyers but after 4pm and at weekends it plays host to the Fort League. A collection of rival teams playing with a tennis ball, usually bare foot, for personal satisfaction and pleasure. It is competitive stuff. The picture shows left arm round the wicket. Fielders walking in....batsman poised.

Raja...The King

2010-07-22T16:46:00.004+05:30

In my haste to get my last post on line I made a mistake...several in fact. It was not the last day of the test match..today was...and Murali's career wicket tally did not end on 793...he got his 800th!! He reached the feat by taking the final wicket as the number 11, Pragyan Ojha, edged to slip. A huge cheer went up around the Fort and the Navy reminded us again that they had big guns.

I was also somewhat wrong in stating that the match was a draw..in fact Sri Lanka thrashed India by 10 wickets.

Murali truly is 'The King of Spin'...thankfully I am not referring to some New Labour media wonker here but someone inspiring and truly remarkable. However I have to say that already there are those who disagree..or who want to dampen his achievement. In a curious comment Pranav Soneji, an Indian journalist, said "Muttiah Muralitharan is cricket's equivalent to Marmite"....hmmm?. He does go on to say that "(the) achievement is unlikely to be bettered." So there you have it. Some people like it...others don't but everyone has to respect it.

In my opinion the question 'Where were you when Murali claimed his 800th wicket' will be asked by children...and their children. It'll go down as one of those crowning moments in sport alongside Fred Perry's 1936 win at Wimbledon; England's World Cup win in '66; Ali's Rumble in the jungle; and more recently Lewis Hamilton's crowning in 2008.

There is only one true master

2010-07-20T17:42:00.004+05:30

Returning to SL after a few weeks away we arrived to see the tail end of a test match in Galle. India are here for a test match...a very wet one as it has turned out. After SL's massive 520 (Paranavitana 111, Sangakkarain 103) in the first innings it looks as though it'll be a draw but whilst the usual drum beat bounced around the ground we knew that this match was way more more significant than the usual.

For this is the last test match that the 'master of spin' Muralitharan (Murali as he is affectionately known) will play. Whilst it would seem the rain has prevented him securing 800 wickets...just...he has claimed 793.

Shane Warne, often revered as the best in the world, retired on 708 wickets..a figure that Murali left in his wake a couple of years ago. So whilst a few Aussies might disagree I, and about 20 million Sri Lankans, believe Murali bows out as the world's undisputed king of spin.

As we waited for the end of play the distinct, and irregular 'boom' 'boom' of a cannon could be heard. We faced each other, nervously trying not to think the worst. Not again! Not today! However our concern was shortlived and our breathing returned to normal as we realised the Navy were paying their own tribute to the king.

Sri Lanka's famous tree surgeons

2010-05-29T12:48:00.002+05:30

Each country has its tree surgeons and in SL these specialists scale up the coconut trees with their hands and bare feet. Looped around their feet is coir rope - a rough rope made from the coconut husk - it is probably what your door mat is made from. Leaning back like an abseiler our surgeons hold onto the trunk with their hands and bringing both feet up at once, leap frog up the trunk. There is not a pulley or helmet in sight and they can scale the 70ft (or so) in about 8 'leaps'.

On a leather belt they carry a large knife and once at the top, begin to hack at the nuts and loose branches which dent the soil when they land. Sri Lanka produces over 2 million tonnes of coconut each year - the 5th largest producer in the world.

The Coconut Tree is known as the tree of life as nearly all parts of it are useful - in fact its value in terms of utility cannot be under estimated. For instance the water contains sugar, fiber, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, making it a highly nutritious food source. It is a refreshing drink and is also used in isotonic sports drink...this no doubt explains why it is especially good as a hangover cure.

Whilst a coastline full of swaying coconut palm reaching out to sandy beaches and crystal clear seas is a beautiful sight the one single most important tip I give to all guests is to never, ever, loiter underneath a tree....even for a moment. About 150 people are killed annually by falling nuts. You have been warned!

Elephant trip

2010-02-23T20:24:00.004+05:30

On a recent road trip to stay on a deserted palm fringe beach south of Tangalla we took a detour to the 30,000 hectare game park of Uda Walawa (uder wa lar way) that was created in 1972.

Whilst there are loads of wildlife in the park it is most visited by those wishing to see Elephant. There are about 250 permanently residing in the park with others that migrate from the larger Yala Park depending on the water levels.

Safari in Sri Lanka is a mixed bag of emotions. As with all journeys in this tropical paradise the thought of the trip is almost enough to put you off. But you go for it and after a few bumpy, and life threatening (bus drivers are like Italian drivers on acid), hours later we arrived.

The vehicle of safari is an old land rover with rear seating bizarrely facing inwards. It is constant source of irritation that no one plying this trade might think to actually face the seating the other way to render it all a more comfortable and enjoyable ride.

None the less the sight of the great animals relegates all discomfort to the distant hills.

We also saw several birds of prey such as White-bellied Sea Eagle, Crested Serpent-eagle, and the Grey-headed Fish Eagle. Land birds are in abundance like the Malabar Pied Hornbill and a variety of water birds, including cormorants, the Spot-billed Pelican, Asian Openbill and the Painted Stork.

Truthfully it was well worth it and fun....and actually the thought of a two hour massage to restore my aching back was another joy to look forward to.

Literary dinner

2010-01-30T18:52:00.008+05:30

Events at the festival include Literary lunches and dinners held in private houses in and around the Fort at which invited authors 'sing for their supper.' 'Dinner at No 10' was for 50 in our courtyard. Sudantha - Le Chef de Galle - with a guiding hand from Jo, outdid himself..and we were delighted to have Anthony Beevor and Artemis Cooper - the husband and wife team who coauthored their book, 'Paris'.

"An unsurpassed account of the drama, recrimination and upheaval that overwelmed Paris after 1944"

They spoke about their research and interviews they had conducted with various people from that time including the defense lawyer of Marshal Petain. When asked by Artemis whether time has caused any regrets to surface he responded in disgust that Marshal Petain was a great man. A great French man.

Petain was sentenced to death, commuted to life in prison, and he died in 1951. There were many other gripping stories and Anthony and Artemis were entertaining, amusing, enthralling and we hung on their every word. Luckily it was only questions that later rained down.

It was a 'ticket' event so those trying to 'crash' had to remain on the roof tiles.

The Galle Literary Festival

2010-01-30T18:11:00.004+05:30

The 4th Galle Literary Festival www.galleliteraryfestival.com started yesterday and this year brings such authors as Anthony Beevor; Artemis Cooper; Claire Tomalin; Diren Adebayo; Gillian Slovo; Michele de Kretser; Wendy Cope and many many others. The Galle festival, that Michael Morpurgo called 'the most companionable of all festivals' takes place in and around the Fort and quite honestly I feel nothing other than extremely privileged to be living in a town to which so many gifted and intelligent people come to share their views and stories.

There are side events such as the Ravibandu Vidyapathi Drum Ensemble concert which was a feast of drumming to rival anything at WOMAD; plays that have been performed at the Edinburgh Fringe; and Chamber Music concerts. Several art and photography exhibitions take place in various homes and hotels and the image above shows one taking place in The Fort Printers - a small hotel inside the Fort.

If you ever thought to combine a few days in the sun with some culture, located in an UNESCO world heritage site...where else is there?

It's all bananas...and fish

2010-01-23T21:02:00.007+05:30

Sorry I seem to have been absent for a couple of months...I was still here, mostly, but well, the surf got up; the sun came out; the beach beckoned; Christmas holidays came along and I succumbed to the temptations of putting everything off to tomorrow..and then the next day..and so on.

Getting back on it now I must say that whilst in the UK last week I had the misfortune of having to shop in the pinnacle of the axis of evil.. Tesco. Walking past a bizarre section of plastic wrapped yellow things of identical colour, shape and size calling themselves bananas, I promised I would upload a pic of my local fruit and veg market.

Located on the main street of Galle, called...you guessed it..Main St., behind the flower market and next to the fish market - which is currently being rebuilt following the tsunami of 2004 - sits what is known as the Fruit market.

It consists of about 8 small traders bunched into one side of an old building (the other side is the same number selling flowers). They sell fruit fresh from the local farms or those further away in the hill country - Nuwara Eliya and such places.

Adorning all the stalls like net curtains hang curved branches packed with bananas clinging on like post-its on the computer.

This is what bananas really look like. Please note that none of them are straight and they come, naturally, in different shapes and sizes. Some are not even yellow.

In SL bananas have been enjoyed for over 12,000 years and the oldest book of medicine in the country dating back to 341 BC, 'Saratha Sangrahaya', describes the medicinal properties of various parts of the banana plant. As such the Sri Lankans know they are offering a treat when they proffer a 'kehil'. Some are sweet - the small red ones in particular - and all are delicious.

Quite clearly this fisherman must have been aware that my pictures were going to be shown to those less fortunate than himself because with a smile that said - 'you ain't never seen something like this' (pronunciation is my own) he heaved this huge yellow fin tuna fish onto the slab and set about slicing it up.

A kilo of tuna costs between Rs600 - 700 (GBP3.60 - 4.20). This fish has probably been caught only a few hours before and the chefs of The River Cafe remarked, when they were out here last year, that the 'fish caught to plate' time was, by a long way, far shorter than what they were used to when serving their customers. When Rick Stein was here he probably said that these were the most delicious fish he had ever tasted.

I have added it here to show that not all fishmongers wear silly hats and hair nets.....let alone shirts.

on the lake

2009-11-05T18:59:00.008+05:30

There is a huge lake near Galle caled Koggala and whilst there are motorised boats the normal transport is a dug out. I was being taklen to meet a monk who runs a Temple on an island in the middle. The smile on the monk's face was so serene and he exuded a calmness that was reflective of his surroundings. Impossible not to be 'chilled' when sitting on an island. We stayed there for an hour or so soaking up the atmosphere, smiling - embarassingly my ability to communicate in Sinhala fades into silence after only a few words - and living in the moment.

Rowing, or paddling, back we saw this fisherman gently going about his task calmly casting a line, paddling a few yards and back again. Not sure if he caught anything.

In the afternoon as if to show the diversity of Sri Lanka I was driving down a track a few km inland from Galle and stopped by this paddy field. I love paddy fields. Unusually for a green, the colour of paddy is so inviting and warm. On this occasion a peacock had just landed and was picking at the seeds - you might just be able to see it. This was one of those moments when I wished I was a paparazi with a huge camera lens.

We stood watching this beautful bird until the drizle, turning to a downpour, forced us back into the jeep. The delayed monsoon has arrived..thank goodness. The paddy farmers are happy, the peacocks are happy and so are we as the humidity has dropped significantly.

The fruit n veg man

2009-10-26T18:15:00.001+05:30

Those living in the UK and roughly my age or older will remember the now extinct 'milkman'...soon it would seem to be followed by the Postman.

In our village of Galle Fort...and indeed all villages in Sri Lanka...we have the Fishman; the Prawn-man; for sure we have the Postman. The delivery of post, both here and the UK is incredible really if you think about it. A letter is written and delivered across the world in a matter of days...right up to the door. Amazing.

We also have the Thambili (King Coconut) man and the list goes on and on....

This is a picture of the Fruit n Veg man who pushes his cart around the street shouting 'elolu' (vegetable). My Sinhala, to my shame, is still not good enough after 11 years to enter into the village gossip but there is always a smile during the few exchanges we have.

why rush....

2009-10-18T11:48:00.002+05:30

One of the many wonderful things about living in Sri Lanka is the pace of life. What's that quote...why do tomorrow what can be put off till the next day...
The pace of life here is calm and gentle, and after the hectic world of 'fast this' and 'instant that', it is wonderful to simply take life a little easier.

Not sure where this guy was going in Galle Fort or what he was doing but whatever it was, he was not stressed and showed absolutely no sign of road rage. More tea?

Lunch?

2009-10-10T12:58:00.002+05:30

Selling 'lunch packets' these make shift stalls are everywhere in the towns and cities across the country from morning until all have been sold. When we came here 11 years ago the price was about Rs25.. today they are over Rs100.

You will note the different type of packaging that will indicate whether inside is fish or chicken. Both come with rice of course and a healthy - if you are used to it - dose of enough chilli to blow the hairs off your chest...if you have them or elsewhere if you don't.

Generally...and a massive 'generally'.. Sri Lankans outside of the elite see food as fuel. As such it would not be surprising to learn that the only variety is 'rice and curry' or 'curry and rice' - but of course this refers to 'street food'. Sri Lankan food, as anyone who has recently watched Rick Stein's TV show on Sri Lanka, is in fact a wealth of delicious dishes waiting to be discovered. From RS's web site I copied this outlining his chapter on SL:

Rick Stein visits Sri Lanka and discovers a wealth of hot and spicy vegetable curries. In Colombo he meets Chef Publis, one the country's most respected chefs and tastes an unforgettable chilli crab in a small Tamil eatery. Down in Galle he discovers the delights of tea plantations, buffalo curd and experiences first hand the secrets of making cinnamon. Back at home he creates a delicious cashew nut curry to savour the memories of his time in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankans do not drink when they eat...they drink before, then eat using their right hand - I can vouch all food tastes so much better when feeding by hand - and then leave the table..no long lunches here!

Cinnamon farmer

2009-10-10T12:04:00.002+05:30

When walking with a friend a few km inland from Galle amongst rice paddy fields the beauty and calming influence of which it is impossible for me to convey here, we came across Ranjit.

Born, grew up, and surely one day to pass on from to the next life probably on this very spot, he was sitting like this under some banana trees outside his house peeling cinnamon bark from the stick. The smell of fresh cinnamon is intoxicating and I can almost smell it now filling my nostrils with its warm and exotic embrace.

The house was not large, but quite typical. A couple of hundred sq feet in total, single story with only one or two windows to a) keep cool and b) keep the monsoon out. The kitchen with its wood burning stove (made of 4 bricks on which to place the pot) was in a separate smaller building.

I had to coax Ranjit to look up from his work but the smile is as genuine as they come. I asked how much for a small bundle of cinnamon and he cheerfully responded -'wisi paha' = Rs25 (15p). 'Ekak onee' - literally meaning 'one want' but roughly translated as 'can I have one bundle please'. 'O O' = yes yes.

He came back a minute later with a small bundle of about 10 pieces held together in an elastic band and we exchanged. I handed him Rs50 as I had no change. He took it, smiled and saying how honest he was and that he would not 'cheat' he pocketed it. I looked at him incredulously and asked him to repeat how much the bundle cost. Rs25 he replied. Again he started speaking as though suddenly discovering he could speak for the first time without drawing breath and praised himself for his honesty. All the while he smiled.

All I could do was turn and walk away laughing at my own foolishness...happy with my Rs25 worth of cinnamon for which I had paid Rs50. Of all the times I have been short changed this was the most enjoyable. Next time I need more cinnamon I know where to go.

The 'local'

2009-09-26T13:09:00.003+05:30

Arrived back in Galle having been in the UK a week or two and spent the day allowing jetlag to wash over me at Wijaya with Jo. Affectionately known as the 'local', Wijaya consists of a beach bar/restaurant serving such mouth watering dishes as fresh oysters; clams; a seafood platter that consists of tuna, crab, prawns, and calamari sitting on banana leaf and served on a cane weave 'plate'; as well of course as rice and curry.....all washed down with something cold

The beach at Wijaya has on one side a surf break that skims over the reef - nose dives off the board are not recommended. Huge leather back sea turtles swim within the waves and whenever I catch sight of one whilst waiting for the 'big wave' my mind races to that epic movie ' Revenge of the man eating sea turtles'.

On the other side of the bar is this reef protected lagoon...

...due to the shallow depth the water is usually deliciously warm but this being a chilly late september afternoon I had to inhale slightly as I lowered myself into its crystal clear embrace.

Another shitty day in paradise and having been in the UK, it was lovely to get back to reality.

Back home

2009-08-26T15:33:00.008+05:30

Back in Galle after a short break and on a walk around the ramparts of the Dutch Fort, in which we live, I glanced back across the harbour towards the large and impressive peace pagoda. Donated by the Japanese, this temple is the first sight that greets ships as they enter the harbour mouth. Now that there is no more war in this paradise it is anticipated that before long...that is a Sri Lankan 'long' i.e holding breath would be ill advised... these ships will in fact be yachts on their cruise from the west to the east and vice versa.

Had a BBQ on Bifta Khanda the other day to celebrate something. Not that we need a specific reason for a celebration. Nico adopted his favourite position behind the bar.

This is Bifta himself after whom the Khanda (hill) is named. This photo was taken on the beach in Arugam Bay on the south east coast of the island. About a 6 hour drive from Galle with a pit stop at the fabulous Amanwella hotel in Tangalla.

We went there for sun, sand and surf. On the way we stayed one night in Yala National Park which is known as one of Asia's 'most celebrated wildlife preserves'. Here we saw literally hundreds of crocs; incredible bird life including sea eagles; wild boar like this huge one having a quiet afternoon siesta;

...jackal; Buffalo and the highlight of all, this leopard. Although Yala has one of the worlds highest concentration of this 'big cat' they remain an elusive predator and so to see one is a real treat. We watched it as it lay by a small watering hole before wandering off - probably bored with us watching it.

Talking of being 'shy' I have been a little wary about uploading an image of Jo and myself on here, which perhaps is a little odd considering I am writing about us...so throwing caution to the wind here goes....this is Jo and I with our good friend Manjula taken at the previously mentioned BBQ.

cricket

2009-07-07T15:44:00.002+05:30

This pic was taken by Nico from on top of the ramparts looking down at the pitch and shows the 9th Pakistan wicket falling.

Sri Lanka had started the 4th day as destined to lose but then in a remarkable feat of superb bowling had raced through the Pakistan batting order destroying them. Usually reserved for one day games the taking of 8 wickets in a morning sent the crowd into a joyous frenzy and the drums and trumpets were resounding around the ground and bouncing off the walls. So were we.

Sri Lanka have taken revenge for the narrow defeat in the 20 20 world championship final played at Lords. As if on cue the sum came out...still is...and smiles all round.

Perfect

2009-07-05T12:00:00.012+05:30

As the chanting of Buddhist monks blessed the cricket ground and all those about to compete the groundsmen came out to remove the covers. But dark clouds loomed menacingly overhead and the distant rumble of thunder promised to put fear into the hearts of the organisers. Galle was waking to the SL vs Pakistan test match. A game that all hoped would be the revenge of the Twenty Twenty final when Pakistan narrowly won to claim the world championship.

The time before that final the teams had met was in Pakistan when the SL team was attacked, by those claiming to be doing god's work or something, and narrowly escaped with their lives. As such I knew security presence would be high and even in the early morning troops were visible.

I wondered if the Dutch architects of this impressive Fort ever imagined that one day the guard would be a Sri Lankan.

When walking back home it was obvious that not all Galle residents would be watching the cricket. These fishermen heaved their boat into the ocean to the rhythmic shout of the skipper.

and later in the day it was evident that the catch, all along the coast, had been huge. When it is a big haul the fishermen lay the fish on planks of wood at the roadside keeping it fresh by sprinkling water every so often.

These fish cost approx Rs200 per kilo (gbp1.20) or Rs50 (30p) per fish and more often than not there are other seafood on display at roadside markets. On this one there is crab, squid, prawns as well as fish. All caught this morning.

I got back to Galle as the sun broke through and the afternoon became hot hot HOT! changing the fortunes of the thambili (king coconut) man who did brisk trade with thirsty fans.

As I stayed to watch the cricket from atop the ramparts I laughed out loud. Here I was sitting on top of a massively impressive Dutch Fort built about 300 years ago and now regarded as a unique historic monument with the warm and crystal clear Indian Ocean on three sides and an international Test cricket ground on the fourth. The match was between two of the best sides in the world. The sky was blue. The beat of drums and trumpets blaring rose from the stadium below. A great cheer went up as Sri Lankan claimed LBW..and Jo arrives shortly from the UK with the kids. A perfect day.

Utopia

2009-06-23T13:28:00.007+05:30

The way I comment about life in Sri Lanka one might be forgiven for thinking that it was an Utopian country..or at least consider that I think it is. Well it isn't, and I don't.

How boring it would be if life were perfect. In fact it is impossible to have a perfect world unless there is imperfection. How else would we know perfection. Singapore, in my view, comes closest to a country that contrives to reach utopia and yet the word 'sterile' is more often than not used when describing the city state. So no, Sri Lanka is not utopia and I am delighted.

But why not? Apart from the obvious day to day scenes of poverty; neglect; mismanagement; disrespect to animals and property; inward gazing; and a seemingly natural ability to leave jobs unfinished there is also a more sinister and darker side to life in this gentle Buddhist haven. Sri Lankans have an ability to form a mob and turn violent, at the click of a finger.

In a previous post I commented on the danger to bus drivers in the event of an accident. Out of nowhere people will gather and although none saw the accident, they will take sides and have been known to exact justice. Terminally.

It is because of this fear that the unfortunate, and difficult to follow, advice is given to all people - not only to immigrants like myself. If we are caught in an accident do not stop. Instead, we are told, drive straight to the nearest Police station and report it....for our own safety. It is one reason why so many people employ drivers.

In the UK people do not help victims of an accident because they might end up getting sued. Here, we do not stop and help because we might end getting accused of causing it. Even if it happened several minutes before we got there.

Of course as with all my posts I generalise, massively....and obviously not all people are like this. Furthermore the potential for a mob to form and turn violent is not exclusive to this country. India is also a place where it can happen; so is Indonesia. But in a country where bus drivers are paid by the speed they complete their journey and others seem to drive with their eyes closed to potential dangers, accidents will happen and stopping might be the last thing a foolish person did.

But it is against a background of this danger that I can safely judge that the pluses of living in Sri Lanka far exceed the negatives and living here is as close to Utopian perfection that as anyone would want.

Fishermen

2009-06-02T12:12:00.009+05:30

So much of the coastal life revolves around fish and fishermen. Whilst they are a hardy bunch their number and livelihood was so cruelly decimated in the 2004 tsunami. Initial thoughts were that they might be too afraid to go fishing again, or even live by the sea, but this has been proved wrong.

There are various types of fishermen here and the most famous are the stilt fishermen - picture above taken by Dominic Sansoni http://www.threeblindmen.com
Perching on sticks planted in the reef or sea bed they fish with bamboo rods to catch small fish. Sold on the side of the road these are dried and used as flavouring in curry. The fishing from this type is so good that the poles are handed down through generations and a family might own several in different strategic locations along the coast. As tourism increases so should their income from photo opportunities.

Most lake and inshore fishermen will venture out in boats dug out from tree trunks. They will paddle themselves out and either throw a net or fish with a rod.

Then we have those who venture further out to sea providing the glistening star like spectacle on the horizon every evening. They go in boats like this one being hauled back onto the beach after a night's fishing. Heavy fibre-glass hulls with wooden floats. Some have wooden structures rising above the boat by about 5 feet allowing one person to act as a 'spotter' and there might be as many as 10 - 12 fishermen per boat. Their catch is sold on market stalls or on the beach.

Then there are the bigger boats that go far out to sea for several days at a time and return with a catch of huge yellow fin tuna and the like. The best of the catch is immediately exported to places like Japan and other countries. So the next time you are enjoying a piece of delicate sashimi why not ask where it came from...it might have been Galle.

Great excitement the other day as we heard about oysters growing in a nearby lake. Sri Lankans do not eat them and so we ventured into the lake on a dugout boat and knocked about 50 shells off with a hammer. Paying the boatman Rs2,500 (usd21) we hurried home for a lavish vodka and oyster session. Living here just got even more spoiling.

Lizard in the house

2009-06-01T15:54:00.001+05:30

Just when I thought that a mosquito bite was the worst that could affect me I look down and see this lizard creeping around. The initial sight of him..or her...was scary but actually he is perfectly harmless. Unless annoyed..i.e by a dog barking incessently!

In the end we managed to cajole him towards the front door and he left to return to his home somewhere underneath ours, in the storm drains.

He is not a usual visitor to the house. The most common are monkeys that will sit in the mango tree and taking one bite out of each mango they pick, throw the remnants to the ground. Chipmunks - small squirrel like animals that make a really loud high pitch noise. They also eat the mangos. Insect life is varied but not too bad and snakes have by and large kept to themselves although a python did rear to its full height at me - or rather the tuk tuk I was in, the other day. A very impressive sight.
Bird life is abundant with huge fruit bats - yes they are also after the mangos; parakeets; Kingfisher; black crested bulbul and many others comiong to next and play in the courtyard.

However Bifta, our rottweiler / german shepherd / anyone's guess who the father was, cross tends to keep most larger animals away.

A new dawn

2009-05-31T14:40:00.004+05:30

The rains have came and May was a complete wash out. Hugh tropical downpours and electric storms. In their wake the puddles collecting in coconut shells, pot holes, and in the general rubbish that is left lying around become a huge breeding ground for mosquitoes.

Dengue is a curse over here - about 80 deaths so far this year - and I have recently recovered from a bout of it. Whilst it can be fatal, if you rest, drink loads of water, and keep an eye on the blood count hooking up to a drip if needed, it is no more than a serious pain - all over - with feverish exhaustion. I was lucky although there is a need not to overdo things as it remains within the body for a cpl of weeks after.

Every year at this time the same action plan to eradicate dengue is hatched and every year not enough is done. Everyone blames incompetence and corruption - money siphoned off here and there - with a head waggle and a resigned What to do? as well as blaming not enough money on the war. But now, whilst it is early days since peace was declared people will expect things to get done. No longer can the leaders, at any level, blame lack of action on the war.

Now, as the June sunshine emerges there is a certain anticipation and excitement that a new dawn is upon this paradise island. Could this really be the start that a whole generation of Sri Lankans thought they would never see. When their country begins to rise from the ashes and takes it place as truly, one of the spectacular islands in all the world. Time will tell.....

Life goes on

2009-05-21T17:15:00.013+05:30

The last few days have, for me, passed in a kind of twilight zone. Whilst the end of the war was anticipated, its announcement like that of the passing of a very old friend, still came as a shock. This particular friend had been sick for almost 30 years and as all previous attempts at resuscitation came to naught no one really could believe it. Sporadic celebrations are still going on. Villagers gather together on street corners and eat milk rice accompanied by a fierce onion and chillie sambol. The inside of the mouth is repaired with a banana and washed down with sugery juice. Tuk tuks covered with images of the President on a slow procession, with scores of flag waving drum beating and singing young and old, can still be seen but are getting fewer.

The harsh reality of every day life for most people is that bills need paying; food needs buying; paddy fields need tending to and so on. I do not intend to comment further on the war / peace. Whilst I have lived here 11 years, speak Sinhala....un petit peu....and as such, think I have a little understanding, this knowledge I feel is not sufficient to make comments. Besides I am a guest in Sri Lanka and as such am expected to behave like one. Not to mention of course that unlike the Sri Lankans living in the UK for example, I have no rights whatsoever and can very easily be booted out.

So today, for me, life began to get back to what it was. The village cricket team emerged after lunch to take on the neighbours. The picture is of a match played on the paved Court Sq., outside our door, in Galle Fort. The magnificent bldg, built when the Dutch were here in the 1600s, is the High Court.

I had set my alarm for 9 for the start of a normal working day. Yes, 9. Why rush? In fact a lie-in was the right thing as due to the wife of a senior Army commander opening a school down the road I was not allowed to walk to my office until 12. Should have stayed in bed. Instead I along with Sudantha, our chef; Someratne, our steward; purchased about 100 heliconia and ginger plants and went to Bifta Kanda (BK) to plant them.

Whilst there - BK - I saw the largest monitor lizard I have ever seen. Bifta - our rottweiler / german sherpard / anyone's guess cross - went into a spin and bravely barked from a safe distance. The lizard was huge...more like a Kimodo dragon and Bifta continued to bark long after it had waddled off, giving me a head ache. The planting done we headed back to Galle narrowly avoiding being killed by a bus careering down the wrong side of the road, horn blaring.

Yes..normality is returning.

Peace

2009-05-19T12:33:00.002+05:30

This picture is taken of the main street in Galle and shows the Sri Lankan flag flying from everywhere watched over by a tall painted Buddha statue at the end.

Even the soaking from a tropical downpour cannot dampen the spirits of every man, woman and child who is celebrating today. Where were you on May 18, 2009? will be asked of friend to friend and grandchild to grandparent in this country. It is a date that will be remembered long after we are all gone. For today the LTTE - an organisation proscribed in over 32 countries - has been crushed.

For 3 decades Sri Lanka has been torn apart by this ruthless terrorist organisation, that pioneered the suicide belt and that murdered all those who dared oppose it. Even those from within its own ethnic origin it claimed to represent.

Today the Sri Lankan army, backed by political will, has rid the world of a danger. Of course this is just the beginning and there remains mountains to climb. But without this beginning the end was never in sight. So as Kool and the Gang's Celebration rings out across all radio stations and fire crackers explode..Lets Celebrate.

The family wagon

2009-05-13T14:51:00.005+05:30

I thought it might be time to introduce the preferred transport. Made by Bajaj in India this 2 stroke polluter was our sole mode of transport for many years and although we have recently upgraded to 4 wheels, it remains with us. We first got it in 1999 when it cost about GBP950. We painted it orange and cut a sun roof in the top but since those heady days it has had several colour changes, as well as a roof, and is now its present British racing greenish. I think it's due for another change soon.

Tuk tuks are the preferred form of family transport here, that is once the number of children reaches too many for a moped.

In Colombo although a car service has been around for about 5 years it is mostly a tuk tuk that we hail down when looking for a taxi. Most are incredibly uncomfortable and, on roads where traffic rules do not really exist and where the white lines are for decoration, this tin can with wheels is dangerous. The aftermath of a head on between a tuk tuk and a bus is never pretty. But they are fun and nippy and anyway.....'it'll never happen to me'. The drivers are invariably the sort who, if they spoke English, would start a conversation with - 'Hey Gov'nor you'd never guess who I 'ad in 'ere t'other day' and so would start an excellent gossip. But on the whole they don't so conversation is limited to the usual offerings to tourists; drugs, girls/boys, casinos etc.

In the tuk taxi there is no meter so it is important to negotiate the price before getting in. Negotiations are usually cheerful affairs with our exclamations of shock at the price being asked mixed with their pleading of povety. Ultimately, as with all these things, the difference in price has never been more than a few pence and GBP but the negotiation is a serious matter.

When it rains we drop extra material down the sides which zips up to provide a cocoon. It usually leaks and fairly soon turns into a baking oven but we mostly stay dry.

Buddu saranai - Buddha's blessings

2009-05-07T12:49:00.006+05:30

'Buddu Saranai' means 'The Blessings of Buddha be upon you'. About 70% of Sri Lankans are Buddhist and The Poya (Full Moon) Day on May 8 is Vesak, the most important day in the global Buddhist calender. The advent of the birth, enlightenment, and passing on of The Buddha.

Sri Lankan Buddhists celebrate this by visiting the local temple and praying / chanting mantras in praise of the holy triple gem: The Buddha, The Dharma (his teachings), and The Sangha (his disciples)and they will make offerings of flowers and insense sticks. Some of the more committed observe sil - which on an important day like this means abiding by 8 precepts. Some of these 8 mirror the Christian commandments like - not to kill (btw this refers to any living thing..like mosquitoes); not to steal; not to lie; not to covet sex (this also refers to flirting); and include not to swear; not to drink (sale of alcohol is banned for 3 days); not to eat after midday; and not to show off wealth. Observance of these precepts help train the devotee to practice morality, simplicity and humility and they will wear all white and have a sash across their shoulder tied at the side.

So much of Sri Lankan life outside of Colombo revolves around the Temple, and Vesak is a time for great joy and happiness. Houses, streets and Temples are decorated with flags and ornate paper lanterns and colourful scenes from the life of the Buddha are painted on huge bamboo structures and covered with flasing lights. There is no concern that other religions (Sri Lanka is 15% Hindu, 8% Christian and 7% Muslim) might be upset or intimidated - a concern that I think prevades in the UK. The thought of such a thing is so ridiculous here. People understand that a religion is celebrating an important event - let them celebrate and, show them respect.

Vesak also means making special efforts to bring peace and happiness to others and is a time when people visit their parents and pay respect to elders generally. Villages provide refreshments and vegetarian food to all. Food stalls are set up everywhere to provide free food and drinks to passersby and although it is easy to spot such places from the queues, they announce their presence by playing music, loud. It is so loud it is distorted and painful but the food is free and so people sit quietly eating underneath the blaring speakers. But the concept of noise pollution has not arrived here and it is only for one day...so chill out.

Anyway the music does not distort from the beauty and tranquility of this festival and although commercial activities - cards and gifts - are creeping in, at the moment it is possible, on a visit to a quiet temple, to feel the goodness and humility of The Dharma.

Buddu saranai.

Sparks might fly

2009-05-03T18:07:00.007+05:30

There was a torrential downpour last night that whilst not lasting very long managed to saturate everything it touched. It is common at this time of year and indeed wanted. Without rain there will be no paddy field cultivation, and no cultivation means no rice which will have a dramatic effect on basic costs and living standards in every home, not to mention food supplies. So the rain was welcome. However when it is so heavy that it sounds like stones falling on the clay roof tiles, there is potential for some catastrophe.

Usually this takes the form of broken tiles, or a leaking skylight or blocked drains leading to flooding. But it can also mean an electrical power out. Waking in the early hours dripping with sweat, this was one of those times. When it rains it is humid - hot hot hot..and wet - and unless a fan is whirring overhead this moisture infused heat causes even the most chilled, to perspire profusely. I checked the fuse box but all was ok meaning it was the whole Fort, or at best, the street that was out. I ventured down stairs and on opening our front door the real reason for no power was alarmingly obvious.

The picture above shows the high voltage wire that feeds the whole Fort having snapped in the night, lying where it fell into one of the 300 year old banyan trees in the square just outside our house. A friend's car narrowly missed electrocution. The cable was not dancing around like a baited cobra with sparks flying everywhere as I have seen in some low budget movie, rather it was dormant, concealing its lethal potential like a slithering python waiting to lash out on some unsuspecting unfortunate.

But what struck me was not that it had happened, after all these things will, but that no one really seemed too bothered. Here was a cable lying on the ground that with the slightest touch could take the surrounding area back to the smoking pile of dust from which it all originated, and no one gave it even a cursory glance. There were no flashing lights of Police - there very rarely is; the area was not cordoned off and pedestrian and cyclist were not diverted. Everyone carried on as if nothing terribly serious had happened. The guy in the picture was far more interested in what I was doing, probably wondering to himself why a foreigner was in the way taking a photo of him, than with the cable that held enough power to wipe out his every trace.

Within a few hours the cable had been fixed back in its place and all was well. Looking at the handy work, I was reminded of those carefully chosen words of the ever so misunderstood 'Duke of gaffs' himself who, when looking at a spaghetti junction of wires poking out from a fuse box inquired whether an Indian electrician had done it. It could easily have been here.

Other items in this picture: rusty oil drums that form a barrier to pedestrian traffic when the local Magistrate (the court house is to the left of the picture) is hearing cases. It usually has a broken branch resting along the top. The yellow sided green roofed hut is a small tea shop selling cold and hot drinks to those waiting for their cases to be heard. There is a blue truck to the top left that has been impounded and now will presumably rot away whilst lawyers scramble to make as much as they can by prolonging the case indefinitely.

At the top of the image you can just make out the darkened windows of the old warehouse. Built by the Dutch colonisers in the late 1600s it has recently been renovated and the space is now used for art exhibitions and the like. In the Square there are four such magnificent trees similar to the one dominating this image. As well as commanding the square they play host to scores of fruit bats and monkeys and are really magnificent.

Welcome to the view from my front door.

The Fun Fair has come to town

2009-04-15T12:43:00.013+05:30

The most festive time of year from a commercial standpoint is Sinhalese and Tamil New Year which falls on April 13 and 14. It is the time when gifts are exchanged and when everything is 'refreshed'. Typically, this means items in the house are renewed and the inside and out will be repainted. It is also a time of celebration. Although sale of alcohol is usually banned a couple of days before New Year to prevent too much drunkenness, the sale of fireworks is, on the other hand, rampant. The most popular being really a banger on a rocket propelled stick. Phsst BANG! Phsst BANG!! Phsst BANG! can be heard all day and night for the two days. Lovely. It is also a time for the FunFair to come to town and this is what the picture above shows.

I took it standing on the impressive Fort ramparts looking down onto the Butterfly ground - so called because of the white bridge in the shape of a butterfly that you can just see in the upper left of the image. It traverses the old Dutch canal that runs along side the park, with all the trees, and past the train station (out of sight). The Fair only opens at night and lasts for two but, obviously, I took this in the day time (hence no people) as I wanted to point out one or two things.

The first time we went to a Fair about 8 years ago the first 'stall' we came across was the hoopla. This stall consisted of two circular barriers - an inner and an outer with roughly 12ft between them. We could see people 3 or 4 deep standing around the outer pressing against the rope barrier flinging their hoops. But it was only when we came closer that we could see what they were hoping to hoop. The inner ring, with a 5ft radius, contained about 15 ducks all ducking (forgive me) and diving to avoid getting clocked on the head from any of the 20 or so hoops that were flying at them from all directions.

Immediately one of our party took out his wallet and, postering to the
man with the hoops, asked how much for all the ducks. But it was obvious from looking at him that communication was not his forte, in any language. He spat some red beetle seemingly without opening his mouth and, scratching where only men can, ignored my friend. There was only one thing for it..we'd have to hoop them. Our wheelchair bound friend lifted himself up and paid Rs20 (11p) for 4 hoops. Concern about the cruelty was mixed with the excitement in the potential that we'd set one, or more free. We gathered round this octogenarian supporting him. He let the first go and it fell short..like his breathing. But with his third fling he hooped a duck! Incredible! Hooray we shouted as the other 'hoopers' turned to stare at the foreign wizard. It was no mean feat.

The unmistakeable red line of beetle sprayed on the grass in front of us severing our excitement as the nut scratching man held out a warm litre bottle of 'months past it's sell by date' Fanta. We felt betrayed and Fanta in hand sulked away without making eye contact with the ducks.

Spirits were immediately lifted by the far more familiar sight of a merry-go round. Only this one had a live band in the middle that on a given cue started to play a catchie dittie. It was a great tune and brought smiles back to our faces (Ducks? what ducks?) as well as to those sitting on the rotating benches.

The big wheel, which you can just make out in the upper middle of the photo, was filling up as we came to it. Nothing was going to get any of us onto it however. It was either going to roll away or collapse on itself. All the 'buckets' were full. The music started - not a live band this time but a music system that was turned up beyond its capability with the bass on overload so that the only sound was more fuzz than lyrical. Then, sure footed and moving quickly, a human guinnea pig started climbing the inside frame and the wheel began to turn. In the end there were 3 men racing each other and jumping from one rusty metal interlocking pole to another in their efforts to keep the wheel turning.

A fluro skeleton was next to catch our eye. Painted on a board leaning against a round, man made 'tent' of palm leaf covered black plastic announcing the 'Ghost Walk'. Thinking that nothing could compete with what we had seen thus far two of us paid our 5p and took our first tentative steps. The 'creaking door' was made of woven grass and bin liner and we slowly edged in. Smokey! Flickering kerosene flares caused more than smoke and we began to inhale its poisonous fumes. Too disorientated to turn back we stepped forward along a guided path of coconut palm branches and other shoulder high folliage. Whaaa!! Whaaa!!

A young man had jumped out from behind one of the branches and was dancing around us, arms waving above his head in a frantic gorilla like manner. Whaaa whaaa!! His enthusiasm knew no bounds as he grabbed my female friend. She screamed! It was the reaction he was looking for and he sank back into the thickening fog of kerosene fumes. We trod the rest of the path as rapidly as we could getting accousted three more times before we finally broke free into the fresh air. Our lungs were grateful as we inhaled deeply and the kersoene fumes that had enveloped us gradually dispersed. On immediate reflection we felt the Ghost walk had achieved its aim. Very scary. In fact we felt lucky to be breathing.

But our reflecting was shattered by the revving of a motorbike engine that had no silencer. So loud that we initially cowered and covered our ears. You will notice a red top tent in the upper right of the picture. This hides the Wheel of Death. Anyone living in the UK who is roughly my age may only have seen such a thing in the movies - I am thinking of an Elvis classic - and those younger may have never seen it. To get an idea look at this

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZK4_uSGn6K&feature=PlayList&p=1E153A1914E49146&playnext-=1&playnext_from=PL&index=10

If the above link does not work go to 'you tube' and search Well of death India style.
Elf an safety eat your heart out!!
The only difference from the video is that in Sri Lanka there is no fence at the top. We all stood around looking down a few inches from the white line below which the motorbikes had to stay. It was amazing! Amazing that the structure stayed standing. Amazing skill shown by the riders. Amazing in fact that we are still alive.

In all it was a Fun Fair I shall never forget.

2009-04-10T11:38:00.000+05:30

When lying on a beach in Sri Lanka with its palm fringed soft sand and crystal clear warm water I actually dread the onset of sunset that whilst often amazing and sometimes truly spectacular, heralds the onset of darkness. But it has to be said, beaches are beaches and really when lying on the sand I could be in Thailand or the Philippines or some other exotic tropical paradise.

Head a couple of km inland however and there is no mistaking it. We have arrived at the jurassic heart of this Garden of Eden. It is always said that the further away from the tourist areas you go the more genuine the smile and whilst I generalise massively, this is true of here. The best way to enjoy the countryside is via bicycle and in this regard we are spoilt by Idle Tours, which says as much of the pace of life as it does the owner and method of transport.

Cycling through paddy field whilst it is being cultivated by hand, or buffalo, is to have an experience worthy of savouring. So beautiful and peaceful, the rice paddy gently goes with the flow of the breeze and ushers in a gentle attitude to life. It can be inhaled and we oblige, breathing in deeply. We cycled past village houses where the recently washed clothes are laid out to dry across the tops of hibiscus hedges. Small children emerge and run down to the dirt track shouting 'what your name? what your country' at the tops of their voices. We see them frantically urge those still in the house to come and look at the spectacle of foreigners cycling past their home. It might be their experience of the day as they are certainly part of ours.

Continuing along a track wide enough for tuk tuks but only just, through an avenue of red ginger plant, bird of paradise, helliconia and banana trees we cycle past a village 'well'. Mains water supply is not readily available at most rural villages so the only means for washing is the well. When we slowly amble by there are 3 women all clad in sarongs wrapped around them and tied under the arms. Their long dark recently washed hair falling down their backs. More children shouting 'what your name? what your country'. It does seem that this must be the first English that is taught as all the children know this phrase. When they receive a response however their faces clearly reveal they know of no other questions as instead of talking further they turn to each other and giggle whilst another shouting, repeats the questions.

We pause for a regroup at the bird sanctuary in a marsh area teeming with chattering migrating birds. The ever smiling, very chilled and wonderfully attentive Laksman is already there slicing up a mango plucked from a tree an hour or so before. It is rich in colour, tastes so sweet and is succulently refreshing. An eagle circles the marsh scanning the silky smooth water for any sign of fish and from a bridge we see a ripple, but it might have been a monitor lizard. The eagle makes another turn.

Turning a corner we come across a recently whitewashed temple nestling in the coconut palms and as we marvel at the peace of it all 3 dogs charge out from a house flashing their teeth in a menacing growl. They chase us a little way before backing off against a volley of our own growls. An orange sign with black lettering 'Beware. Unmanned crossing' a few yards before the main line train track reminds us of the potential dangers that exist everywhere and that we must always keep an eye out for the unexpected.

The last turn brings us to Wijaya and back to the soft sand and warm sea. It is only 1030am. We have packed in so many new sights and sounds and will treasure the memories. The sun is shining and we have a full day ahead. Blissful.

2009-04-10T11:12:00.000+05:30

Each full moon day - called Poya - marks the start of the Buddhist lunar month. The first is Vesak, in May. Every Poya is a public holiday allowing families to go to the temple to make offerings and chant.

This picture is taken at Yatagala Temple. Reached by climbing 120 steps the temple is over 1,200 years old and is one of the most serene places in the Galle area with spectacular views over the surrounding jungle and paddy. Here a family offers prayers to Buddha sitting under the 1,000 year old Bo tree.

2009-04-05T09:54:00.000+05:30

Having made the 'before midday' April 1st entry below I was almost a victim of writing myself out of interesting things to write about. After all what else could possibly happen that would be as incredible as meeting a monkey from Costa Rica who spoke English. I was about to confine myself to the statistics of those who suffered from writers block but then...serendipity. It happened, as it always does living here. An event that will cause amusement and concern, in unequal measure I'm sure.

Arriving back to the Fort yesterday 10ish from a morning surf - had to drop that in somewhere - in Welligama about 40mins from Galle I could detect poison in the air. 'Detect' is probably the wrong word as it implies 'subtlety' or 'the need for investigation' but this was obvious. No sniffing of the air needed. The toxic fumes were just everywhere. I started to gag. I could see it about 50 yards in front of me the air was a thick fog. Maybe seeing it would have given James Herbert inspiration, if he ever did.

To say it is poison is to underestimate the killing power of this stuff. It is intended to wipe out mosquito populations. A sort of fog carpet bombing. Interestingly I saw it being done in Singapore, when we were there last month. Even sterile Singapore has a 'dengue' problem. Dengue is known as the 'breakbone fever' in respect to its severe muscle and bone pain and is injected by certain mosquitoes. There is no need to be paranoid about it, unless of course you find the WHO fact that says some 2.5billion people are at risk from it worldwide and estimates that there are 50 million cases each year. Nothing to worry about.

The difference between here and Singapore is that over there the 'executioner' is in touch with 'elf and safety'. He wore breathing apparatus, goggles and overalls. No such thing here however. You can just make out 3 guys in the picture. They were wearing masks, the kind you sometimes see painters wear and think how useless it must be and on the protective side of things at least, that was it. They walked around the Fort spraying death where they went seemingly oblivious to the potential harm to themselves or others.

Actually this lack of 'elf and safety' is one of the many charms of living here. If something is to be done the last thing on a person's mind is how to do it safely. Coming from the UK - a country where nowadays a porter at the train station will not help a woman heave her suitcase from the train when she has a babe in one arm and a 5 year old on the other for fear of hurting himself - this is wonderfully refreshing. But still on occasion the lack of personal safety is alarming.

Like the road worker repositioning the shoot of a concrete mixer truck down which the stuff is about to flow by holding it into his stomach and wrapping his arms around it; or the guy with a pneumatic drill bouncing around his bare feet; or the roofer working 50ft up on a rotten rafter with no rope. Seat belts!? - hah! No chance. Children are still crawling all over the seats and babies are on the dash board. Everyday there are reasons for even those who despise the 'elf and safety' rule makers to take a sharp intake of breath at the risks to personal safety taken by people here. Like the guy who with a small axe clenched in his teeth shimmies 100ft up a coconut tree wrapped only in a sarong folded like a nappy and with rope around his feet.

A year or so ago Michael Jackson was castigated in the western media for holding his baby out of the window although there was no way the baby would fall. Out here it was considered more unusual that he was holding a child appropriately, rather than dangerously, and as such a cause for some relief. But everyday I see similar acts. Like when the family transport is a moped and so regardless of how many, or how young, the family is they must all climb on.

I often witness a father, with a child in his lap holding the handle bars if big enough - if not it'll be with feet dangling forward - driving the bike passed a police check point. In between him and his wife there is another child, head turned to one side and squashed in. The mother sits at the rear. Holding the baby either in one arm to the side or between her and the child in the middle. This middle child has no foot rest and so must lift his feet off the ground. Please...whenever have you seen a baby helmet? I wince with the thought of what might happen.

But in SL it is not that these risk takers have the thought, as we do, of 'it'll never happen to me'. It is that they think if it does happen, then it was meant to be. It is fate. Karma. What will be will be. What happens in this life has already been determined by our behaviour in the last.

It inspires the oft quoted response to any calamity, said with a shrug: "What to do?" Nothing could have been done to prevent it. Karma. What to do?

On balance, vile vomit inducing chemically toxic fogging aside, I much prefer living without 'elf and safety'.

2009-04-01T15:10:00.000+05:30

I recently placed an ad in the local newspaper for a guard, as we had been having trouble with monkeys that roam around our hilltop land eating all the fruit and who marked out their territory in that traditional vile smelling fashion near the kitchen.

The ad read: 'If you have Dr Dolittle abilities, we have a job for you. The right candidate will love the outdoors and have experience at climbing trees. Attractive remuneration and benefits. Please apply in person.....'

Today in walked the only applicant and you can see him in the picture below rubbing his territorial marking device on the arm chair.

It was startling enough that he came in, but then he spoke! 'My name is Ricardo'. We stared in disbelief and my mind immediately raced back to the 'Not the 9 oclock news gerard the gorilla' sketch - watch it on www.youtube.com/watch?v=beCYGm1vMJ0

I had of course heard that there lived in Sri Lanka a superfamily of the Alouatta palliata monkey, normally found only in Costa Rica, that could speak English. But they are very rare and notoriously shy and I never expected to see one. Now here was one in my office.
After we had lifted our jaws off the floor he calmly told us, in his South American accent, that he was the best candidate for the job. He spoke clearly, and with pauses. He said he did not want much....no money....only an unlimited supply of bananas. But seeing as I was looking for someone to prevent his kind, or some of his kind, from eating the fruit in the first place, this seemed a bit steep and I told him so. But we needed him. He was the only candidate. So the haggling began.
It ended only after I agreed to plant some banana trees in an area of land specifically for him and his family. In return he promised not to eat from any forbidden tree. We did not shake hands but he allowed me to take this picture and I could tell he made a mental note of me. The deal was done.

With a loud, and fast exhalation of air he was off. We had to leave the room as well....but what an experience! No one will believe me.

2009-03-30T21:56:00.000+05:30

Not everyday that you meet a being that is around 250 years old and whose ancestors have been living on this planet for about 190 million years..but today we did. Of the eight varieties of Marine turtles still living, five are known to nest on the shores of Sri Lanka and the most common of these are the Leatherback - which, I think, is the one in the picture.
A friend told us that it was possible to swim with, and feed some of these majestic creatures in Hikkaduwa - a beach resort town about 20 minutes from Galle. So today equipped with snorkles and mask off we went.
The town of Hikkaduwa plays homage to backpacker and package tourist in about equal measure but the 4km long beach is fabulous. The ocean plays its role and offers calm water next to a living coral reef at one end and a right to left surf break at the other.
As soon as walked onto the area in front of the reef where the turtles were we met Ravi, a fast talking husstler who tried to sell us a glass bottomed boat trip over the reef. Seeing no return from that he said 'you want turtle, I can bring'.
I felt sure we could simply wade into the water and they would come as anyway we could see them occasionally bobbing their heads out of the water for air about 50 yards away. But the current was fairly strong and in the end the opportunity to see one of these huge creaures up close and personal was too good to pass up and we started to haggle. He wanted Rs500 (gbp3) - "Ganang vadi, mama tourist nae" - ' too too expensive, I am not a tourist' was my immedate starting point, always is. In the end we settled on Rs300 (gbp1.80) and in he waded with a armful of seaweed. Within a minute he was saying 'come, come' as the dark shape of a turtle swam around him.
Nothing can prepare you for this sight. Truly awesom. It raised its head out of the water with its slightly glazed looking E.T like dark eyes and opened its surprisingly large mouth and munched on the seaweed. We swam with it for about 5 minutes before Ravi said enough and stopped feeding it - I say 'it' but in fact he called it Rosy although...do turtles have ears?
In all a memorable experience.
For anyone who is interested http://www.i-to-i.com/ run a volunteer program working at one of the many conservation turtle hatcheries along the south west coast.

2009-03-29T12:14:00.000+05:30

This is Galle Fort..the photo was taken by Dominic Sansoni and you can view his work at www.threeblindmen.com - our house is somewhere near the top right. Built first by the Portugese in around 1587 it was in fact the Dutch who, capturing the city in 1640 constructed the impressive ramparts and fortifications that are well preserved to this day. In 1796 the Brits came and along and booted out the Dutch and it, and indeed the whole country, remained under British rule until independence in 1947.

You can make out the main town fanning out to the right and left at the top of the picture - whilst it is the 4th largest in the country with a population of under 100,000. it is in fact the oldest living city and the Fort became an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1988.

Walking through the 'old' Dutch gate or the 'new' English one you get a feeling of entering a new world distinct from that outside the massive ramparts. A world much quieter and generally more calm than the frantic activity that goes on in town. It is a small village where everyone known one another..if only sufficiently for a 'suda udaeasarnak' - good morning...and there is a great atmosphere.

The Fort contains a High Court as well as a Magistrate's one and so every morning the Court Square fills up with petty crims. Domestic violence; drunken brawls; petty vendettas; drivers of non licensed vehicles and other cases as well as more serious criminals are all tried in the courts of the Fort. And there is an army of lawyers feeding off the unfortunate, hovering around them like vultures waiting to swoop down and pick the last Rupees off the guilty..and innocent.

More pleasantly there is a Mosque; a Buddhist temple; a Catholic Church and a Dutch Reform Church all within a short distance of each other as if to prove that different religions can live side by side. There are a couple of hotels - most famous of which is the Amangalla housed in what used to be The New Oriental Hotel, nothing new or oriental about it. There is something quite spoiling about having an Aman on your doorstep and my treat is scones with home made jam - who said the age of the raj was ended.

But really it is the people of Galle Fort that make it special. All the characters that contribute to a colourful life and make living in a 360 year old village such a wonderful experience. Like the 'malu' (fish) man who cycles the Fort every morning with his catch calling out 'Malu malu malu'; the guy who sings the 'call to prayer' from the Mosque and was given an extra large tricycle by a foreign well wisher; Rubens - the ex prison warden; ...in fact as I write this I realsie that I will have to devote a whole blog to them all, and I will. Only not now.....my son Nico has just walked in with a huge bunch of frangipani -the sweetest smelling flower used in temples - that he plucked from the tree near the army camp and is keen for me to see.

2009-03-27T17:03:00.000+05:30

Great excitement this morning as Sudantha, our cook, handed over a plate of fresh mango that had come from the tree in our courtyard. The fruit flesh is a rich orange colour and the taste, o my god....so sweet. It is utterly delicious and really there is no better way to start the day. Of course we now enter into a season long battle with monkeys and chipmunks as to who can eat the most. Last year we lost..by a long way.

2009-03-26T16:08:00.000+05:30

Sri Lanka has its own Madoff. LK - I cannot say his full name, Sri Lanka is a small island after all and I am realistic - has been accused of misappropriation of Rs26 billion (usd228m). Up until his arrest he was considered one of the country's leading philanthropists but as the cards began to tumble it transpired that when he was being generous, it was with other people's money.

I questioned Percy a bit more today about the rabid dog. It had bitten the tall skinny tuk tuk driver who stays in the rank at the Pedlar St Lighthouse St junction in Galle Fort - known effectionately as one of the 'junction boys' - 3 times. He went to the Dr who had given the required injections etc. The Dr then told the punctured man to not drink or smoke for 3 mnths but he pleaded saying he had a big wedding to go to this month. Having been ignored he slumped home all sad.

On the way to look at some land today, driving myself, I took my eyes off the road for a second. Looking back I saw a woman had started crossing, without looking. She did not care to look in my direction. I slammed on the brakes and luckily my old jeep came to a halt about a foot from her. She carried on walking and never even glanced at me. No 'bird' - no raised voice. Nothing. There is no road rage here...as long as you miss.
In the event you actually hit someone you are advised to keep driving and head to the nearest police station. Those who cannot drive on routinely suffer the effect of mob rule and revenge.

Bus drivers are the worst and hare down the road horn blaring. Blind corners, double white lines, on-coming traffic - nothing stops them overtaking. All is 'head waggled' away as long as they miss. But if they hit someone and cannot get away they can be pulled from the vehicle and killed with the bus set alight. There is a shanty town on the road to Colombo that has grown up along side a dual carriageway and this stretch is notorious for such acts of vengence. I have heard it several times.

2009-03-25T11:45:00.000+05:30

News filtered through that my lawyer was hurt in the recent suicide bomb in Akuressa. International media had stated the bomb was in the south of the island and we got calls from the UK asking if we were alright. In fact Akuressa is about 35km away from Galle as the crow flies and about 2hrs by car. So we were fine. So it seems is my lawyer. A camera man was filming the crowd when the bomb went off and caught a startling photo with people facing the camera seemingly oblivious to the explosion behind them. An incredible image. Look at it on: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7934095.stm

Took a friend swimming with turtles in the waves at Wijaya on sunday. As I ducked under a wave I noticed that he was drifting away from me. When I came up for air I shouted if he was ok. No! he screamed. I swam to him and turning him over on his back tried to remember all that I had learnt at school about life saving technique. It was a long time ago. The waves kept rolling in and we were endlessly under water. I was tiring rapidly but luckily after what seemed like an eternity, we were surrounded by the boys from Wijaya on surf boards. Drama over. We thanked everyone and started to deal with being reminded of how fragile we are and how quickly our lives can change.

Nico started his cricket coaching this week. One on one sessions lasting 2 hours with Dinesh - the Galle Club Captain. The lessons take place in the indoor nets - "no air con" as observed by Nico - at the international stadium. It costs GBP2 per hr for the nets and Dinesh's fee is GBP2.50 per hour. I wonder what the same would cost in the UK.

There was a small comotion going on in the square outside the house. A rabid dog was on the loose and had bitten 3 people and was last seen heading to the school. Percy - my right hand man - fed me the gossip. He said it was a dog from outside the Fort - i.e not one that we knew. There are about 15 stray dogs in the Fort. Percy had evidently asked a policeman to shoot it but the policeman replied that he only had 'a limited number of bullets' and could not. Later in the morning Percy approached me and with the sign of moving his finger across his throat said the dog was dead. He had not done it but was witness.

One of the Fort beggars caught up with me this morning. He knows my commute and waits for me every morning. I have leanrt that the way to get rid of him is to give him so little he does not bother with me any more. So today I gave him Rs10- about 6p. He looked at it in disgust and said 'madi' (not enough). I moved to take it back from him and said to those standing by 'eya matta kiyana madi' literally = "he, to me, said not enough". Everyone told him to move on.