Sri Lanka

After leaving Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, having nearly missed my flight due to a mix up as to which airport my flight was to depart from, with fortunately enough time to transfer to the right one, being my usual early self, I duly arrived in Sri Lanka to find a major military presence. This was due, so I was told, to security measures required from recent military activity by the Tamil's. Fortunately it did not impinge upon me greatly, the restrictions upon travel being imposed, not inhibiting my ability to move around in areas with which I was concerned.
During my stay there I was treated quite Royally, being housed in the Royal Scandinavian Suite, which was a part of the oldest section of the hotel, dating back to the late 1800's. It was really quite an experience, and unique in its own way, for the owners of the hotel had maintained it in its original form, almost as a type of museum piece. The only intrusion of the 21st century, was a TV set, which did seem rather out of place in such a setting.
In the room were to be found two chairs which we in Australia refer to as "squatters chairs" and which I, in my ignorance, so it would appear, had originated in Australia. Yet it seems quite possible that far from this being so, they came originally, either from Sri Lanka, or perhaps India.

One of the ploys used by the locals to relieve you of your money, is for them to attach themselves to you with a story of the sacred elephants which you will only be able to see that very day. The story is told with much embellishment, and lots of enthusiasm, giving the impression that they were doing you a great favour and being your very dear friend. After hailing a Tuk Tuk, which is a local three wheeled taxi, they offer to take you to see this amazing spectacle, after which you are then driven around innumerable streets until arriving at your destination which may well be a Buddhist Temple, or park with a Buddhist statue. And after having shown you all the delights of the temple or Park, along with you being expected to make contributions to numerous people along the way, you eventually come to, not many elephants, in brilliant array, as you were led to believe, but some forlorn member of the species, chained to one spot, which it must maintain day after day.


One cannot but feel a great compassion for them as they stand there, silently swaying from side to side.



I suppose that at least, these people who accost you endeavour to give some value for the money, in distinction to the beggar who just sits with either his hand, or some for of receptacle for the receiving of the money he hopes you will deposit with him.

The streets are narrow and the house do not have any gardens around them, just as in our cities they are apartments. And as they do not have machines for drying their clothes, whever possible they are placed out in the sun-shine, in front of the house on the roadway, to dry.


BasicallyColombo is a relatively clean city. Yet from time to time you do come across heaps of rubbish pushed up on vacant areas.

As in our western societies, the inevitable plastic bag, appears to be the main constituent of thes heaps.




I must admit, after savouring the Durian fruit in some other SE Asian countries, and rarely finding any that compared with those from Thailand, was, to say the least, agreeably surprised to find that those I was able to purchase in Colombo were equally as good.





The markets, were, as in most Asian countries, road-side stalls with the pro-duce often displayed on the ground as is to be seen in the photo on the left.


And the ubiquitous three wheeled taxi of Asia, which I have also seen in Cuba.

They are invaluable for a means of transport on the crowded roads, as well as in the narrow streets and alleyways which abound in cities such as, being able to almost turn in their own length. They weave in and out and around the traffic almost as readily as the cyclists.
It took me until the third day to find my Tuk Tuk driver who has always served me so well.


This is he, with his wife. I found him a most helpful and trustworthy person, always ready and willing to go out of his way to assist in whatever way and capacity he could. I do most sincerely thank him.