Ayubowan! This is the typical greeting (in the Singhala language of Sri Lanka) – usually accompanied by a bow with folded hands in front of the chest – between people and literally translates to “May you be blessed with a long life”. For Buddhists (which approx. 70% are here) and Hindus as well is a very important fact; like you are greeted with “many happy returns” when your birthday approaches…
But I jump-started a bit… Ok, so 2 weeks ago we were in winter-wonderland, now in a tropical place… Well, we needed some sun and change of place (adventure…) and as it doesn’t matter where you work the choice was rather easy.
After a rather bad flight with Qatar Airways (changing planes at midnight and then nearly not sleeping at all is not very nice…) we came to this lush tropical island in the Indian Ocean.
Beaches…
Mangrove forests at the beach front
and a nice room (after some struggling) at the Taj in Bentota
Seaview is a nice thing – especially when you are 4 floors up in a tsunami zone…
This had to be cherished with a cigar
As there are many Muslim guests knowing exactly where Mecca is, has it’s advantages
Sunset over the fish-restaurant…
A friendly chameleon
a real little dragon the male is…
scaly
what a beauty…
Show-off
Waiting for prey
Our local railway station – obviously in tourist country
And the old diesel engines from the 1960s from India…
taking off towards Colombo
A small restaurant we like is just over the tracks
Live companions
Ahhhh… vegetables
Our table next to the tracks (4m above them actually )
the night train passing by (slowly with 25 km/h)
Our typical fare – grilled fish
Oh, it was so good
the view from the other side of the tracks (no, no crossing, just bars )
nice, simple, easy
This was so bizarre I really had to take the image of the sacred washing place (no, just kidding – they just locked away the place)
A typical view from inside when you are taking a Tuk-Tuk (3-wheeler)
the typical gathering of these nice little machines (it’s not a bike and not a car either…)
A typical street town in Sri Lanka (or anywhere else in the world )
As we cannot eat most classical dishes (garlic, onions, …) we usually got a special order for breakfast – mostly curries
This is the basic platter with condiments (bottom right anti-clockwise: tomato coconut chutney, coriander chutney, ground coconut with chilli, chilli-chutney, mango-chutney, whatever…, idli (that pancake-like thing), string hoppers – the noodle nest)
A nice chilli curry
and mutton… (veeeeery old and baaaaah)
At night we were entertained by other groups with local dances
and performances
A typical fishing boat at sea
And our stolen frangipani…
We just love this flower and especially the smell
our bedtime decoration re-arranged
different point of view
Mighty elephant mahout
A typical railway track in Sri Lanka
Yes, why not have a switch to turn on the light?
For this street-lamp?
Jackfruit – still small… Now you use them for curries, in 2 months you cook them like potatoes, in 4 (when it’s the biggest fruit in the world and around 60 kg) you indulge in the flesh It’s a funny fruit as well as it grows directly from the trunk and not a branch
Papaya
And the typical Buddhist temple
Hmmm… Something is wrong…
One thing very annoying here are the touts who try to lure you everywhere and charge high commissions. I was caught in this trap as well as leaving the hotel one mentioned he works in the kitchen in our hotel and has seen me… So finally in the end I was taking a fairly pricy boat ride… Well, you learn all the time…
But the Bentota lagoon is at least nice
Lush vegetation
Magroves
Roots, roots, roots…
Everything is growing over or under something
another of the gangsters
Nice air roots
small channels
and saplings
Well, motorized is another option but very smelly and loud…
This way was better…
Fairy land
leaving the mangrove thicket
the other one…
Local fishermen amongst lush vegetation
a typical fruit seller
Yes, motorcycles can carry 3-4 passengers, too
Then at night at our hotel a romantic candle light dinner above the sea
That shiny thing in the back is the ocean
Making her shy…
Any lucky us – another performance
For those who wish – a bit more of it as video…
The next day in the afternoon Ursula was stung by a stingray and you can see the sting as well as the spreading of the poison. When we contact the doctor it was abysmal what information she had – put ice on it. Complete rubbish… The poison (she said they have none – what do they teach them…) is enzyme based and therefore dissolved if you bathe your foot in water at approx. 45° Otherwise (like with ice) it takes days for the pain to go away…
So how water it is…
A typical evening time scene an Aluthgama (next village)
Buying mangoes
and watching street-works (cool, 2 looking, 1 working – highly efficient )
Our new driver – Ranga. He is a real nice chap and we made another tour yesterday (yes, soon it will be here, too…) and some more today and the next days
Coming back it was Earth Hour – 1 h to save energy
So candles everywhere
Which is a nice effect
The entrance to the lobby
light procession
So that’s it finally for part 1. As we are getting out more and more there will be much more information and pictures to come – stay tuned
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