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