trinity

We've all been to sri lanka now! I went trincomalee-sigiriya-colombo-negombo and it was like a dream. 

Trincomalee especially, only a few years past bombs and tidal waves, is a bare but beautiful reminder of how the land retains memories. Of course, most tourists there don't have a clue. The sea there is just so beautiful that it's hard to turn your back to it. But one morning we found ourselves chatting with Sajeeth Khan, a boatman and snorkelling guide, who told us stories about his 5 months in LTTE custody and close-range details of genocide in the area. His almost poetic Tamil ("time of the moon" is night, for example) was being washed away by the sound of waves, above us it was the noon sun, and all the stories he told us seemed so unreal. As if he was reciting a poem on tv, with a lot of static. Crazy. After a while the sun bathers flipped like eggs on a pan. Our skin was burning so we said goodbye and went to find some shade. 

I wish I had spent some more time in Colombo. Tell me what it was like? I want to go back for a longer time.

Sri Lanka (Love)

Just like india, I saw lovers hiding in parks under giant trees, on secluded beaches and in old temple ruins. I was traveling alone with my lover for the first time, slowly and intensely falling in love..

Seeing them and talking to them was also a warm change from all the gunmen and security blocks I saw all across the country. Sri Lanka is going to bear the brunt of its brutal war for many years to come. I wonder what it must be to be born and to live in a country as small as Sri Lanka soaked in violent ethnic strife.

Sri Lanka (Surfing)

Cows watch surfers at Whiskey point, Arugam Bay

Arugam Bay was discovered for its excellent waves in the late 70's by hippies who would surf on wooden planks apparently. That is how most kids remember learning surfing here.  They say its a great place to surf cause the waves are long and perfect, the waters are always warm and there are no sharks! It still is not very commercial because for all these years there was the civil war going on. Now its slowly becoming known.

Lasithe, 21, One the best surfers in the area - Also my instructor

Shaggy (Another local surfer boy) 

Him and Lasithe showed us around and taught us surfing

I learnt for a few days, some reef cuts and scary near drowning experiences

but I stood on the surf. Most exciting feeling ever. 

I hope I can learn it seriously sometime soon.

I have to become a better swimmer first. Swimming in the ocean is a completely different thing.

Sri Lanka (The ocean)

The crisp blue clear ever present Indian Ocean
Makes air cool, not humid like it becomes here in India.

Sri Lanka (food)

 The staple - Rice and Curry (fish/chicken/pork etc) with 2 vegetable, dal, some dry vegetable, sambol and papadam. You find it everywhere you go, served exactly the same way, in small porcelain bowls and a large helping of rice!

The other delight, (found everywhere) - 'The Devilled' pork/fish/beef - Cooled in a sweet and spicy oily sauce with tomatoes, onions and big chillies or green capsicum, and the meat deep fried. Delicious with their think wheat breads.

Sri Lanka

The word Serendipity comes from 'Serendip' - An older name for Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)