Chilling in Sri Lanka

It's actually not as hot as I thought it would be here in Sri Lanka.  Now don't get me wrong, it's still pretty muggy out, as it is a tropical climate.  While you get the immediate skin stickiness outside, I'm not dripping in sweat walking around as I was in Thailand.  Though, I don't think I've been as active as I have in Bangkok.

Since my last posting, I haven’t really been up to much.  I have left the resort town and am now at my cousin’s husband’s family’s house.  They own a huge plantation outside of the capital of Colombo.  It’s really not that far off distance wise, but it takes about an hour and a half drive time.  The streets here are pretty crazy, even by the international standards that I have become used to.  They are congested, but only because they are two lane deals.

For some reason, there is only one main roads leading into towns, and every piece of traffic has to flow through these streets.  Along the streets are tons of small shops and throngs of people scurrying around like ants.  Passing lanes here are used frequently.  When I say passing lanes, they aren’t like the ones back in the States, where one lane is used solely for that reason.  No, passing lanes here are the lanes used by oncoming traffic.  In other words, you could be driving on your side of the road, which is the left here, and see a bus trucking along in your lane, only to veer off back onto its side at the last second before taking off one side of your car.  Everyone honks their horn to warn others that they are passing.  At nights, they flash their highlights.  It’s an odd symphony of sounds and sights really.  And smells if you add in the load I drop each time I come inches from oncoming traffic. 

I am currently writing from an indescribable setting.  When I say plantation, don’t conjure up the image of a Southern plantation with large open fields.  This is essentially a jungle setting.  Well, that’s not really the most appropriate term to use, but rather the setting here is tropical.  The plantation here grows a number of crops, but according to my cousin’s husband, the main exports are king coconuts and pineapples.  But they have many other tropical type fruits here, too.  There are rambutan, banana, jackfruit, rose apples, mangoes are some of the other stuff grown here.  As I have said before, the place looks like a jungle, complete with the occasional animal noises in the surroundings.  During the nights, it’s completely dark and the stirrings from the animals can be disconcerting to my city boy senses. 

My cousin and her husband never usually come during the summer time, which is the only time I can get away myself.  The reason why they are here in Sri Lanka is because my cousin’s husband’s brother is getting married.  The wedding ceremony happened while I was gone, but they did have a “homecoming” ceremony, and I got to attend that.   It was a small gathering of around 700.  I think literally the entire village and their extended families were there.  The buffet arrangement was crazy.  There were two separate lines and probably a ton of food.   Seriously, if you weighed all of the food and drink, it would probably equal to 2000 pounds, which is a ton.  It was standard Sri Lankan fare with curries, lentils, chickpeas, and fruit available.  Oh, alcohol was freely available as well.  And just like anywhere else in the world where there’s free booze involved, there were some drunken people stumbling and babbling around.  My cousin and I were the only foreigners in the whole shindig, and we naturally got some looks.  I always get looks for my handsome, rugged face, but never like this. 

The other day I took a walk around the area.  As I was walking up the road just outside the plantation, within seconds some dude on a motorcycle slows, gets a good look and me, says something in Singhalese, and motions to the back of his cycle.   Mamma raised me to never take rides from strangers, especially half way across the world.  With the said, I knew this guy wasn’t trying to kidnap me and sell me on the market.  I don’t think I would fetch much on the black market:  I’m skinny, complain a lot about manual labor, and can barely eat with my hands.  It turns out the guy lives in the close by and new I was staying there.  He thought I needed a lift into town or somewhere.  The family’s driver also drove by and offered a ride as well later on.  People are super friendly here, and they do offer rides to strangers.  On one last note before I do sign off, I’ve never seen a country of people laugh and smile so easily as Sri Lankans.  It’s something I actually noticed standing in the immigration line at the airport.  I noticed several of the officers actually smiling to the incoming tourists.  Mine actually said to me to have a good vacation.  So far, most Sri Lankans have been more than hospitable to me.  It might have to do with the fact that they never see foreigners around here, but because it’s just who they are.  

My first homecooked Sri Lankan meal

This meal, as all subsequent meals for almost a week, was cooked by the mother of the family.  She apologized that the food wasn't as good as it usually is because she was busy with the homecoming party.  It still tasted good to me.  The spinach looking dish was very good and had a different taste to it.

Chinese food in Sri Lanka

 The place billed itself as fine dining, rather than Chinese dining, but that's okay; the food was considering we're in the middle of Sri Lanka.  Not in the capital, mind you, but out in the boonies where I saw not a one Asian soul, other than my cousin and myself.  The shrimp cooked in a garlic sauce was so flavorful.  The fried rice also had a nice authentic, Chinese taste.  Much like me.

Homecoming ceremony in Sri Lanka

The couple, who are just left of the ice sculptures, already got married.  I missed the wedding, but got a chance to attend this "homecoming" party.  It's essentially a huge reception to welcome the couple home.  Literally.  This small gathering of 700 was held at the home of the family.  They had a stage set up, two buffet lines, and tons of tables.  Each table had at least one bottle of alcohol set up.  The money spent on booze went into the thousands of dollars range.  Most of that damage done by me. In this photo, you can see a little girl standing in front of the newlyweds.  There was actually another little girl, and they both sang some song.  I have no idea what they sang, because I don't speak a lick of Singhalese.  They could've been singing "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mixalot for all I know.  I wonder if he does weddings in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan food

This is another of several meals I've had in the family home.  I actually didn't take photos of every meal.  If I did, it may look I've been recycling the same picture over and over.  In reality, while it may look the same, there were always several dishes that were different, though some staples always remain the same.  For example, the orange looking stuff, called sambal, isn't usually eaten all the time.  Because my cousin loves the stuff, however, it was made every day for her.  What a diva.

Pizza Hut in Sri Lanka

 My first chain meal in Sri Lanka.  This was fairly close by to the home, and we were in the area because I needed to get contacts, which proved to be quite an adventure, as they are about as common as Asians walking around.  Needless to say, it tasted pretty close to pizza from any Pizza Hut.  The pepperoni didn't taste quite the same.

Western food in Kandy, Sri Lanka

 Seriously, there are some places that serve "western food," and this is one of them.  I think it was called deviled chicken.  It was cooked in a very mild chili sauce, and wasn't bad.  The veggies, while not appearing very good, were surprisingly full of flavor.  If you notice, there is cutlery in the photo.  Since I was eating Western, I figured I eat as Westerners do.  No one else in the restaurant was though.  Of course, everyone else in place were Sri Lankans.

Temple with Buddha's tooth in Kandy, Sri Lanka

 One the main attractions in Kandy is a temple that contains one of Buddha's teeth.  This shot isn't actually of the tooth.  That place was crazy jammed pack with worshipers.  We all bought some flowers to offer at the alter of the tooth, which is a tradition, and I had a brief chance to do that.  But there were so many people, that I couldn't get a shot off.  This is another alter in a separate temple.  As you'll notice if you pay attention to any of my photos, the people primarily where white.  As in many cultures, white represents purity.  I did not wear white, since I have the furthest thing from being pure.  If I were to ever get married, I would wear off-white.  Or black.