COLOMBO, SRI LANKA

Arriving after  about one in the morning, I was shocked to learn that all of the hotels in Colombo were full. I found out that the All Asia Cricket Tournament was being played.  I had to make some quick decisions and I grabbed a taxi and went north to a small town on the water and a great room.  The next day I was able to check into a great hotel (Sapphire) in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.

I had known about the insurgents' (Tiger rebels) fight with the government.  They had had a cease fire for about  six months.  The rebels called it off as the talk was that they were buying time to resupply.  The government restricts travel to certain parts of the country.  Entering into the city and seeing the machine gun bunkers with sand bags around them gave me a be cautious feeling.  There were also strategically stands that looked like deer stands only they had sand bags around them and two soldiers with automatic weapons.  The people were nonchalant about them.  Two nights ago, the government troops killed eight rebels located in a house in Colombo.  The rebels vowed revenge.  This didn't stop my having a great R & R time. 

Colombo is extremely big.  It takes an hour to get into the center of the city.  Make no mistake, it is a third world country. Their food, shopping is fantastic.  The first night in Colombo, I learned of a restaurant right on the beach located in the sand twenty feet away from the surf. They brought the fresh raw fish, crab, and shrimp for one to see and pick. Naturally, I picked it all.  The fish was at least 18 inches and was similar to a red fish. The crabs were dipped in a sauce of hot chilly.  It was finger licking good.  I had had them in Singapore and Malaysia.  The only thing that could have been better is having someone to share the evening on the beach.

I tried surfing again or I should call it wipe out.  I do fine laying on the board, but I have a hard time trying to hang ten.   The Sapphire hotel is great and some of the staff is better.  One is teaching me to tie a Sorang.  I rented a car and drove to Candy, Sri Lanka, about 100 miles away.  All of Asia, Australia, New Zealand drive to the left of center, while in America we do it to the right.  It was an experience and nobody was injured.

I stopped at an orphanage along the way.  It really tore into me.  There were so many kids.  It reminded me of when my brother had to put his five kids in the Baptist Children's Village for a year while he got his life back together after his 22 year old wife died suddenly of hepatitis.  Candy is considered the intellectual center of Sri Lanka. The people are very friendly and most have never seen an American.  Maybe someone will come along and do some PR work to take are of my visit.

When I got back to Colombo, an incident happened involving three young  guys.  I was in an area that I shouldn't have been walking.  No need to bore anyone with details but it worked out to my satisfaction. 

Night life is good. They have a lot of activities from casinos, discos, night clubs, bars, and some mingling places, and etc.  I kept a low profile this time.  This experience was nothing like Singapore, Langkawi, or Malaysia, but it was good.  After all, I did learn to tie and untie a Sorang.

I had always wanted to come to Sri Lanka, but I can't tell you why.  It was always apealing to me.  It still is. Tonight, it is off to Delhi, India, Nepal, Katmandu, Sikkim, Burma, and a few other countries. No airplanes this time.  I will simply travel by train, bus, hitch hike and walk.  The schedule may change because of the flooding from the monsoon rains.