random acts of senseless beauty

It’s Sunday morning and I’m sitting in the Business Centre at our hotel (2 computers and a photocopier) with my first internet access of the trip.

Sri Lanka is beautiful. There’s so much that’s so new to me that there’s no way I can even scratch the surface in the small moments that I have right now, but I’ll list some of the things that pop into my head:

Smiles. I’ve never met a freindlier people. They ask “How do you like Sri Lanka?” and when, of course, you tell them that you think it’s beautiful and very friendly they say “Thank You” with such pride as if you’re complimenting them on their home or their shirt.

Crowds. The streets are crowded with life. beautiful women with umbrellas as sun shades. shopkeepers chasing after you to com into their shop/stall. promising you “Sri Lanka price Madam”.

Poverty. I’m wearing my white band and feeling like a fraud. there is so much need here. on the way to Unawatuna we drove through the south-western tsunami zone… nearly a year on and there’s still people living in tents. This isn’t necessarily the fault of the NGOs… there’s a LOT of money in the pot, but there’s so much red tape over here that it takes a long time to get even temporary shelters up, and there’s a lot more happenning on the East coast, where there was utter devastation.

Beauty. The scenery, whether urban, beach or mountain is gob-smaking.

Bhuddism. Temples. Dagobas. Roadside Shrines. busy at every time of day with people walking and praying; carrying flowers or water… I want to know what they’re doing… to understand.

Animals. Elephants and Monkeys. I cuddled a baby elephant. A scary monkey took Josh’s book (it was returned by the hotel later).

My time is running out. We’re off to Dambula today then back to Colombo tomorrow. Liz goes back to Syndey on Tuesday night and I’m home Saturday with one hell of a slide show.