The Memoir

The dates on these entries will make no sense. But below this paragraph the trip unfolds chronologically in order – from early August to early September (the pictures get better as the trip unfolds as well). Here’s a taste of what I was about to see:

Leaving USA

In LAX airport. Let me get this straight – we are not allowed to bring in our own water bottles past the security gates to enter the boarding area. OK, Richard Reid and the crew did us no help there. Searching through a few convenient stores in the terminal I realize that all of the bottles are the 12-ounce nothing sizes. That is not going to cut it – I need mucha agua for this 12 hour plus flight. Finally found a 1.5 liter size – awesome. “That will be $4.79.” Seriously, not cool. I get the same product in grocery stores for $1.50. I understand that airport shops need to make their profit, but this is going too far. We are forced to buy water inside the terminal, and then we are succinctly price gouged with an atrocious amount. That hurt. My water tastes good though.

The check-in lady here at LAX was as a gem. I don’t think she was capable of smiling. Not smooth. Let’s stick to the positive though….

In Transit via Singapore

Changi Airport Singapore 1230AM

Kind of lost a day with the travelling. Slept on and off, irregularly through two flights totaling 17 hours of sky time. I ate more food in a day and a half on those planes, without moving around too much, than I have in quite some time. I think I am good for the next few days. The Japan Air flight from Tokyo to Singapore was spacious, comfortable, friendly, and full of siestas. Saw a first on a plane – the tv that the whole cabin can view actually showed what the pilot was seeing for takeoff and for landing. Exhilarating to watch the landing…comes in pretty fast. Clearly the hours upon hours had affected my brain’s perception of what exhilarating means.

Singapore’s airport, Chiang airport, looks like a city at night. SO brightly lit and monstrously huge. It was after midnight when I arrived, and the place was a zoo still- every store still open. 5am to 1am apparently, excluding the 24-hour mini market with booze.

I already feel like kissing Singapore and I have been in the airport for about 30 minutes. People are very friendly. And there is no other airport in the world that I would rather spend the night in. Wow. From the sleeping arrangements to the bathrooms to the free internet, to the all night open mini market. This place is an in-transit person’s dream home. Too bad I messed up my time schedule on the flights over here – my sleep was not consistent…even with 20 Al Green songs, and yes, some annoying kids playing with a ball at night.

The First Day – Colombo, the capital

I honestly didn’t know too much about Sri Lanka before arriving to the island. I figured that the country’s capital wouldn’t be full of twig huts, but wasn’t sure if I would encounter Tijuana, Mexico, Bangkok, or some othe type of city-venue. I was simply anxious to experience the scene…whatever it would be.

The first day in Colombo started early in the morning. The main road was full of busses and cars moving around in the normal fashion for a third world country: there really wasn’t any order, but in that disorder everyone seemed to understand one another.

Along the road games was their street market. It flourishes in the mornings with fresh fruit, meat, fish, and vegetables along with the friendly activity of the locals. I was exposed to jack fruit, the king’s coconut, and more of this island’s new offerings. I love fruit, so I was excited – albeit sometimes it doesn’t take too much to get me intrigued and stoked on my surroundings.

The first local I came in contact with today approached me on the sidewalk and asked where I was from. His English was beautiful (being colonized by the British for 150 years has some pros I guess?), and he was genuinely curious to get some of my thoughts. After a few minutes I felt as though I had made my first local friend. It was a good sign.

I have a good feeling with the people here; I can’t wait to drink more king’s coconuts….

Negombo Fish Market and the Tour Begins

Negombo Fishing Market - 3AM

Today began our tour. But before that we went to a morning fisherman’s mecca in Negombo. About 1.5 hours outside of Colombo. We were in a haze from the night before when we left at 1AM this morning. Darting through the dark side streets in the fishing village, we caught up to a fairly large load truck. Ducking in and out of awareness, we all heard the squeal. A dog had just been run over by the front left tire of the truck, sort of alive for a split second, then crushed by the back left tire. The driver didn’t even seem to consider slowing down or stopping.

But I didn’t feel too much beyond a bit of a shock at first sight. Then I realized that this is a wild dog, no one’s pet. Not that it makes it alright, but easier not to feel horrible for the family I guess?

The port was full of a variety of fish, shark, and manta ray. The scene turned into stock exchange for a bit with the shipments laid out. Was a sight to behold.

About midday we met Samantha, our driver for the next two weeks and off to Kandy we went for the Perahera parade.

Samantha, the Buddhist driver

Kandy Times with Elephants

A family building their home, crushing their rice, and offering all they have to three travelers (including the glass we drank from as a gift)

The drive out to Kandy involved a few stops – for cashews and the lady cussing at us, buying a leather stool product, meeting an extremely inviting family on the road (and learning how they make rice…by picking out off the shell-so labor intensive) and finally reaching the city at 1pm, and taking a nap.

Cashew Lady pre-upset stage - (we bought from the store across the street)

I woke up to the swarm of bats outside of my place. The hotel is a very nice one, without a few necessary amenities like clocks. Strange. The staff is friendly, but something feels off. Very upscale place, so I feel a bit off. But I will get over that.

another one...

Tonight was the second to the last night of the Perahera parade. Lasting over 2 hours, it proved to be an interesting array of dancers, fire tossers, stilted dudes walking around, and lit elephants. There must have been fifty of them – towards the last hour I could see the other tourists getting ancy, probably hoping that no more beasts would turn the corner, but the elephant stream continued to flow heavily.

8/17 Continuing on to Find More Elephants

We didn’t make it out of the cemetery city (Kanday) until an hour after planned – about 8am. Said our goodbyes to the favorite servers (one of which was a Sri Lankan up and coming rapper – Jay and him got along brilliantly sharing verses), and off we were with Samantha the nice driver. Man I don’t do so well in these hotel places – unless they are for weddings and I am with heaps of friends to make the times exciting. Oh wait, or if I have a girlfriend and we can share our loving times together. Kidding, sort of.

Today was the day of the elephant. We first stopped off at an elephant orphanage in the middle of the island on the way to our next hotel.

I’ve seen elephants before, but not nearly as many as this at one time. And most of them were free to roam as they pleased. A few times the elephant keepers were yelling at me to move away from the animals as I was in the middle of about five of them – just enamored with their size and kind eyes. Translates to I was still a bit nerved to be around such mammoths, no matter how nice they are – one false step and my head pops like a grape. There would be no story to write after that one…at least not by me.

We watched a few of them eat in a stall as well. But it was troubling that the gentle souls were chained. I don’t like to see any animal tied down like that. But then they let the gang of at least 75 out to go bathing in the nearby river. The trunks shuffle in a somewhat orderly, if not hurriedly, fashion down a narrow street that ends in the river’s banks.

Got my hand read and was told that I am a lucky man. Will have three children, and two wives in my lifetime. This sage’s wisdom pulled me in and I was enchanted. But halfway into this unwelcomed reading into my soul I let the Sri Lankan know that I had only chapstick in my pocket. No dough. He then wrapped things up quickly. Two wives? Come on, I will only have one in my life…I think.

dude, i really do believe you can see into the future and read my lines, but I really do only have a chapstick in my pocket and no money. Wait, that sounded kind of strange. You know what I mean.

Sidenote: Before arriving to the orphanage this morning while walking on the sidewalk, an older man grabbed my arm. I thought he was begging for money, and reacted as such subtly. He wouldn’t let go, so I started to focus (I have already fallen into the ‘I am dealing with masses of people that all think I am loaded because I am white’ way of thinking). The look in his eyes told another story entirely – so warm and open. He simply wanted a handshake, nothing more. We shook hands, he gave me a gleam in the eye and a wide smile while saying, “Iubowan” for hello. An unexpected touching moment. I was embarrassed to say the least.

8/18 TreeHouse Times Arrive

I am not a true hotelier. But this trip is thankfully stretching my comfort zones with the different ambience. I’m surrounded with beautiful designs, comfort, and politeness. But the stuff I get the most out of a trip is not from the bed and room I sleep in. It is not the food I eat – wait, that is a lie. I love trying all the foods I can. Back to the original train of thought – it is not the cleanliness of the bathroom and abundance of hot water for a shower (I took cold showers for three months straight on other travel times). It is about those smiles. Those gestures of warmth saying nothing else than, “Hey, I am glad you came to my country.” It is the simple people times that make me yearn for more. Enter my new friends made at Sigiriya UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After showing me the homemade bombs he has around his joint to throw at trespassing elephants in hunt for some onions (he stayed there to protect his friend’s onion farm), we decided to walk to the nearby lake – not before grabbing a bottle of Arrack, the local coconut-derived hard alcohol. I am not able to download the video on this yet, but the following photos give an idea of the fabulous times we shared. Talking about their society, about America and what they thought it to be about, and pretty much in general laughing with each other on a leisurely afternoon.

And the Arrack effects begin…
And the Ipod came out…
I haven’t figured out how to get my videos on this blog yet, and the footage is a necessity to see. Mishka is owning it, whiile Samantha chants along.

The Video from the TreeHouse Buddy Arrives

I am not so computer savvy, so this took me awhile – and I still couldn’t figure it out on wordpress. This video was taken as Mishka, his buddy Samantha and I were sitting lakeside having a bottle of Arrack. Mishka was infatuated with the camera’s video setting and seeing himself (he should be on American Idol at some point – Sri Lankan Idol I mean). It is a bit lengthy, but Mishka gives a dance as well. Just click on “Mishka”:

8/20 – Random People Notes

A hotel room to the right – beautifully designed.

SRI LANKAN NEWS COMMENTATORS are the worst I have ever seen. Between one girl looking down at her notepad for 95% of the time, being able to see the reflection of her figure on the TV screen camera left, and her partner who was not speaking to the camera while constantly shifting her eyes, the program easily entertained. Even if I did understand the Singhalese language they spoke, I would not have been able to focus on what they were talking about.

Music videos. At first I thought I was watching parodies of sorts. Then I realized that all of the videos were not for jestering, but sincere. Wow (I thought). But then something happened. The dance moves not in sync, the interesting backdrops, the 80s hair styles and clothing to match started to make sense. I began to love the intoxicating images and pride of the Sri Lankan Style.

I have heard from a few local people that it is not uncommon for someone to kill themselves if they cannot be with the one they love. This includes teenagers in puppy love. Life is just not worth living. And the stories about couples jumping off of the cliffs of Trinco Fortress together fly out here as well. These people must really know how to love. I will keep my love senses on high alert so I can pick up some tips.

Not only are they sincerely over dramatic here, they claim to have one of the world’s highest alcoholism rates along with the suicide rate being ranked in the top ten worldwide.

But on the other side of the coin, or actually perhaps the alcoholism rate is involved on this: I have never seen so many smiles from people. Even hint at a person here that you are about to smile and you will be greeted with a brilliant flash of white teeth. Or of red teeth due to the beetle (tobacco product, like dip) they are chewing. Or no teeth.

But all the same, these people do not try to hide their happiness. But why then are they ranked so high in the world with suicide and alcoholism? I have read that there is some Aboriginal bloodline in the ethnicity mix – this would be a convenient answer. Aborigines, much like the American Native Indians, lack an enzyme that breaks down alcohol upon consumption. For this their bodies are drunk quickly, and are much more susceptible to falling prey to its addiction.

And I feel compelled to be honest – I have been on this prosperous island for 8 days now, and can count the amount of pretty girls I have seen on one hand, maybe with a finger or two from the other one. That surprises me. Maybe they are hiding out somewhere and I won’t find them until back in Colombo in the night scene? Although Natasha says the pretty ones get off the island and into other countries. I still have my doubts – but it is now easier to focus on other nuances of the society I guess right?