Under the Sri Lankan sun

Monks on board
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Where did I leave off?  Yesterday was such a lazy day.  It rained off and on all day.  I went out for a coffee to my new favorite place only to find it closed.  A common occurance here:  There is only one proprietor to a shop and when he/she needs to do any business they close.  Or they have a headache and must leave.  Or the power goes out and there is nothing working (internet every day here so far).  What to do?  I found a funky beachside backpacker's bistro where I got a cup of instant local coffee and just the best tunes.  The atmosphere was dead on perfect for my mood.  I spent what seemed to be hours floating in the daydream of ocean sounds and Nick Cage and the comings and goings of bar business.

Where I found the sea turtles
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I moved on down the road to lunch and BCC world news on the latest moments before the landing at Dover of the 15 sailors released blah blah....ad nauseum of news.  How can they say so much saying so little?

Then I stopped by a gem store and spent hours chatting with the proprietor, Afahr, who has dreamy eyes and a quiet friendly business manner.  He offered to take me tomorrow to see the gem cutter's in a nearby village.  Alas I talked with him today and he must stay in shop to wait for customers who have an order to pick-up.

At the Tsunami museum
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And that was the day.

Today brought sun and a return to beach life.  I now have people at breakfast to say hello to.  With internet, Skype, people I have met in one day and want to take me here and there I have such a full schedule I don't know how I can keep up.

My goal today was to see the Tsunami photographic museum in Telwatta.  I got a tu-tuk driver to take me who ended up telling me his story of hanging on to a tree to save his life and the loss of friends and his business.  The museum is the creation of a Dutch artist who came here in the aftermath to help.  She has put together a very simple place with photos gathered from the local area people.  There are also a lot of drawings from children.  There is a tryptich of pictures showing the loss of life.  There are series shots showing the waves coming over the lower levels of hotels shot from upper floors.

A statue given by the Japanese to honor the loss of life from the Tsunami
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There were 3 waves.  The first swept off the stuff not tied down.  The second was the big one which carried off cars, buses and a train which was full of over 2000 people who crowded into it thinking that it would be the safest place for them.  A wave of over 15 feet.  There are areas of beachfront completely empty that were full of houses.  There are wrecks of homes still to be seen.  My tu-tuk driver, Chami, took me to see how far inland the water went.  Then we saw the memorial built by the Japanese to honor the losses.

Part of buddha's life story. The marriage of Siddhartha
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After Chami suggested that I take a boat tour of the lagoon.  It was 4:30 and I had nothing better to do so I said sure.  It turned out to be a funky catamaran paddled by two guys who took us around this mangrove swamp, past islands dedicated to meditation.  We made a stop at a temple where I was told Buddha stories by a monk with the most amazing shaped head.  It looked like something from Star Trek.  The sky was spectacular with hints of coming weather stirring a variety of cloud formations together.

Softening coconuts by immersing them for a month then making coconut fiber by pounding them.
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I have a glow this evening as my skin is bright brownish pink.  I could live by the sea - amend that - tropical sea.