swimming with the turtles

view from the pizza shop
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For some of you what I am about to tell you will come as a shock - I have not had a cup of coffee since arriving in Sri Lanka.  I have drank enough tea to piss an entire Sri Lankan surname in the sand but not even a drop on nescafe has passed these lips.  That is until today.  For today while strolling down the main street/highway/only street in Hikkaduwa - just a hop, skip and jump from Dickwella - I spied a sign "The Coffee Shop".  Lo and behold a real bean, espresso machine, coffee with cream cafe.  Taloo Tallay!

I must have set there for 2 hours feeling the love.  First a Dutch woman came in and she told me all about her daughter's project to create a tsunami memorial museum which is just down the road.  Then I talked at length with the proprieter who gave me some advice on how to deal with the scammers who use the tsunami to bilk money from tourists.  It's the milk powder scam.  They ask you to buy some milk powder for their relative who lost her husband and can't feed baby....You buy a can at some ridiculous price and then the store keeper and the con split the money and resell the can to the next tourist who is willing to be kind.  He told me how those in most need are those who are poorest.  Those who would not have any English to ask for help.  Orphanages and real charities are the way to give.

As all water must return to the sea, this bag of mostly water with a caffeine buzz did just that.  Walking along the beach, interrupting a young couple in ardent embrace by the sea wall.  Picking my way across rocks.  Strolling in the tan sands.   I saw a group of people gathered in the shallows looking at a rather large blob.  And then I was once again truly surprised on this trip.  Emerging from the water was the head of a sea turtle.  It was about 3 and half feet in diameter and very docily being moved about by this guy who was feeding it some algae looking stuff.  As I looked about there were at least 3 other turtles one a smaller guy.

I rented some snorkel gear and returned to the spot.  After some struggle with the cross current waves I managed to spot the large turtle who obviously has become somewhat tame from feeding and was able to swim right along side of it for a few minutes at a time.  It was awesome.  A German guy joined me and we paralleled the turtle though the shallows.  Coming face to face with this easygoing creature and tagging along behind it.

The water was choppy today as a result of a really big rainstorm coming to shore last night.  I was at dinner at the hotel.  Where I managed to make a rather ugly American impression by getting all huffy about no prices on the menu - They had given me the menu for the prepaid clients and then I tried to make chit chat with the waiter who mistook my asking about the weather for some insult to his manhood or something because he gave me one of those looks could kill look.  God only knows what was in my spaghetti with tomatoe sauce.  Anyway the storm was dramatic with lightening striking in the ocean and all the lights going off for about 5 minutes.  Now today as I type the power is iffy.  Maybe I will be able to finish this and maybe