Workin’ for a Livin’

Stilt Fishermen
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By Dan

By this time, we have had lots of practice leaving places we love, and Dikwella was no different. But, we’d relaxed and chilled long enough, and it was time to see some more Sri Lanka. So, we headed west along the coast towards the town of Galle. Along the way, though, we of course admired more of the absolutely spectacular beaches for which Sri Lanka is famous. They just don’t get better than this. In addition, we stopped to watch the famous stilt fishermen of this area, guys who spend their days perched on a small plank sticking out from a stilt positioned in the water, trying to catch some species of small fish that comes around from time to time. Considering how much my rear end hurt merely from sitting on lounge chairs by a pool and riding around in the cushioned seats of vans and buses, I really felt for these guys who are balanced out there all day under a broiling sun. I’m adding this to my list of tough ways to make a living.

Old Dutch Church
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Sri Lanka was under Portuguese control before the Dutch took over in the 1500s. The Dutch built a nice fort at Galle, out on a rocky point that at least partially guards the harbor, and a small town within the town remains within the fort’s walls, known as Galle Fort. But you could probably guess that, right? It’s a really sleepy, peaceful, pleasant area that doesn’t feel badly impacted by the crush of tourism. There were neat old buildings that showed the Dutch architectural influence, a couple of churches built in the 1500s, and rebuilt houses that looked like they’d be right at home in the Asian version of Architectural Digest or something. Plus, you climb up on the walls of the fort, and look out over the beautiful ocean. The vibe is just as mellow as can be, and really appealing.

Playing Risk
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We stayed in a homestay, sort of a B&B or guesthouse which is a very common type of lodging in Sri Lanka. While the accommodations were quite a bit more Spartan than what we had enjoyed at Dikwella, the personal touch and contact we enjoyed made it all worthwhile. The kids ended up playing a marathon game of Risk with the owner’s grandson that stretched over into a second day. I think they all conquered and lost many continents during the game, and got to spend some quality time with a 10 year old Sri Lankan kid. That seemed to us to be a much better learning experience than dragging them to more temples or ruins, so they didn’t get pressured by their parents. My mom never quite figured out how to use the toilet in her room, which was perched high on a pedestal, and the one in the room Grayson and I shared required one to sit perpendicular to the seat’s oval, because of the unfortunately-placed wall. Mosquitoes continue to be ravenous in this part of the world, so it took the full combination of nets, fans, spray and A/C to keep them at bay. Nevertheless, it was a great part of the Sri Lanka experience for us.

Rock jumpers off the ramparts
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We enjoyed the evening out in a public area on the walls of the fort, watching Sri Lankan families sharing a Saturday night along with a few tourists. Christina and the kids saw not one but two snakes, one of which was about 2 meters long and slithered up over the wall from the ocean side and down into somebody’s back yard. A few folks said it was a “water cobra”, but the last time we checked there was no such thing. The better bet was that it was some sort of grass snake, but cobra sightings do sound like much more fun. The other one was seen slithering under some bushes, which is how snakes should be seen, in my book. Sunset over the fort’s ramparts was about as nice as sunsets can be. Part way through dinner, we were joined by Delphine, the niece of a friend of my parents who lives in Galle Fort and works for an NGO doing charity work. It was great to get a different perspective on life in Sri Lanka and the overall situation.

Can you identify this snake?
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Around Galle Fort, we heard about a couple of other very interesting professions, and saw one of them. One brought to mind the cliff divers of Acapulco who used to show up on ABC’s Wide World of Sports every year when I was a kid. The Sri Lankan version goes from the walls of the fort, and the water is a little deeper than what the guys in Acapulco contend with, but nevertheless it looks like a tough way to make a living. We didn’t want to have a broken neck on our consciences for the rest of our lives, so we declined to sponsor any of the guys who were offering their diving services. The other interesting profession was what you could call Octopus Man. Apparently, this guy catches octopi, and then to transport them he sticks them on his body and walks to the fish market. Pretty wild visual, but unfortunately he wasn’t in his usual spot when we went to look for him. Yet another example of people doing what they need to do, to make a livin’. At least those in Galle Fort are putting in their time in very pleasant surroundings.