Cannons and Cats

The big celebration for the president here has been underway. I just found out something interesting. Everyone was told that this is his 'second" swearing in ceremony (sic) even though he was re-elected in January. But also his 65th birthday was yesterday. Now I'm sure that the two have nothing to do with each other, especially the mass fireworks display last night and the multiple rounds of ceremonial cannon fire that reverberated all over shaking our windows and scaring our cats!

When I came home yesterday there was military police in the bank foyer. When I get home there is a note from the apartment management saying that we might be subjected to a body search entering our apartment building (Because we enter from the bank foyer). Absolutely stupid.

This morning I go up to the gym and see military police hanging around the patio tables around the pool. They kept staring at me as I worked out. I also saw one of the regular security guards up there chatting away. Then some suits came up and I saw the security guard jump to his feet. I aslo noticed that there was cops pretty much on every roof top within my view. Crazy.

To say the least I'm not going up to the pool for those guys to stare at me. I was thinking about going up there with my camouflage bush hat, my Motorola radio and my binoculars and freaking them out.

Interesting OpEd
http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/10/31/and-it%E2%80%99s-party-time%E2%80%A6-again/

Book Corner - Finished Reading

The Hard Way by Lee Child
Paperback
384 pages
Thriller novel/Reacher series

So this is my second Reacher book I've read by Lee Child. This one was much better and closer to what I expected from the main character. Still the book was a bit off and confusing but overall I enjoyed it.

Overall the Amazon reviews were pretty positive. Most of the readers were fans of the main character and had read other books. I think this one was a later novel.

Holiday For All!

We couldn't help but notice all sorts of activity at the Galle Face Green recently. Workers installing covered walkways and big tents, international, Sri Lankan and Buddhist flags all up and down Galle Face Road and most recently festive lights on tall buildings.

Nobody really knew what it was all about except that it was something for the President. Well the cat was let out of the bag and apparently there is going to be a big inauguration ceremony for the President, so he declared it a national holiday.

This has to be at least the third impromptu national holiday since I've been here. Thankfully it was declared on a Friday, nice three day weekend for me!

Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving and now this, sweet!

Pictures of the Flooding

Here are pictures taken by a Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter of the flooding.

http://airforce.lk/news.php?news=507