I have done it twice this week. Whats that? Accidentally rejected friendly comments sent to my blog!
I almost mechanically press the "Reject" link when I get a comment sent to my blog as I usually only get spam.
Well I rejected a comment yesterday, and kicked myself, then a minute ago, did it again!
My apologies to the nice folks who have sent me comments that I have rejected. Nothing wrong with your comments, something wrong with my knee jerk reaction to them : )
Monday, February 1, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Food Court Experience
Just across the street from our apartment is a shopping mall. In the basement level is a small food court. Probably all in all including the hot dog stand no more than 10 vendors. There is sushi, Sri Lankan, Indian, Chinese, ice cream/smoothies stand and a Pizza Hut Express.
It's not like visiting a food court in the U.S.A. They have common cutlery stands to get forks and spoons and you can leave your trays or dishes on the table as they have people to pick them up. In fact the men who pick up the trays and dishes are usually nice enough to take it from your table when they see you're finished.
For us a typical meal would be at Shanmuga's which is an Indian vegetarian place. We can get a belly filling meal for around 250 Rupees (Around $2.20USD). The different spices in the curry's taste so good. Finish it off with a trip to the ice cream stand or the deserts place and get an ice cream sundae or a personal sized apple pie for around $1.25. The goodies at the desert place are incredible. For me to call this just an apple pie is not doing it justice. It must weigh a solid 1 pound.
One interesting thing I noticed about the customers of the food court is that they are a different class of Sri Lankan's. To us going to the food court and spending under $10, well probably closer to $5 for two meals and deserts is a good thing, for most Sri Lankan's that is just out of the question. A Sri Lankan lunch packet sold on the street will cost about 100 Rupees and it is filled with rice and a good serving of curry.
I noticed that the kids that go there are definitely more Western, speak better English etc. You can tell the that the family's that visit the food court have money. Lunchtime the crowd is cal young professionals bunch.
It's not like visiting a food court in the U.S.A. They have common cutlery stands to get forks and spoons and you can leave your trays or dishes on the table as they have people to pick them up. In fact the men who pick up the trays and dishes are usually nice enough to take it from your table when they see you're finished.
For us a typical meal would be at Shanmuga's which is an Indian vegetarian place. We can get a belly filling meal for around 250 Rupees (Around $2.20USD). The different spices in the curry's taste so good. Finish it off with a trip to the ice cream stand or the deserts place and get an ice cream sundae or a personal sized apple pie for around $1.25. The goodies at the desert place are incredible. For me to call this just an apple pie is not doing it justice. It must weigh a solid 1 pound.
One interesting thing I noticed about the customers of the food court is that they are a different class of Sri Lankan's. To us going to the food court and spending under $10, well probably closer to $5 for two meals and deserts is a good thing, for most Sri Lankan's that is just out of the question. A Sri Lankan lunch packet sold on the street will cost about 100 Rupees and it is filled with rice and a good serving of curry.
I noticed that the kids that go there are definitely more Western, speak better English etc. You can tell the that the family's that visit the food court have money. Lunchtime the crowd is cal young professionals bunch.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Movie Theater Experience
Just returned from watching Avatar at the Liberty Cinema Theater. It was a pretty neat experience.
First I went to the theater and purchased 2 box seat tickets for the 7:00PM showing. It was 400 Rupees per ticket. Regular seating was something like 235 and balcony seating 325.
I could have reserved and purchased the tickets on the web but I couldn't get the web site to recognize my national identity card number.
We caught a ride to the theater, although we could have walked. There was no lines outside but the place was packed.
We showed the usher our tickets and he escorted is to our box seat.
It was an enclosed box area on the ground floor in the back of the theater. It had its own door and 2 seats without a middle armrest for special close together snuggling.
I bought a Coke and bottle of water before the show began all for 100 Rupees, not even $.90USSD.
At the halfway point during the movie there was an intermission. The lines were pretty long at the snack counter. There wasn't much asides chips and bags of popped popcorn (Not the hot stuff) and peanuts. The prices were really inexpensive.
When the movie started again the entire theater was full of the sound of crinkling bags, it was pretty funny.
At the end of the movie we waited for the theater to thin out, it was kind of embaressing as everyone is looking at us, in our box seat.
Don't ask me about the movie...
First I went to the theater and purchased 2 box seat tickets for the 7:00PM showing. It was 400 Rupees per ticket. Regular seating was something like 235 and balcony seating 325.
I could have reserved and purchased the tickets on the web but I couldn't get the web site to recognize my national identity card number.
We caught a ride to the theater, although we could have walked. There was no lines outside but the place was packed.
We showed the usher our tickets and he escorted is to our box seat.
It was an enclosed box area on the ground floor in the back of the theater. It had its own door and 2 seats without a middle armrest for special close together snuggling.
I bought a Coke and bottle of water before the show began all for 100 Rupees, not even $.90USSD.
At the halfway point during the movie there was an intermission. The lines were pretty long at the snack counter. There wasn't much asides chips and bags of popped popcorn (Not the hot stuff) and peanuts. The prices were really inexpensive.
When the movie started again the entire theater was full of the sound of crinkling bags, it was pretty funny.
At the end of the movie we waited for the theater to thin out, it was kind of embaressing as everyone is looking at us, in our box seat.
Don't ask me about the movie...
Thursday, January 28, 2010
My Flip Flops
Much like my luggage and boots I have (had) a great pair of flip flops. A good pair of flip flops have to be cheap and comfortable, mine were those. They have traveled with me to many countries and the bottoms have touched the sands of many beaches.
But my wife threatened its disposal on many occasions, I knew it would be soon.
So the other day she presents me with a pair of foo foo flip flops, purchased off of eBay. Who buys flip flops off of eBay? Isn't that against the law?
Well I said my goodbyes to my old flip flops and they went to the great beach in the sky.
My new flip flops got their inaugural walk this evening, not a very long walk.
Well guess what? Now I have a nice painful blister on my big toe! Flip flops are supposed to be comfortable, not painful!
But my wife threatened its disposal on many occasions, I knew it would be soon.
So the other day she presents me with a pair of foo foo flip flops, purchased off of eBay. Who buys flip flops off of eBay? Isn't that against the law?
Well I said my goodbyes to my old flip flops and they went to the great beach in the sky.
My new flip flops got their inaugural walk this evening, not a very long walk.
Well guess what? Now I have a nice painful blister on my big toe! Flip flops are supposed to be comfortable, not painful!
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