The rain has been incredible. Everyday, non-stop torrential downpours. So I found out that we have been getting the outer bands of Cyclone Laila that is heading towards India on the East coast. this has not been monsoon rains, the monsoon rains are coming!
I have seen quite a bit of damage caused by the rains, trees falling, a brick wall that fell down but the worst part is the flooding.
Our housekeeper tells us that she walks in knee deep water to get to our apartment and that her home has been flooded every night. We offered her our guest bedroom but she wouldn't accept, we offered her additional money to take a trishaw to work, she wouldn't accept it. She said that we give her so much already.
I took a train trip with my son to Kandy (In the interior of the country). We rode by many neighborhoods of what basically nothing but shacks constructed of whatever material is available. Well these entire neighborhoods were flooded. Mind you these homes do not have running water and they don't even have outhouses as we think of them but sewage pits. Add the floods to these conditions and it's ripe for diseases. The government said that it is releasing additional money to take of the flood victims, I hope it reaches out to everyone in need.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Pictures of Todays Big Adventure With My Son
My son arrived after two long days of traveling from the west coast of the U.S.A. to here via London. As expected he chatted it up with a Sri Lankan girl he met at Heathrow, somehow I knew that and they were seat mates as well. He managed to stay up all morning long, go to the gym, eat a hearty breakfast and ready to see the town.
We geared up for a walking tour and he got his first taste of a typical scam artist not but two blocks from the apartment. I say scam artist but he did tell us we couldn't walk any further and that the road was closed, I knew he was lying which made me mad, he segued into the "gem store sale" which I saw coming a mile away, starting with when I saw him run across the street to talk to us. I told him we lived here, he didn't say another word and walked across the street again.
We first visited the Hindu temple. I had never been inside before. Was kind of what I expected. There was a wedding going on, very ornate apparel worn by the bride and groom, no one was taking photos so we didn't either.
Got hassled by a guy trying to sell me stamps on the way out as Corey was hurriedly trying to put on his shoes so we could get out of there.
Stopped at a coconut stand and he had his fist coconut and enjoyed it.
We then continued on our walking journey to the Buddhist temple. There are a few here in Colombo and honestly I don't know the name of it, but it's the one with the elephant.
We walked around and looked at the old car collection. I don't know what the story is behind the old cars. I read on the Internet that the senior monk there likes to collect them, I don't know is that's it or people donate them.
We grabbed a trishaw and went to the national museum. It was a little boring, just a bunch of old stuff. The best part was the last king of Sri Lanka's throne, that the Brit's confiscated after they took power and sent to England and then one of the kings sent it back I think in 1936.
We returned to the apartment and put on swim wear and went to our my favorite pool, Corey liked it too.
I saw dark clouds coming and it started raining, then it started pouring, the rain came down in sheets but we kept on playing in the pool. We got out when we heard thunder.
Came back to the apartment for a pretty good lightning show and a rouring wedding reception at Raja Bajun (Ground floor curry buffet restaurant here at the apartments).
After Corey cleaned up he laid down on the couch and it was lights out.
Here are some pictures in no particular order:
We geared up for a walking tour and he got his first taste of a typical scam artist not but two blocks from the apartment. I say scam artist but he did tell us we couldn't walk any further and that the road was closed, I knew he was lying which made me mad, he segued into the "gem store sale" which I saw coming a mile away, starting with when I saw him run across the street to talk to us. I told him we lived here, he didn't say another word and walked across the street again.
We first visited the Hindu temple. I had never been inside before. Was kind of what I expected. There was a wedding going on, very ornate apparel worn by the bride and groom, no one was taking photos so we didn't either.
Got hassled by a guy trying to sell me stamps on the way out as Corey was hurriedly trying to put on his shoes so we could get out of there.
Stopped at a coconut stand and he had his fist coconut and enjoyed it.
We then continued on our walking journey to the Buddhist temple. There are a few here in Colombo and honestly I don't know the name of it, but it's the one with the elephant.
We walked around and looked at the old car collection. I don't know what the story is behind the old cars. I read on the Internet that the senior monk there likes to collect them, I don't know is that's it or people donate them.
We grabbed a trishaw and went to the national museum. It was a little boring, just a bunch of old stuff. The best part was the last king of Sri Lanka's throne, that the Brit's confiscated after they took power and sent to England and then one of the kings sent it back I think in 1936.
We returned to the apartment and put on swim wear and went to our my favorite pool, Corey liked it too.
I saw dark clouds coming and it started raining, then it started pouring, the rain came down in sheets but we kept on playing in the pool. We got out when we heard thunder.
Came back to the apartment for a pretty good lightning show and a rouring wedding reception at Raja Bajun (Ground floor curry buffet restaurant here at the apartments).
After Corey cleaned up he laid down on the couch and it was lights out.
Here are some pictures in no particular order:
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Book Corner - Finished Reading
The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins
Paperback 347 pages
Fiction
War Thriller
Initial publication 1975
I had seen the movie years ago, alright make that probably decades ago but just recently stumbled upon the book. Old and yellowed this was an original 1975 published paperback that apparently was taken from a hotel in Galle (South of Colombo).
As is my modus operandi when it comes to book reviews I'll just say that this was a great weekend read, well written and worth reading for you history buffs even if it is fiction.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Man Your Kitty Stations!
Feral prefers to stay on the love-seat giving her a commanding view of humans in the room and she can quickly disappear under said love-seat in case there are scary humans in the room. She can also turn around and see the crows on the balcony when they announce themselves.
The sheet was initially for Cricket our long haired cat who made the love-seat her home, but somehow Feral made it her turf.
The sheet was initially for Cricket our long haired cat who made the love-seat her home, but somehow Feral made it her turf.
I was able to train Cricket to lay on a towel whenever she is on the bed as she is so furry it is much easier to throw the towel in the wash instead of having to wash the bed spread or changing the sheets. Cricket prefers the guest bedroom near the kitchen where the food bowls are located. That would pretty much sum up Crickets day, sleeping and eating.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)