Sri Lanka, The "Pearl of the Indian Ocean" doesn't disappoint. About 90 miles off the Indian coast, it boasts a heritage descended from the LION...."Sinha" in Sanskrit...therefore, the majority of natives are Sinalese...or Sinhalese. Ceylon, as it was known by the usual colonial interlopers...the Portuguese, then the Dutch and of course, the English, was prized for its spices, its tea, its gems and its rubber...industries all still thriving today along with ready-made clothing. Ceylon received independence from the Brits on February 4th, 1948 and boasted the first women Prime Minister in the world. She acted in the name of nationalism in 1972 to change its name "Ceylon" to "Sri Lanka"- "Resplendant Land." It is a beautifully lush island with a 12th century man-made multi-reservior irrigational system that updated, works beautifully today to keep their croplands bountiful. Over its early history, the Tamils from north east India invaded and some stayed, along with some Indians from the south. These early settlers became natives...not to be confused with the one million Tamils from India impressed into working the tea crops by the English in the early 19th century. This was one of the contributing factors in Sri Lanka's 30 year civil war which was just resolved in 2009.
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| Tea picker...only the bud and first two leaves! |
We were the first tourist ship that has docked in Trincomalee's port in 30 years, a reason we were greeted with smiles and waves everywhere we went. The usual Sri Lankan greeting translates to "Hello, Have you eaten any rice?"...and instead of having rice with your curry, here one has some curry with your rice.
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| Buffalo curd roadside stand...delicious with Treacle(honey drizzle) |
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| Young Buddhist monk with his Mom |
One cannot speak of Sri Lnka without mentioning the wonderful animals...
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