Sri Lanka ~ Odd Stop

22 February 2025

To replace my vanished hat, Scerendip rapidly came to my rescue with great, tailor-made, wide-brim and bucket hats, reversible and eco-friendly.
This was crazy. I had a week in Sri Lanka but spent most of my time obsessed with constant breaking news about the phenomenal blitz of changes unleashed by the new regime back in the US.

I tried but failed to break away from the screen of my ancient Microsoft Surface. Sleepless in Sri Lanka. Happily, my hotel had good Wi-Fi.

I was literally on the other side of the world, while the world was being metaphorically turned upside down at home. But, because I had visited Sri Lanka five times before, including a big trip all around the island, I felt less guilty reading in my hotel room or the coffee shop.
Sometimes I could pretend I was not a hermit by seeing glimpses of the local culture in the hotel lobby. These guys are about to perform traditional Sri Lankan music and dance at a lavish wedding.

I did finally go for some late afternoon walks. Since I visited seven years ago, Sri Lanka has endured serious crises — a currency crisis in 2018, bombings by Islamic extremists killing hundreds in 2019, the pandemic in 2019, and huge, sometimes violent protests in 2022 causing the President and Prime Minister to resign. So, these new skyscrapers were a surprise.

Must admit I had never visited the National Museum. It turned out to have an impressive collection of historical treasures. On the right is a large carving of the 18 Sanniya demons and the Maha Kola boss at the top.


Unlike the National Museum, the so-called "floating market" was disappointing and dirty. (I edited trash out of this photo to make it less ugly.) Well, you cannot win them all.

On to India — where I must try to devote fewer hours to news on the internet!