January - holiday and elections

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January was a month of visitors from England, and we took advantage of this to travel and have something of a holiday. Sri Lanka does have at least 10 UNESCO World Heritage sites and some wonderful coastline, rainforests, mountains and green tropical beauty. A visit to Pinnewela is always a must!! Following the cessation of hostilities, the tourist travel industry is picking up a little. This is of course good for the economy of the country, but there is always the fear of over-development and loss of a more natural unspoilt beauty. Sri Lanka does have firm ecological principles and policies, which are adhered to for the most part. Thank goodness! With my daughter, we travelled south to Galle, a Dutch based town with fort and walls - just missing the Galle Literary Festival. The coastline is breathtaking, and early morning/late evening swims in the ocean a must!! We travelled by the inexpensive public buses most of the time, something that package tourists don't do, and although this is sometimes hot and hard work , there is the feeling of being part and sharing with the ways of life of the people of the country - even while seeing the sights! And we got to Yala - well, I can't be in Sri Lanka for whole year without visiting one of the National Parks - didn't see any leopards though.

During January, the Presidential elections took place. The elections were held on 26 January and the 27th was a public holiday - things were very quiet here with a 48-hour alcohol ban and no buses - very unusual. It was a grimly contested battle with victory by Mahinda Rajapakse once again - though then immdiately accused by his rival, General Fonseka, of election -rigging. It is true, according to the newspapers that thousands of poll cards were undelivered in the north - but also true that it will take few years of peace and hard work to build a more unified country, with a stronger infrastructure. This is a country -like so many of great disparity in standards of living.
The IDPs are still only slowly resettling and rebuilding their lives, and there is much trauma counselling taking place , with these, with former child soldiers, with those maimed by landmines - including many children, and many others. Tsunami resettlement is also still an issue in some coastal places, as we discovered when in Galle.
At the end of March, I shall be returning to the Uk - but hope to write up one more blog before then.

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Photos

Sigyria
we made it - to the top!!

Unawatuna
diving to coral and tropical fish..