Aliyas Everywhere

As I told you on Monday we did go to Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage. We got to see the elephants walk down to the river. I helped wash this one elephant's face. She was lying down in the water and she grabbed my hand with her trunk! They have a tight grip!!! I tried to pull my hand away and I couldn't. She then went for my leg and almost made me lose my balance and fall in the water! Good thing I can bend the way I can, that could have gotten messy.
The next day we went to Kandy and visited the Temple of the Tooth again. We actually got to see the tooth this time. Gorgeous!
Wednesday morning we went to Grirtale and Minneriya. We were 4 wheeling through the forest and stubbling upon wild elephants, jackels, boars, birds, deer, and mongoose. I felt like Indiana Jones! Pretty cool! I had always wanted to that!
The next morning, Thursday, we got up at 5 and went to Kawdulla National Park, again in our Jeeps. This time we got to take the top off and stand. That was exciting. We also got stuck in the mud. On the way back to Gal Bungalow we stopped at Polonnaruwa, an ancient city. That was amazing! Lots of huge statues and buildings that are almost 1000 years old. We also picked up a kitten. We named it Bodhi after the Bodhi tree. We're going to try to bring it back to the US. I don't know who's going to give it a home yet but she's really cute!
Yesterday we had lectures on the Geography and Mineralogy of Sri Lanka and the Gems of Sri Lanka. The Gem professor then took us to his Gem lab in Kandy and sold us all really pretty Gems. I bought a rare stone only found in Sri Lanka and Madagascar. The stone in Madagascar is a different color than the same stone found here. I'm excited, it's really pretty, I can't wait to show everyone.
Today we had the director of various Sri Lankan archaeological sites give us a lecture on the archaeology of Sri Lanka. Dr. Pearce calls this man the real life Indiana Jones. I would have to agree! This man is awesome! He is going to take us to his site in Anuradhapura, up north, and show us around. Maybe I'll get to do my first excavation, we'll see.
Going to Anuradhapura is going to be an experience! Not only because of the cool archaeological site but because we will be travelling up North. Going to Minneriya we got a little taste of the political turmoil with the LTTE. We passed the Sri Lankan Army base. The farther north you go, the more police check points you see. Anuradhapura will be the farthest north we will travel on this trip. I think I'm going to see some interesting things. I heard the LTTE just bombed a Sri Lankan Navy ship but other than that I really haven't heard much. When we were at the hotel in Minneriya I tried to watch the news. I heard that the US. and Australia are trying to get the LTTE to go to the peace conference. I miss the news. I feel so out of touch with the world. What is going on is America? It's funny, I'm not really missing America at all. You'd think being in a third world country would make a person miss the luxuries of the US but I don't. There are a few things I miss like friends and family, the variety of food, and real showers with hot water, but other than that Sri Lanka is paradise!
Talk to you all later!
- Allegra

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