Blogs from Central Province, Sri Lanka, Asia - page 43

La nord de zona muntoasa se intinde asa-numitul "Triunghi cultural" - o zona unde s-au dezvoltat primele civilizatii sinhaleze ce au cunoscut vremuri "glorioase" intre 300 i.Ch. si 1200 d.Ch. Acolo sunt cateva situri arheologice interesante, cele mai importante trei dintre ele delimitand amintitul triunghi. Planul nostru includea insa doar centrul si sudul tarii si nu sa vroiam sa ne intindem prea mult spre nord, mai ales ca nu aveam chef de prea multe ruine. Asadar am hotarat sa facem doar o excursie de o zi Sigirya care este relativ aproape de Kandy si este mai mult decat un site arheologic. Sigiriya este de fapt o stanca de vreo 200m inaltime ce se ridica brusc in mijlocul junglei inconjuratoare. Asadar chiar daca din punct de vedere arheologic am fi fost dezamagiti, macar privelistea trebuia sa merite. ... read more

Sambata, 21 Oct, eram in aeroportul din Frankfurt pregatiti de zbor spre Sri Lanka. La Check in, supriza!, ne intalnim cu Olivia, prietena Ioanei. Pleca si ea in vacanta spre Creta, una din optiunele noastre pt vacanta din anul asta. Dupa check in avem ceva probleme pt ca Andrei uitase briceagul in bagajul de mana. In ultima clipa reuseste sa faca check in la gentuta cu aparatul foto in care pune si briceagul. Un haos total. A doua zi dimineata ajungem in aeroportul din Colombo, unde suntem uimiti ca sunt f multe magazine duty free pline cu electronice gen frigidere si aragaze. Ne recuperam rucsacii si gentuta cu briceagul si iesim din aeroport - ne loveste caldura si umezeala. Reusim destul de repede sa gasim autobuzul spre Colombo, desi platim 4 locuri din cauza bagajelor, avem ... read more

My six legged spider friend is gone. He used to live above the corner in my bathroom where I shower. I thought we bonded this past month, but he just up and left. I can’t find him anywhere. I actually have a sneaking suspicion he might have been on the floor when I turned on the shower one day. Poor six legged spider friend.... read more

I went to the Royal Garden Mall with my amma today after classes to buy groceries and batteries, where purchased buns for the dreaded hot dog. Devotees of the journal will know the delight I experienced in tasting this particular Sri Lankan culinary delicacy. Today, hoping to persuade my amma at a later date to put tomatoes, chicken, and - in a perfect world - cheese in a hot dog bun, I told my amma to buy the bread but that I preferred different ingredients. I am not sure whether or not she understood my request. Previously a hot dog consisted of sausage, tomatoes, onions, hardboiled eggs, and butter. This time amma replaced the sausage link with ketchup (or sauce, an abbreviation from the British tomato sauce) making the sandwich a tomato, raw onion, hardboiled egg, ... read more

I have discovered - and I kid you not - the funniest thing on the face of this earth. Allow me to elaborate. My family has long been determined to test my vocal prowess. Shortly after I arrived in Sri Lanka a month ago, it was requested I sing an American song. I refused, citing embarrassment and an utter lack of ability. Until yesterday, I managed to maintain the tenuous grasp on my dignity resulting from the illusion that I might be able to string two or three notes together if pressed. It was yesterday, however, they finally succeeded in making me sing. “What is the national anthem of your country?” my taattaa asked offhandedly. Rather than wait for the reiteration of my refusal to sing aloud, my taattaa immediately began reciting the Sri Lankan national ... read more