Trincomalee

Just returned from visit to Trincomalee (10 hours each way!). I only went so I could say I’d been there really – well it is one of the best names on the planet, second only to Timbuctu and Piddlethrenthide....beforehand I was Warned about malarial mosquitoes and LTTE guerillas still lurking in the scrub, but I didn't see any signs of either. What I did find interesting was a report of domestic violence in the area which documented all sorts of cruelties and hypocrisies; in many cases women turned to the LTTE as the only source of protection when families and agencies had failed them. Reminded me of reports of Hezbollah in Lebanon supporting the pople when the government had failed...

Galle Face Cheek

Had an Interesting Night at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo last weekend, the Galle Face being a Traditional Old Hotel of Character hotel where ancient crones hang out(so I felt at home). My room was huge, so was the bed (viz photo of Manurie posing in sari for effect)...whilst the bathroom fittings definitely fell under the description of both Traditional and Old, the view to the sea across the Galle Face Green was splendid and so was Breakfast on the Terrace the next morning. There I observed at close quarters two venerable gentlemen disposing of their Sri Lankan breakfast – rice and curry, they really can eat it three times a day with little variety - in the traditional way, using their right hand to squeeze it into little balls to pop in the mouth. I was intrigued to see, when it came to demolishing a piece of chocolate cake for afters, that they carefully turned the cake into crumbs before mashing it into little balls....extreme eating.

An Unwanted Guest

So what would you do if you came home to find this cute little chap on your doorstep? First thing, check the cat is still in one piece (OK). Then call the neighbours (and their brawny henchmen) to help you evict him.
He (or she, I didn’t stop to look, so let’s stick with it), had obviously lumbered over from the nearby lake to see what it could find for supper. It looks like it had found something, by the sluggish exit it made, in spite of being prodded and poked with many sharp objects and with many lashings of a vicious looking tail.
But I felt very sorry for all 6 feet of it. The ultimate unwanted guest; nothing the matter with it in its own environment, but do you want one as a garden pet?....I think not. Though it could do a good job of keeping the rats down.
Bless its cotton socks. I hope it made it back to the lake. In one piece.