'Come, Come' to Sri Lanka
Tropical delights of many kinds await those
willing to make the long journey
'Come, Come' to Sri
LankaTropical
Delights of many kinds await those willing to make the long
journeyBy SETH J.
BOOKEYShantha Pandige watches
silently from his brother’s home as his new house goes up next door. To
get to this part of Morampitigoda, a village near the southern city of Galle in
Sri Lanka, you have to cross a makeshift bridge of narrow wooden planks from the
dirt road that gets you only so far. It’s been three months since the
tsunami of December 26 hit Sri Lanka, and Pandige and his family are lucky.
They’ve survived and at least have a temporary home built near their old
one. Fatefully, their house was destroyed while his brother’s somehow
remained intact.Pandige and other
surviving villagers will point out, almost with a giddy pride of sorts, just how
high the waters came that day. The most striking characteristics of the village,
though, are the lack of self-pity and the abundance of welcome. While many
thousands nationwide are still living in tents, this community, already poor by
Western standards, seems happy to be moving
forward.Before we leave Morampitigoda,
someone cuts open the large, smooth-skinned orange coconuts grown here, as a bon
voyage beverage. You don’t just toss out the shells, though. “Long
Live the Coconut Tree” is a phrase you cannot escape in Sri
Lanka—the fruit and the husks will be used for other purposes. In a poor
country, nothing is wasted.Time, on the
other hand, is treated quite casually. If you’ve made the two-day journey
to Sri Lanka, you undoubtedly want to relax, but Sri Lankans tend to operate
more slowly than you probably like. The 2:15 car that is arranged to meet you
might arrive at 3 p.m. instead. Your waiter will disappear indefinitely. The
harried New Yorker will either appreciate the lowering of the blood pressure, or
burst. Sri Lanka, probably not looming
large in the consciousness of too many Americans until the tsunami, has
typically been overshadowed by its large neighbor, India. Most articles and
books about Sri Lanka label it “a tropical paradise” and
that’s no exaggeration. Birds you’ve never heard serenade you awake
even amidst the choking pollution of Colombo, the capital city. Outside the
cities, things get even more lush, and you can cover a lot of ground in two
weeks. The island offers stunning palaces and giant Buddhas, natural wonders
galore and wildlife parks. Hiring a driver is not all that expensive, and can
easily be arranged by travel agents and hotels. Many of the drivers and other
guides have taken courses in Sri Lankan history and culture and can answer any
question you might have. They offer a lot of information spontaneously also,
saying, “Come, come,” as they show you something
new.Beyond the travel professionals who
are friendly for hire, there is a population, of all classes, that seems proud
of their country and eager to share an insight or a suggestion. If you’ve
every traveled places where the locals are indifferent or even downright
taciturn, you will appreciate the smiling countenance of the average Sri Lankan.
The people truly are this country’s most compelling
resource.That’s a welcome attitude
to find after a journey halfway around the
world.* * *
Sri Lanka offers a variety of cuisines,
including its own specialties, along with wonderful fresh fruits, like papaya
and a pineapple edible all the way to the core. Some of the
highlights:Hop to It: One specialty is
the hopper, a crepe of sorts that is served at any meal, usually topped with
eggs, honey or whatever’s being served. Caterers have cooks specializing
in making hoppers. A distinctive banging noise accompanies the dislodging of the
hopper from the
pan.Pinnawala’s
Elephant Orphanage, also accessible within a day-trip of the capital, draws
many tourists, and cares for pachyderms of
all sizes.Taking Your Lumps: The Dutch
brought the Indonesian-inspired dish of lump rice to Sri Lanka, where it was
adopted and perfected. Accompanying the rice are a fish croquette, a hard boiled
egg, some chicken and spices, wrapped in banana leaf and steamed. A similar
“packet lunch” is offered by street vendors but sometimes in plastic
wrap.Putting Your Finger On It: It is
not uncommon in some Sri Lankan homes to see people following tradition and
eating off their plates hand-to-mouth—right hand only,
please.Americans may worry about
visiting a tsunami-affected area and not having toilet paper, cable or
high-speed Internet. Hotels in the east are still recovering, but Colombo, Galle
and the coast in between the two cities are recovering remarkably. A no-frills
hotel like the Indra Regent can be as low as $40 a night, but now, even the
tonier Colombo Hilton can seem like a budget hotel at $85 a night. The
140-year-old colonial Galle Face Hotel, the only waterfront hotel in the
capital, is quoting remarkably low rates on the Internet, from $65 to
$85.High-end beach bums might want to
check out the Blue Water, 30 kilometer south of Colombo in
Wadduwa.Sri Lanka has enjoyed a period
of peace for some time now, but the nation’s Buddhists and members of the
Tamil ethnic group have had an ongoing civil war since 1983, mostly in the north
and the east. In the event of any trouble, getting to those areas might be
difficult or curtailed. Even in Colombo,
the Army has closed off streets and sometimes cars are randomly stopped. Do
yourself a favor: let your driver do the
talking.Tsunami-related diseases
thankfully were largely averted, but it’s a good idea to take prophylaxis
medications and vaccinations for tropical maladies and water-borne diseases in
advance. Visit mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/asia/sri_lanka.html for
information on vaccinations.Mosquitoes
are plentiful, so make sure to bring insect repellent along with your sunscreen.
Even locals are wary of tap water and ice, so bottled water is widely
available.Modern conveniences like ATM
machines, credit card machines and very good cell phone reception are all
available in the major cities, but outside of them cash and travelers’
checks are still good to have on
hand.You cannot get Sri Lankan rupees in
advance of arriving in the country, and some ATMs limit you to $200 per
transaction.“Touts” will try
to persuade you to go to their recommended hotel, store, or restaurant, and
those places then pay them a commission. So maintain your will, or consider
hiring a car during your stay if you’re going long distances and want
unbiased recommendations.Sri Lankan
Airlines is a delightful airline, and often a cheap way to get to India via
Europe.Colombo-based Asian Adventures
(at asianadventureslk.com) is a good agency for arranging internal travel and
tours, and air travel to Sri Lanka. The Web site also provides current news on
travel conditions around the country.The
post-tsunami Indian Ocean waters are inviting, but suss out the beaches before
diving in. If you’re going to a beach resort, inquire ahead about water
conditions Red flags indicate there is no lifeguard on duty and/or that
hazardous conditions exist.The Indian
Ocean is always warm and blue, but the undertow can be quite
strong.The 1870s Mt. Lavinia Resort
Hotel, on the Indian Ocean and just 12 kilometers south of Colombo, allows
non-guests to use the changing room (though here are no lockers for valuables)
and to use its wonderful pool, all for four
dollars.My best recommendation for a
day-trip will cost you about $100. You can go from Colombo to Kandy and back, in
12 hours, visiting the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala, the Botanical Gardens,
the Temple of the Tooth and a genuine spice garden. This price includes your
transit plus all entrance fees, including the extra charges for foreign visitors
and for cameras.Sri Lanka produces
sensational handmade goods, from painted elephants of all sizes to batik
tablecloths to copper and brass candlesticks. These sorts of souvenirs, along
with clothing, leather bags and laquer boxes can be found just just about
everywhere, but if you’re in Colombo, you can find all of these things
conveniently under one roof. Check out either Lanka Hands on Queens Road, just
east of Duplication Road, or Barefoot, 704 Galle
Road.Sri Lanka is also a source of
serious baubles, like gems and semiprecious stones, with dealers everywhere in
Colombo. One notable merchant is the 160-year-old O.L.M. Macan Markar Ltd. at 26
Galle Face Court, Colombo 3. Check out LankaJewels.com for more
information.The majority of Sri Lankans
are Buddhists and speak Singhalese. When at religious and other shrines, some
common sense rules—courtesies,
really—apply:No shoes in the
temples, but socks are okay, which is especially good to know if the
pavement’s hot.No bare legs or
other inappropriate attire. Men and women can slip a sarong over shorts or short
skirts to achieve the appropriate level of respect upon entering a
shrine.You can photograph the statues,
but do not to pose with them.Tipping the
monks is not appropriate, but you can make a donation to the shrine or temple if
you wish.
Posted: Thu - April 21, 2005 at 07:48 AM
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Published On: Jun 20, 2009 07:03 PM
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