Shane is in town! Part 1. Galle

Yesterday we said goodbye to our good friend Shane from Oregon. We have been travelling through Sri Lanka together for almost two weeks and we will truly miss him. Sharing many meals, hot walks, crowded buses, tuktuks and trains…I would say Shane got an intimate view of our family and we were delighted constantly by his quick wit, easygoing nature and adventurous spirit. When you travel with someone you really get to know them well, access in a way that the daily work interactions or social occasions do not grant. It means so much to us that Shane chose to visit us. The whole world was at his hands, and he chose to hang out with our family for his vacation!

Our first stay included a crowed 3.5 hour train ride along the coast to Galle, a town built by the Dutch in 1649. Galle is a very important port in Sri Lanka and the old town, Galle Fort is colonial Dutch jewel, deemed a heritage site. However, Galle Fort is not only a tourist destination, with cafes and boutique hotels within restored Dutch buildings, but also a working village with school children and local people going about their business. The 2004 Tsunami hit this city hard, thousands of people died in the city alone. In fact, the train along the coast to Galle, was the line that was hit by a huge wave, killing over 2000 people as the packed train was flooded and toppled. In Sri Lanka, 30,000 people died during the tsunami, but I do not remember hearing about the impact to Sri Lanka. In fact, one does not hear much about this amazing island.

The train lines in Sri Lanka are heavily used and are a left over gift from British colonial rule.  The British relinquished control of Sri Lanka in 1942.  The train is ridiculously cheap ($1.50) for a 4 hr ride, and is often a free for all, with no seats reserved, just pile in.  Shane and the boys sat in between cars with their bags for most of the ride.

Galle, first colonized in the 15th century by the Portuguese, then built into a stone and granite fortress by the Dutch in the 16th century, is a quaint sophisticated little oasis from the heat.

Our airbnb was a large villa that we enjoyed.  Sri Lanka is hot and humid now, the day we arrived there was no electricity until 8pm.  We were all hot and grumpy from the long day of travel.  However, the A/C saved us at night, as are rooms were ice-cold.  We had some of the best food cooked by our host, spicy green beans, dahl, chicken curry.

We discovered the local beach where all the school children go after school.  We also enjoyed swimming fully clothed.  No need for swimsuits in such a warm climate.  In Sri Lanka all of school children wear white, after grade 1, before white and blue.  Against the verdant tropical background they are striking.

It is worth noting that the second leading cause of death in Sri Lanka is drowning.  That may be why the schools make a point of bringing the children to the ocean so they become familar.  There are some large waves and rip tides in Sri Lanka.

Outside of the Fort walls, Sri Lanka is a chaotic colorful mix of action.  Buses barrel by you, people calling out their wares and TukTuks honking.  Our daily walk into town is an overwhelming and enjoyable assault on the senses.  People refer to Sri Lanka as “India Light”, the low-calorie version.

 

 

We had low expectations of Sri Lanka.  Not known to many, having not been open to travelers due to 26 year civil war which only ended in 2009.  The war caused significant hardships for Sri Lanka, and it is estimated over 100,000 people were killed during its course. We did not know what to expect.  Having heard various travelers describe it as dirty, male dominated, overly spicy food and expensive.  However, we are finding Sri Lanka to be a real tropical paradise.  The people are friendly, the food delicious and the country is far cleaner than most of Asia.  The skies are blue, even in the big cities and houses and farmland are neat and orderly.  Off the tourist path, the food is cheap and tasty.  Local trains and buses are dirt cheap and plentiful.  The history of colonialism is bloody and complicated, however the British have left a legacy here that includes tea and coffee served in elegant ceramic sets, solid working infrastructure and large open city parks and lakes used heavily by local people. We are pleasantly surprised.