Observations

The people are Indian looking, nearly all the women with gorgeous very long black hair. Lots of saris, but many in skirts and tops. As we've gotten more rural, most of the men wear skirts. They are unfailingly polite, friendly and curious. The country is predominately Buddhist in the areas where we've been, but today we arrived near Kirinda, on the south coast. After settling in, we walked the 2k into 'town' - really tiny, and it seemed mostly Muslim. There was a very big mosque and school and not a beer to be found. But we saw our first goats - no doubt meant for Muslim feasts, since the Buddhists are non meat eaters. There are the sacred cows everywhere, and way too many very sad, scrawny dogs and cats but more dogs than cats. None of them are fixed, ałl of them are sick. But there seems to be an agreement that they won't be hurt, just neglected. They lie in the middle of the road, and cars and tuktuks honk and go around or wait for them to move. There are fewer motorbikes here than SE Asia, thank gawd, so much less noisy and fumes. There are lots of bicycles, and more cars than Asia also.. Coming further along the south coast, we finally passed through agriculture areas, mostly rice paddies. In a few days, we'll head to the mountains where there are lots of tea plantations. After all, this used to be called Ceylon. Tomorrow, we're headed to a safari ride to Yala National Park. We'll see elephants for sure. We have occasionally seen these giant lizard looking creatures. I have no idea what they are.

Food wise, lots of curries. Fish is everywhere. The Indian Ocean must be very rich indeed. Last night I opted for the buffet and selected all the strangest looking and sounding foods. For salads there was a bitter melon, which was cut into thin rings and fried with onions and some spicy pepper and lettuce - my favorite. There was also a very good roasted eggplant salad with onions and lettuce, and a fried banana flower salad, I liked them all, and turned down the tourist choices of cooked veg, tomatoes and cucumbers, curried egg salad. Dinner entrees I chose were various vegetable and fish and cuttlefish curries, fried onion rice and several condiments - browned grated coconut with salt and hot pepper, plain grated coconut, and spicy red pepper sauce. I was a happy camper.

Tonight here at Elephant Reach, there is a special valentine dinner, but the two main choices are lamb or filet mignon - I think not.. They said I could substitute fish, which I will do. I don't think the slaughter facilities in this Buddhist country are adequate. That's what I've heard in any case. We have finally gotten away from the Russians and now we appear to be in Japan. I'm already not fond of the giggling Japanese couples.