July 27, 2013

Found out yesterday that my new tuktuk driver, Namal, can also drive a car.  So I am going to get my car down from Gampola and have him drive me in it until I can sell it.  I might as well get some use out of it while it waits to be sold.  Plus, I can put a for sale sign in the window and maybe get some action.

Continuing the tour, the living room:

The upper stairway

The living room from above

The lower stairway

The living room from the dining room

Entering the living room from the foyer.  My friend Pamela's painting of the view from my house in Qualicum has pride of place.

Some use for the weird spot under the stairs

My puppet collection.  Stanley Snake is playing with Mickey Mouse.

I can see Pamela's painting from the sofa

July 26, 2013

Last two mornings I have had mongoose in my garden.  Yesterday it was the 2 youngsters and today it was one of the parents.  They are digging up my lawn looking for insects, but who cares.  The lawn is horrible at the best of times because of the awful running variety of grass they plant.  At least this way, I am protected from snakes.  I tried to get a picture, but they are camera shy.  Lovely reddish brown coats with huge bushy tails on the adults and very foxy red on the babies.

Continuing the tour, here is the guest bedroom where any of the many visitors that I am expecting can stay. 

My maid, Veenitha who will look after your every need, even espresso

Your queen size bed fully protected from bugs

An elmira, as they are called here, for your clothes.

Bathroom complete with instant hot water

Now that you have seen what awaits you, I am sure you will be coming in your droves.

July 22, 2013

Poya day today.  Lots to report.

Colombo was good.  I stayed at a great place called 5th Lane House that is just across the street from the Canadian High Commission.  That was most convenient as I had to do some work at the High Commission, so I could just walk there.  The place only has 4 rooms which are all very well appointed.  It is just like being at home.  The staff take great care of you.  It is more like a bed and breakfast than a hotel.  One night I had no dinner plans, so they went down the lane to this great little cafe and brought me soup and kottu (a noodle dish), plated it up and served it to me in the dining room.

It is owned by the 2 brothers who own Expo Rail which is the luxury train service I use to go from Kandy to Colombo.  This time with another free ticket they gave me for lack of AC on a previous trip.  The owners are Muslim and the manager is Christian.  That accounts for some of the good management of the place.

I went to get my Canadian passport renewed and to get proof of citizenship, which I seem to have lost.  The latter will take 8 to 10 months.  The Canadian government must be taking lessons from Sri Lanka.  In more than one respect:

The High Commission has recently moved from this old colonial building they were in to a new building they had purpose built.  Needless to say, it is an unattractive box made out of cement and corrugated plastic.  For instance, the consular work is done in this booth which has bullet proof glass between you and the officer.  But the roof of the booth is just corragated plastic that could easily be destroyed.  In fact, while I was there, some workers were working on what I think will be a second story.  They were lobbing massive hunks of cement right onto the booth so that the whole thing shook and plaster and paint were falling on my head.  I went out and told them to call me when they had stopped.  Another couple of lobs and whole thing would have caved in.

Then there are the so-called security arrangements.  Upon entering, you are confronted by a window, which I presume was made of bullet proof glass. You speak with a woman over a telephone, who then activates a security door.  When you pass through the door, you surrender all your electronic devices to the guard who keeps them in a cubby hole.  Your bags are scanned and you pass through a metal detecting gate whereupon you are issued with an electronic visitor's pass.  So far so good.  Now you are within the high commission precinct, although not in the building.

The security booth is at one end of the compound, while the exit turnstiles are at the other end.  When you are finished your business, a guard runs out of the security booth.  You are either standing on the platform in front of reception or in the driveway.  He takes your electronic visitors pass so you are no longer identifiable or track able.  He returns all your electronic devices to you.  You are still within the embassy, but on your supposed way out.  What better time to set off a device?  You have everything back.  These items have not been scanned.  You are on your way out.  You drop the device wherever you want to.  There are plants, chairs, magazines, etc., plenty of places to place a phone.  You walk toward the turnstile or even leave the building taking no more than 10 seconds to do so and detonate the device.  Kaboom!  The front of the high commission is in ruins, who knows how many dead and you are free and clear.

I have written to the High Commissioner.  Let's see if she deigns to respond.

Now on with the tour.  The entry:

The wind chime Grai and Wanetta gave me for my birthday one year.  It makes a great sound and on windy nights, it keeps the bats away.

All my hammocks.  Sitting or lying down.

Small veranda area.  Great for sipping espresso.

Main down spout.  I always wanted to have one of these chain down spouts.  It looks great and does a great job in a downpour.

The foyer.  My childhood study desk has been put to a new use.

The railing is a great place to store and display my shawls.  Believe it or not, you do need them sometimes.

 While I was away, it seems that Dharma went on a killing spree.  One bird and 3 squirrels.  She certainly is not Buddhist.

July 16, 2013

I thought I had better do a post today as I am leaving for Colombo and likely won't be able to post again until the weekend. 

Continuing on with our tour.  The dining room:

Looking toward the "pantry"

Up goes the kimono again

Looking toward the office

Now, time for a rant about HSBC.  For those of us who have accounts with these guys, I lend my sympathy.  For anyone who does not have an account with them, don't.  There has been a long litany of trying to get them to do something that I won't go into now, but the latest is beyond belief.  The bank has instituted this security device thing that you need to do certain on-line transactions, like wire transfers, etc.  I have one of these for Sri Lanka, but each country has its own.  So I order one for Canada.  They assure me that it will be sent by courier.  That was exactly one month ago, and still no device.

After 3 weeks, I phone them only to find out that the computer did not make the request because my address is outside of Canada.  Of course, no follow up by the bank.  Nothing would have been done if I had not called again.  This time, they assure me that the thing will reach me in a few days by express courier.  One week later, and still nothing.

I call again.  This time, I am ready to rip someone's throat out.  They don't know anything again.  I ask to speak to a supervisor.  There are none on duty.  Then through the conversation and reference to times of day, I discover that although I am calling a number I think is in Toronto, I actually have someone in Malaysia.  I demand to speak to a Canadian agent, who eventually calls me back after an hour.  She is very polite, but knows nothing either.  She is trying to get the tracking number which as I write, she still has not succeeded in doing.

In desperation, I emailed the branch in Nanaimo where I hold my account.  They were very helpful and said they would send out a device immediately, but who know when that will arrive.  Meanwhile, here I sit unable to do the banking I need.  It was easier 30 years ago, when all you had do was send a fax.

They call this a global banking system.  They should be ashamed. 

July 15, 2013

Continuing the tour.  My bedroom:

Lovely big King bed with my latex topper newly arrived from Canada along with my pillows.  You can see my completed lamps.  I think they look rather smashing.

Not too many books left.  Have switched over to e-books.  Not the same as holding a book, but it saves on space.  You can see part of my netting system with the bug light behind.  The War on Bugs.

TV set up with my lap top for those movie downloads.

Memories of my Venice Masquerade party.

Had to scare off the biggest spider I have ever seen in my life last night.  Then I couldn't sleep until 0100 because I kept thinking it would come back in.  Thankfully not.  Plus my bathroom is being taken over by ants.  I Hitlined them this morning.  Hitline is a chalk that is infused with some poison that I don't even want to think about.  Better than a swarm of ants.  I put it high so the cat won't be effected.  It must be the rains.  It is driving everything into the dry house.

July 13, 2013

Continuing on with the house tour.  The curtains are up now, so I can show you the upstairs lounge.

This is the bedroom I have converted into my walk-in closet cum drying/ironing room

Dharma is helping

View from the closet

Part of the upstairs lounge that I use for dressing.  Roll up the rugs and it is a perfect flamenco area

Big ass TV

Great sofa for watching big ass TV

Dharma needs water too

Need water upstairs

July 11, 2013

No blogging for the last couple of days.  Power cuts, and a trip to Cane Town to get my veranda furniture have prevented me, but back now.

Power was out for 6 hours yesterday and then gasped on and off after that.  They turned off the turbine and all of the Kandy area was out.  God only knows why you would turn off the turbine.  Finally got in touch with someone at the Ceylon Electricity Board who could actually give me an answer.  I called 6 different offices from the Deputy General Manager on down.  No-one was in or available.  I don't think these guys ever work, except for the women who answer the phones and have to deal with the likes of me.  In the end, I spoke with the Chief Engineer for the Commercial Division.  He actually got back to me with some answers.  Thank you.  I have kept his number, needless to say.

Very heavy rains yesterday did not help matters either.  Plus the roof is still leaking.  Can't do anything until things dry out a bit. 

Continuing on with the house tour. This is my office and the downstairs bathroom.

Location and computer, 27" iMac that I love, from which I blog.

Day bed for afternoon naps or extra guests.

Need a proper office chair, but printer is close at hand.

Weird little alcove for suitcases and file storage.

Unusual shower enclosure in this bathroom.  Don't know why they have it in this one.

All the amenities.

Getting ready to go to Colombo next week to get my Canadian passport renewed and a new citizenship certificate.  Getting all the documents and photos together today.

July 7, 2013

Amal's driver was supposed to take us to the cane village on the Colombo road today, but in typical Sri Lankan style, he has not come back from visiting his father.  You can never make any plans.

As promised, today we start the house tour.  The most important room first, the ensuite bog:

There is no shower enclosure so there is water all over the place.  I have gotten used to it.  Lots of room to move without restricting walls.  Plus the entire room is tiled, so it is like one big shower stall.

Love my rain shower.  With the pressure pump and the geyser on, it is like heaven.

View from the bathroom window.

Had to have a cabinet built.  They don't have built in bathroom cabinets and counters here.  How can you survive without all your bathroom stuff ready to hand?

Linen chest in my bedroom alcove.

All my baby pictures from my Mother.  Fills up the wall space.

Finished my lamp shades yesterday.  Looks pretty good.  You will get a gander with the next room.  I'm off to clean bat shit and have breakfast.