Keep Track of Julia: 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: