It has been almost a month since I have written, so I am going to have to try to remember what has happened. Seems I have been going to a succession of parties since Deanne's birthday on November 6.
The Christmas extravaganza began with my tree trimming party back by popular demand. After my birthday blow out, I had thought that I had had enough, but so many people asked if I was going to trim my tree again, that I couldn't say no. To make it easier, it was a potluck this year. Always interesting when people bring things. For me the highlight was a huge bag full of homemade popcorn courtesy of Ken Kawasaki. Jez brought fresh made halloumi and feta which he made into a wonderful cheese salad. There were about 20 or us and a good time was had by all.
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| Here is the completed tree. Two decorations were broken. Will have to start getting some more. |
Christmas Day turned out to be quite an adventure. Originally, they said they would pick me up at the hotel. Then Tania called to say the traffic was bad so could I meet them at the railway station. After negotiating with the cheating tuktuk drivers outside the hotel, I hopped in one and we proceeded to the railway station which is not that far away. The traffic was horrific. It seemed like every non-Christian was taking advantage of the fact that there was a 2 day holiday to come into Kandy. My tuktuk driver was a maniac and I told him so. By some quirk of fate, I made it to the railway station only to have a 1 hour wait. Kind of boring, although it is a great place to people watch.
By the time we set out from the railway station, it was 1130 and we had a 1.5 to 2 hour drive ahead of us to the lake which is really a water tank on a tea plantation near Matale. Without going into too many details, we got lost despite the fact that we had stopped and asked directions a number of times along the way. At one critical point, we stopped to ask some tuktuk drivers. This fellow told us that there were 450 cars at the lake and that the closest you could get to it was a 7 km. walk away. Thankfully, we thought we would give it a try anyway and turn back if we couldn't get any closer than he claimed.
After driving quite a long way into this tea estate, we felt we had made either a wrong turn or missed a turn and stopped at a small store where there was a tuktuk and a couple on a motorcycle. As we suspected, we had come about 7 or 8 kms. out of our way. Doesn't sound like much, but on those narrow winding plantation roads, it is a long way. The tuktuk guys knew the way and we thought we were to follow them. They took off so then we thought we were to follow the motorcycle which we did. Turned out to be a real case of the blind leading the blind. They didn't know where they were going either.
Finally they turned down a small road that ended up at a Ashburnam Estate guest house. In the small world category, the place is owned by David Swanland who is a friend of my friends the Leasks. It was closed for the holidays. Swanland's family and friends were there celebrating Christmas. Finally got to meet him and use the bathroom which was quite a desperate situation by then. They were very kind and sent their butler to lead us to the turning to the lake.
We thought the roads we had been on were bad! The lake road is mostly dirt with very short tracts of cement. It is extremely narrow, in some places barely enough for one car with one side falling off into steep slopes covered with tea. A lot of it had also been washed out by the rains. Plus, there was a lot of traffic as by this time as a lot of people were returning from the lake. Every time we met an oncoming vehicle, it was an exercise in terror and took about 10 minutes. At last, we arrived at the ticket booth which had been set up beside the now closed factory. After the usual debate about our resident status, we paid our LKR.200 and were told we had to walk in about 1.5 km. By this time, we were not willing to do this and were about to get our money back when the policeman who was there directing traffic told us we could drive in. We did and this is what we saw.
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| A beautiful water tank surrounded by tea. |
There were nowhere near 450 cars and we parked right on the shore. Obviously that tuktuk man we asked directions from was trying to con us into a long and expensive fare.
We unpacked our picnic in one of the many sturdy and clean shelters and proceeded to have a lovely time. After lunch, we walked around the lake. About a 15 to 20 minute walk mostly right beside the water with some interludes among the tea bushes. It had taken us 4 hours as opposed to 2, but it was well worth it in the end. By the time we got back it was 1900 and I was exhausted. Went right to bed as the next day was another party.
So now it is Boxing Day and it was off to the Coopers for lunch. They live about a 45 minute drive from Kandy near Rhambukanna and Pinawella, the site of the elephant orphanage. The Leasks picked me up with Clare driving. This time the road was good. Carpeted (fully paved) almost all the way. But again we got lost as Malcolm, who had given Clare the directions had failed to mention that we had to take a huge left hand turn off the main road. After directions from our host and some backtracking, we made it. The final few metres of the drive were harrowing as you have to drive over a paddy field with just a narrow causeway that barely is wide enough for the tires of the vehicle. Just for good measure, it has a hairpin turn in it that is hardly navigable. How George and Yvonne manage in the dark after a few drinks, I will never know. Apparently, they have put the vehicle into the paddy field at least twice. No problem. The villagers just come the next day and lift it out.
They live in the old wallawa (something akin to a manor house) which they have renovated while keeping the original charm of the place. The lunch was lovely and we had a nice time, but again I didn't get home until about 1730. Exhausted once more.
On the 27th I was supposed to go to a Hindu kovil to dispense alms to the poor, but I was so tired, I begged off. On the 28th we had a very small gathering for film club where we watched Frozen in keeping with the season. The animation is amazing. To think that they used to do it all by hand.
After the 28th, I had a bit of a reprieve with nothing doing on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Day, I went over to Sonali's for the traditional new year kiribath (milk rice). Her mother was there whom I had not seen for ages and her new boyfriend who I am trying very hard to like for her sake. So we rang in the new year in an auspicious way with kiribath and lotus blossoms in front of the Buddha statues.
In between all this activity, I had a few lovely home moments.
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| Breakfast of the gods; jumbola (pomelo) and pomegranate |
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| Not quite all my 86 pairs. The cat is supervising |
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| Coconut shells, burlap, bamboo, smooth rocks, porcupine quills, brass gekos, sand, a stone bored through by tidal sand |
So that brings us up to date. I am still awaiting my gas oven which is apparently well into construction. Book club on Monday and I am hosting art group next Friday. Also off to buy my annual donation of school supplies for some children in Veenitha's village.
The rains have mostly stopped so the weather is ideal. Sunny but still quite cool.
