Place names in Sri Lanka.

Anurathapura, 20-10-1994. I am pretty close to breaking my tongue trying to pronounce place names here in this country. Getting up early, once again, i caught a bus to this place called Anurathapura, 200 Rp. a night i pay for my accomodation called Milano Tourist Restaurant, a quiet place a bit out of town and close to the lake. many birds around this place, huge swarms of parakeets. Near the ruins i saw a 1,50 m. long monitor lizard and a small snake. The ruins, mostly stupas, at Anurathapura are spread out over a huge area and going from one stupa to the next and on makes a nice walk.Most of the ruins are set among rice paddies or lush vegetation rich with bird life. Trying to avoid another12 bucks entrance fee i admired most of the stupas and statues from outside the gates but that was quite okay. You don`t actually need to climb on top of them to have a good look. For 20- to 75 Rp. you can hire a bicycle but i preferred to walk so i could enjoy the bird life.

Uneducated masses.

Polonnaruwa, 19-10-1994. The locals in this country are convinced that we, the europeans, are responsible for all the evil in this world, even the tamil question, though it seems to me to be a local affair. It has always been the policy of incometent leaders to blame outside powers so as to give some necesary enemies to their uneducated masses. That way those masses have something to occupy their minds with and a direction for their fustrations, their anger and their hatred..... Busses in this country always seem to have to be hopelessy overcrowded but i managed to get a seat on the bus to Polonnaruwa where i paid a hefty 12 american bucks to see the famous ruins, famous because they are so expensive to see?

The Dambulla caves.

Dambulla, 18-10-1994. Near Kandy is a place with a name similar to Dambulla and this being Asia with all its misunderstandings, i ended up in the bus to this place mentally convinced i was on the bus to the real Dambulla. But after nearly one year in Asia i have become wary at times and mananged to get out of the bus just prior to departure. The cave temples Dambulla is famous for, are just a mere hundert meters above my guest house and about three km. outside the village. Funny enough the place has no admission charge which is remarkable for Sri Lanka where they try to get a much out of the foreign tourist as they can! Quite nice caves really. The caves contain statues of Lord Buddha in various positions, most of the walls are covered with images of Lord Buddha as well. I did, however, discover a mural of Lord Ganesh and a statue of what looked like a king with a throne on his head.

A statue of Lord Buddha.

Kandy, 17-10-1994. Lots of rain today but i am getting used to it here in Asia. High above the little town of Kandy a white colored 10- or 15 m. high statue of Lord Buddha in lotus position, hands folded in his lap looks down on the hustle and bustle of Kandy beneath him probably listening to the sounds of the birds that inhabit the trees surrounding him. So far i have made two serious efforts to hike up there but today the rain forced me to take shelter in an abandoned truck. Maybe i was never supposed to get up to that particular statue....

The Udawattakele Sanctuary.

Kandy, 16-10-1994. I am not too much impressed with Kandy allthough the lake is nice and so is the Udawattakele Sanctuary just outside Kandy and full with monkeys, spiders, birds and even an european monk. Entree to the sanctuary is 12 R. for locals and a stunning 25 R. for foreigners! Service in most restaurants is slow, unfriendly and even the most simple orders produce blank uncomprehensibility on the faces of waiters allthough most sri lankans seem to have a good grasp of the english tongue, colonial as their english might sound.

A small war.

Kandy, 15-10-1994. So far Sri Lanka reminds me a lot of India. The locals - the males - wear the same designer clothes, their women saris, their children dressed in rags or - for the middle class and up - like dolls with clothes full with glitter. They don`t seem to bother about washing their clothes too often - just like the indians. I see the occasional - holy? - cow searching through the numerous piles of garbage that line the streets looking for something to eat. Street sellers everywhere who occupy every spot on the sidewalk forcing the pedestrians to walk at a slow pace or in the street risking their lives among the heavy motorised traffic. Rickshaws and three wheelers but no Ambassador taxies. Rats and cockroaches abound and they must feel the streets are paradise! I took the train to Kandy today - at 500 m. altitude, up in the hills, it feels like an indian hillstation - and even managed to get a seat despite the little war that was on for free seats as soon as the train came to an uncertain stop. The Old Empire hotel has a colonial admosphere, a beautifull old mansion that charges 150 R. for a room.

Pattaya, the male Kingdom.

Colombo, 14-10-1994. I had a comfortable flight with lots of free booze to keep me occupied. I arrived just after midnight so i slept on a field just outside the airport rather that going into the city which would probably mean i would need to get into an arguement with some taxi wallah about the price...Early morning i took the airport bus downtown Colombo where i found the Big John guest house, a bit out of the city centre but i can live with that. Last night at the airport in Bangkok i got dragged into a conversation with four dutch Pattaya punters, all of them grey haired and foul mouthed bragging about puta-city Pattaya, the male Kingdom for Lonely Farangs from the west.