at last the pictures

 Sunday 24 February.  The end of my first week and I have managed to upload some photos - they are not in the right order but you can get the idea. 
Since the last entry I have been trying to learn the language - 3 hours a day - its very hard! But I can recognise some words now - progress indeed. 
The euphoria has not worn off but there are a couple of things about Sri Lanka that might become annoying ......... there seems to be no word for please, no word for excuse me , no rules on the road , no conception of time keeping

no such thing as being on time, no such thing as hurry ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,but these are minor and may be more about my western ways and attitudes than about Sri lanka.  Maybe I will become a Budhist monk yet!
I have learned a great deal about the politics of the place - do you know that senior citizens get 18% interest on their savings !  seems like the place to retire. 
This week I am going to tea at the British High Commission and to an event which will see the close of a VSO mental health project and then on Friday I go to Matara and to my own place.  I am

really looking forward to that .  More then and more pics in the right order I hope. 

my first sunset on the Indian Ocean

arrived

21/3/13 Here I am in a guest house in gthe Borello district of Colombo where I have been having buddhism discussions for breakfast and curry and rice for every other meal.  I have risked life and limb in trishaws - there seem to be no rules of the road or none that anyone obeys anyway.  I have seen the sun set twice on the ocean and I have been to the Gangaram temple where there was a parade with an elephant and some very colorful wheelchairs.  I have had high tea at the Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel and of course I have started my training and learning to speak Sinhalese.  I tell you - it is not an easy language and I am having trouble with remembering the names let alone remembering what is Sinhalese for mango!  To summarise - I am in post arrival euphoric stage - loving every minute - maybe it will wear off but I am going for gin and tonic with other volunteers tomorrow and then on Sunday may be able to go to visit a tea plantation - so I doubt it.  I am trying to upload some pictures but not sure how that will go so may have to wait.  I am leaving for Matara next Friday which is in the South - more when I get there.