Manjoo our co-ordinator has finally arrived here after having spent 5 months with his wife and baby in Japan. A bit late in the day as we'll be into our last week soon. Anyway he has invited us to his house on Sunday afternoon, though the girls are a little suspicious as to his motives! They think he's going to get us drunk - I'm sure he's very respectable.
Yesterday was Poya day (full moon festival)- This one is the celebration of the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lankan so a very big celebration.
Each school/town/area celebrates with their own Perahera and we went to our schools on Tuesday afternoon. The children were all dressed in traditional costume and carried flowers or musical instruments and we walked in procession to the temple where the monk received the flowers and blessed the children.
Wednesday morning the chanting started at 4.15 am and then the family had more chanting on the TV at 5. Ranjani went to the monastery at 6 am and stayed there till 6pm. She was exhausted and had an aching back by the time she got home. The girls and I caught up on school preparation and then went for a long walk along the canal.
AT 6.30pm we were all going to the temple and wore the appropriate white clothes. Just as we were about to set off for the long walk, Nimal said he was taking his motor bike and did I want a lift - RESULT!
Loads of people were at the temple and they all bring flowers, light candles and burn incense, then listen to the monks. We went to 2 temples - the 1st was very solemn but the 2nd was like Blackpool illuminations - really bizarre.
Today is Thursday and we went to the school to find that only 4 children turned up because tonight the town celebrates their Perahera - so we'll all be out from 8 - midnight- way past my bedtime. We've been told no school Friday either as the children will be tired after the night before. It certainly wouldn't happen in the UK. It's unreal!
All for now folks.
Love Sue xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
Monday, 16 June 2008
For my Mam
Hiya Mam
Nice to speak to you yesterday, sorry the calls are short but the credit disappears so fast in Sri Lanka. It doesn't matter if you call me or I call you the cost seems to be the same.
Ceri has 2 DVDs of my photos which you should be able to see on your TV, so just remind her to bring them next time she visits.
I hope you're OK - I do worry that you may try and do too much and overdo things. I;m glad Jeanette is back to keep an eye on you and I've chased my Dave to give you a ring and to make sure he keeps in touch with you.
It sounds as if Jeanette had a good time on her cruise.
I'm enjoying my time here and everyone is so friendly and kind.
Keep smiling. Love you Loads.
Sue.xxx
Nice to speak to you yesterday, sorry the calls are short but the credit disappears so fast in Sri Lanka. It doesn't matter if you call me or I call you the cost seems to be the same.
Ceri has 2 DVDs of my photos which you should be able to see on your TV, so just remind her to bring them next time she visits.
I hope you're OK - I do worry that you may try and do too much and overdo things. I;m glad Jeanette is back to keep an eye on you and I've chased my Dave to give you a ring and to make sure he keeps in touch with you.
It sounds as if Jeanette had a good time on her cruise.
I'm enjoying my time here and everyone is so friendly and kind.
Keep smiling. Love you Loads.
Sue.xxx
Another weekend gone
I though I'd add a bit more about the elephant ride on Saturday morning - we spent 1 hour on the elephants and my bum is still a little tender from the experience. The ride was around the Tank and when we went down the bank into the water you had to hold on real tight as it felt as if you were going to go over the top of the elephant. The elephants picked a Lotus for us and handed it to us, then later they gave us a shower and posed for photos when asked to do so.
Saturday night Rowena and Jenny tried to teach the family some Scottish dancing and then Nuwandi taught us how to dance Sri Lankan style. Not bad but not experts yet but we all laughed so much.
Sunday I did a bike ride around Ancient Polonnaruwa ruins. I was there by 8.45 on my bike and I was a little wonky as I've not ridden a bike for more than 20 years. The ruins are spread out over a few miles so I was exhausted by midday in the hot sun. On my way round people kept trying to sell me things and insisting on how poor they were. If I got off the bike for a drink they stopped to ask if I was OK and could they help. At one of the shrines the lady blessed me with a red dot in the middle of my forehead and afterwards people thought I was bleeding so another reason to stop and chat. It would have been nice to have company at the ruins but Rowena and Jenny had already done them.
I didn't get to see all of the ruins because by 12 my little legs didn't want to go any more and I knew I had to cycle another 2 miles back to the house. Just collapsed when I got in, had lunch and then relaxed the rest of the afternoon. I couldn't even manage the walk to the hotel swimming pool. But another new experience and my bones now ache more than ever.
All for now. Sue .xx
Saturday night Rowena and Jenny tried to teach the family some Scottish dancing and then Nuwandi taught us how to dance Sri Lankan style. Not bad but not experts yet but we all laughed so much.
Sunday I did a bike ride around Ancient Polonnaruwa ruins. I was there by 8.45 on my bike and I was a little wonky as I've not ridden a bike for more than 20 years. The ruins are spread out over a few miles so I was exhausted by midday in the hot sun. On my way round people kept trying to sell me things and insisting on how poor they were. If I got off the bike for a drink they stopped to ask if I was OK and could they help. At one of the shrines the lady blessed me with a red dot in the middle of my forehead and afterwards people thought I was bleeding so another reason to stop and chat. It would have been nice to have company at the ruins but Rowena and Jenny had already done them.
I didn't get to see all of the ruins because by 12 my little legs didn't want to go any more and I knew I had to cycle another 2 miles back to the house. Just collapsed when I got in, had lunch and then relaxed the rest of the afternoon. I couldn't even manage the walk to the hotel swimming pool. But another new experience and my bones now ache more than ever.
All for now. Sue .xx
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
