Lotus Land - Home away from home
Trip Start
Jan 23, 2011
1
25
34
Trip End
May 26, 2011
Tangalle, Southern, Sri Lanka
Monday, April 18, 2011
Everyone in Sri Lanka, since we arrived, has been incredibly helpful and not just that but very sincere. So, when a 30 something guy approached us and offered to take us to a good guest house that his family owned we took him up on the offer. There is no way we would have gone along with this in Thailand or Vietnam or anywhere in SE Asia, actually, as they just want the commission and the accommodation they scout from weary travelers is no doubt far out of town.
But this is Sri Lanka and everyone wants to help a foreigner just because they want to!
The guest house we stayed at was so beautiful. Not just the aesthetics, but the feel and warmth of the place! We were the only ones there so we really felt like honored guests in their home. They only have three rooms for guests and one room per night costs us $10.
The man of the house works at a five star swish-o resort thirty minutes from the home and it was lovely to see the whole family going out to the front of the house to see him off on his bicycle each morning at 8am. Then the lady of the house looks after the house serves us an amazing breaky of String Hoppers, Dahl and Sambol. My new three favourite foods! String Hoppers is made from a mix of rice flour and water and put through a special circular sieve. The mixture is squeezed through to form piklet-shaped hoppers then they are steamed. This is served with a dahl curry and Coconut Sambol. Coconut Sambol deserves an explanation too! It is finely grated coconut, mixed with red chilli, lime juice and salt and pepper. An amazing combination, more so that what it sounds! Traditionally, this is piled and all mixed on a plate and the Sri Lankans use their right hand to pick, mix and form little balls of food to eat. Mitch had a go of doing this out one night in Ella. The lady that was cooking for us was very insistent that we try to eat it "The Sri Lankan way". Mitch had a good go at it and said, "This goes against EVERYTHING that my mother taught me!" I tried but couldn't get my head (or hands) around the idea and resorted to the fork!
In Tangalle, at Lotus Land there was a puppy there (of course, as there are dogs EVERYWHERE in Asia) and we took an attachment to him (of course!) ... seeing we are missing our Charlie boy very much back home. (Although I'm happy to report that he is very well and probably forgotten us by now. We are just hoping my mum and dad agree to give him back when we come home!)
The beach in Tangalle was nice but very deserted. The water there is not for swimming because of the obvious rips and turmoil in the water. Most of everything along the beach in Tangalle was wiped out by the tsnunami that ripped through in 2005. You can still see the remains of some of the old, concrete buildings that were literally ripped to pieces with the force of the wave. One Sri Lankan man, who Mitch was speaking with on the bus, was near the beach when the tsunami came through and he said he escaped the tsunami by climbing a coconut tree. Of course many died and the devastation is still there to see today, but it is easy to imagine the return of tourism in that area in not so many years to come. That goes for all of Sri Lanka really, I'd recommend a holiday here in a heartbeat, especially if you are looking for a trip away from the touristy Thailand tracks (even though we really enjoyed that too!) It's different, less developed and untouched.
So now, on to the next destination, Mirissa Beach, a beach with more happening and waves to play in! It is around towards the west of the south coast, as we leisurely make our way ultimately back to Colombo.
Missing everyone back home heaps. x
Comments
Hi you two travellers on your intrepid journey!! I wrote a long letter a few days ago and pushed some wrong button and it all disappeared so I said some rather rude words and went to bed and sulked!!!! Well I am here again and it IS bed time so I will just say how much I enjoy your travel neww. It is one country I have not been to but sounds a safe and friendly place. I enjoy the pictures too so keep them going! Stay happy and enjoy every moment of every day qand keep safe. Will write again when the next diary entry arrives. Lots of love to you both, Nanna Shirley