To "Leer" or not to "Leer"

We just spent 3 days in Matara and the verdict is in...none of us liked it. We were the only people at the resort/hotel we were at, which was in the middle of nowhere. No restaurants, no shops, no nothing close by. Only houses. Normally we would like that..being amonst the locals. Except for the fact that we were quickly introduced to the "leer". If I didn't know the definition of it before, I certainly do now. I have never had a man look at me so intently that I felt it in every fibre of my being. For example, mom, Deb and I were sitting at a table next to the ocean playing cards and there were 2 crowds of men in different directions watching us. The first group contained about 8 men and they simply stood there and stared at us for close to 30 minutes. The other group, brought out a drum and starting singing and pointing at us. As soon as we left, they dispersed and went on their ways.

This sounds harmless enough...but when we went to the beach to swim is when it got bad. Eventually we ended up swimming in our clothes because the sight of our swimsuits seemed to put them in a lather and made them swarm and circle us like sharks. Even mom drove them crazy.

We were happy to leave and find ourselves in Tangalle...where we are still looked at, but not followed and watched like in Matara. Tangalle is where we will be building houses, so it is nice to see what our home for a few weeks is like.
Our tuk tuk driver this morning took us to his house, introduced us to his wife and one of his daughters and told us we could stay with them if we wanted. Sri Lankans are very friendly people...I know he was hoping for the almighty dollar...but still the way the open themselves to you is quite remarkable.

On the beach the other day a man asked me if I was married. To make our lives easier both Deb and I are sporting wedding bands, so my answer was yes. He asked me if mine was a love marriage. When I told him that it was, he quickly told me that his was not. That he did not love his wife. I was not sure how to respond seeing as his wife was sitting right there.

WE leavehere tomorrow and head for Ella...away from the beach and inland to the tea plantations and places where the elephants roam free. Can't wait.

Sri Lanka photos

Deb, Christine and the Sri Lankan chief of Police

Well today was an adventure. Deb and I got our Sri Lankan Visas extended which took a while at the immigration centre...and then we spent several hours at the police station reporting the theft of my ipod. For about 1.5 hours we sat in the office of the chief of police. It was really interesting. He was KING. He had people bring him his shoes, he didn't even have to stretch for papers that were on his desk that were out of reach...someone handed them to him. He barely dialed his own phone calls.

We will see if anything comes out of it. I was told that as a last resort if the guys who stole it don't return it...we can always send some 'thugs' to rough them up a bit...Dorothy you are not in Kansas anymore.

Here are some pictures...San Fran and Sri Lanka...enjoy

Topless and without music in Sri Lanka

Well so far Sri Lanka has been filled with ups and downs. It started off with my backpack coming off the carousel in Colombo and the one side compartment had the zipper ripped right off and everything in the compartment stolen or lost. That means both of my bikini's all 3 of my tanktops and all the socks except the ones on my feet are gone. So that was not the best way to arrive in SL.

Then came the upside. We met up with my friend Ajith here and had an absolute blast with him. He took us out for dinner at this great restaurant next to a pool up on the 3rd floor of a building in Colombo. We drank beer, ate great food and laughed next to a gorgeous pool and under the stars. Around 10pm we took mom home and then Deb and I went out with Ajith and his cousin until about 2am. It was a great night catching up with an old friend.

Then today, we took my backpack to get the zippered repaired and being the ass that I am, I totally forgot that my ipod was in one pocket that I NEVER use...and I remembered about an hour after we dropped it off. Ran back...but of course it is gone and everyone there says they never saw it. But I know 100% that it was in the bag. I tore the hotel room apart to no avail...my music, my bathing suits and my tops are all missing in Sri Lanka.

Trying to remember that shit like this is bound to happen and that they are only material things...but at this moment, the anger is just to great for that message to break through.

What will I do without music for year? Arghhh! And the friends that made mixes for me and put them on my ipod...that is the only copy I had of some of that music...and now someone in Sri Lanka gets to listen to them. Sigh....

Now that I have vented, I wish I could say I feel better, but that is not the case.

On the happy side, tomorrow we will explore Colombo a bit and then the day after we head to Bentota which is supposed to have glorious beaches. (but that brings me back to the fact that I no longer have a bathing suit...arghhh!) The weather is gorgeous, the beer is cheap. So there are pluses that is for sure.

Still haven't found anywhere to download my photos to show you...but I haven't given up hope.

Sleepy, oh so sleepy

Well we are 20 hours into it...and are in Singapore where we have a 12 hour layover. But there are worse places this could happen. The airport here is crazy. A gym, spa, movie theatre, shopping mall and even a hotel that we might check ourselves into for a bit of a sleep. It has been a bit of a long haul.

But it is 31 degrees outside so that in itself is making it worthwhile. Mom is a trooper and is still standing after the trip so far. Keep your fingers crossed she doesn't fall asleep standing up soon.