Aug 19th 2009 - What a difference two days makes. This day was excellent for five reasons: I am in Sri Lanka. I have a motorcycle. I made a wrong turn. I saw monkeys. I have a motorcycle. Left Puttalam this morning and headed to the ancient city of Anuradhapura. Never underestimate my ability to become disoriented. The roads are well marked but somehow I missed a turn.
It was
a great unintentional move. Traffic was light, the backdrop scenic,
and the weather pleasant. Much of the road I was on is covered by
overreaching tree branches forming a natural tunnel. I passed open
marshland, Buddhist holy sites, slow moving serpentine rivers
crossed by ramshackle bridges, roadside fruit vendors, and a surplus
of smiling faces. The road was a bit uneven but this only enhanced
the effect. Having dirt bike suspension was a bonus. I did pass more
than a few police checkpoints but was ushered through with a smile
and a wave every time.
While
driving along I happened to notice a rather large statue of Buddha
situated near a rock face and was compelled to investigate. The area
near the statute is the site of a small monastery. I wish I knew more
about the significance of what I saw but I must confess my ignorance.
As no one appeared to speak English I was forced to remain in the
dark. The modest complex has the rock formation on the right
decorated with a 40 ft (guestimate) Buddha and other smaller red
monk-like figures at different points along the rocks. There are also
different areas for worship and habitation strewn about the grounds.
While I was attempting to capture a troop of local primates on film
there were some worshipers chanting in unison to the lead of a small
boy (monk in training I presume). It is the same boy you see in the
picture below that was busy with a lesson when I arrived. There was a
serenity and warmth to the place that I found most endearing.
At
point along the route I noticed a local fisherman at work in the
remnants of a small river. Intrigued by this I stopped for a spell
and watched him in action. The river was quite low which provided a
distinct advantage (fewer avenues of escape for Nemo and the gang).
‘One
of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved
ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. The city, now a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in
Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic
Malvathu Oya. From the 4th century BC, it was the capital of Sri
Lanka until the beginning of the 11th century AD. During this period
it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political
power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered
sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries
covering an area of over sixteen square miles’ (Wikipedia).
My
intent was merely to familiarize myself with the area so when I head
out tomorrow I could make more efficient use of my time. It was not
what I expected at all. Everything is quite spread out and there are
villages all throughout the ancient city. People move about freely
within the ancient landmarks. Although it is fairly well marked it is
not so difficult to get confused (or perhaps it is not so difficult
for me to get confused). I had a small map but it was of
little value. I might be cartograhically challenged but something was
definitely not right with this map which led to more than a little
frustration. I thought you needed a ticket to view any of the sites
within the ancient city but such is not the case. I guess some of the
ruins are just too spread out for any type of control.
I
happened upon the remnants of an ancient stone bridge right on the
edge of a river. An extremely picturesque little place. I was not the
only who thinks so as when I arrived there were four locals fishing
off the bridge. It was a rather curious and gregarious group of young
Sri Lankan men. We had an interesting conversation which led to the
exchanging of e-mails and phone numbers. I was asked if I wanted to
live in Sri Lanka permanently. I pointed out that since my visa was
only good for one month this was a moot point. No problem. Simply
marry a Sri Lankan woman (one of my new friends could set me up) and
my visa problem would disappear. And if the woman did not turn out to
be my soul mate this too was not a problem. Just get a divorce after
a year or so and all would be well. Guess I’ll have to think about
it.
Whenever
I ask locals about the security situation in Sri Lanka they behave as
if the mere suggestion of danger is ludicrous. The war is over. All
is well. Game on. Want to drive to Jaffna? No sweat. Sure you might
have to go through a ton of military checkpoints but that is par for
the course. Have fun. Bring the kids. Stop worrying.
The
rest of the afternoon was spent trying to figure out where the hell I
was and how to get back to where I started. Due to the language
barrier questions rarely yielded any useful information but one
gentleman did say I had an old map. Good to know. So tomorrow I rise
before dawn and do a little archeology. It should be a hoot.
No comments:
Post a Comment
'Love me or hate me, but spare me your indifference.' -- Libbie Fudim