Colombo!

What a great country! So far we love it here in Sri Lanka, the people are the friendliest people anywhere. English is widely spoken in Colombo so we have had an easy time getting around. Everyone smiles at us and greets us in English. Even in the big city, everyone greets you when you pass on the street. It seems that many people want to practice. Yesterday we were in a park and two little girls came right up to me and said "What's your name" and then "how are you?" and then (pointing at Scott) "What's the boy name?"

We arrived here no problem on Friday night, all our luggage arrived as well and we got through customs no problem. They didn't even want to look in our bags or x-ray them, just looked at our passports and waved us through. Ken and Miriam met us at the airport. Ken is the country director here for SP. They are on their way back to Canada and we've been staying with them the last couple of days. They've shown us all around the city and are taking care of us really well. We've already been to some stunning places here, though I could never find my way back except for in a trishaw.

A trishaw is a three wheeled taxi, open on both sides that is driven with incredible skill. The traffic here is like boarder cross. Big trucks, bicycles, motorbikes, trishaws and pedestrians weave around each other and seem to be performing some incredible and unknown dance with very fluid rules. One of the rules seems to be (quite literally) the biggest, fastest guy has the right of way! I never know whether the pedestrian will stop and the trishaw will go flying past inches away, or whether the trishaw will slow down and let the pedestrian walk in front. Let me tell you though, if you tried any of the stunts that are regularly pulled here in Calgary, you'd be inciting some major road rage.

My Saturday was spent shopping for books for the Children's project in a great bookstore (English and Tamil). We bought probably 50 books that morning and paid about $50. I waws amazed at the variety of English books available, everything from Advanced Calculas to Coles notes for Henry IV. We spent the afternoon touring some of the great sites in the city. We went down to the Galle face hotel and Galle face green. The hotel is the most beautiful hotel I've ever seen, it's a remnant of the British colonial days and we stopped to have tea in the open air restaurant. check out www.gallefacehotel.com. We had tea on the verandah restaurant. We were looking out at the ocean, and palm trees. On the sea wall, built as a ladies promenade, we discovered what are locally known as romantic mushrooms. (nothing to do with eating questionable substances) Many local carry umbellas to keep the sun off and at Galle face green you'll see many couples sitting on benches or on the steps with the umbrellas pulled right down over them. you can only see 2 sets of legs snuggled up close protruding under the umbrella canopy. An interesting way to get privacy!

In the evening there was a farewell party for Ken and Miriam at the SP office. It was beautifully catered and we sat outside in the courtyard and ate delicious western and Sri Lankan food. We got to meet many of our new colleagues and had so much fun. Scott and I have already learned that certain east coast staff will tell us anything to see what we believe. (We are waiting to be issued bullet proof vests and dog tags, which we only get once we memorize the entire Tamil dictionary!)

Today we went to church at the Scot's Presbyterian Kirk, what a diverse congregation, the service was in English and there are people attending from every continent I'm sure. We then looked around a local grocery store and picked up necessities like pillows and sheets. We also went to a stunning art gallery and cafe to look in the shop. This place is so beautiful. I can't descibe it all and won't be able to put up photos for a couple of days, but I'll describe just one part. We walked through a stone courtyard past the ubiquitous security guards into a narrow entrance way. Facing us was a long, narrow pool of water edged by 6 stone columns. In the pool were three bunches of beautiful purple flowers perfectly round and evenly spaced, and big dark fish swimming around. Natural light streamed in from somewhere above. When you all come to visit us, we will take you there!

Well, I see I'm going to have to post by topic in the future, there's no way I can describe everything in one post or you'll stop reading after the 11th paragraph! For now, let's just say that we are very thrilled to be here, everyone we've met has been so warm and welcoming and Colombo is indescribable. I can't wait for the drive across the country on Tuesday!