Coconut Grove - 17 February

Our late afternoon/early evening field trip took us to one of Jayantha's nearby coconut groves. An interesting fact about coconuts - everything associated with the coconut is useful. Like tea, coconuts are plucked. A coconut plucker will pluck about 500 trees per day. A tree in its prime will produce 10-12 coconuts per pluck. The coconuts are then aged/dried for about 2 months in a 3'-deep heap covered with coconut fronds. The coconuts are then husked to reveal the nut inside. The discarded husk is used to make rope or charcoal. The nut is what we get from the grocery store when we buy what we call a "whole coconut." Nuts not sold in this manner are further processed. The nut is broken open and sun-dried for one day and then kiln-dried for three days. The dried product inside the shell is called copra; which is sold to mills where it is pressed into coconut oil. The cake remaining after pressing is called poonac and is used for animal feed. The shell that housed the copra is burnt to make charcoal. 

Some other coconuts facts:

• Sri Lanka produces three billion coconuts per year and two-thirds of those are consumed internally. 
  
• A coconut tree takes 4 to 6 years to mature.  It will live for up to 100 years, but its useful productive life is about 80 years.
• An acre of land will support about 70 coconut trees.

Wariyapola District Hospital - 17 February

After the hot climb up Yapahuwa we started back to Wariyapola. We made a quick stop at the Wariyapola District Hospital to see a water purification project sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wariyapola.  The system may not look like much but when you consider this filtration system purifies water to the hospital that serves over 300 patients per day it is quite impressive.

Yapahuwa Rock - 17 February

Today we visited another great architectural site of Sri Lanka - the rock fortress of Yapahuwa. The fortress reminds me a bit of Sigiriya and of course we had to climb to the top (of the rock, not just the staircases!) Unlike the magma plug that is Sigiriya, Yapahuwa is a rocky granite outcrop. It rises almost 300 feet above the surrounding plains. Don't let the picture fool you - the second staircase is quite steep. The hike up the rest of the rock was via steep, rocky trails and the view was fantastic! 

Yapahuwa was the capital of Sri Lanka in the early 13th century. It was selected for its defensibility and the king built a palace and a temple to house the famous tooth relic. The fortress had a short-lived life as the capital city - only 11 years. After it was abandoned Buddhist monks settled in and remain today.

The lion pictured above is one of a pair located at the top of the second staircase and is pictured on the Sri Lankan Ten Rupees bill. Also at the top of the staircase are the remains of the temple and ornately carved guard-stones.

Wariyapola - 16 February

Our home for the next two evenings is the estate of Jayantha and Asanthi Samarakoon in Wariyapola.  This evening Jayantha hosted a multi-club Rotary meeting to introduce the Indian and American GSE teams to Rotarians in this area.  Rotarians from the Rotary Clubs of Athugalpura, Wariyapola, Panduwasnuwara, Nikaweratiya, Kurunegala, and Kuliyapitiya came out this Monday evening to meet the two GSE teams. By request we kept the presentations to a minimum and the socializing to a maximum!

Panduwasnuwara - 16 February

Remains of Resting Buddha Statue at Panduwasnuwara

Excavated Ruins at Panduwasnuwara

Mid-morning on Monday we set off for the town of Wariyapola located NW to Kurunegala. We learned we will all be staying together with one Rotarian family - more about them in the next post.

Our cultural experience for the day was an afternoon road trip to the town of Panduwasnuwara. Located here are fortress ruins dating back to the 5th century BC, but most items unearthed here date back to the 12th century AD when this city functioned as the capital of Sri Lanka. Within the site are ruins of ancient buildings and fortifications, some of which are yet to be excavated. The function of the excavated buildings are identified by the relics located within them - worship temples, dagobas, meeting halls, living quarters, dining rooms, and even latrines have all been unearthed. While most of the valuable relics discovered here are housed in the National Museum in Colombo, there is a small archeological museum in Panduwasnuwara displaying jewelry, Buddha statues of various sizes and poses, ornate wooden pillars, bronze objects, iron nails and objects, terracotta human and animal figures, rigid tiles, clay objects, and stone objects.

Also discovered was the foundation of this city's temple that housed the Tooth Relic during its reign as capital city. The foundation is in really good shape and an ornate roof replica was added during the 1970s.

Not far from the temple is an excavated island palace surrounded by a moat. Legend has it that the multi-story palace imprisoned the king's daughter - a princess so cherished she had to be shielded from eyes of men. I couldn't quite get the translation, but apparently there was a miraculous rescue of the princess by a winged hero who flew across the moat to the island and rescued the princess. The visual evidence supports the legend, however the dates don't match. The story dates to the 5th century BC but the ruins are dated to the 12th century BC, so the legend remains unproven.

Dambulla Caves - 15 February

After the hot and humid climb up and back down Sigiriya Rock we were treated to a relaxing and refreshing lunch by the Dambulla Rotary Club. We then headed for the famous Dambulla Cave Temple, also located in the Central Province.

This temple is also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla and its history dates back to the 1st Century BC. Five caves with painted ceilings and Buddha statues make up this temple. The caves are in a very large overhanging rock and have been carved in so that the drip line keeps the caves dry. Inside one of the caves is a spring that drips water from the ceiling that is considered to have healing powers.

It was late afternoon by the time we finished exploring the caves so we headed back to Kurunegala for an evening on our own. We were all really craving western food but were unable to find any such restaurant in town, so we ended up at the Cargill's Food Mart where we bought crackers, a cheese ball, some fruit, cereal, milk, Pringles, tuna fish, peanut butter and jelly ... and then enjoyed a veritable western feast back at the hotel.

During our ride to Sigiriya and Dambulla I was able to chat about a lot of different things with the Athugalpura Rotarians. Of course President Obama was of great interest to them. I learned that this area's economy is based heavily on agriculture. The town of Dambulla is the agricultural hub where all harvested crops are brought for distribution. Because deliveries arrive at all hours Dambulla is known as the City That Never Sleeps. Banks and many businesses are open 24-7. I also learned that the Athugalpura Rotarians are very active with community projects with their main focus on a disease called Thalassemia. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disease for which there is no cure. It can be treated with blood transfusions and other complicated procedures, but the Rotarians find the most effective and least expensive approach is to prevent the disease through education and blood screening ... services they sponsor at the local hospital.

Sigiriya Rock - 15 February

Our hosts today are the Rotarians of the Athugalpura Rotary Club. We are staying in at the Blue Sky Hotel in Kurunegala in the Northwestern Province. Rtns. Smag, Chinthaka, Shanaka, and Tilak are our guides to two must-see spots in Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle - Sigiriya Rock and Dambulla Caves.

Sigiriya means "lion's rock" and it gets its name from what must have been a very grand and ornate main entrance shaped like a lion. All that remains today are the lion's paws at the foot of the entrance.

Sigiriya Fortress was built in the late 5th century AD during the reign of King Kassapa. The rock rises abruptly from the flat plains around it. It is 1,200 feet tall and sheer on all sides. At some points the cliffs overhang the base - a very secure location for a fortress. The king built a rather extensive palace on the top. Cut into the top are cisterns that were used to retain water (they still do). The lion's gate mentioned above is situated mid-level on the rock and at the base the rock is surrounded by moats, ramparts, and large terraced gardens.

Two interesting features of the site are the frescos painted on the sheer walls of the rock and the mirror wall. Only 23 of the original 500 frescos remain. Those missing have been destroyed over time by the elements. Those that remain were painted on overhangs that were protected from weather. The mirror wall is located between the base and mid-level and it was created by the king so that frescos would be visible on both sides of the path up the rock. Even though age and graffiti have dulled its surface you can still see reflections in the wall's porcelin surface.

The Statue at Monaragala Vidya Sagara Piriven Viharaya - 14 February

After Ridigama Governor Nalin took us to a large rock outcrop where sculptors are creating the largest granite Buddha statue in Sri Lanka and what will also be the largest granite seated Buddha statue in the world. The height of the sculpture is 67.5 feet. It was started about 5 years ago and the sculpture itself should be finished later this year. The facility expects general construction to continue for another two years as they complete terraces and plazas leading to the Buddha statue.

Ridigama - On the Road to Kurunegala - 14 February

Saturday morning I said good-bye to my wonderful hosts for the past week - Carl and Arlene Kelaart. Arlene treated me to some wonderful homecooking and Carl was tireless at delivering me to multiple Rotary functions.

We headed out for our next destination - Kurunegala. On the way we stopped at Ridigama where none other than DG Nalin gave a personal tour of the Pahala Vihara Temple, which contains artwork and sculptures dating back 2,000 years. There are also sculptures and paintings as new as 500 years old. Interestingly, in this temple there are European tiles brought by the Dutch that depict Christian images. The tiles are about 400 years old and are installed alongside a 500 year old reclining Buddha. DG Nalin brought us to this temple because it is not really on the typical tourist's list of sites to visit. It was quiet at the temple and we enjoyed what seemed like our own private tour.

Royal Botanical Gardens - 13 February

The Gardens in Kandy were originally the royal pleasure grounds of the Kandyan Sinhalese kingdom. The British established the grounds as a formal Garden in 1821. We spent about an hour and a half walking the gardens and observing some of the Garden's more than 400 indigenous tropical flora and exotic plants of Sri Lanka.

After visiting the Gardens we ate lunch at a unique traveler's destination called Helga's Folly. Words can hardly describe this fascinating place - check it out at http://www.helgasfolly.com/

In the evening we gave our presentation to a joint meeting of the Kandy and Kandy Metropolitan Rotary Clubs and then enjoyed fellowship, dinner, and entertainment by first by tradional Kanydan dancers and then by fire eaters and walkers.

Sri Lanka Cancer Society - 13 February

Our morning started with a visit to the Kandy Branch of the Sri Lanka Cancer Society. This facility provides cancer awareness programs, counselling services, accommodations for patients and their next of kin, a dining room, and a cancer screening center. Most impressive was the accommodation facility called the Cancer Home that includes 65 beds - 55 for adults, 5 for children, and 5 for hospice care. The Home is available for patients who come from other parts of the Island for treatment at the nearby Kandy hospital or for those who are terminally ill and cannot be cared for in their own homes. Patient care including full meals, medications, and nursing care are provided free of charge.

Rambukoluwa Village - 12 February

We left Safari Village Thursday morning to return to Kandy. On the way back we detoured to a very remote village called Rambukoluwa where the Rotary Club of Kandy sponsored a matching grant water project that delivers water from the mountaintop to the villagers' homes. Rotary has also assisted the village by making improvements to the school and the village temple. Villagers here are agrarian and have little interaction with outsiders - primarily because of their remote location but also because they are quite self-sufficient. In addition to teaching what we Americans consider standard subjects, the teachers also focus on life-skills such as cooking and gardening. Shown in the picture is the school's kitchen where children can learn and practice cooking skills.

The school children performed several songs for us and then we gave them some cookies, pens and pencils. After visiting with the school children we had a tasty lunch in the village temple. The lunch was prepared by the locals from food they grow and farm locally. Knowing just how precious this food is to them made the meal all the more special. The village priest then blessed us by performing a traditional Buddhist chant. It was mesmerizing - I wish I could have recorded it.

Wasgomuwa Nature Reserve - 11 February

I just returned to my host's home after two days in the jungle. It was a very exciting time because we went on a safari jeep ride in the Wasgomuwa Nature Reserve. We saw much wildlife - monitor lizards, rabbits, wild boar, water buffalo, mongoose, water fowl, pea fowl, jungle fowl, deer, colorful birds of many types, and of course elephants.

Twice we were charged by the elephants. The first time was rather scary because one elephant in a group of twenty or more charged and then her friends came as backup. The elephants were trumpeting and then, if that weren't intimidating enough, one let out this low gutteral growl that sounded like one of the T-rexes in Jurassic Park. I didn't know elephants did that and I would have remained happy in that ignorance. The driver had shut off the engine when we got close so that we would not be intrusive (obviously that didn't work) and then he couldn't get it started. More elephants joined and had us surrounded in a semi-circle. The driver and the ranger (you have to have both to enter the reserve) worked really well to stand down the elephants. I think the whole event took only five minutes but it was a long, long, long 5 minutes. There were two really young elephants in the herd and we figure the elders were being protective. It's also hot right now and very dry so the elephants are quite tempermental according to the ranger. When I did have my wits about me it was interesting to witness the pack nature of the elephants and how even when in an aggressive mode they all surrounded and protected the young. I had to laugh at one point because even the young ones were trumpeting at us like they were mad too. It was pretty scary at the time but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Eventually the truck started and after a few more yells by the ranger the elephants backed away. A few big ones gave a very short chase probably just for show. Later we were charged by a lone bull elephant but after being surrounded that was nothing. That and the jeep started right up so we got away no problem.

We spent the night in lake front cabanas at a place called Safari Village. We ate delicious Sri Lankan food and enjoyed a quiet evening by the lake.

Team member Chris did a nice job combining photos and video of the elephant ordeal - view it on YouTube here ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScvWDaWsxEA

Vocational Day - 10 February

Today was a day of vocational visits. Lynsey and I were hosted by Rtns. Ishri and Ananda. Ananda is in the electrical business and owns his own company called Ediriweera Construction. He favors this time of year because it is election time and the local politicians really pick up on electrical installations and improvements to local villages. He showed us a utility installation outside of Kandy where he renovated 5 km of a 33kV line, installed a new pole-mounted transformer, and installed a new 230V line 2km from the transformer to a small village. The poles here are primarily made of concrete, I've seen only a few wooden poles. The job required 50 10m poles for the high tension lines and 20 8m poles for the 230V distribution. The Ceylon Electricity Board (state owned and run utility) provides all materials, private companies like Ananda's provide labor only. Ananda uses local labor for digging holes and cutting trees. Tri-M folks better not cry - these guys dig their holes by hand - I have pictures to prove it! He uses skilled and trained company employees to string the lines, install the transformer, and make the tie-ins. Interestingly, not long after the project was complete, the political party that sponsored the project had plastered the poles with posters of their candidate!

In the evening the team attended a special meeting of the Rotary Club of Kandy. At the meeting there was a large contingency of Japanese Rotarians from the Rotary Club of Kurayoshi in District 2690 who were in town to kick off a matching grant project. Two evenings prior my hosts and I had dinner with Rotarians from District 1470 in Denmark who are significant supporters of the Center for the Handicapped. Imagine - I visit Sri Lanka and am returning home with banners from three different countries - and there's still time to add to the collection!

Poya Day - 09 February

Poya Day is a public holiday in Sri Lanka which occurs every full moon day. The February poya day is called Navam Full Moon Poya Day. Almost all shops and businesses are closed. For me Poya Day could not have been more timely. My legs are killing me. Right now going down stairs is quite possibly the most painful thing I've ever experienced. But that's what happens when an out-of-condition desk worker climbs a mountain. How many days of post-event punishment must I endure?

My hosts Rtns. Carl and Arleen are members of the Victoria Golf Club and arranged for a day of relaxation poolside at the club. I opted for the full-body herbal massage. What a treat ... a full hour of massage followed by a few minutes in the steam bed. Very relaxing but I am still darn sore.

Temple of the Tooth Relic - 08 February

Rotaractor Gershani was our tour guide to Sri Dalada Maligawa - the Temple of the Tooth Relic. This temple contains the most sacred relic of Buddhism - the left upper canine tooth of the Lord Buddha himself. The relic is kept in a golden lotus beneath six caskets considered to be too precious to be put on public display. The relic is removed from the temple only once per year during Esala Perahera, a ten day festival in August.

The relic has played an important role in the local politics for centuries - it was believed whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Ancient kings protected the relic with great effort. The relic is kept in Kandy, the capital city of the last great Sinhalese kingdom.

Center for the Handicapped - 08 February

The Center for the Handicapped is a flagship project of the Rotary Club of Kandy. This facility provides prosthetic limbs for amputees at no charge to the patient. The limbs, primarily legs, are fabricated on site. The patient visits once for initial fitting and then returns for at least two weeks after the limb is fabricated for custom fitting, physical therapy, and training. The facility can house up to 20 people at one time. Amputees are victims of accidents or land mines, casualties of the war, or lost their leg due to improper treatment of diabetes. Presently the center has a waiting list of over 400.

By US standards it is really inexpensive to provide an artificial limb to an amputee in Sri Lanka - US$180 for a below-knee limb and $370 for an above-knee limb. Check out the Center's website for more information and to find out how you can contribute http://www.cfhsrilanka.org/index.html

Hindu Festival - 08 February

After visiting Summerville we said good-bye to the very hospitable Dickoya Rotarians, packed our stiff and sore bodies into the van, and headed off to Kandy. Guess how long it took? Yep, 3 hours. But again the journey was scenic and fascinating. We passed through a small town in the midst of a Hindu festival. There were people in the streets on some sort of procession. No traffic control like in the States, but there were a few police officers basically trying to direct traffic while trying not to get killed.

We arrived in Kandy in time for lunch and sight-seeing. We were greeted by President Gowri, Rotarian Carl, and Rotaractor (and former GSE'er) Gershani.

Tea Plantation Line Homes - 08 February

This morning we visited a line home community called Summerville. Line homes are prevalent on tea plantations. The Dickoya Rotarians brought us to this community to show us how a significant portion of the population live in Sri Lanka. There are no facilities for children to play, although there is a very small daycare - a room no larger than 15'x15' - where about 25 less than school-age children spend the day while their parents work the plantation. There is water available here but it is of questionable quality. The line homes are usually 7 to 1o rooms in a row. One family lives in each room ... that could be up to 10 people. The rooms are somewhat divided into two - sort of an entrance/foyer and then what appears to be sleeping quarters. The rooms are very small ... 10'x10' on average. The residents have made makeshift ceilings so that they can store things above in the rafters. The cooking facilities are limited and the cooking fire is kept inside with no chimney. Consequently lung problems are prevalent with the women. Waste disposal is also unsanitary. There is a high infant mortality rate in these communities. As Rtn. Dr. Chandra puts it, "Everything here can be a Rotary project." It is the Dickoya Rotary Club's goal to address these issues in their local community. They will be forwarding ideas as to how Rotarians in District 7630 can help in partnership with them.

The people that live here appear happy and they were very friendly. They were proud to show us their homes and openly invited us in. We shared some salt water taffy with the children - they loved the sweets!

Dickoya Rotary Club Projects - 07 February

After a few hours rest we spent the late afternoon and evening with the Dickoya Rotarians. They are a young Rotary club but very active. We are the first GSE Team they have hosted (and we should not be the last!) and they were anxious to share with us some of their projects. They support the clinics at the Dickoya District Base Hospital where Rtn. Dr. Chandrajan is the director. They also provide wheelchairs for the hospital and Dr. Chandrajan was pleased to show us his medical waste recycling program. The photo is of the recyclables room (not a very creative photo I know, but I was really tired after the climb and I hadn't gotten a nap). The club also has provided fishing boats and nets for tsunami relief, runs blood collection drives, and sponsors an eye clinic providing cataract surgery to those who cannot afford it.

Adam's Peak - 07 February

What would prompt an individual to climb Adam's Peak? I can't find the answer to that in my extremely sore legs. Divine inspiration - I don't think so - it's more like insanity. But this mountain has been climbed for at least 1,000 years and I really didn't want to be left out. Adam's Peak has been the object of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, and Islamists for centuries. The summit is at 7,359 feet. Of course we didn't start at sea level, but rather at about 4,600 feet. There is a lighted staircase all the way to the top. We started the climb at 12:30am. It's recommended to climb at night to avoid the heat of the day and then be there to witness the dramatic sunrise. It took me 4 hours to climb but alas I got to the summit too early. Lynsey and I arrived at the top at about 4:30am and then shivered until the sun started to rise a little after 6:00am. The guys made it upper faster but their only reward was longer shiver-time. How happy I was that I brought along my new sweatshirt and windbreaker AND that I also carried along my fleece and shell. It was quite chaotic at the top as there were many pilgrims since it was a holiday weekend (Poya Day on Monday). The sunrise really was very nice - and intense - at that elevation. We then fought the crowd to get to the other side of the mountaintop to view the famous and dramatic Shadow of the Peak (shown in photo). The trip down, though faster, was harder than the trip up. Oh, my aching knees. When I got to the bottom I looked up to see the top - if I would have seen that in the daylight before my ascent I probably would have said forget it.

The Road to Dickoya - 06 February

After a quick lunch and even quicker shopping (I bought a Columbia fleece-lined sweatshirt and an EMS windbreaker for less than $30) we said good-bye to Nuwara Eliya and headed for Dickoya. The road was windy and hilly and like all other trips took about 3 hours. Along the way we viewed two more waterfalls - St. Clair Falls and Devon Falls. We stopped for tea and a bathroom break where we saw this quite funny-looking tree.

We arrived in Dickoya where again we were greeted by a large contingency of Rotarians and were treated to tea at the bungalow of Rtn. Thayal Rajasingham. We moved on to our lake front bungalow called Summer House where we snacked and rested before our journey to and up Adam's Peak.

Moonplains Sanitary Landfill Site - 06 February

Lynsey and I visited the engineered landfill while the guys explored the town. The landfill was engineered and financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency and it is the only landfill in Sri Lanka. The landfill can handle medical waste, gully sucker waste (sewage basically), and trash. They utilize a vertical gas ventilation facility and leachate collection and filtration facilities. What I found most interesting was their use of coconut fiber to treat the leachate (see photo). The leachate flows through ten stages of filtration before coming out as clear water that is clean enough to drink. This water drains into thenearby wetlands.

The city of Nuwara Eliya has made significant strides in trash management. It is a very clean city and has readily available trash receptacles and recycling containers. Since something like 75% of the garbage is food related the city instituted a home composting program. Between recycling and compositing the city has managed to minimize the amount of trash taken to the landfill. RC Nuwara Eliya contributes to the city beautification by providing the color-coded recycling bins.

Nuwara Eliya - 06 February

We said our good-byes to the Bandarawela Rotary Club on Friday morning after enjoying an informal club meeting and dinner at our bungalow the night before. We were off to Dickoya with a short stopover in Nuwara Eliya. NE Rotarians Sathish, Yogesh and Wijey welcomed us to town and introduced us to His Worship Mayor Chandana Lal Karunaratne. Expecting to visit an engineered landfill (Lynsey's vocation in case you're wondering why) we were hardly dressed to take tea with the Mayor, but he seemed genuinely happy to greet us regardless. He stood with us for a quick photo then handed us off to his staff to arrange the visit to the landfill.

Rawana Ella Waterfall - 05 February

We enjoyed a lunch of sandwiches and potato rolls at the Rawana Ella waterfall. I took pictures of the falls but the sun was in a bad spot and its glare ruined the shots. However, there were lots of monkeys who - forever hopeful for food - unknowingly posed for lots of photos. This guy looks bored, doesn't he?

Lipton's Seat - 05 February

Sir Thomas Lipton (of the famous household Lipton Tea that we know) purchased several tea plantations in Ceylon during the 1890s. Lipton's Seat is located on his Dambatenne Estate and is the spot where Lipton would relax and enjoy the scenery below. The view is a commanding one at over 6,400 feet.

Tea Plucking - 05 February

It seems as if tea is grown everywhere in the central hilly region of Sri Lanka. Tea growing takes place on three elevation levels: high-grown at 4,000 - 6,000 feet, medium-grown at 2,000 - 4,000 feet, and low-grown at 2,000 feet and lower.

A tea plucker is expected to pluck 18 kilos of tea per day but we were told that they always pick more than that. They are paid daily and they are paid extra if they pick more than 18 kilos.

Nayabedde Tea Estate & Factory - 05 February

This morning we visited the Nayabedde Tea Estate & Factory. The plant was not in operation because of the National Day holiday but we were given a personalized tour by Factory Officer S. Sritharan. It was probably better that the factory wasn't operational because I think it would have been very difficult to hear over the equipment. Photos were not allowed inside the plant so all you get is this not so glamorous building photo. Nayabedde Estate plants 6,000 acres of tea and employs 750 pluckers. The factory can process up to 21,000 kilos of tea per day.

When plucked tea (more about this next post) arrives at the factory it is spread out in large wire troughs to wither for 12 hours. Fans blow air under the troughs to accelerate the drying process. Then it is mechanically sifted to remove large scale debris. Next it is rolled in rotating press machines. The rolled leaves pass through three stages of cutting and then are spread out to ferment for 2 to 4 hours depending on the humidity. When the air is too dry it is made moist by fan-blown misters. After fermentation the tea is put through a dryer to remove the last bit of moisture. The final stages are sifting and packing. Initial sifting is done by a mechanical process which sorts the tea into three gauges - 10, 12 and 16 (yep, just like wire sizes - the bigger the number the smaller the processed tea leaf). Interesting that final sifting; which yields eight separate grades of tea, is done by hand using eye and experience. The tea is packed into aluminum foil lined bags so that the product is protected from moisture during storage and transportation.

Some personal observations: The tea factory was extremely clean. Just like processing facilities do back home, the plant utilized holiday downtime to perform basic maintenance and repairs on their equipment. There are practically no personnel safeguards on the processing equipment. A factory worker must be aware at all times - the rollers, cutters, and sifters could easily maim or kill.

The Cool Climes of Bandarawela - 04 February

It took 3 hours for the drive from Ratnapura to Bandarawela. Bandarawela is known for its mild, dry and cool climate. It's elevation is just over 4,000 feet. Not to annoy folks back home shivering in the winter cold, but we were happy for relief from the heat and humidity. Bandarawela is located in the Uva Province and is home to lots of tea plantations and the Sri Lanka Military Academy. We were greeted by a whole contigency of Rotarians from the Bandarawela Club and treated to tea and snacks at Rtn. Sunil Fernando's home. We stayed in a holiday bungalow just up the hill from the military academy. In the morning we could see and hear the cadets doing their morning drills.

Saman Devala - 04 February

No pictures were allowed inside so I only have this not very exciting outside shot. It was a really busy day at the temple because it was Sri Lanka's National Day Holiday. This temple was originally built by the last king of Kandy who promised to build a temple in this area if he was able to find prosperity here. The local abundance of gemstones fulfilled his wish and he kept his promise by building Saman Devala. Later the Dutch destroyed much of the facility but it has been rebuilt and you can still see some of the ancient wall paintings that the temple is trying hard to preserve.

Also located in the main temple is a stone branch growing from a piece of a tree. The stone branch looks kind of like a vine and is growing up in the air. It's about one-half inch in diameter, perhaps 4' tall, and it is housed in a windowed case. The stone is so old that the growth is imperceptible in one human lifetime and only centuries of documentation validate this miracle.

We ate lunch with Ratnapura Rotarians Anusha, Fasmia, Sadith and Palitha and then said our goodbyes as we loaded into our van and headed to “the Cool Climes of Bandarawela” where we were greeted by a large contingency of RC Bandarawela.

Rubber Harvest - 04 February

On our hike around the estate one of Anusha's rubber workers demonstrated harvesting rubber - or more accurately the sap that is cured into rubber. The stuff that looks like white latex in this picture is the sap. Not much rubber is being harvested right now because the weather has been too cool for sap to flow. Sap flowed from this tree fairly strong (at least in my sap harvesting opinion) so perhaps the harvest will begin again soon in earnest.

Rubber Estate - 04 February

Rtn. Anusha Weregama hosted the entire team at here rubber estate located outside Ratnapura. Anusha harvests both rubber and tea on her estate.

This morning we took a hike around the estate looking at the tea fields and the rubber trees. In the photo you can see the roof of the estate complex.

Ratnapura days are hot but the nights are cooler and less humid than Colombo and we all enjoyed the change in climate.

Ratnapura RC Projects - 03 February

Visited two Rotary Matching Grant Water Projects in the Sabaragamuwa Province that were sponsored by the Ratnapura RC, the Kandy RC, and a RC in the Netherlands who I believe learned about the project on the WCS website. The project involved providing clean drinking water to 17 schools in the province. The total project cost Rs1.2M; which is about US$12K.
What really stood out at both schools was the excitement on the children's faces and the gratitude expressed by the school teachers and administrators. The girl shown in this photo was very happy to receive a pen and pencil that Lynsey brought from DSWA to give to the school children.

Seevali Vidyalaya (School) – 100 yr old school located in Ratnapura
This school was home to several hundred children – I'd say 400 or more. This school had an available water source but it was not pure. Through the grant a water filtration and purification system was installed along with a storage tank. I was honored when I was asked to turn the knob starting the flow of water to the hose bibs.

Halmillawa Vidyalaya (School) – rural school located in Embilipitiya
It took about 1.5 hours to travel from Ratnapura to Embilipitiya. There are about 250 kids in this school. This project was a bit more involved because there was no water source at the school. Rotary installed the distribution system, filtration and purification, and storage tank. At this school I again felt honored when I was asked to cut the ribbon on the path to the new storage tank.

After visiting the Halmillawa School we headed back to Ratnapura and visited a local waterfall called Bopathella Falls. Sorry no photos because it was early evening until we got there and the sun was practically set. However, the team was able to enjoy a quick dip in the pool at the base of the waterfall.

Gem City - 02 February

Upon arriving in Ratnapura - also known as Gem City - we were greeted by Ratnapura Rotarians Prasad, Fasmia, and Anusha. We were taken to the Dheheragoda Family Gem Mine where we treated to tea - no tea was served but instead fresh juice and light snacks. After tea we were taken to visited the family's gem pit. Hi-tech its not, but it gets the job done. This particular pit is over 200 feet deep and the miners crawl up and down the pit on logs separated by I'd say about 3'. CRAZY

We then visited the Gem Museum and finally ended the day with a little gem shopping! The primary type of gem found here is sapphire - which comes in blue, ruby/pink, orange, pathmaraga (lotus color), yellow, green, brown, and white.

On the Road to Ratnapura - 02 February

Once we said good-bye toour host families we were on the road to Ratnapura located in the Province of Sabaragamuwa. We spent all morning on the road and at one point got behind a truck with an elephant loaded on the back. You just don't see that back home!

Leaving Ratmalana - 02 February

This morning was my last breakfast with my host Pancherine Dias of the Reconnections Club. Here is a photo of her with her two daughters. Pancherine lives in Ratmalana which south of Colombo. It was a nice place to stay and Pancherine was a splendid hostess. Many thanks to her for her wonderful hospitality.

No, I didn't get to watch the Super Bowl. We couldn't find anyplace showing it. Considering it came on at 4:30am here I can't say I'm too disappointed, but it looks like it was a good game. I'm happy to have my personalized tour of Sri Lanka over the Super Bowl!

GEM T.E.D - 01 February

On the way back to Colombo from Unawatuna Beach we stopped in the small town of Beruwala to visit one of Colombo Central's projects called GEM T.E.D. GEM T.E.D was started by a Rotarian from Dijon, France who is a gemologist by trade. He started a school for underpriveleged girls ages 17-20 where they learn gemology, gem cutting, English, French, art, sports, and communications. RC Colombo Central supports the facility by providing paperwork assistance and matching grants to purchase equipment. This photo is of the gem cutting lab.

Unawatuna Beach - 01 February

OK, now you can be jealous. After visiting Seemigama we drove on to a small resort called Unawatuna Beach. Sri Lankans regard this to be one of their most beautiful beaches and - having been there - I would tend to agree. We spent the afternoon lounging on the resort patio and splashing around in the Indian Ocean. Very relaxing.

Road Trip - 01 February

Today's program was hosted by the Colombo Central Rotary Club. We took a trip to the beach but before anybody back home gets too jealous just know it wasn't all play. Our first stop was in the small village of Seenigama. Seenigama was a coastal town devastated by the tsunami. You might recall the tragic news story of the train full of people that was thrown from the tracks by the big wave. That happened very close to Seenigama. A former Rotarian named Kushil Gunasekera managed a small community center in Seenigama before the tsunami. The photo above shows the water line after the wave hit in the original building. Since the tsunami his foundation has been blessed with significant support and now it is large community complex containing a medical clinic, a dental clinic, a center for women, a day care, a sports complex, a computer training center, and more. If ever anything good came out of something so tragic, this is it.
For more info visit http://www.unconditionalcompassion.org

Quiz Competition - 31 January

After visiting the Temple we had lunch at the Odel's shopping mall. I bought a beach towel and t-shirt for our trip the beach tomorrow. We then retired for a quick nap before readying ourselves for the Cinnamon Gardens 15th Annual Quiz Competition. Our team members were joined by fellow GSE'ers Chamara and Ima. The Team made a valiant effort answering questions from categories of general knowledge, sports, visuals, and Rotary knowledge but honestly didn't fare so well. Rotary Club of Kandy took home this year's championship.

Changing Lightbulbs - 31 January

I don't really know if they were changing lightbulbs or doing some other type of work - I was to scared to stay and watch.

The Day After - 31 January

It’s a good thing Saturday was a relaxed day of sightseeing and shopping. It seems like we barely took a nap before we were up and about. We visited the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple with Buddhima, Parvartra and Waruma. The temple was quite large and housed two museums of antique art, furniture, and statues including the world's smallest statue of Buddha that you have to view through a magnifying glass. I took this photo of Buddha from off to the side because they were set up to change light bulbs in front. See my next entry ...

Obama People - 30 January

We spent Friday night and most of Saturday morning enjoying a band called Wildfire at a pub called The Keg. Wildfire is definitely a local favorite. After closing down The Keg we moved on to a club called R&B. It was interesting to witness the Colombo nightlife ... lots of American music spanning several decades, lots of cigarette smoke (at the club only, patrons had to go outside the pub to smoke), lots of dancing – it's ok to dance with anyone on the floor whether you know them or not, and lots of alcohol. These folks do know how to enjoy a party!
Now for the title of this entry. I snapped this photo of a billboard advertising a news program on the way to The Keg. Folks in Sri Lanka are wild over Obama. It's the single most asked question I get – “What do you think of Obama?” A complete stranger in the street asked if we were Americans and when we said yes he exclaimed “Good People, Obama People!” I've seen the text of his victory speech posted on billboards. It is an understatement to say Sri Lankans hold great hope in Obama.

Connecting with Reconnections - 30 January

I spent the afternoon with Reconnection Rotarians Tilan and Rohan discussing a few projects that clubs in District 7630 may be interested in supporting. Tilan is the incoming club president and gave an overview of several projects the club is working on including reducing infant mortality in rural areas and providing package water treatment systems to schools. Rohan is an engineer working for the National Water Supply & Drainage Board. He also travels for The Rotary Foundation evaluating major grant water installation projects. He has engineered water projects for two schools in low income areas that have water supplies not safe to drink. The project provides water filtration and purification plants at the school wells as well as follow-up monitoring and testing. More will follow on these projects when I get back to the states. Sorry no picture to show.

While on the Topic of Safety - 30 January

Snapped this photo while on our tour of Colombo yesterday. You can't tell in this photo but the men on the scaffold are in sandals/flip-flops. I was scared to watch for too long. Double-click the image to zoom.

Safety First - 30 January

It just so happened there was a small renovation project downstairs in the lobby of the building that Asia Siyaka is located in. The Safety First sign caught my eye before I was discharged from the car out in the parking lot. I would say the safety signs are more of a suggestion than a requirement. This worker is wearing sandals and no hardhat - but he does have gloves on.