23 Dec - Without a journey there is no destination

The destination is Auntie’s Cooking Class in Sri Lanka for a cooking class of a Chicken Curry, Dhal Curry, Beetroot Curry with a tomato and onion salad for some freshness and a coconut sambol or sambal (not sure if it is spelt different in Sri Lanka) was the creamy component.

Once we docked, we were put onto a shuttle bus to gets us to the gates of the port and from there we ran the gauntlet past the procession of VERY eager Tuk Tuk drivers dressed in pristine white shirts which highlighted their beautiful dark skin and very white shining teeth. We very politely let them know (each and EVERYONE of them) that we were going to walk, WHY walk sir/madam I’m here and that’s my job, you don’t NEED to walk. It was hard to disappoint them as they were just doing their job but we really just wanted a walk to see the sites and stretch those legs after 2 sea days.

It ended up a hot and steamy 29 deg as we walked the 4 km from the port to the class. The first 2 km was along the ocean with the early morning cooling ocean breeze on a concrete walkway raised above the ocean. It was opened in 1856 and I’m not thinking that a lot of maintenance has been done in the past century and ¾. Not a lot of tourists seemed to be using this path either so we had a great walk mixing with the locals and felt like travelers rather than tourist. This was a real walk with real life happening all around us. The walk took us to the Galle Face, a hotel with a rich colonial past, what an elegant building and this was our first stop as we wanted to try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast being a Hopper.

I did mention that we come across a real local side of Sri Lankan life on our walk and not the side that the tourist board would be promoting on their “glossy brochures”. As we walked, we could see off to the side of the walkway a small group of people sitting and sifting through the rubbish in a very organised fashion. With bare hands they were going through sorting plastic bottles and cans OK get that and not sure if they are paid by the city! or are getting money from cashing in the said articles. BUT they were also going through ALL the disgusting smelly bin rubbish sorting out plastic wrap and right down to food scraps sorting onto a tarp and for what purpose I’m still unsure? I so wanted to take a pic as the scene was a colorful one, but out of respect for these hard-working beautiful human beings doing a job that most people would thing was not needed or not even being done! 

Entered into the Galla Face hotel past a security check point with several guards and a scanning system, this is due to the hotels now being very protective of their guests after the terror attacks from earlier this year and Sri Lanka trying to protect their newly created tourism industry. Now into a vastly different ambiance from a real world outside. All was tastefully decorated for the Christmas season, staff dressed to the traditional nines and with a stunning alfresco-ish veranda and courtyard for our Sri Lankan Hopper breakfast.

From 21^st century security entering the hotel to 18^th century colonialism with immaculately dressed men in uniform armed with a slingshot to keep the big black birds away from the gentry eating breakfast.

 The Hopper is a dish that Sandy was so keen to see, eat and learn how to make and as we have a lunch time cooking class we thought why not drop by the Galla Face Hotel for breakfast, as hmmm, how can I put this politely - there is only so much “ship food” that 2 foodies can take! But really to learn as much cultural flavour and styles as we can, I’m sure a version of these will someday be seen on The Retreat Menu.   It is a batter of coconut milk with rice flour and egg and cooked in a heavy bowl-shaped pan over flames, once the batter starts to set a egg in broken into the base to cook. Once cooked it’s up the gentry to decide on the vast selection of curry, dhals and spicy condiments. What a taste sensation breakfast was and it was a wakening of the palette at 8am.

After breakfast we are back on the streets heading to the class, by now the humidity was rising and these 2 dry lander travelers were feeling the heat and slipping in their shoes.

We walked along the green river over very dodgy footpaths heading into the berbs till we found our landmark the local bus parking allotment.

Past the decaying low set commercial buildings lining the walkways with people on sewing machining.

At the back of the bus parking allotment walk into a small domestic lane with a humpy of a street vender to the right over the stack of timbers and around the pile of gravel into the land of no OH&S and Aunties Cooking School.

Halfway through the class I waged for a bit and walked out to the lane way to play with the kids. I always travel with bubbles and as usual a big hit with the kids. This time I’m also traveling with a suit case full of mini packets of sultanas that I got back home (immigration in Singapore is not like Australia and I probably could have bought in the whole grapevine also!!!) The kids I meet today are just like any kids in the berbs and happy for a chat and a free box of sultanas. 

Tomorrow once we hit India, I’m expecting to meet kids of a very low means and I’m really hoping my megar little tokens will be well received and just for a moment hoping for the lucky few to have a little extra surprise in their day.

After the class we wanted to do a quick stop at a local supermarket, always the best place to see more of the real life.

Got a tuk tuk back to the ship as all aboard was 3.30 so very pushed for time when one wants to cram in so much in a very shot day and let’s just say after a haggle over the price as first quote I could have flown to the moon! I’m here to write the blog so we did survive. The pictures looks so tame and as I can’t load video you will just have to use your imagination and x IT BY 10.

 At the ships dock the local venders have temporary stalls to take all those last pesty little Sri Lankan rupees that can’t be spent in India. Pete in shirt heaven, but don’t worry I avoided the “Hawaiian” shirts and found some more suitable ones to add to my wardrobe, now I have a Sri Lankan section!