Ancient History 
Our last morning in Kandy – we had to wrap it up (hehe) and hit the road. The past 4 days living in Senaka’s house were awesome; Kyle and I were genuinely treated like part of the family. It was sad saying bye to Manjula and Thanuji, but I’ll be back.
Next stop: Polonnaruwa, one of the country’s ancient cities.
Highlights of the drive:
- Stopping at Senaka’s mother’s house and watching his 11-year old niece sing and dance in the traditional Sinhalese style. His younger niece was jealous of the attention, so she started shouting “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” while her sister sang.
- Eating “bullath”: aricka nut, coconut, and betel, wrapped in a banana leaf. A sweet, crunchy package. You’re supposed to lodge it in one side of your mouth (don’t swallow it!) and chew on it, then spit out the red juice every once in a while. The first few days of the trip I thought people were bleeding from their gums when I saw their teeth tinted red and the liquid seeping out.
- Aluvihara – cave monasteries built among huge rocks that fell from the surrounding mountains. There were all these peaceful Buddhas and pretty, colorful paintings, but then the mood changed a tad when I saw the depictions of the punishments in the afterlife: if you lied to your parents, your eyes would be plucked out by crows, if you were a sexual sinner, your skull may be cut open and your brains ladled out by demons (that’s if you’re lucky), prostitutes being impaled on metal rods, etc… I’ll stick with Judaism.
- Kurd’s the word. Kurd. Pure kurd. Senaka knew a lady selling it in a stand off the main road, so we took a little break to try some. By itself, it’s rather gross – like very bitter, funky yogurt. But drenched in honey it was great!
- Touring the Maithree Batik factory and store. Originally an Indonesian art, batiks are intricate cloth designs, to display and to wear, made by covering certain parts in wax and dying the remaining areas. They were rather steep at this place, but at least we knew we were getting the real deal. I bought 2 elephant ones (for the dorm room perhaps?), and Kyle and I bought a great peacock one for Senaka and his family (shhh, it’s a surprise!).
- “Why are we stopping?” I asked Senaka. “Elephants,” he replied, pointing down the road. Good reason. Thirty feet in front of us 5 wild elephants strolled across the road to join the rest of their pack on the other side.
- Hoppers – much better than kurd. America has pancakes, France has crepes, Sri Lanka has hoppers. A teenager was standing in front of a little stove off the road, alternating between two different bowls: dropping a scoop of dough into one as he gently lifted the finished product out of the other. I asked to try it and, compared to the rice paper disaster in Vietnam, I was a pro. I told Senaka I was going to start my own stand in Los Angeles, called “Hip Hoppers.” Coming soon.
We had a late dinner in Polonnaruwa, followed by a much-needed dip in the lake after a day of driving. On the walk to our hotel, Kyle and I met a man that said he was a town councilman. I responded, “Oh, cool. What does that mean exactly, what do you do around here?” I was expecting an eloquent answer, or at least an answer. Instead I got: “You want drugs, I give you good price. You want girl, I give you even better price. What you think?” I think the town is in great hands, I said to myself.
The next day we rented bikes and toured the ruins of Polonnaruwa. Kyle wanted to rent the more old school bikes, for the real experience he said. I agreed…at the time. Two broken brakes and one pedal later, my opinion changed. We had our own ruins by the end. Nevertheless, it was definitely the best way to explore the different devales, rock carvings, temples, statues, and everything else (plus we got a discount).
From one ancient city to the next…
Sigiriya - possibly the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.
Imagine the biggest rock you’ve ever seen in the middle of nowhere. Then imagine water gardens, boulder gardens, and terraced gardens lining a straight path up to the enormous loaf of bread-shaped anomaly. Then two enormous lion paws at the base, guarding the stairs in between that zigzag up the face until you enter through the lion’s mouth (though we all have to imagine that part – the majority of the brick lion is no more). Oh, and hand-painted frescos of beautiful women (representing different nationalities) in a niche along the way. At the top of this rock fortress: “a wet-season palace – a kind of 5th century penthouse,” as Lonely Planet describes it. And a view of the surrounding jungle that extends for miles. Basically, it rocked.
At this point, my camera was almost out of battery and so was I. We arrived at MB’s house in the jungle-like town of Maradankalla and had some tea (remember what it stands for?) before moving our mattresses outside and sleeping on the porch with the frogs and geckos. MB, as they call him, is Mihiri’s other uncle, and he is a jolly ol’ guy with 3 “pissu” (crazy) kids just like Thanuji.
It’s funny: as I write about coming to Maradankalla, I’m actually getting ready to leave. I’m still playing catch-up. Today is ancient history.
Thanks!! Sorry you can’t be here…actually take that back, Sri Lanka’s a lot cooler.
Can’t wait to get it! What are your plans for the day (besides trying to call me
?
September 17th, 2005 at 12:58 amhappy birthday!!! a surprise coming soon…
September 17th, 2005 at 12:55 amWait…you’re still on - hey bro!
September 17th, 2005 at 12:52 amHey!
So I guess I missed you online.
I’M 20!!! Weird, two decades under my belt. I feel old. (For those of you reading this post I expect birthday messages via www.whereischarlie.com
- just kidding…kind of.
Just got back to my room after hanging out with friends as the clock struck 12. Exhausted. Spent all day reorganizing my room - I built shevles, bought chairs, put a tv, a dvd player, a moose-head, a filing cabinet, in my room - long day!
Excited for tomorrow, having lunch with Mom and Meliss in Boston, checking out Melissa’s apartment, then maybe watching one of Emile’s soccer games with mom and meliss, then back to hang out at hahvad, then dinner with the fam, then some cool partay that i don’t know details about yet, yay!
Wish you were here to celebrate with, but just wait till the big one next year - we’ll be together!! (btw, every freshman I meet is like, “don’t you have a brother in our grade coming next year?” they all have heard about you from various friends of mine, eagerly awaiting your arrival. oh yeah! I’ve been hanging out with the girl we met on the double decker bus! It turns out she’s friends with a lot of Rebecca’s friends - small world.
Miss you mi hermano, love you!
-LB
P.S. - sorry for not posting yesterday! can’t believe i missed a day!!!
September 17th, 2005 at 12:51 amyep!
September 17th, 2005 at 12:47 amHey!
So I just got an email from you…any chance you’re on your website right now??
September 17th, 2005 at 12:28 amdee_vadukul@hotmail.com
September 16th, 2005 at 11:19 amhey chew,
September 16th, 2005 at 8:57 amglad to hear the adventures continue to be incredible - and tasty. makes my pb&j look rather drab, i must say. but you are providing inspiration for weekend grub.
oh dear, i must go impart knowledge to young denver minds.
take care of you!
much love,
sar
So basically…I’m just really jealous. New Jersey is cool, but there are no hip hoppers to be found weirdly enough. I’m having a lot of fun, and you need to come visit. I had my first day of classes today; both were good. I’m taking Arabic, so you might just have to pick up one more language…
September 15th, 2005 at 5:47 pmHey!
So great talking to you earlier today - and reading your newest post! Sounds amazing, per usual.
Just sitting in my 110 degree oven-room. It’s honestly unbearable - the humidity! Room’s nice, definitely a tight squeeze (at least compared to last year) but it’s cozy. Spent the night hanging out with friends, exploring rooms, etc. - then came back and unpacked and cleaned a little. May crash in Harry’s room tonight because he has air-conditioning! Lunch with Mom and Melissa tomorrow I’m pretty sure, then more organizing, then my friend Emily’s bday dinner at night - should be fun.
I’ll email you some pics of the room as soon as it is all set-up (which could be a few days). Hope I get to talk to you again soon. Love ya!
-LB
September 14th, 2005 at 11:35 pmcharlie -
September 14th, 2005 at 8:55 pmjust saying hello from me and Deeana
“I love you and I miss you” - Deeana
“ditto” - me
Greetings, Charlie, from a part of the world without elephants, monkeys and we don’t even eat dogs! Your adventures are fantastic and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to read about them. Thank you for sharing!. Hope all continues well and that you know we are all vicariously travelling with you. Sending y0u lots of love! Nonnie
September 14th, 2005 at 8:02 pm“Missed Call”
I would’ve picked up the phone, you see,
September 14th, 2005 at 1:19 pmBut a bizarre thing happened to me.
While riding my horse to work today,
I met a leprechaun on my way.
He asked for directions to Thailand,
I said, “What the heck! I’ll take you, man!
Plus, my bro Charlie is out that way.
I’ll surprise him, and with him I’ll stay!”
So we hopped on a magic carpet,
Played with puppets and ate a crumpet,
While we crossed the great big ocean blue,
Waving to whales, finding Nemo too!
We got to Thailand, but you weren’t there.
Then I realized Vietnam is where
You are now, so I bid farewell
To the leprechaun who was quite swell.
In Ho Chi Minh I couldn’t find you,
But I saw Jamie, he said you flew
Somewhere west, I knew I must go to
Tanzania, so I bid adieu,
And convinced a giant to toss me,
Over the hills and across the sea.
I climbed up Mount Kilimanjaro,
But still you seemed really quite far-o.
So I hitched a ride on some dolphins,
And headed to the Fiji Islands.
I searched and surveyed Viti Levu,
For you, but instead found a canoe,
So I rowed over to Sri Lanka.
A German helped me, I said “Danke!”
She said you were spotted in China.
“Is that close to North Carolina?”
I asked, but she laughed and walked away.
So I fashioned a car out of clay.
Drove to Beijing, but along the way
I stumbled upon a talking mouse,
Who told me he walked with you to Laos.
Luckily for me a unicorn,
Was headed that way, sure as you’re born.
Later that day in Luang Phabang,
I met an astronaut drinking Tang
Who had sharp fangs and spoke only slang.
Just when I thought my hat I should hang.
I sprang awake because the phone rang.
Getting my bearings, rubbing my eyes,
I then realized, quite to my surprise.
Although all this time I was dreaming,
The phone was, in fact, really ringing.
In my sleepy state, I missed the call.
Back in bed I decided to crawl.
My shock and awe I could not conceal,
But journeys like that are never real.
At least that’s what dreamers are oft told,
But I must remember, young or old,
Keep dreaming and my mind will unfold,
Many wondrous things, foreign lands untold.
And best of all, in my arms enfold,
My precious Charlie, my pot of gold.
I should be writing my network oultine, but instead I’m reading your latest post. To prevent my job from becoming ancient history, I will keep this short. Your mom and brother are running around Cambridge getting Nick settled. I am sitting at my desk at Culver Studios with my leg propped up, waiting for inspiration (or Starbucks) to strike. Hope you’re catching up with some rest. Love, YGOP
September 14th, 2005 at 9:44 am