a portrait of Pushpa

Pushpa greeted me when I arrived at my guesthouse in Kandy. I rented the entire home that sleeps 8 for around $40 per night. The owners live in Australia, so Pushpa is employed to look after the home and assist Airbnb guests. She is happy to do the shopping at a local market and come by to prepare meals for a very modest fee.

For some reason we bonded very quickly, and I feel I have found a kindred spirit. When she learned of my love for cooking different cuisines, she welcomed me into the simplest of kitchens to watch and learn. The food resembles south Indian in style, but she taught me some techniques and twists on food combination and preparation which make it distinctly Sri Lankan. I was impressed that she roasts and grinds and concocts her own spice combinations-- rich and glorious and heady. Some is coming home with me as a gift from her. Our first seven-dish feast was topped off with watching her favorite Bolly-soap opera together, sated and reclining, her hands tucked into the top of her sarong like Al Bundy. She was really into this show and gave me the play by play.

There were some potato sacks strewn out to help us
navigate the burning concrete with our bare feet.

 Getting to know her this week has provided me with a deeper insight into Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan life, particularly for women, and even more so for single women like her having raised a child on her own. She opened her heart and spirit and shared her life trials and joys in caring for others. 

She asked to join me on some of my outings which was a real joy.
I was touched by her openness to teach me some aspects of Hindu religion.  I know that trees are sacred and integral to Hindu religion (usually banyan and neem trees) but I was truly inspired by Pushpa's explanation of what she gains from her interaction with the special trees. Here she is telling the tree of her woes, the woes are poured out from a small vessel of sacred water she is holding. That water is absorbed into the roots, and the tree will offer her wisdom, protection and healing by processing this prayer-filled water for her up and out through the leaves. Though limited in our ability to communicate, this message was very clear to me.

Pushpa made me laugh, as she reminded me of my mom... a lady came by our tuk-tuk selling special lotto tickets like a 50/50. She does not miss a chance to buy one!

Pushpa was pleased to join me on a visit to an elephant rescue.
She had never been before and was equally as excited and in awe as I was.

 

Pushpa took my portrait with our driver, Nimal. Nimal came highly recommended from my house owner, and for good reason. He is gentle, kind and very knowledgeable about the area.  He also charges much less than the going rate in these parts. He and Pushpa have come to know each other quite well over the years, likely due to exchanges with guests like me. I only call on him now.

Pushpa has truly shaped and informed a most unique little vignette of time I have had here in Sri Lanka... a place that has recently come through a lot of struggle, a place with deep and fascinating history... a place filled with interesting people and the most lush flora and fauna I have experienced yet.    I am thankful and changed a little.

cabinets of curiosity in colombo

The Gangaramaya temple grounds are quite expansive and an inviting adventure to explore with a number of buildings housing various renditions of Buddha.

What caught my eye was the volume of curiosities jammed into every possible corner and cabinet. One area was declared a museum- basically a room crammed with paintings, antiques, statues and holy items.

 Another hall was filled with wall to wall cabinets full of everything you can imagine from elephant teeth to antique pocket watches, spittoons, gold, Buddha statues and clothing. I was told that these were donations, and on occasion an auction is held to raise money for orphaned children.

elephant teeth!

democracy at its finest

I was about to drop my ballot in the mail with Malé Post the other day after receiving my voting package in the mail, but decided to drop it off at the Canadian High Commission in Sri Lanka instead today. There is no consulate or embassy in Maldives, but rather it is served by the Commission in Colombo. A few phone calls had to be made to ensure my vote would be handled appropriately, and turns out, I am the first Canadian to cast my vote here.
I felt pretty patriotic... and more determined than ever to make my vote count this round!

Ironically many Canadians living abroad are not able to vote due to various reasons including duration of time abroad-- making my vote all the more important. It was marked early, but will not be opened and counted until October 19 along with everyone else's.

biggest, best Maale market

The most variety of produce can be found here, near the docks on the northwest side of the island, where boats bring in fruits and veggies from surrounding islands. 

short eats, screw-pine, island almonds

No good meeting at work is complete without short eats, disguised as 'tea time'. These amazing snacks come in a broad array of yuminess stuffed into some version of starch. Like spicey tuna in puff pastry, sweet coconut and tuna in a mini roll, chickpea flour and spice deep fried balls, potatoes and egg samosa-style. 

Featured here is a segment of screwpine, or kichekkeya. A tough and very fibrous fruit, similar to sugarcane. It has to be cut in small bits against the grain or it is impossible to chew. 

My colleague Zuzu demonstrates the way to cut it. She says it is best served combined with fresh coconut meat and a bit of sugar. A nice treat with good Ceylon tea. There are big seeds to be found deep in the green part, kind of like walnuts. I haven't chisled into mine deep enough to find one yet. 

They grow in giant clusters on a thick stock. 

And lastly, 'island almonds' or 'country nuts'. A tremendous amount of work is needed to get them out of their shell, but the effort is worth the tender morsel inside. They remind me of the delicate texture and mildness of pine nuts. 

getting hot in Malé

Ex-President Nasheed was removed from house arrest and thrown back in jail,  just the day before the government signed off on the UN Development Agreement I wrote about earlier, an agreement which ironically includes bolstering the principles of human rights enshrined in the constitution. (A constitution that is apparently quite malleable.)  He was jailed for incarcerating a judge during his presidency. Naturally there are two camps: supporters and haters. It has become an even higher profile case internationally now that Amal Clooney is representing him and is on her way here to visit him in jail.

And just this last week, The current President Yameen and the Vice President have received alleged death threats from ISIS via Youtube video. A member of Nasheed's legal team, now also a member of the current opposition in the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) was stabbed last night in the street.
All of these events are coinciding with the lead up to the passing of an anti-terrorism bill, which apparently isn't well liked by terrorists. Go figure. Today's news reports that journalists are receiving death threats through text messaging, as well as law-makers who are being advised to vote against the bill or face the same fate as the stabbing last night.