it was bound to happen: Injury

sunset in Hikkaduwa

 Well, I was caught surprised by a large wave, that I dove into and tumbled me like a piece of rock trying to smoothe its edges.
It was a rogue double wave, (full moon- very high + low tides) and I don't know whether I hit the bottom or just the brutal force of the wave twisted my ankle, but when I finally emerged to take a breath,
the pain was immediate.  I hobbled out of the water, and got myself to the hotel where I immediately applied ice, ibuprofen and traumeel ointment with an elevated leg.(it's my ankle and achilles tendon)


Only twice in my life of perpetual swimming have I been really been tossed in the seas; Fire Island and Costa Rica. Usually just a lot of scraping.  But this was different.
I always choose a beach location for its lack of turbulence (lack of  high rise hotels, lack of pollution, lack of people and of course beauty ).
The hotel i choose in Mirissa  is all of this in a secluded,quiet + calm cove of great interest. Adjacent is the long stretch of beach with small hotels and great surf.  Every morning after breakfast i take off for a glorious walk and a big smile.  The first morning, the coast guard was releasing 52 small baby turtles into the sea . ( I think they were hawksbills, but it's difficult to determine at 45 days old) [actually i was surprised at the age as most hatcheries i 've been to release at 90 days].  It was a great scene...... but as you can imagine a lot of "mothers" (both sexes) were "helping" the turtles.  No, let them find there own way + do it themselves.  Diandra you would have been proud of me.  They had to crawl over the sand about 75 feet to the surf.

I watch the surfers and walk and walk.  What is more delightful than walking on soft beach sand at the water's edge, the palms' swaying, the waves crashing and the sun shining..... and of course the dogs frolicking? 

Yesterday, it was Very windy.  I saw the surf was up, but there were others in the water. As I was entering the water a large double wave arrived and I dove into it.
Now I am limping...... and more importantly..... wondering whether I will be able to leave in 2 days to climb the spine of Sri Lanka to visit all the sacred ancient sites???????????  This is what I have been waiting for!
What is traveling without walking, discovering and wandering?
(i may be finding out)


Food Glorious Food!

two of our young intrepid photographers for the festival

Ashanti, my very capable contact at Sewalanka

will i eat with my hands......i think not..... I' m wearing White (+all that turmeric)

Sri Lankan curry and Rice:coconut + chilies hot sambol (raw), potato curry, fish, yellow dhal, and cooked vegetables

It was a hole in the wall..... but we "foreigners" were complaining that we'd not had the Real Thing yet.

So, first day at the festival our tuk tuk driver took us to  the perfect hole in the wall restaurant in Galle.

I eat vegetarian/vegan therefore I do feel safe(r) eating anywhere.  We sat on wobbly plastic

stools and yes there were flies everywhere.... and Ashanti and I were the only women in the place but

it was Delicious!  The sambol is very hot and everything is very flavorful.   It is similar to Keralan cooking except it is Sri Lankan ....and that

component is enough to make it unique!

travelin' woman