Sri Lanka is “A land like no other.”
“A land like no other” is the brilliant tagline the tourist board of Sri Lanka used sometime ago. I remember reading it as a young person and being quite impressed as to me it encapsulated just about everything you can say about our paradise island. I still agree, it truly is a land like no other. I have always thought our country to be mystic and full of hidden wonder. Let’s get the most obvious detail out of the way. Sri Lanka is an island smaller than almost every country in the world. After living in North America for a good part of my life I realized that Sri Lanka is miniscule even compared to some states in America. Insignificant to many until they discover exactly how much our tiny island stands out. It’s beauty and intrigue is meant for more than the eye of the beholder.
In 2024 I chose to move back to Sri Lanka again, this has proven to be one of the best decisions I’ve made so far. Life here has many little things to always look forward to. Little things like, every full moon day is a holiday, food is affordable and widely available at almost every corner, you don’t have to spend a lot to take a quick vacation, you don’t have to worry about contrasting seasons and prep for them, your car doesn’t need winter tires, you don’t have to do more than one job to make ends meet, beauty surrounds you everywhere you go, you don’t have to travel far to experience a new landscape, you don’t need to fly to see the beach, you don’t need to fly to go on a safari, you don’t need to go to a zoo to see wild animals, you don’t need to watch the Discovery Channel to see a ten foot crocodile, you don’t need legal euthanasia to end your life; you can just pet a wild elephant, you don’t need to travel far to see ancient ruins and castle catacombs, you don’t need to travel to Europe to take a breathtaking train ride…okay you probably got the picture awhile ago, but I need you to understand that Sri Lanka is truly special (so special that it is the new ‘total package’ and not your wife anymore). Our country is filled with new adventures, amazing food and heartwarming human encounters and it’s all packed into a tiny droplet shaped package.
I live in the mountainous UVA province of Sri Lanka. Having lived most of my adult life abroad and being born and raised in and around the capital I noticed that life now has slowed down to a crawl. The pace that once defined my existence now seems exhausting. This profound experience changed me in ways that I am still discovering. The veil of so-called “modern life” slowly disappeared with every day that passed. Little life adjustments became significant pivotal points in my persona and impacted me in seismic ways. I gradually realized how artificial everything was. Life was not meant to be lived on the fast lane, in fact there is no fast lane, your just someone who chose to speed in a school zone just because that’s the cool thing to do. People here live one day at a time; they barely plan for the future and take every set back as just another part of life. No regret, no post-traumatic stress, no anxiety and definitely no dead ends. People here comeback from things that will send a North American into a psychotic spiral. For example this one farmer I know who helps me with my farming endeavors dedicated everyday of his life for six long months to plant turnips. He woke up early every morning to tend to the crops, deal with pesky pests and other farming dilemmas in the scorching sun. When harvest time came the price of turnips had fallen overnight. He did all of that for a silo full of stinky, unwanted bulbous vegetables. Did that send him spiraling into a high blood pressure nightmare? Nope. He cleared the field and just made plans to replant a different crop for the next season. What’s that you say? That’s normal for a farmer, that’s the name of the game! Well you pretentious figment of my point proving imagination, do you think you can overcome something as petty as someone getting your soy boy coffee order wrong? I seriously doubt it.
Everything here is done for one’s true satisfaction rather than for someone else’s approval. Every decision is made to fulfill basic needs. For instance no young person wants to strive to be the next youngest millionaire influencer, instead they set realistic goals and reach them at an achievable pace. There is inherently no need to impress the populous with extravagance. Man needs to travel faster to save time man buys motorcycle. Man has a family now so, man will get a slightly bigger but affordable Tuk-Tuk (and use it till the wheels fall off). Everything is purposeful and acquired to fulfill a basic need. Excess is treated like extra maintenance or time wasted.
What I’m trying to say is that life here goes on, as a remnant of what life should ideally be. I have learned to exist rather than live for the future. More present and less distracted. I now stop and smell the occasional wild flower (anti-allergy medication and epinephrine injector in hand knowing that it is worth it). Now my surroundings distract me from the life I once lived within the confines of all my screens. I hope by reading this you get closer to truly finding yourself in a world where nothing is, as it seems.
We put the ‘Serendip’ in ‘Serendipity’.
The Persians called us “Serendib”; the British called us “Ceylon” and now we are formally known as “Sri Lanka”. Even though our rightful name is lost in translation most other things are not. If anything, Sri Lankans are best described as hospitable people who always wear a smile on their face (I see this time and time again in almost every foreign-made travel video online). The world doesn’t know what to think of us, so it’s natural for them to assume that we are a lot like our neighbors up north. Yes, we do look alike but only to a certain degree, I’d like to think that our similarities end there.
I remember when I studied in Canada almost every time I told someone that I was from Sri Lanka they would say “Aw I’m happy you are here now” (which didn’t make sense to me). It’s ok, It’s not really their fault to be genuinely ignorant about the outside world. It’s just a by-product of comfort. But that assumption is far from the truth. Yes, a civil war waged in our country for over 30 years, but we got through it, we overcame the pain and suffering by hoping that there is more to our little country than racism, now racism is limited to a few (a very few with ulterior motives).
We are resilient and will never accept defeat. It's in our blood to represent the lion in our flag. We don't really know-know why there's a lion in our flag but we live to prove that we earned the right to flaunt 'Simba' as our rightful mascot. We bounced back faster than most countries, It's hard to keep us down. Even the recent devastating floods didn't phase us. We just dusted ourselves and got back to being the happy islanders we have always been. But people outside our shores don’t know this until they see it for themselves.
Sri Lanka is now a whole new world. Our country is beautiful in every aspect, and our people are tired of negativity. We have evolved far beyond petty differences and racist rhetoric. All we now want is to sit back and enjoy the sights, the sounds, the food, other cultures, arrack, tody, baila, each other and Cricket. We are not proud of our past, but we are happy with where we are currently in spite of it.
Recently I stumbled upon a YouTube video that described our people as ‘suck ups!’. Apparently, most of us suck up to white people. This is true, wouldn’t you be extra polite to a client or a customer? That’s exactly how most Sri Lankans see white people, foreigners who are a good source of lucrative milk waiting to be squeezed out of every cash cow utter. It’s not because of our past experiences with their superiority complex. It is because being polite sends them the right message; “Please enjoy our country, come again and don’t forget to spread the word, oh and your pockets”. After all this is a Tropical country, we thrive on sunbathing tourists, you scratch my back (cha-ching) I tan yours in return **Sri Lankan head nod**. No hard feeling, business is business and you will enjoy every moment of your Sunkist transaction.
“So distinct from India, so different from what I expected” –Anthony Bourdain- (No Reservations, 2008, Season 5, Episode 9). Anthony Bourdain (God bless his soul), that beautiful swaged out human being couldn’t have been more accurate. We are not like India. I don’t mean to seem patriotic or defensive but it’s true. Come see for yourself. We will always welcome you on arrival and wave you through the departure gates with a smile. You will always have a place in our country provided you come back as a friend. If you learn to look passed our shortcomings you will find that our smiles have nothing to hide except for a true heartfelt need to help you make the most of your tropical holiday. With love, all Sri Lankans **Sri Lankan head nod**. Written by: Gerard the Copywriter.#srilanka#srilankan#srilankantourism#serendib#ceylon
For The Gastronomic Thrill Seeker
What do Sri Lankan’s eat everyday?
Rice and Curry
Rice and Curry, three times a day, every day is every Sri Lankan's staple diet. A lot of work goes into preparing each meal and the secret behind all our spicy, yet mouthwatering dishes is love, the most important spice of all. As cliché as it seems. Each curry is made with care to complement our staple starch, rice. The perfect combination for any rice and curry lover is Dhal Curry (lentil), Coconut Sambol (Pol Sambol) and Rice of course. This combination is the minimum requirement to qualify as a complete rice and curry dish. Every other variation branches off from this culinary combo.
Curry Sidekick
Like Robin completes Batman, the rice and curry experience isn't complete without the ideal side dish. Raw green chillies dipped in sea salt, freshly cut onions, dried and fried biling (a sour/juicy fruit that tastes a lot like star fruit), fried sprats, deep fried fish, lime pickle, malay pickle, the options are endless. Each side dish adds a contrasting burst of flavour that ultimately accents the dish.
A hand in the matter
Rice and Curry are best enjoyed eaten with your hand. But be civilized about it, we don't dig in like Cavemen, there's a technique to it that is harder than using your conventional cutlery. Practice makes perfect, it’s a simple four step procedure;
Select your curries using long strokes directed towards your mixing area.
Mix well two or three times.
Scoop with fingertips, remember to use the thumb only to secure contents till delivery.
Your rice is now ready to be delivered gently on to your tongue for enjoyment.
Keep practicing the above technique to master perfect mixing and delivery. It helps to play “The Rocky Training Montage” on a loop to focus your efforts.
Dessert is not the end
Dessert is as important as the main course. Curd, buffalo yoghurt with trickle (honey made from palmirah or coconut). Fruit Salad - chopped up bananas, pineapple, mango and grapes with a little lime juice freshly squeezed and sprinkled generously with or without Ice Cream (most probably Vanilla). But desert isn't the end of a true Sri Lankan meal.
Sip before the Cheque.
You’re not permitted to excuse yourself from the table until you finish your hot beverage. The selection is limited in choice but not in variety. There's no double-double or de-cafe here. You get to choose either Tea or Coffee but it’s the variation that sets you apart from the less adventurous. Tea can be enjoyed in many forms, plain tea with added sugar or sugar in the hand, plain tea with juggery (solidified coconut, Palmirah or sugar trickle) and milk tea are the most requested among many other choices. Coffee can be enjoyed either black or with milk, nothing different there but remember to ask for locally grown and ground coffee to keep it tropical, instant coffee just takes away all the fun.
Quick fun tip about Teatime in Sri Lanka
Plain Tea, Biscuits and Bananas are the most preferred selection of hospitality for treating visitors in Sri Lanka.
Seasonal Goodies
Taste traditional sweets and dishes during the main festive seasons. Between April and May make sure to look for both Sinhala and Tamil New Year treats. Between May and June try to time your trip, so you cover “Vesak – The Festival of Lights” This festival commemorates the Lord Buddha's birth and passing on the same day. Look for 'Dansal' you'll find these little vending booths that give away food for free, all in the spirit of erasing Karma. Free food and fabulous festivities, what else can you ask for?
If you're a true Gastronomic Tourist then make sure to go looking for traditional meals, snacks and sweets. It's better to experience our food culture firsthand. There are many vender who serves traditional sweets and dishes year-round and they are located on the way to all the main tourist spots across the island. Check out our next post on the “White Man Tax” to help you with what to expect in terms of budgeting your travel costs.
Welcome to my country, Sri Lanka.
I was born on 23rd of June 1988, in Colombo. By then a few years had passed since the start of the civil war. The country was at an age where our people were forced to quickly adapt to the constant threat of death looming over their heads. The chances of randomly dying (getting blown up or shot at) was a little higher than usual. People were still happy. It now takes a lot to dampen the spirit of a true Sri Lankan. We celebrate everything from drinking, to coming of age. The war was just another dilemma that we soon got used to. Life continued as usual, we constantly lived in the worst-case scenario, which made us quite tolerant to pain and suffering. This attitude soon became a characteristic of our personality. The constant exposure to an ever-present threat normalized a sense of calmness in the face of peril. This gave way to a new generation of resilient countrymen who learned to live happily no matter what the world threw at them.
In the early 90's I remember how everything on the TV was a 'hand me down' from western world. We were culturally exposed to the best re-runs on the planet. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman the Animated Series, GI JOE, Care Bears, GEM, the list goes on.
Everyone I knew could speak in English (at least get by) and the country was slowly and steadily catching up to the rest of the world. Thanks to our pop culture exposure we knew by then that the western world had Thanksgiving, Halloween and Christmas. We obviously had Christmas but it didn't snow here, so it wasn't the same. Sri Lankan children looked forward to our very own holidays like the Sinhala Tamil New Year, Vesak, and Poson. Those holidays divided the year for us, not seasons.
I bet the most loved and celebrated holiday in Sri Lanka is Vesak. The holy day that the Lord Buddha was born and passed on, makes it extremely significant to the occupants of this predominantly Buddhist nation. Vesak is a spectacular event that I eagerly look forward to every year. It’s hard to explain how and why Vesak triggers a mass awakening in the country. A massive number of people flock to the lit-up streets to marvel at the decorations and other mesmerising festivities. Vibrant colors flicker around almost every house, looping around trees, lamp posts, and in giant intricate lanterns. Let’s take a moment to appreciate this festive wonder. Like it’s western counter part, the Jacko-Lantern; the Sri Lankan lantern takes a lot of planning and artistic dedication to master and execute. The lantern signifies everything good and holy Vesak stands for. You could call it the festival of lights or the festival of “Don’t forget to close your mouth”. It’s like the annual spark that wakes the slumbering islander to remember their teachings, go do good and erupt with creativity all in the name of canceling out Karma. But wait, it doesn’t end there. How could I fail to mention the best part? There’s free food. Yes, Vesak prompts generosity in everyone who wishes to redeem good ‘Karma points’ by giving more alms. This means that you get a wide variety of the best culinary classics Sri Lanka has to offer for the amazing price of a smile and a ‘Thank you’. The food, the sweets and the drinks all amount to an amazing cultural experience that will stay engraved in your heart forever.
Our country was built on a strong creative foundation that dates back two thousand years. It’s not hard to miss, you see it everywhere in temples, castle ruins, caves, plastered on the walls and everywhere in between. But being creative comes with a price, the price of procrastination. Being lazy less eager to work is a part of life here. We have at least one holiday per month, Poya (Full Moon days), it’s the little glimmer of light gifted to all Sri Lankans alike. A laid-back culture that keeps us going because there's always something to look forward to when the going gets tough on the daily grind.
Sri Lanka has come a long way since the 90's. We are now racing alongside the western world, but we make sure we stay true to our core culture and its influence on our lives. Sri Lanka is tropical in every sense. The sites and sounds come together with the culture and different personalities of our people. Our country is a small but beautiful island that does justice to every sense of the word tropical. Come see for yourself what we have in store for you. You won't regret it.
Sri Lanka is an island that is smaller than Texas. It resembles a drop of dew that trickled down from India and was creatively captured in mid-motion before hitting the ground. Some say it resembles a teardrop that symbolizes our remarkable resilience. We are small in size but tropical magnificence can be found in any direction. Our country speaks of our past through the ambiance of color, culture and colonial architecture.
Its hard to not be poetic when describing the many different adventures you can go on in Sri Lanka. Our little country is blessed with breathtaking beaches, lush green meadow filled mountains, bountiful plains, jungles, and a Rain Forest which is an untouched marvel of nature that thrived in spite of our destructive past.
Blissful bounty stretches 150 miles in any direction. Take the train, ride a motorcycle, take the bus, drive, be driven, walk or cycle. It doesn't matter what you choose, you'll make amazing memories and meet the friendly locals along the way. But the train takes the trophy for taking the scenic route. You'll experience the remnants of colonialism first hand. The upcountry railroad was used to transport tea to the harbor back then but it still survives serviced and always ready for duty. The 'Udarata Manike' will take you from Fort Station (Colombo) right up to Elle via Kandy. You'll cover all the best scenic sites along the way and it only takes roughly 7 – 8 hours or so, depending on the weather. But if you chose the railroad be ready for constant rattling and swaying followed by a repetitive clank that will make your wife's nagging sound like Celine Dion in her prime.
“When in Rome, do what the Roman's do”. If you seek the real tropical experience push yourself to step out of the comforts of your hotel. Go meet the people, see what they are up to, taste the street treats and take a dip in the nearest river or lake instead of the hotel pool. But always remember to be safe. Stay tuned for detailed safety tips. Until the next blog, Think Happy Tropical Thought!
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