From Waran to Pelican
In the morning we went down to the bus, which runs several times per hour on weekdays and costs as good as nothing - for our conditions. He also came quite soon and was half empty and the trip went smoothly from Statten. The children really like to drive the bus and are totally absorbing all the impressions that can be spared here. On the other side of the river officially starts the city of Kandy, on this side of the river is Sirimalwatta where we are staying. In Kandy, the traffic will be very close very soon and after 20 minutes of driving time, we are already driving along the famous Kandy Lake and I suggested not to get out of the playground first. You only need to press a button and then you can enter or exit at any desired place - which is very practical. Said and done, we were already walking on the well-kept pavement along the lake and shortly after that, in a few meters distance, right below us on the seashore, I estimate it from head to tail at one and a half meters, which was just about to feed a large carp, which it there are in large quantities in the lake. Even real colorful Japanese kois we have seen swimming in the lake. The children were, of course, fascinated by the waran, the effort was to bring down the large carp in one piece...
When we finally went on, Aramis was always fascinated by the big fish he saw swimming in the lake a few meters away, we also saw a waran swimming in the lake, which had something of a crocodile at the first moment. Later we also saw two pelicans sitting on a fallen tree. The lake is teeming with beautiful old trees, some of which could be a few hundred years old and were in any case already here when I made my rounds around the lake here in 1997. Only it was much quieter then and many of the new buildings that are now standing in the hills around the lake, were not there then - not to mention the heavy traffic nowadays! Back then it was very vivid and when I think about the time when Hermann Graf Keyserling lived here in Kandy, more than 100 years ago, the contrast is even more incredible. At that time, in his travel diary of a philosopher, he wrote:
“Mesmerizing are the landscapes that rewind again and again in front of the delighted traveller who is led by the roller coaster of the sweltering Colombo to the chilly Kandy. The richness of the flora is immeasurable everywhere, but every elevation is particularly passed, so that when further outlook the eye over-looks not one nature, but many natures at once, which soon border shroffly against each other, soon pass over each other nuancedly, and everywhere in the perfect beauty that distinguishes the perfect sense. And now Kandy! This peaceful lake, framed by dark green mountains, surrounded by trees blooming like flowers, embedded in lush mattes — this lake with its uncertain, foggy colors, in which the bright sunlight is reflected only like in the echo, seems like a moonstone on a dark velvet ground. When I arrived, I was so excited that I immediately embarked on a long patrol. And when I returned home and sat down tired, in the comfortable recliner on a shady balcony, I thought to myself: you are in paradise. Here they are all, exceeding even your wildest expectations; your most immeasurable desires are fulfilled. You should be perfectly happy right now. "Although he was not completely happy, which was probably because of his stiffness - his brain was permanently active and I hope in his sleep he found the happiness that did not want to adjust during the day to meet all fulfilled expectations. We then walked a small side road up the hill, where any type of vehicles, like a sign said in Sinhalese and English, were forbidden. This side alley was full of children and it turned out that it was the way to one of the many international schools in Kandy - which by the way cost around 75 euros per month, and then there is transport by school bus, which is still for children who live in our area 9000 rupees, approximately 30 euros. Lots of money here in Sri Lanka and lots of citizens investing this money for their children's future! Often the father sends home from the Gulf states or from Australia monthly, many families are incomplete and miss an important member who mostly works abroad - in the Philippines and similar poor countries it is similar, mostly there are mothers who are abroad take your brown skin to the market! Let's just think back to the soccer World Cup in Qatar and how many people from the hunger-stricken countries had to lose their lives in the construction of the stadiums there! No one should be forced to earn support far from their family - not at all at the expense of their life or human dignity! In Kandy there are many girls schools and also private universities. Education is overrated here and I can remember a PISA study in which, for example, Vietnam took its place much further above than Germany. The motivation of students is much higher in countries like Sri Lanka or Vietnam and probably the pressure of parents who invest a lot of money in their children's future! A little later we walked up another side alley on one of the hills where we saw lots of Capuchin monkeys in the trees and on the roof of the Girls College where they live - the kids were excited, free-living monkeys in the middle of town! Later we found a nice playground and right next to it was a snack with many seating opportunities for locals, where we then had our lunch. For dessert, there was a chocolate ice cream with cashew seeds for everyone from another stall, which made us reach the highlight of today's trip. I then instinctively found the right way to the bus station and there I enquired the stop of our bus back to Sirimalwatta. It got quite full quickly and I had to stand the whole way, Aramis was allowed to sit next to the driver on the engine cover, which made him really proud! There were many more school children in their white school uniforms, who all had to stand and I was already getting out after the bridge to do some more walking and shopping for papayas. When I got home, Lio was already asleep and Yasanna was just taking a shower - Aramis was playing with the Lego bricks he brought. I’d also take a shower and then take a hat full of siesta nap. I then drove my laptop up to type this here. Enough reporting, my unknown ladies and gentlemen, it was a pleasure as always and it greets you from a tropical distance
Sincerely
Yours frankly
Frank & happy family
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