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24/06/2024

This past weekend Sri Lanka celebrated Poson Poya, the annual commemoration of the arrival of Buddhism to the island in 236 BC. It's a hugely important event throughout the country and I wanted to share a few moments from the festivities here in my village of Heenatigala, and nearby Habaraduwa and Galle.
It's a colorful holiday filled with enormous animated light displays, chanting monks, pavilions providing free food for the poorer citizens, children's choirs, local treats, and cleverly crafted locally handmade revolving dioramas depicting scenes relating to Buddhist life in Sri Lanka. Hours of work go into some these fragile creations using cut paper, palm & banana fronds, natural jute and other found materials. They are whimsical artistic expressions of faith and some would deserve pride of place in any Buddhism folk art museum.
I hope you enjoy.🙏🇱🇰☸️🥰🙏

01/04/2024

'You gotta live child, Live, LIVE!! Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!' .....the wisdom of "Auntie Mame"

Five years ago today, April 1, 2019, Patrick and I arrived in Sri Lanka for what we thought would be a few weeks at most.....little did we know.
I invite you to enjoy a brief retrospective collage of our often bumpy, sometimes maddening, occasionally unnerving, but never dull, last five year adventure on this tiny island nation. I share with you a glimpse of just a few of the treasured people, places, and things that have left indelible marks on our hearts. But we aren't even close to finished. You ain't seen nothin' yet!

I'm sharing once again this favorite quote as we usher out the old year and welcome in the new. I'm sure we've all exper...
31/12/2023

I'm sharing once again this favorite quote as we usher out the old year and welcome in the new. I'm sure we've all experienced both blessings and trials during 2023, and 2024 will no doubt be the same. My wish for each of you is that your coming blessings will be many, and your trials will be few.
Safe travels everyone, the 2024 train is about to leave the station!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!🎊🎆🥂🥳🎉

22/11/2023

I invite you to view a montage of photos taken on a whirlwind 3-day road trip with a dear American/Croatian friend who popped over from India. The first day and a half, we visited the 5th c. Sigiriya Palace/Fortress, the 12th c. ancient 2nd kingdom capitol city of Polonnaruwa, and the 1st - 11th c. Golden Cave Temple complex of Dambulla, three of the eight UNESCO World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka!
Later on day-2 we made the 4 hour drive to Ella, high up in the mountains of Uva Province, stopping on the way at raging Dunhinda Falls near Badulla.
Day-3 we took the very fun 6:30am, 20-minute train ride from Ella to Demadora, crossing over the 1921 colonial-era Nine Arch Bridge. After a hearty breakfast, we hiked to the summit of Little Adam's Peak in Ella, and let me tell you...the views were absolutely jaw dropping in every direction!
After a cold drink at the Ravana Pool Club we were off to see the spectacular cascades of Ravana Falls!
All this in three days, and we barely scratched the surface of "things to do" in Sri Lanka!

(This is my first attempt at a photographic video montage, I hope you like it and the music.📷🤳🏼🎶)

In America, environmentally conscious people who are concerned about protecting old growth forests and trees are often l...
10/08/2023

In America, environmentally conscious people who are concerned about protecting old growth forests and trees are often labeled with the dismissive term of "Tree Huggers".
Did you know that (and I quote) - "In fact, the term “tree huggers” originally referred to the nearly 350 members of a branch of Hinduism who died in 1730 while trying to protect their village’s trees from being destroyed by soldiers seeking raw materials for a new royal palace."
Well, if admiring and wishing to protect beautiful, sometimes sacred trees makes me a "tree hugger", then I'm proud!

Contained within the tropical forests, savannahs , mountain ranges, villages and even within the sprawling cities of Sri Lanka are some of the most beautiful specimens of trees I have ever had the privilege to photograph. They grow everywhere in every corner of this exotic island nation, sometimes in huge swaths of old growth forest, or in small woodlands, or often as individual ancient specimens.....and I wish I could hug every one of them. They are magnificent, and just standing next to them revitalizes my soul.
These photos were taken on my last 4-day road trip, to the Royal Botanical Gardens near Kandy, Minneriya National Park, and the UNESCO Heritage sites in the Dambulla/Sigiriya area. Many pics were taken on a one hour stroll through the gorgeous grounds of the Habarana Village Resort by Cinnamon. No matter the location, I consider each of them like a giant, twisted, silent old friend.

29/07/2023

Inside the largest cave that makes up part of the 1st century BCE Royal Cave Temple complex in Dambulla. Video courtesy of Isuru Dasun at Dream Photography. Thanks my friend.📷🙏

Photos from three of Sri Lanka's EIGHT UNESCO World Heritage sites:The 1st c. BCE Golden Cave Temple in DambullaThe 16th...
29/07/2023

Photos from three of Sri Lanka's EIGHT UNESCO World Heritage sites:
The 1st c. BCE Golden Cave Temple in Dambulla
The 16th c. AD Temple of the Sacred Tooth in Kandy
The 5th c. AD Sigiriya Rock (Lion's Rock) Palace-Fortress near Dambulla
If your interested, the below Wikipedia links will explain the history and significance of each site.
Suffice to say....they are each fascinating, spectacular and "must see" attractions in this tiny island nation steeped in centuries of complex history.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dambulla_cave_temple
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_of_the_Tooth
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigiriya

Some photos of Sri Lankan creatures, great and small, taken on last weekend's road trip. Interesting note - the pics of ...
27/07/2023

Some photos of Sri Lankan creatures, great and small, taken on last weekend's road trip. Interesting note - the pics of the baby owls and giant squirrels were all taken on the 27 acre grounds of the Habarana Village Resort by Cinnamon where we stayed. It was fabulous!

The elephants of Pinnawala Orphanage enjoying a morning bath.
27/07/2023

The elephants of Pinnawala Orphanage enjoying a morning bath.

27/07/2023

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage contains the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. It was founded in 1975 to care for and protect the many orphaned, unweaned wild elephants found wandering in and forests of Sri Lanka. Twice a day they are escorted from their vast jungle compound across the street and down the main village street to the river for a bath. It's a sight to behold!

Yesterday (Sunday) the festivities continued here, but this time it was a parade sponsored by Uduphona Buddhist Temple, ...
08/05/2023

Yesterday (Sunday) the festivities continued here, but this time it was a parade sponsored by Uduphona Buddhist Temple, located here in my little village of Heenatigala. Hundreds of people lined the street to enjoy the music, dancing, and elaborate costumes. The kids were especially fun to watch. The parade passed right in front of our gate and was so much fun!🙏☸️🪷🤩

A few random photos of local Vesak Day decorations near our South Province home in Sri Lanka. The first few were taken l...
06/05/2023

A few random photos of local Vesak Day decorations near our South Province home in Sri Lanka. The first few were taken literally right outside our gate!
**Some pics are a little blurry as I was on the back of a moving motorcycle much of the time.

In case you were wondering...what is Vesak????
'Vesak is a Buddhist commemoration of the three most important milestones in the life of Gautama Buddha – his birth, his enlightenment and his Parinirvana (death).'

It is the most important of the monthly full moon Poya days on the Buddhist calendar, and is often referred to as the "festival of light". Much like Christmas in the West, almost all the decorations are in the form of colorful illuminations.
Store bought decorations are available, but most families spend days preparing decorations by hand consisting of bamboo stick lanterns carefully covered in paper. They are little works of art!
You will also see tiny clay oil lamps wrapped in palm fronds and handmade ‘kudu’ which are large lanterns surrounded by tiny lanterns. All these are lit up on Vesak evening.

'Another tradition of Vesak is 'Dansal' or alms-giving stalls. These roadside stalls offer anything from rice and curry to ice cream to beverages, all free of charge. The food is bought and prepared using donations of money and dry goods from local residents and everyone is welcome to enjoy the offerings. Operating a dansala is considered one of the most meritorious acts one can engage in during the Vesak festivities.'

It was great fun seeing these handcrafted displays and being apart of the throngs of friendly, smiling locals on the streets enjoying the festivities. Thanks Isuru my friend, for sharing this tradition with me!🙏☸️🪷💙

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Habarana, Sri Lanka
Habarana
50150

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