Back to peacocks waking us up again. Being in farmland it was bug central overnight. I’ve made it sound like our hotel is basic and it really isn’t. It has all that you could wish for in terms of comfort and tech but no air con and fairly exposed to the elements. Luckily we had mosquito nets around the bed so it could have been worse. Also, the bathroom is open air. Very romantic for sure to have a shower looking up into the trees and the sky beyond, but the idea that a snake or cockroach might fall from a branch above while you wash is somewhat disconcerting. And the bathroom was busy with crawling things. There is a lock on the outside of the bathroom for obvious reasons.

Poor Chandana had an early start so that he could fetch Dhiravamso from his monastery. When he arrived the staff were beside themselves. They got a cushion for his chair so that he could be higher than us and covered it in a white cloth. He had his own teapot. Weird milky tea with UHT milk which is a thing here. Makes sense in a hot country.

When we left they threw flowers and water on the windscreen to wish us a safe journey. It worked. We had a safe journey. Most of it on the expressway which was dull compared to the roads we’ve been on this week but it fulfilled its promise of being express. We got there quickly. “There” being a beautiful monastery on a lake outside Galle. These monks know how to live. It was like a boutique hotel where you’d go for a yoga retreat. With its own temple thrown in.

We got to our hotel in Galle Fort. A charming old colonial building in the centre of town.

We wandered to the ramparts to partake in the traditional sunset ritual of hanging about waiting for the sky to go red.

I’m no fan of anything military but it was beautiful and the fortifications seem to add to it. The ramparts were full of people taking in the view. Everyone from back packers to middle aged tourists and locals. And several couples having wedding photos taken.

Actually more locals than tourists. Many more Muslims than we’ve seen anywhere else. Families taking in the communal atmosphere, kids flying kites, boys playing cricket. It was quite magical.

We walked past later after dark and the tourists were gone (no photo opportunities) but many locals were still there in the dark making the most of the cooler evening air.

Dinner at The Bungalow restaurant which seems to be the place to go. My first night not having Sri Lankan curry and quite frankly I felt like I was missing something.

More ramparts and historical military fun to look forward to tomorrow. Can’t wait!