A tough day while others worked

February 27, 2017

We have two painters here today starting to paint the interior of the house. Everything in every room is stacked in the center of the room and covered in sheets. Chaos reigns!  I managed to remember to take out some clothes for today but my e reader is in my night stand which is wrapped in sheets. Our house was built in 2006 and the interior hasn’t been painted since completion with the exception of two walls in the sitting area. So from the ceiling to the baseboards we are having the place painted. We had hoped for a three day job but if we understood the contractor today one of his guys is out with a bad shoulder. If we can’t get back to our bed tonight we know of one crumby hotel in town where we stayed when the house was being completed.   It will be what it will be. One advantage to living the life Ron and I live is we have learned to go with the flow. Why gnash our teeth over an unavoidable delay?

The other project in progress is exchanging a dying water pump and motor for a newer one on the property. This property used to support a fish farm and much of the original infrastructure is still here. Until recently they had a mushroom growing operation here but when Ae moved out they dismantled it. The pump used to irrigate sounds like it is dying and we offered to replace it. As we were discussing what to get Tumm, a relative, he remembered there was a pump/motor left over from the mushroom operation. So we called someone to switch them out. The pump guy showed up shortly after the painters. It has taken him several trips to town for parts. I had no idea it would be this involved but I am grateful that we can reuse the ‘mushroom’ pump/motor. All done for $9.00 dollars for parts and $12.00 for labor.  Love the prices here.

Last week I got inspired to prune a large flowering scrub near our house main entrance. Unfortunately it had a nest I didn’t see and I got 8-10 rapid fire stings from unseen critters, I assume wasps. The strings were fierce but Ron came to the rescue. We first applied some ice then hydrocortisone cream followed by some Benadryl gel. He carries all these different remedies with him in our travels and I for one am most grateful. The swelling and pain subsided some but I woke up with itching and more pain during the night. A nap cured my lack of sleep the next day. I tried to find wasp/bee spray in the store but could only find spray for mosquitoes. I am not a fan of bad chemical sprays but I think the nest is a real danger for folks coming and going to the house. If someone decided a pick a blossom from the shrub they could get swarmed.

Yesterday we saw a store front in our little village that had a massage sign. It was new so we gave it a try. My massage person was a blind man who has been doing massage for ten years. His wife gave Ron a foot massage and I opted for a Thai massage because they only have one foot massage chair. He was very good but they left the TV on though they did have their young daughter turn down the volume twice. Still it was a distraction. If we decide to return I will request no TV and see what happens. They set up shop four months ago and previously were in Chiang Mai up north.

It is now 2:30 and my body is wondering ‘where is my bed?’ Every afternoon we rest in the bedroom AC, reading the Times on line or answering emails or reading our e readers. Some days I take a nap and my bod would like one today as I didn’t sleep well and we went to bed after midnight and I was awake by 6:00 this morning.

We had our first mishap with the painters. Ron went into the bedroom to see if they needed help moving the bed and discovered they were painting the master bedroom the color selected for the guest bedroom. Crap, another delay but things get lost in translation when you don’t speak the language and even when you do speak the language. I am doubtful about sleeping in our bed tonight but it is 2:40 and I have no idea how late they will work. If we had one room  that was functional I would be happy…who am I kidding? I will be happy no matter what because I lived a charmed and wonderful life!

Later

I couldn’t stand it anymore so walked up to the big house with a pillow and laid down on a bench in the breezeway. For some reason there is ALWAYS a breeze there. After a few minutes Linn discovered me and invited me inside to the bed in Pa Cha An’s room. I gladly accepted as the bench was not comfortable other than the fact I was prone. I couldn’t sleep but I rested for about 30 minutes and it helped.

The painters left at 4:00 or 4:30 and didn’t finish our room. We went out for dinner and then uncovered and cleared our bed so we could sleep in it. Both of us had trouble getting to sleep. We had gone to bed early so that may have been a contributor. Ambien to the rescue and we had a solid night of sleep.

meals on wheels, thai style and more thai decadence

February 21, 2017

This is our sixth day in Phetchaburi. It feels delightful to be here. We are nestled in the warmth of our family here and that can’t be beat! We have spent our time organizing and cleaning out closets in the bedrooms and cabinets in the kitchen. No one lives here full time so every now and then it is good to do a clean out. I found three empty bottles of window cleaner under the sink and a few other unneeded items. I found a small appliance I brought here in 2006 from Sri Lanka that I have never used, a box full of pots and pans that we don’t need, etc. So some things went straight to the trash, some were stored and Linn at the big house got an appliance, a laundry hamper and some clothes. Today I was able to take time to mop and Ron and I worked together to clean and chop veggies for roasting in our new mini counter top oven. We also bought a new TV yesterday. We will use it for DVDs since we don’t plan to watch Thai TV and we won’t be here long enough to worry with cable. We are feeling pretty settled here.

Our home was built in 2006 by Nattawan Thangvigit, a good friend in Portland. It is a one story open floor plan with a living room and dining area at the front of the house. There is a partial half wall that divides the second open room from the front. It consists of the kitchen and sitting area. There are two bedrooms and two baths. It is the perfect size and requires little to clean it. I sweep each morning as we live with geckos which is a good thing as they eat mosquitoes. Geckos manage to leave me dropping each morning so sweeping is essential but it only takes 10-15 minutes. The floors are tile everywhere except the bedrooms which are parquet so I mop every few days. It is all quite easy but it is best to do any work early as it gets hot quickly.

We found a great grocery store in Hua Hin which is about 45 minutes from our home. It caters to all of the tourist in Hua Hin which is a beach town. So just about anything we want for our western tastes is there. Lindt Dark Chocolate with sea salt caramel is a new find as an example. Yes it is indulgent but after 10 months of making do in India it feels great to be acting like a spoiled brat at the grocery store.

Our mornings are cool and it cools off in the evening so we sleep with just a fan and we don’t require AC yet. However March and April are the hottest months here so this will change shortly. We are enjoying it while we can. Sometimes it gets so hot we have to retreat to the bedroom which is where the AC is. The house itself is not air conditioned.  We can handle anything after the 120 degree temps in Ahmedabad.

Feb 22

Linn just came to our door with trays of food. Ae, her daughter was here this morning when I took our laundry up to the house.  Ae told me Linn got up at 5:00 to cook for us. Well it is a feast: two sauces for dipping a platter of raw veggies, a stir fry of mixed veggies with shrimp, a soup with pork, and of course white rice. Linn is a hard worker. She and Noi, her ex husband, manage a small banana plantation here. She cleans and cooks for the big house and who ever is living there or visiting at the time. She does all the laundry, mostly by hand.

Currently the residents are Pa Cha An, the matriarch, Noi , Pa Cha An’s son, Hope, Noi and Linn’s grandson and Linn. They have a full day-time care taker for Pa Cha An and at night Timm, Noi’s sister spends the night to be with Pa Cha An as she cannot be left alone. About two years ago she fell during the night and broke her leg and hip and has pretty much been bed ridden ever since. So every night of the week one of the family members sleeps in her room. Pa Cha An is in a hospital bed.  On the weekends, usually Tui, another adult child of Pa Cha An’s and her brother, Nit come down from Bangkok to spend the weekend here. Tui takes care of her mom when she is here. She is a pediatric nurse and sometimes can only spend one night and goes back to Bangkok. That has to be stressful as it is at least a two hour trip or longer depending on transportation and traffic. The family is very dedicated to helping each other.

Feb 23

After doing some chores this morning we drove to Cha Am  which is about 35 minutes south of here and a relatively quiet beach town. We were seeking help from a travel agent planning our Malaysia trip next month. We struck out but ate a wonderful meal at a very fine hotel and asked about travel agents at the front desk. We found a resource and called the next town over and now have someone helping us. We ended the excursion with a full body massage. I opted for Thai massage (a clothed, no oil massage) and Ron got an oil massage. Decadence reigns! 

Back to our relaxed life in Thailand

February 14, 2017

We took a nap yesterday in the afternoon and slept for two hours. We relaxed and worked on our email and after Leslie got home we went to a nearby restaurant called Rock. Well it rocked! OMG it was gourmet Thai cuisine. We ordered two starters: one was pomelo slaw and the other one had a small coconut milk pudding topped with a shrimp and sauce on a wafer. OMG both were outstanding. Next came the crab curry and a dish of fried tofu with beans and a sauce and it matched the great curry dish in terms of deliciousness. We decided to try one more dish, a lamb shank curry. I have never tasted lamb like this but look forward to having it again. I could make out the cinnamon but not the other spices. I also had never seen lamb in a Thai dish before. It was terrific. We were given a complimentary dessert that the chef is trying out. Call it a gourmet rice crispy ball. It was puffed rice with a great texture and honey drizzled over it. It was sweet but not overly sweet. What a fine evening of dining pleasure. Ron told the owner that it was terrible and he should give it to customers, but he would take the rest of it home.  We had a good laugh!

 We got up early and enjoyed fresh watermelon, mango and pineapple along with a toasted bagel and some Illy coffee. Gosh it feels like civilization. Yes, I know, who ever heard of Thai bagels. We went to Chit Lom and I got a punk haircut,  then Ron and I went to Asok where we went to arrange a car and driver to take us and all of our luggage to our house in Phetchaburi on Thursday.  Since our travel agent wasn’t there I invited Ron to join me for pedicures together plus I added on a manicure. Pretty romantic Valentine’s Day for the Bergman’s here in Thailand! By the way, Thais seem wild about this holiday. After arranging for the car, we had lunch at a French bistro that we go to every time we are in town. Next was the shopping mall to get chocolate for Auem’s family.

February 18, 2017

Time got away from me. Our dinner with Auem’s family was terrific. We met Auem when she was an exchange student in Portland and living with Nattawan, the woman with whom we share the house in Phetchaburi. We had Auem stay with us during spring break that year and took her to central Oregon.

We ate at her brother Ome’s home. Since we last saw him he has married and has a new two month old son. They live in a development on the outskirts of town in a beautiful two story home. Ome asked us about our so called president and we talked too much about him but he was curious and asked several questions.

On February 15^th we relaxed in the morning and read the NY Times on line since we had not seen any news due to our traveling. Around 11:30 we headed out to lunch.  Ron had suggested one of our favorite places, Crepes and Co. Unfortunately we looked at a new location and it turned out to be in a mega mall which both of us dislike immensely. We never found the place and started over and returned to our original site and enjoyed wonderful savory crepes.

Next we went to a nearby mall to see if we could get a SIM card for my phone to work. NO luck so we headed to the gourmet grocery for some specialty items to take to our house. Back at home we rested and went out for foot massages before a lovely rack of lamb dinner we shared as we have been eating like crazy since we left India. All in all it was a lovely day with romantic meals and foot massages…ah decadence!

February 16 

We got up at 7:00 and we were ready for our car by 8:15. We loaded up with our four large bags, four small carry on bags and some groceries bags. It was full but Ron is a master at ‘spatial relationships’ and got it all to fit easily. Our driver spoke very little English and she drove like a bat out of hell. We made it in record time and quickly unloaded the car and jumped back in to go another 45 minutes to Hua Hin to pick up the rental car as there are no rental places in our town. We stopped at a market that we had not used before in Hua Hin and I felt like a kid in a candy store. After making do without many familiar foods for ten months, I snatched up many items here that I had not seen for that period of time. After spending $175 we headed for home. We unpacked the groceries and spent three hours unpacking our bags and putting things away. At 5:00 I fell into bed exhausted and turned on the AC.

Later, Linn brought us some pad thai take out for dinner. Linn lives in the Big House at the front of our property owned by Pa Cha An. Pa Cha An is in her early 90’s, bed ridden after a bad fall a few years ago and blind. Her spirit however is strong and she is an utter delight. She had 8 or 9 children. Noi, one of her son’s lives next to our house. Linn is his ex  wife. Ae, one of their three daughters, lived here until recently but now lives with her boyfriend and she is expecting a child in a few months. Ae’s son, Hope, is nine and lives here with his grandparents and great grandmother, Pa Cha An.

February 17

We drove back to Hua Hin to meet Kay and Bill for lunch at the duck soup place we always go to. Bill is from Bend and Kay is Thai. She has had many successful Thai restaurants in Oregon. They are married and now live about five hours south of us. They were in Hua Hin to celebrate Kay’s brother’s birthday. Bill and Kay have a small condo in Hua Hin and a lovely home on the beach in a small town on the Thai peninsula. We went shopping for a counter top mini oven to expand our cooking potential here since the micro wave oven died last time we were here.  Afterwards we went to B & K’s to visit some more. From there we went to Simon’s birthday party. We stayed a couple of hours then headed home as we still feel unsettled and had more household shopping to do which we did on the way home.

Back at home by 9:00 p.m. and ate a snack and put away things we had bought. Ron set up the oven and we managed to stay awake until 12:30. I needed to call my credit union as I never received my pin for my debit card. Being 15 hrs ahead of west coast time is tricky in terms of hooking up via Skype during working hours. Off we went to bed.

February 18, 2017

I didn’t get up until 9:30, most unusual for me. But we hit the road running as it were. Ron made us a yummy breakfast, we cleaned up the kitchen and went to work. I cleaned out under the kitchen sink (why were there three empty bottles of window cleaner?) and under the counter where we keep cookware and one other area in the kitchen. After sorting through stuff, throwing some items away, putting other items aside to give away or store under the beds as they are rarely if ever used. I cleaned off the shelves and we now have a much better functioning kitchen. It was after 3:00 when we stopped. We took some stuff up to the tool room at the big house.  Then we rested in the AC as the afternoons are hot. March will be even hotter and April will be on fire. However not like Ahmedabad.  It's good to be in our little Thai home!

The long awaited trip to Jaffna

February 8

Today was the long trek up to Jaffna which sits at the top of the island. We have wanted to see this part of SL since we lived here in 2005-06. Our driver arrived early and we left right at 8:30.  When we lived here roads were in bad shape, about 1.5 lanes wide with eroded shoulders. The roads were heavily used by pedestrians, cows, occasional elephants, bicyclists, tri-shaws, cars, trucks and privately owned buses  that competed for passengers by leap frogging on the highways and running others off the road literally. It took about 15 minutes to get to the expressway with  heavy morning traffic but once on the expressway it was wide open driving for 30 minutes then we were on two lane roads most of the trip.. The roads are much improved usually with shoulders but not always. But there were no by-passes around the cities/villages so it was slow going. It took us until 6:30 or 7:00 to get to Jaffna, 250 miles.

We stopped for a quick rice and curry lunch and stopped at three war monuments near Jaffna to take photos and learn about the war. 

After checking into our hotel, we left for dinner at a South Indian place that served dosas. Ron tried a dish we had never seen before called uttar. The couple sitting next to us was eating it and we asked about it. It is more like a pancake and dosas are like a wafer thin crispy crepe made from lentil flour. We came straight home and fell into bed with a mosquito net over the bed. The cople had the most adorable 2 year old son.

February 9

It was a busy day. We ate a western breakfast al fresco and watched life with many people going to work on bicycles or on foot and some on motorcycles and in cars. We saw a few temples and sites in town before heading north to the tip top of the island.

We drove north to the top of the island. We saw a fishing village, with ten or more sea eagles, a Hindu retreat center with ritual bathing facilities for men and women (separately). A new Buddhist monument (built by the previous Sinhalese government after the war ended) where King Ashok is supposed to have landed bringing a Bo tree from India some 5000 years ago.  

Everywhere we went in the north we saw evidence of the destruction of war: homes long abandoned with no windows, doors or roofs, crumbing, broken walls, etc. We also saw places where the government is building modest homes for the poor, using military personnel for the construction. The government has been using the military since the war ended to develop infrastructure and rebuild throughout the entire island. Sri Lanka is much improved as a result since we lived here. We returned to town and partook of the local delicacy..... homemade ice cream 

Afterwards we looked at the rebuilt library that had been destroyed in the war along with ancient books and documents.

We finished out the day at the Jaffna fort built by the Dutch in 1610 and enjoyed the sights and sunset.

 

 

February 10

Suba, Ron’s former coworker joined us for breakfast. We enjoyed  Sri Lanka fare again outside. We started the day shortly after 8:45 and headed for the islands again. This time we went to Nainathivu after an hour of driving and 30 minutes on a ferry. 

 This island is famous for its Buddhist and Hindu Temple. 

We opted for the Hindu temple known as Nagadeepa Temple, a highly colorful extravaganza. To go inside men must remove their shirts. It was beautifully painted with many sculptures of gods and goddesses. We walked thrugh the entire interior. It was crowded today because it is a Buddhist holiday: Poya, the full moon which is always a national holiday in SL. Suba is Hindu and explained some of the rituals taking place. 

We boarded a much older ferry for the return trip. We had to go below and I realized what a death trap it was. It was a very old wooden boat ad if you stood up you could see out to te ocean. But it there was a problem the only way out was through two small cumbersome exits which would be blocked with the rush of people in a panic to get out. I now understand why so many people die in ferry accidents. I worried the entire 15 minutes. 

We drove back to town and it was past time for lunch…around 2:00 so we went to Mango and had rice and curry, the standard SL meal whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner. Ron and I went back to the room and rested briefly then the four of us headed to Suba’s ancestral home.  

In the back of the property was his uncle’s home and we were welcomed by his aunt and her two your daughters and later by her son. We had tea and left. We drove back to the island to Pedro Point and took photos of the full moon and an old light house. Then we went to Suba’s in laws for a lovely rice and curry dinner. Since we were getting up early the next morning we left shortly after dinner.

Suba and his in-laws

February 11

We got up at 5:30 and left by 6:00 to pick up Suba and hit the road. We drove a couple of hours before stopping for breakfast by an enterprise with funds form Swiss and and the US to help women who were widowed by the war or who had lost their homes, etc. The restaurants was right next to the highway and served meals from early morning until the evening.

We spent 10 hours getting back to Colombo, stopping for Suba and the driver to buy fresh veggies at a farmers’ market and later at a fruit stand to get fresh bananas. We ate lunch with Suba’s sister and met her two young daughters. We ran an errand after we got home and then just chilled until dinner time when we went to a nearby place that we loved when we lived here. It is a very romantic setting and a good menu of well prepared items. We shared an entree and ended with mango sorbet.

February 12-13

I went to Geetha’s to say goodbye to her three daughters. I had texted ahead to see if

Anton, his wife and buddy Ron

coming by at 11:15 was okay and Tinesh answered ‘anytime’. It turned out everyone went to church except Punitha and I waited until they returned before I had to leave. We had hugs and well wishes all around and I dashed off to meet up with Ron right before our lunch date with Anton and his wife. We went to a nearby Chinese place that was delicious. We parted afterwards in hopes that they would visit us while we are in Thailand. Shortly afterwards Lashan, a former coworker of Ron’s came over for a visit. After she left we rested, went to dinner and got ready to leave.

We go to the airport in plenty of time and waited until 1:20 a.m. to board our flight. We arrived in Bangkok at 6:00 a.m. and it was three hours before we got to Leslie’s place. We had the longest taxi queue imaginable; we guessed 200 folks. Fortunately they never ran out of taxis so the line did move but still it took us  long time to get to the front of the line.

And a fine meal it was!!!

February 6, 2017

We are having a grand time seeing friends and Ron’s former colleagues here. We had a great reunion with Veena and her family for dinner last night. Afterwards she and her sister who lives in the DC area came to see our Airbnb. Veena owns two homes on the same property and we encouraged her to consider using the second house as an Airbnb.

This morning our host had her cook make us a Sri Lankan breakfast which was a real treat. Afterwards we visited my jeweler friend who makes pendants for me from semi precious stones which I give as gifts. I gave him an order and made arrangements for our driver to pick them up while we are in Jaffna. Next stop was Asia Foundation where Ron worked in 2005-06 to see former colleagues. It was like a reunion as many folks were still there. I visited with my dear friend Herath who was the critical link between my former housekeeper and me. Geetha worked at the Asian Foundation and Herath would send her messages via email which made it possible to develop our loving relationship. Geetha passed away in August.

We went to an Indian restaurant for lunch and ate rich Indian fare while visiting with a young couple from Denmark at the next table. We then visited a branch of our fave store, Barefoot and I was able to find just the placemats I needed for home. Then we went to a shop to have prints made of photos of Geetha’s family to give to them before we leave.

We came home to rest in the heat of the day. What a great way to live. Tonight we have dinner with two consultants that Ron worked with here in 2005-06 who happen to be in town on another project.

February 7, 2017

Dinner last night was great with lots of conversation about our new prez but also about our time here in 2005-06 when Alex and Don worked at the Asia Foundation where Ron was in partnership with them.

Neither of us slept well last night, up at 2:00 and read until 3:30. OY! This morning we ran errands. First I went to Ajith who is making some pendants and I paid him, then to Barefoot to get a thank you card and photo frame for Geetha’s daughters and to see if any new clothes had arrived. Not yet. We enjoyed an Americano in the Barefoot Cafe underneath the palm trees with a cool breeze. Next we went to the pharmacy for more pills then to lunch for a sandwich. After the rich lunch yesterday we were in the mood for lighter fare.

We returned home around 1:00 or 1:30 and have been repacking for the trip to Jaffna and taking care of computer tasks. We leave at 8:30 a.m. and will be driving all day to get to the north of the island. Tonight Mr Kularathna is having us over for dinner. This tradition started when we lived here and now he invites us each trip to dine with his family. The family prepares a feast and stands around us while we dine which is how it is done here. Awkward for Americans but when in Sri Lanka….

Our meal included delicious fried shrimp that were fresh and sweet, kottu, chicken curry, fish curry, tomato/chili relish, rice, green beans, pittu and four fresh fruits for dessert: watermelon, papaya, mango and bananas.  Mr K made the kottu. Earlier in the week Ron mentioned he wanted some kottu and that was when Mr K invited us to dinner and said he would make it. Kottu is thinly sliced roti, onion, egg, chilies, chicken.  It is stir fried on a large flat iron plate over a flame outside.  You start with chilis and onion, then add egg then add roti and chicken. It was great. .Afterwards we left because the family will not eat until we leave. Off to bed as we will arise early.

Leaving and Arriving and seeing old friends

February 3, 2017

Yesterday, after working our hinnies off getting ready to leave, we checked into the Hyatt for our last night in India. At 4:00 we had 90 minute massages and were invited to dinner by my massage therapist. We left the hotel around 7:30. Sabina is from Sikkim which is in extreme north of India. She looks more Asian than Indian and has told me stories about being made fun of whenever she goes out. Indians will pretend to speak Chinese and come up to her and say something in gibberish. I told her she should respond in Hindi to get them to stop it but those who are jeering her are shocked that a ‘Chinese’ person (which she isn’t)  can speak Hindi, not realizing she is Indian.

Sabina

Sabina's friend

She and her friend had gone home before meeting us and gotten all dolled up: sexy hairdos, high heels and pretty dresses. We hardly recognized them as usually their hair is pulled back and put in a bun and they wear white uniforms. They took us in a cab to the other Hyatt where we have a wonderful Chinese meal in a great restaurant. We had insisted on us paying but she said absolutely not, that she got a Hyatt employee discount and it was to be her treat to us..

When we got back to our hotel, we said we would meet them in the Spa where they work to take photos. We had been given a dessert by the Hyatt staff in the early evening so took it to them to share since it was 10:00 and we needed to get to bed. We had three other employees join in for photos. All of them knew us as one of them is my hair stylist, a tall good looking Indian in all black attire and another therapist. It was fun taking photos. Back to our room and packed up our bags and jumped in bed and up at 4:00. At 4:30 Rahul met us with a friend and his car and we loaded up our bags (four huge bags and four carryon bags all at max weight allowed.

When we went to Nepal a week ago we took off from the domestic terminal to Delhi and then flew from the international terminal there to Nepal. So we went to the domestic terminal. Big mistake.  It took 10-15 minutes to get in the door as only passengers can go inside and tickets and passports are checked at the door. When we got we got to the door we discover we were at the wrong terminal. Panic. Out the door with two carts loaded to the hilt. Raced over to the other terminal. I thought I would fall over from panic and exhaustion. We got near the terminal but had a high curb to get up with our carts and two men came to our rescue and lifted them up for us. I will never forget how helpful and kind Indians /strangers can be. I think my white hair helps and Ron’s gray beard. Again, screened at the door but there are always fewer passengers at international terminal in Ahmedabad. Then a line for bags to be screened before proceeding. We went up to the Mumbai line and when we got to the counter we were told we should be in the Delhi line. God you would think we had never flown before!! We got the STUPID AWARD  today. We were waiting in line and an  employee directed us over to another line for faster help which was a mistake. The short line is never faster. Then Ron had to pay for our excess baggage weight and that required going into the bowels of the area behind the counter and it took forever. I forgot to say check in might as well have been manual as the clerk had to figure fees and  taxes manually. It was the longest check- in ever in all of our travels and that is saying something but this is a a government owned airline so that explains a lot. We made it through passport control quickly with a short line.

Security was a Cluster F**K. It was as though they wanted to see how inefficient they could make it Ron had his backpack run through screening three times and the final time he had to take everything out of his pack that had anything to do with electronic equipment: camera, cords, tablet, computer, etc. By now we were quite concerned about the time. But when we got to the area where you catch a bus to transport passengers to the plane on the tarmac there was a long line and locked doors. Whew! Plane was 10 minutes late but no problem because we have a five hour layover in Delhi. Again Delhi air is awful. Visibility is limited here all the time. It really makes me appreciate how much better the air is at home.

We had a long layover in Delhi but they have Starbucks. I was desperate for a good Americano and I wasn’t disappointed. Our plane was late but we didn’t have an immediate connecting fight so no problem. The Air India plane had better leg room than Jet Air which we used to go to Nepal. We arrived in Colombo and our luggage was just about the last off the line. We got some cash at the ATM then a SIM card for our phones then a cab to town. We arrived around 9:00 pm. Our Airbnb is lovely. And it is located about three blocks from where we lived in 2005-06. We have a large bedroom with kitchenette, no cooking but we have an electric kettle and dishes, etc. There is a sitting area and en suite bathroom with shower. We have AC option but haven’t needed it with the ceiling fan. We fell into bed after a hot shower.

February 4

We had breakfast and met up with our tri-shaw driver Mr Kularathna whom we have known since we lived here in 2005. He took us to the pharmacy where we got some items, then headed for my favorite store, Barefoot. Today is Sri Lanka’s Independence Day and all shops are closed we discovered so no shopping today.

We called Geetha’s family to arrange a time to get together. Geetha was our housekeeper when we lived here and we maintained a loving relationship until her passing in August. I came here then for her funeral and asked her family how we could help. They asked that we maintain the relationship. So at 2:00 we went to the cemetery to pay our respects and to shed a tear before going on to the house. We visited and took photos. Geetha and I had a long standing tradition when I came to  town. Geetha, her youngest daughter and I would go shopping to buy an outfit for each family member. Geetha always fretted about the cost. I always told her not to worry as clothes are so inexpensive here. On one of my trips I got eye glasses for her as she needed them. So on the shopping trip she was looking at each price tag. I told her to stop it or I would make her go sit in the tri-shaw. We all laughed. It was always a push to get it all done in a half day as we often had to go to several shops since we were shopping for three generations with 11 people.. So, today I recalled the tradition with Geetha’s three adult daughters and said I wanted to leave them a check to continue the tradition but they wouldn’t have to rush in one day. Tinesh, the oldest grandchild who is 18, helped me to know who to make the check out to. We were invited to lunch for tomorrow and gladly accepted.

Suba and his three children

We rested in the afternoon then went to Suba’s family home for a Jaffna style feast. Suba is a Tamil Hindu and has three children. His mother in law was there and his father as well as a niece. We talked about Suba’s work and Ron’s work and compared India to Sri Lanka. Oddly enough Sri Lanka is more advanced in many ways. We talked a lot about local government which is what Ron and Suba have worked on in their careers. Then the topic of our new prez came up. Suba told us the CEO of Uber had agreed to serve on trump’s Economic Advisory Board and that 200,000 people had deleted their Uber apps. HA! I think this election has motivated people to speak up and organize if nothing else. Yay democracy. We left around 9:00 and went to bed pretty early as we are still tired and the heat during the day is draining.

February 5, 2017

Today we had a Sri Lankan breakfast at our BNB and it was fabulous: SL roti which is very different from Indian roti, sambal made with freshly grated coconut and chilies, and a hot and spicy meat dish. Yum.

Off to shop at Barefoot. The stock was slim but I managed to find one blouse but no pants which I need. Ron got three shirts and I got two shirts for friends in Portland. My favorite hand painted ceramic dishes were not available either. Because the stock is all hand made they get deliveries once a week from various villages where products are made so we never know when they will have what. It makes it fun because we go back numerous times. I will return on Tuesday and when we get back from Jaffna.

I have forgotten my ATM PIN number. My new debit card was issued when we were home for one day in November and I never used the card in India because during demonetization the ATMs didn’t have cash. So now I am stuck. Bummer. Glad I have Ron with me!

We hung out at our bnb until time to go to Geetha’s for lunch. I had told her daughter’s to make it simple. Nothing doing. They prepared my favorite food that Geetha used to make: curried potatoes, beets that I always called Geetha beets, brinjal (eggplant), sautéed greens, rice and curried chicken. As is the custom they stood and served us as we ate.  The food was just as Geetha made it and I joked that she was in heaven and pleased and proud of her daughters for creating this wonderful event. It was absolutely fabulous. Afterwards we retuned to our bnb to rest before going out to dinner with Veena, our former land lady and her family.

onward to Sri Lanka and seeing friends

February 3 2017

Yesterday after working our hinies off getting ready to leave, we checked into the Hyatt for our last night in India. At 4:00 we had 90 minute massages and were invited to dinner by my massage therapist. We left the hotel around 7:30. Sabina is from Sikkim which is in extreme northern India. She looks more Asian than Indian and has told me stories about being made fun of whenever she goes out. Indians will pretend to speak Chinese and come up to her and say something in gibberish. I told her she should respond in Hindi to get them to stop it but those who are jeering her are shocked that a ‘Chinese’ person which she isn’t can speak Hindi, not realizing she is Indian.

She and her friend had gone home before meeting us and gotten all dolled up: sexy hairdos, high heels and pretty dresses. We hardly recognized them as usually their hair is pulled back and put in a bun and they wear white uniforms. They took us in a cab to the other Hyatt where we had a wonderful Chinese meal in a great restaurant. We had insisted on us paying but she said absolutely not, that she got a Hyatt employee discount and it was to be her treat to us..

When we got back to our hotel, we said we would meet them in the Spa where they work to take photos. We had been given a dessert by the Hyatt staff in the early evening so took it to them to share since it was 10:00 and we needed to get to bed. We had three other employees join in for photos. All of them knew us as one of them is my hair stylist, a tall good looking Indian in all black attire and another therapist. It was fun taking photos. Back to our room and packed up our bags and jumped in bed and up at 4:00. At 4:30 Rahul met us with a friend and another car and we loaded up our bags (four huge bags and four carryon bags all at weight allowed or over the limit

When we went to Nepal a week ago we took off from the domestic terminal to Delhi and then flew from the international terminal to Nepal. So we went to the domestic terminal. Big mistake.  It took 10-15 minutes to get in the door as only passengers can go inside and tix and passports are checked at the door. The guard told us we were at the wrong terminal asall Air India leave from that terminal. Panic. Off we went with two carts loaded to the hilt. Raced over to the other terminal. I thought I would fall over from panic and exhaustion. We got near the terminal but had a high curb to get up with our carts and two men came to our rescue and lifted them up for us. I will never forget how helpful and kind Indians /strangers can be. I think my white hair helps and Ron’s gray beard. Again, screened at the door but there are always fewer passengers at international terminal in Ahmedabad. Then a line for bags to be screened before proceeding. We went up to the Mumbai line and when we got to the counter we were told we should be in the Delhi line. God, you would think we had never flown before!! We got the STUPID AWARD  today. We were waiting in line and an  employee directed us over to another line for faster help which was a mistake. The short line is never faster. Then Ron had to pay for our excess baggage weight and that required going into the bowels of the area behind the counter and it took forever. I forgot to say check in might as well have been manual as the clerk had to figure taxes manually then add that to the ticket. It was the longest check in ever in all of our travels and that is saying something but this is a a government owned airline so that explains a lot. We made it through passport control quickly with a short line.

Security was a Cluster F**K. It was as though they wanted to see how inefficient they could make it.  Ron had his backpack run through screening three times and the final time he had to take everything out of his pack that had anything to do with electronic equipment: camera, cords, tablet, computer, etc. By now we were quite concerned about the time. But when we got to the area where you catch a bus to transport passengers to the plane on the tarmac there was a long line and locked doors. Whew! Plane was 10 minutes late but no problem because we have a five hour layover in Delhi. Again Delhi air is awful. Visibility is limited here all the time. It really makes me appreciate how much better the air is at home.

We had a long layover in Delhi but they have Starbucks. I was desperate for a good Americano and I wasn’t disappointed. Our plane was late but we didn’t have a connecting fight so no problem. The Air India plane had better leg room than Jet Air which we used to go to Nepal. We arrived and our luggage was just about the last off the line. We got some cash at the ATM then a SIM card for our phones then a cab to town. We arrived around 9:00 pm. Our Airbnb is lovely. And it is located about three blocks from where we lived in 2005-06. We have a large bedroom with kitchenette, no cooking but we have an electric kettle and dishes, etc. There is a sitting area and en suite bathroom with shower. We have AC option but haven’t needed it using the ceiling fan. We fell into bed after a hot shower.

February 4

We had breakfast and met up with our tri-shaw driver Mr Kularathna whom we have known since we lived here in 2005. He took us to the pharmacy where we got some items then headed for my favorite store, Barefoot. Today is Sri Lanka’s Independence Day and all shops are closed we discovered so no shopping today.

We called Geetha’s family to arrange a time to get together. Geetha was our housekeeper when we lived here and we maintained a loving relationship until her passing in August. I came here then for her funeral and asked her family how we could help. They asked that we maintain the relationship. So at 2:00 we went to the cemetery to pay our respects and to shed a tear before going on to their house. 

We visited and took photos. Geetha and I had a long standing tradition when I came town Geetha, her youngest daughter and I would go shopping to buy an outfit for each family member. Geetha always fretted about the cost. I always told her not to worry as clothes are so inexpensive here. On one of my trips I got eye glasses for her as she needed them. So on the shopping trip she was looking at each price tag. I told her to stop it or I would make her go sit in the tri-shaw. We all laughed. It was always a push to get it all done in a half day as we often had to go to several shops since we were shopping for three generations with 11 people.. So today I recalled the tradition with Geetha’s three adult daughters and said I wanted to leave them a check to continue the tradition but they wouldn’t have to rush in one day. Tinesh, the oldest grandchild who is 18, helped me to know who to make the check out to. We were invited to lunch for tomorrow and gladly accepted.

We rested in the afternoon then went to Suba’s family home for a Jaffna feast. Suba is a Tamil Hindu and has three children. His mother in law was there and his father as well as a niece. We talked about Suba’s work and Ron’s work and compared India to Sri Lanka. Oddly enough Sri Lanka is more advanced in many ways. We talked a lot about local government which is what Ron and Suba have worked on in their careers. 

Then the topic of our new US prez came up. Suba told us the CEO of Uber had agreed to serve on trump’s Economic Advisory Board and that 200,000 people had deleted their Uber apps. HA! I think this election has motivated people to speak up and organize if nothing else. Yay democracy. We left around 9:00 and went to bed pretty early as we are still tired and the heat during the day is draining.

February 5, 2017 

Today we had a Sri Lankan breakfast at our BNB and it was fabulous: SL roti which is very different from Indian roti, sambal made with freshly grated coconut and chilies, and a hot and spicy meat dish. Yum.

Off to shop at Barefoot. The stock was slim but I managed to find one blouse but no pants which I need. Ron got three shirts and I got two shirts for friends in Portland. My favorite hand painted ceramic dishes were not available either. Because the stock is all hand made they get deliveries once a week from various villages where products are made so we never know when they will have what. It makes it fun because we go back numerous times. I will return on Tuesday and when we get back from Jaffna. Before leaving we visitied the art gallery and had a sweet lime soda in the patio.

I have forgotten my Debit Card PIN number. My new debit card was issued when we were home for one day in November and I never used the card in India because during demonetization the ATMs didn’t have cash. So now I am stuck. Bummer. Glad I have Ron with me!

We hung out at our bnb until time to go to Geetha’s for lunch. I had told her daughter’s to make it simple. Nothing doing. They prepared my favorite food that Geetha used to make: curried potatoes, beets that I always called Geetha beets, brinjal (eggplant), sautéed greens, rice and curried chicken. As is the custom they stood and served us as we ate.  The food was just as Geetha made it and I joked that she was in heaven and pleased and proud of her daughters for creating this wonderful event. It was absolutely fabulous. Afterwards we returned to our bnb to rest before going out to dinner with Veena, our former land lady and her family.