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One day to go for the new century....

Sri Lanka travelogue, part 4: Pollonaruwa

Ben van den Anker
2006-05-02 01:43:39

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it is, where a couple of amazingly preserved images. I wasn't allowed to take a picture of them, the two guards where taking their jobs seriously. I walked to the back of it, a large row of dwarves stared at me.

The last evening of 1999 I spend with the owner of the hotel and his family. He asked for permission to the police for setting up a party at night, it was not granted. Only one week ago everyone voted for the new president, fear for riots is still strong. He tells me about his two years in Saudi Arabia, it was even more difficult to get alcohol there he told me. They had to drive five hours to be able to drink alcohol, on return the police checked if people had drank alcohol. The ones caught went straight to prison. The wife of the "office manager" is also working in Saudi Arabia, she will return in April. "She won't go again, it's two long for me! Look at me now! I don't even shave myself anymore!" His sister took care of their 11 and 15 year old children. He could sleep in the hotel, didn't get any payment but the right to sleep and food. If he needed some money he just asked the boss. I liked the conversations, was only a bit disappointed that when I asked him next morning how late the bus went to Anuradhapura he told me that there were no buses because of new-years day. Just to try to persuade me to stay one more day there. By now I'm used to people telling me "no busses today!" and then finding one myself.

I saw the millennium arrive in other countries on TV, I'm aware that a lot of people must be looking to the same program all over the world. No special fireworks in Pollonaruwa, just drinking arrack, a kind of coconut liquor, combined with coca cola it tastes really good. I went to bed soon after midnight. At five in the morning the sound of Buddhist chanting woke me up, at 5.45 the same singing and praying woke me up again. No surprise I left the hotel at 6.30, still tired but I couldn't sleep anyway.

I don't have any Idea how far it is to the new town, the rickshaw wants 100 rp to bring me to the bus station, I guess with the New Year prices rise quickly. I will walk and try to find another rickshaw. The next one offers to bring me for 80 rp, they will think tourists are so stupid, they can ask whatever they want. I'm getting a little impatient with these drivers now. I flag a private bus after walking for one kilometre and it brings me to the bus station for 15 rp. I couldn't have walked it all I soon realize, it's just too far. After waiting an hour a local bus drives me to Anuradhapura for 23 rp.

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