Ciao 2006

Hi All

A pretty quiet Xmas here in Vancouver and a quiet New Years eve to come....all good though. I've been out doing lots of walking and an occasional catch up with friends. Other wise the usual work and time spent with my meditation group activities.

I have attached three B&W pics...one a seawall scene for this time of year and the other a fallen giant

Hope you all had a good Xmas and that the new year finds you all happy and well
love
G

Paradise Regained

It's New Year's Eve and I just got back into Colombo after spending a week down the coast visiting district CHA offices. December 26th was the second year anniversary of the tsunami; it was a strange feeling to be standing on the spot (at the time the wave hit- 9:25am) where 1500 people lost their lives. One of the responsibilities in my work here is to help coordinate livelihood programs for people who were affected by the tsunami. Two years after the fact many people still live in temporary shelters (ie tents). There are some great initiatives happening though, and many people have rebuilt their lives and have adopted more sustainable practices for their communities.

I did take time out of my schedule to enjoy the beauty of the south. I took a boat trip on a lake in Tissamaharamaya, traveled to a seated buddha near Matara, and stayed and swam at two beach areas (Hikkaduwa and Beruwela). My colleagues went back to Colombo after our last visit and I stayed in Beruwela for two more days to enjoy. AMAZING, and only one and a quarter hours to my home by bus!!! T

Christmas in Colombo

It's Christmas in Colombo, the most wonderful time of the year!!!
Hi everyone, just wanted to send a quick note to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Although I've only been away 6 weeks, this time of year always makes me think of friends and family, and I just wanted you to know that I'm thinking of everyone.

I've attached photos of my Christmas morning walk on the beach, a poster that reflects the reality of Sri Lanka, and a badly taken photo of my local shopping centre "Majestic City". T

Kandy is Dandy

I traveled to Kandy last weekend, and although it was only a 3 hour trip, the scenery and temperature changed quite a bit as the train climbed 500 metres into the mountains. It was raining and only 21 degrees in Kandy- I loved it, a full day without sweating. The photos I've attached are of the trip up, the lake in the middle of the city, and the temple of the sacred tooth (buddha's tooth is said to be kept there). T

Vancouver Wind Storm...

Hi All

We have just finished a crazy weather week here in Vancouver with a huge storm with winds of 100km/hr that came through at 3am on Thursday morning taking out a lot of big trees and leaving more than 200 000 homes without power. I spent the night sleeping in the corridor away from our windows that face directly into the storm path just in case of a breakage...all safe and well by morning.

It was very sad to wander around today to see so many big old trees that have come down in the storm in Stanley Park, some of them more than 100 years old as well as a few favourites of mine by the water...a good lesson in impermanence and the power of nature I suppose. The internal roads in Stanley park are still closed off as well as the foot trails because of all of the damage.

G

Pools of Colombo

What does one do when one lives in a tropical location?..swim of course. I wouldn't trust the waters around Colombo as they can get quite rough and they're not particularly clean. When I don't have the chance to go to the southern beaches I make it a personal mission to find the best pools in the city. I've joined the Royal College Pool as a member, which means I can do some serious swimming anytime for the amazing cost of $35.00 for the year (unlimited). What it offers in term of a place to exercise, it lacks in ambience...I've discovered some places to pass the time on weekends...the pool at the Trans Asia Hotel and the Galle Face Hotel. I prefer the former, but the Galle Face has a British colonial charm which puts it ahead. I know this blog is lacking in adventure, but I thought this would be a good one to throw at all of you who are "enjoying" winter!!! T.

Life in Sri Lanka

Well I've now been in SL for just a little over two weeks. I'm settled in at work, have kind of figured out what my mandate will be for the next year, and have met some great people both at work and in social settings.

I realize other than the initial photos of my apartment, I haven't added any Colombo photos. So I've added one more of the outside of my home, and a couple more around the city.

A suicide bomber killed 11 people yesterday very close to where I work, but it all seemed very "normal" for my colleagues. The only suggestion made to me was to not take main streets home as there would be an increased militaty presence and traffic jams. It was all quite fascinating really and I'm not worried at all!

I am helping to coordinate a Post-Tsunami Rehabilation Conference next week. It will be interesting to find out what's been happening in Thailand, the Maldives, Indonesia, and India in terms of recovery to date. Chris, my predecessor was the brains behind the event, it's unfortunate that he will be missing it, but I feel quite privileged to be stepping into his shoes, so to speak.

That's it for this update...T