A little exercise for the body, the eye, the soul, and the heart


December 15


We got up early and walked up to the Independence Memorial for exercise. 









Along the way, we peeked into a rehabilitated set of buildings. We read the signage and learned that the building had been built in the 1920s as an ‘insane asylum’. Later it served as government offices. During a former administration, the Army, Navy and Public works departments rehabbed the buildings which are now an upscale shopping center. It is quite attractive with arched windows, wooden shutters, and wooden stair railings.

We ate breakfast, showered and headed to our favorite shop, Barefoot. Our timing was perfect. We had wanted to replace some dishes we bought here years ago and only one was available on our visit early in the week. Today there were three to complete the set of four we had wanted. 

Ron had wanted some Barefoot shirts but they did have any in his size. All the clothes at this shop are hand-loomed, hand-dyed and hand made. Over 600 village weavers make cloth for Barefoot’s clothing, table and bed linens, and yardage. There was a rack of designer shirts. These are one of a kind of shirts with applique fabrics of contrasting colors. Ron really liked one but felt it was too expensive.…so I bought it for him. We ate a roasted veggie sandwich at the shop café. I love eating outside and the atmosphere is so pleasant at this place.

Mr. K took us to a public art gallery with portraits of former Prime Ministers and other government leaders from the early independence period and the colonial period.  Then we toured some street vendors selling art that looked amazing like the pictures we had seen at the same market when we lived here 14 years ago.  One creative artist painted a street tree

We came home and relaxed, reading and catching up on email, etc. At 7:00 Anton and Dhushy picked us up and we went out for a Sri Lankan meal at a well-known buffet. There were many choices and we used restraint. The best part was the visit with Anton and his wife. Ron and Anton met when Ron worked with the Asia Foundation as part of the project in 2005-6. Anton has worked there for decades as head of the book program. Book publishers donate unsold textbooks to the foundation and both parties benefit. All in all, it was another great day in Sri Lanka.

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