Location

Sri Lanka 2
  [ ] Dikwella
  [ ] Galle
  [ ] Colombo

Travel Dates

2018.12.20 - 2018.12.23

Camera

Leica M6

Film Stocks

FUJI 200, ILLFORD HP5 PLUS 400, KODAK PRO IMAGE 100

Travel Notes

Finally, beach time.

My first stop is Dikwella, a small coastal market town in the south of the country.

The coast seems to be broken up by various coves. Interested in possibly catching some waves I head for what I had read as a surfers hangout, Hiriketiya Beach. Mostly foreigner run businesses in contemporary designed concrete structures and fashionable wood surfer shacks, it seemed like I stepped into a advertising agencies art directors mooboard for "santa monica 30 somethings birthday party". And with that, all costs go up 3 or 4 times. After what seemed like roughing it out for the last two weeks, I now find myself in a foreigner manufactured oasis, and it feels jarring as fuck. At this point I should have picked up and left, but instead I decide to stay a couple of days and take out my frustrations in a passive aggressive way towards the staff and my dorm mates ^^

I decide to not take many photos in Dirwella because it felt like it was trying too hard to be LA.

My next town is Galle, specifically Galle Fort, a highlight of my whole trip.

"Galle is a city on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. It’s known for Galle Fort, the fortified old city founded by Portuguese colonists in the 16th century. Stone sea walls, expanded by the Dutch, encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. Notable buildings include the 18th-century Dutch Reformed Church. Galle Lighthouse stands on the fort’s southeast tip." -wikipedia

For the most part, I do not like cars. Whenever there are no cars, I am usually more happier. I was very happy in Galle Fort because most everything you need is a short stroll away. I found my favorite accommodation of the trip by walking around with my backpack. A simply redesigned room in an old building down an old lane in the Fort. A stone throws away from the hotel is a hole in the wall general/tea shop. I fell in love with the older couple running this place and would drop in multiple times a day to say hi and down a cup of sweet local tea. A rundown shop with almost no natural light, horribly ugly fluorescent bulb lightingg, and all local goods (what seemed like well beyond their best-before-dates), and only locals. A foreigner wouldn't dare challenge themselves with a place like this. Absolutely perfect. All the more reason to make this a home base.

My train back to Columbo was bittersweet. I didn't want to go. I wanted to keep going. Fortunately for me my next destination is Thailand.

Sri Lanka was a beautiful surprise of kind souls, exotic foods, and some of the best train rides I've ever ridden on.

The Leica performed so well and was a joy to shoot with every single day.