Friendly Neighbourhood Politicians

I know. It's been nearly a month since I posted something, so my apologies. I haven't really been feeling very communicative of late.

Am at home on a Tuesday afternoon - listening to the sounds of the birds outside and the occasional blast of music from our friendly neighbourhood politician - Mr. Aluthgamage - who in preparation for the parliamentary elections (which are to be held in April) has been holding political rallies most afternoons and evenings for the past week at his residence on the other side of the valley. There doesn't seem to be much happening at the moment, but am sure that we'll be subjected to seemingly never-ending political haranguing at some point during the course of the evening. I've been tempted to go across and say something, but I don't think that would go down to well - although I'm sure everyone else in the neighbourhood feels the same way about the incessant noise and traffic problems.

Politically it's all been happening here in Sri Lanka since the presidential polls on January 26. A couple of weeks ago General Fonseka - who stood against the president - was arrested on charges of plotting a coup and since his arrest a number of other allegations (including currency exchange control violations and the murder of Lasantha Wickramatunga, the editor of the Sunday Leader who was killed at the beginning of last year) have been made, although so far no charges have actually been laid. It's very hard to know exactly what the truth is because of course the government isn't very keen for people to know what exactly is going on, but it does seem a bit odd that if General Fonseka had been planning a coup that it took the government until now to do something about it.

I haven't really been up to much over the past month - just the usual stuff really. Have been going to the pool quite a bit (went this morning after an early morning stroll around the Botanical Gardens) and have been enjoying having lots of time to myself at home. I did think about going away last weekend, but in the end didn't and in some ways I'm glad I had two days at home relaxing as I ended up having to cover one of Maggie's classes as she wasn't very well last week. I'm still thinking about climbing Sri Pada, but don't really want to do it by myself.

I caught up with Dhanushka last week - for the first time in quite some time. We've been in touch on and off and as when he called he was in Peradeniya paying a bill or something I asked him to come over for lunch. He seems to be doing OK - still doing flower arranging and still thinking about getting work in the Middle East.

I have two weeks off in April and although I had been thinking about going to either the UK or Australia, I've decided to meet Kiya in Turkey. Everyone I know who's been there have highly recommended it and I'm looking forward to spending some time exploring Istanbul. Kiya only has a week off, so I'll do some travelling with her then spend 3-4 days in Istanbul at the end of the trip. Will probably go to the UK in July and am planning to visit Philip and Denis in Belgium at the beginning of October as my Mum and Dad are planning to be there then.

Am reading a very strange novel by J.M. Coetzee at the moment - In the Heart of the Country. Am not really sure what to make of it, but am finding it strangely captivating. Earlier this week I was reading Spies by a British author Michael Frayn. He was here in Kandy a few weeks ago to give a talk about his work, so last week I borrowed a few of his books from the library at work. I go through periods when I don't feel like picking up a book, but at the moment I seem to have a voracious appetite for the written word.

The photo is one I took at the Galle Face Hotel in Colombo the day Sakkib left. It was an amazing evening as the sky reflected how I was feeling at the time.