Sri Lanka: Odds and Ends

There is so much more I could write about our trip to Sri Lanka, but life moves so fast, and we are already preparing for another trip - two months in Utah.  So I thought I had better have some way to tie a ribbon on this great vacation.  From the time we arrived at the airport in Colombo and saw weird appliance stores IN the airport (how many travelers are desperate for a washer/dryer combo?), Teacher brand whiskey bottles, and the Speedzilla Taxis pulling up to the curb we had some high adventure.

The beaches were brilliant and relaxing.  The Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, close to Bentota, was fascinating.  There are few things more amazing than holding a one day old green turtle, knowing that it will be released into the wild in three days.  The eggs are brought to the hatchery by local residents and the hatchery buys them so that they won't be sold for various gourmet delicacies.  They then bury the eggs in a protected area and wait for them to hatch.  After they hatch the turtles are put into water holding tanks and rotated until they reach three days old.  Then, at night when there are less predators about, the turtles are released into the Indian Ocean with crossed fingers.  The whole hatchery was destroyed with the tsunami, so they are still trying to rebuild after six years.  It was still very impressive.

We stopped by the roadside and had some coconut milk straight from the coconut - not my favorite, but a must for any Sri Lankan visitor.

We had time to relax and a lot of time appreciating a new part of this glorious world.  The more we travel the more we realize how magnificent God's creations are.  I think Abbey's favorite activity was trying to jump each wave that came onto the shore.  Brett and I watched her and spent a lot of time appreciating our own little creation.  We thought she might show signs of tiring as she chased the wind and the waves, but we got tired of watching long before she got tired of jumping.  She is an amazing traveler and has had some unique experiences for her young life, but then so have Brett and I, for our old lives that is!

I Can Finally Share My Secret

Brett has been working on a painting for a few months, but I haven't been allowed to talk about it to anyone (let's face it, towards the end my neighbors were in on the secret).  But now I can finally let you all see the process and the final product.

After Brett's art exhibit at VCUQ in December and January Brett had some very nice comments.  Our friends Ernie and Jane Richter were especially complimentary, so complimentary that Ernie called Brett and commissioned a painting on behalf of the American School of Doha Board of Trustees.  The seven year director of ASD is leaving for a new job this month, so the board was looking for just the right way to show their appreciation for all his dedication and hard work.  They asked Brett to create an appreciative gift in the form of a painting.  The ASD community is very tight so we were asked to keep the gift a secret so Dr. Ladd would not find out.  That was all I had to do for the project but it was difficult not to advertise Brett's great opportunity.

Brett had to first decide WHAT to paint.  We don't know Dr. Ladd well at all, so it was especially challenging for Brett to choose the subject for a very personal painting.  He didn't think he could go wrong if he did a painting of students at the school.  He spent some time at the school taking pictures of buildings and kids.  He had very willing students who agreed to let him try and capture the action of the campus as best he could, even though they were unaware of the reason.

After the photos came the photo shop work of composing a balanced, pleasing setting to recreate.  When that was accomplished Brett printed a gigantic copy in black and white with carbon on the back.  Then he proceeded to transfer reference points of the image onto a gridded canvas with a very tedious technique shown below.  Then finally the palette knife and paints came out and Brett lost himself in the studio.

Not quite finished

Finished painting but unframed

He learned that he is not a fan of deadlines (but who is?) and not a fan of commissioned work.  It is always easier to make something with your own vision than a client's.  He seemed to have a love/hate relationship with his creation.  I was in Utah and Colorado for a good portion of his work on this painting, but when I got back, I could tell it was going to be wonderful.  With our trip to Sri Lanka and the time it takes for the paint to dry, Brett had this piece of artwork timed down to almost the hour, and we found ourselves praying for paint to dry in the last few days before framing.  Because Brett is such a brilliant husband, he finally listened to his wife and opened the studio windows to let the hot air of Doha dry out those thick layers of impression and it worked.

We were invited to the celebration dinner for the Ladds at the Four Seasons Hotel where the painting would be unveiled.  Brett was so nervous he couldn't eat for most of the day and just picked at the delicious five star meal we were served that night.  And if you know Brett, you know that nothing gets in the way of his five meals a day.  I think he was so nervous he didn't even hear the gasps of delight from the audience as the painting was uncovered.  It was a success and the Ladds really loved their gift.  Everyone was complimentary and I could see the stress drain from my husband's face as Ed shook his hand and thanked him.  Unfortunately I enjoyed the evening more than Brett did because of his nervousness, but it is always easier to be the doting, supportive wife than the one on the hot seat.  Dr. Ladd liked the painting so well and was so appreciative that he put it on display at the school the last few days so the students and staff could see it.  The ASD newsletter also highlighted it on the front page.

Here Brett and an employee of the hotel are wrapping the painting up in bubble wrap so it can be taken home by the Ladds.  If you saw my post about the Al Thani Museum field trip I went on with the third grade, you will know why the bubble wrap is so hilarious.

Thinking over the opportunities Brett has had with his art work and career make me realize that Doha has been a tremendous blessing in our lives; a tremendous challenge as well, but such a unique time for us to have more family time than ever before and time for Brett to really invest in his art.  Now if only he could have this same job in Utah . . . .

The Architecture and Artisans of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan architecture has a lot to do with Budda.  Because of this overwhelming element in their culture, the Sri Lankan people pay tribute to Budda in all aspects of their lives.  I even saw our Christian tour guide bow with pressed palms to the Budda statue at the Temple of the Tooth.  Just like the Christian's practices include Buddism practices, the structures also seem to be a cross between Indian and Asian architecture. 

A water temple for water offerings to Budda

Exterior of the Temple of the Tooth

Interiors of the Temple of the Tooth

Here is the well guarded vault that supposedly contains a tooth that was found in the ashes after Budda's cremation.  They open the vault only at night on the hour.  We could stand in this area to take pictures during the three minutes they opened the door.  We had to snap the pictures and then get in line to file past the door.  The golden casket contains the tooth.  Every five years the casket is opened for public viewing and millions of people line up to catch a glimpse of their hero's dental remains.

Because of the 2004 tsunami, the southwestern coastline is still trying to rebuild and recover.  The office buildings and even the houses that are being built now often have an open style first floor and then regular upper storeys.  I wish I had taken a photo so you could see what I am talking about, but the new structures are designed with possible future tsunamis in mind.  It almost looks like the buildings are built on stilts.  This would allow flood waters and tidal waves to exit through the other side instead of pulling the whole structure down.  Architects are pretty cool!

The monument to the Tsunami victims

A Catholic church in the Galle area

A beautiful lighthouse in Galle

This is a Dutch Fort in Galle.  Can you see that I am almost melted into a puddle?  The heat and humidity rivaled Doha's. We welcomed the rains we got, but the brutal humidity was my only complaint.

There are many craftsmen in Sri Lanka and their work is intricate and remarkable.  We visited a mask shop and a wood carving shop where one of the craftsmen showed us the natural processes they use to make the paint and how they change the color of the paint.  We toured a sapphire shop where they cut and polish the stones, and create beautiful jewelry with their locally mined gems.  They even had a display showing how they still mine the stones with almost primitive methods and little environmental impact. 

Brett wanted to buy this front elephant on the left but the $4000 price was a deal breaker.

The sapphire mines are purposely archaic so that the workers will retain their jobs and so the effect on the environment is at a minimum.

The Batik factory was fascinating.  I knew very little about Batik work before this trip, but I am so glad we went to see the skills of these women.  Three small women sat in a stiflingly hot room creating intricate designs with wax application and a dying process.  There was no air conditioning in the room because it would dry out the wax too quickly.  The women looked worn and hot, but smiled at our interest in their work.  I wish we could have bought some of the most exquisite work, but we settled for a wall hanging.  A person must tour a Batik factory in order to appreciate the artistic skills on the cloth.

This is a typical craftsman we saw by the side of the road.  He is making two by fours for building homes.  Who needs a saw mill?!

The beautiful hotels of Sri Lanka are remarkable but not indicative of most of the country's architecture.  The photos are too striking not to share them so they will be my last shots for this post.  Sri Lanka is a country that uses every inch of the coconut tree, even the husk.  They seem to know the meaning of environmentalism and it is a good thing, because it is definitely an environment that should be preserved.

The Heritance in Ahungalla

Interiors of a hotel in Galle - decorated in the turn of the century Dutch/ British flair

Amaya Hills Hotel in Kandy