Short posts

    It’s always interesting seeing what American fast food companies sell overseas. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    The highlight of Yala Natl Parkβ€”perhaps the top wildlife experience of our whole tripβ€”was seeing a Sri Lankan leopard! We followed it for a long time, tracking it thru four areas of dense vegetation.

    But this last portion was the best: we watched it (unsuccessfully) go after a spotted deer! -SπŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    Monkeys just never follow the rules. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    Today was all about Sri Lankan history and culture. Over the course of a 16-hour private day tour, we visited 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites: the ruins of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the Dambulla Cave Temple, and Sigiriya (the Lion Rock Fortress). More photos of each coming this weekend -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    Speaking of elephants, we saw several along the road as we drove thru Minneriya National Parkβ€”our first in Asia. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    Don’t be a douchenozzle and pay to ride an elephant. Just don’t. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    I’ve noticed some of these β€œforeigners only” toilet facilities here in Sri Lanka.

    They seem to be around touristy areas, where foreigners pay a higher fee. The (controversial) idea is that Western visitors might have higher expectations of hygiene than what is often found in public toilets. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    A men's restroom entrance is shown with a sign indicating it is for foreigners only and a donation box nearby.

    There was a live band at our hotel bar last night, which is always fun to enjoy while overseas. There are usually plenty of American songs being played, but the lyrics sometimes come out as sounds rather than actual words. I find it so endearing. This group did much better than most. -S πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    Sri Lankan art? πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ -J πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    The view from our hotel window in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is of the Lotus Towerβ€”South Asia’s tallest self-supported structure (1,168 feet). During the day the Lotus flower is purple. But at night, it changes color! -J πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    We arrived in Sri Lanka today in the early morning hours following an overnight flight. After a refreshing nap, we headed to an Irish Pub (per our quest to visit one in 32 different countries) for our requisite Guinness and also to grab lunch. This is an Irish Pub in our 18th country! -J πŸ‡±πŸ‡°

    X marks the spot.

    We spent much of yesterday relaxing in the pool, and despite several sunscreen applications throughout the day, we still managed to get burned. It’s been an especially rough day for Jen. -S πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡¨

    We spent yesterday enjoying the pool and view from our hotel in the Seychelles. -J πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡¨

    The apparent centerpiece of our room here in the Seychelles is the shower. As in, it’s literally in the middle of the room. πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ (don’t ask about the weird window installed in the toilet room so you can make immediate direct eye contact with anyone who hears a plop). -S πŸ‡ΈπŸ‡¨

    Whew boy! That’s the third increasingly worrisome flight in a row. This time we had to abort our landing less than 1000ft from touch down.

    At the end of our first day tour in Mauritius, we walked around and enjoyed a Botanical Garden that also served as a refuge for giant tortoises . ~J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

    Auto-generated description: A vibrant pink water lily with a small insect on its yellow center is surrounded by lush green lily pads. Auto-generated description: A lush tropical landscape features a serene waterway surrounded by dense greenery and palm trees. Auto-generated description: A pond is covered with green lily pads, interspersed with a few blooming water lilies. Auto-generated description: Large green lily pads cover the surface of the water, creating a vibrant natural scene. Auto-generated description: A bud and the spiky, ribbed surface of a giant water lily are surrounded by large green leaves. Auto-generated description: A large tortoise rests on a stone surface under a shaded area. Auto-generated description: A large snail with a dark shell is situated on a rock next to some grass. Auto-generated description: A tropical plant features long, red, fuzzy flowers hanging beneath large green leaves in a sunlit garden.

    I found another fun Umbrella Street in Port Louis, Mauritius. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

    Auto-generated description: Colorful umbrellas are suspended overhead along a street lined with palm trees and shops. Auto-generated description: Colorful umbrellas are suspended in the air against a backdrop of buildings and sky.

    Slavery and Indentured Servitude in Mauritius

    When the Dutch colonized Mauritius in 1638, they began a long history of slavery and slavery-related practices on the island; kidnapping people from East Africa and bringing them to the island against their will. The French continued the practices when they took possession of the island in 1715. Slaves were primarily used to grow and harvest sugarcane, but they were also used to build the buildings in what is now Port Louis. The British captured Mauritius from the French in 1810 and abolished slavery in 1835.

    Mauritius is still coming to grips with its slavery past and making restitution to the families of former slaves (as is the United States). There is a new little museum dedicated to showing the country’s slave past and working with various families and NGOs to gather artifacts, information, and documents regarding slavery and those involved (both masters and former slave families) and help the country move forward. We visited and they are working on a more permanent exhibit, and hopefully this interesting place continues to expand.

    Once the British abolished slavery, they pivoted to a system of indentured servitude that lasted until 1910. Importantly, Mauritius was the birthplace of indentured servitude. While technically free people, the conditions for the workers were still harsh and the contracts still favored the plantation owners, but sometimes this life might have been better than they would have had back home. During this period, almost 2 million individuals came to Mauritius as indentured servants, mostly from India. The majority of Mauritians today are decedents from this Indian population.

    The administrative buildings where many indentured servants first set foot in Mauritius and were processed for 2-3 days before being directed to their respective plantations is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. -J πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

    Auto-generated description: A stone building with arched windows and blue wooden doors stands against a clear sky. Auto-generated description: A display featuring bronze footprints and an informational plaque is set within a circular area with stones around it. Auto-generated description: A stone staircase is visible through a small, gated opening in a brick wall.

    πŸ“· I think this trip has really inspired Jen to get into photography a bit more seriously. She’s been really loving her new camera and clearly enjoys taking photos with it. -S πŸ‡²πŸ‡Ί

    This bird has some pretty great eyelashes.

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