A Lot of Galle


Haroun drives us South

We went to Galle today to visit the people working on the charity set up to help rebuild houses for tsunami victims. Haroun is Mohideen's brother. He did the driving. his wife and a friend were also in the car. Mohideen is Marwaan's brother-in-law.

Along the way, we saw the damage to the coastal area. Hard to believe these beautiful turquoise waters rose up and destroyed so many lives and homes in December. We also saw three train cars off their tracks--this was the famous tsunami tragedy of the Queen of the Sea, which had three feet of water after the first wave, took on more people, and then everyone drowned when the next wave hit.

Click here and here to see silent digital camera videos of the coastal damage.

After meeting with the people from the Lanka Relief Development Fund (we had lunch in one of their houses), we walked around Galle. The town is enclosed by a fortress wall built by the Dutch, and that saved the town from the tsunami waves.

There are many old houses here. English and Dutch influences are everyhwere here. It's quite colonial looking wherever you go here. This town is also where Marwaan's family is from, and Haroun's wife is from here.

The town is full of Dutch- and English-inspired architecture. A lot of old churches and one very splendid hotel that had a bathroom larger than my own plus the kitchen thrown in.

Click here to see the photos around Galle
Click here to see the stray kitties that ventured out to say hi.



Posted: Sun - March 20, 2005 at 03:04 PM        

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