Drumming on the beach

Friday morning I met with the GIS technician for the Humanitarian Information Centre an organization set up by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). For a final project for the GIS class I took last semester at George Mason University, I performed a geospatial investigation of post-tsunami relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Basically I overlaid information of how many organizations were working in various humanitarian sectors (food, shelter, water/sanition, etc.) in each subdivision of the country with statistics on death and destruction within these subdivisions, to get a sense as to whether areas that were hardest hit were really recieving the most aid. I wanted to give my data and report to the HIC and discuss with them what they were doing and plant some ideas about what they should/could be doing in order to utilize GIS to aid in relief aid coordination. It was a nice feeling to walk into a UN office and feel like I had something intelligent to say.

That night I went to Negumbo with Dinoushka, Nanda's daughter, and friends to see more of the drumming. It was a free concert on the beach... we saw the kandian drummers again, a group from Japan banging on gongs, and an amazing troupe from Burundi who came in with giant bongos on their their heads, jumping up and down for a good hour/hour and half... got exhausting just watch them get this crazy drumming workout. Looked a lot more fun that tai-bo.

Crashed in Negumbo that night.

View from hotel window

The Burundi Drummers

Fishing Boats

The Crew

Down the coast

One night we went down the street to meet my father's good friend from his school days, Nanda... One of the first times I've really seen pops with a serious drunken buzz going on. It was just a joy to observe the dynamics of he and his old school mates, a glimpse as to what life was like 50 years ago.

Another night we went out with for a nice Indian dinner with Maq Maama, Golnar Maami, Iqbal, and Shala.

Dinner with the Fam
(ummm... the waiter couldn't get the picture right,
so we obviously aren't too happy about it)

Wednesday night we went to the opening night of a week-long drum festival in Sri Lanka. They had drummers from all over the globe. We saw Kandian dancers, Iranian drummers, and a lively bunch from Cote D'Ivoire.

Kandian Drummers

Thursday we were up early and pop and I went for a drive down the coast with Ismeth Maama to view some of the tsunami devastation. I realize the insensitivity of viewing death and destruction as a tourist, but I don't know what to say. This is something that happened so recently that I wanted to see first hand what I'd been seeing in the news and reading about for months. Maybe wanted to see it to make the whole thing more real in my head... I don't know... I felt strange taking pictures of destruction, but felt I had to document the experience. It was disheartening to see first hand, but it was evident that people were busy rebuilding livilhoods and continuing with what they had to do... life went on...

Tsunami Devastation

Fishermen

Drove down the the city of Galle. Walked around a lovely Dutch (I think) church. Got a tour of a gorgeous renovated Amangalla hotel managed by one of Ismeth Maama's friends. The city was alive and kicking because there was a big volleyball tournament going on.

Kids playing under tree

Dutch Chruch at Galle

Amangalla Hotel pool

Galle Volleyball Tournament

On the ride home we bought some bananas for Yas Maami's birthday present and of course saw an elephant in the rode.

Roadside Market

You know you're in Sri Lanka when...

Face Bleaching?!?

Thurday night was Yas Maami's birthday... yay! She even got a singing candle... yay! We sqeezed four in a tuk-tuk to the restaurant.

Shiny Happy People

Yay!