I had a unique cultural experience today. The only department store in SL had a sale today where everything was marked 175 SLR, a little less than $1.75. I decided to go and buy some clothes for the Shilpa girls. The sale was held at a big hall. I got there just as they opened and the place was a zoo. No surprise at those prices. Well this was almost like those sitcoms that show people fighting over clothes. I never saw an actual fight but the pushing and shoving was something to behold. Being slightly claustrophobic I was proud that I even went to this sale. I was literally knocked off my feet twice. No problem I fell into a box of clothes for a soft landing both times. But I persisted and was able to find 30 tops for the girls.

Several days have passed. Today there was a bomb blast in Colombo, targeting the President’s brother who is the defense minister and ho is a strong critic of the LTTE. They try to kill their critics. The news said he was in a bulletproof vehicle and is safe. One is dead but I’m not sure if the was a suicide bomber or not. Fourteen were injured. It just happened a few hours ago so news is not too reliable at this point. We were nowhere near it and are quite safe. I observed several ‘emergency’ vehicles and was reminded how different things are here. After this amount of time you forget how things are different at home. An emergency vehicle here is a truck like vehicle that has bench seats in the back. Some have actually sides and others have a roof but not sides, a more open arrangement. Then the driver honks his horn (no flashing lights or sirens). A passenger in the back sticks his hand out the window to alert other drivers to make way.

Tomorrow (Saturday) we head to Galle to celebrate 21 years of marital bliss. We will stay at a charming guesthouse, oozing ambience. We discovered the place on a previous trip. We had dined at the Sun House and they showed us several rooms. We couldn’t resist. If you want a peek, go to www.THESUNHOUSE.com. Galle is relatively small and we have visited before so we are expecting to do a whole lot of nothing, relaxing and ambling around the old part of town where the Portuguese built a fort in the late 1500’s and the Dutch strengthened it in the 1600’s. There are 200 houses within the old fort area and now some very spendy hotels and shops. We are looking forward to a relaxing, romantic time together. It will be good, as Ron’s work seems to intensify as he tries to wrap things up here.

Last night (our actual anniversary) we dined with the Vancouver WA team who had arrived in the afternoon. They are here to lend expertise to two cities that have large festivals each year and need help with solid waste issues (trash/garbage) and traffic flow problems. Vancouver has the largest fireworks display west of the Mississippi so has some wisdom to share. We have a lovely Asia fusion restaurant at the hotel so dined outside after many of us sprayed DEET mosquito repellant on ourselves, just in case. You may not remember but the last time the Vancouver folks were here in July, one team member and Ron both got Dengue fever. So we are more cautious now when we dine outside.

Today Shilpa had their annual fundraising sale. They sell embroidered pillowcases, tablecloths, placemats, food items, hand smocked children’s dresses, hand loomed bed linens, etc. I got a pair of pillowcases and some handkerchiefs for us and eight dresses for the girls. It’s been a good week for clothes buying. This time I managed to stay upright the entire time!

To say we are looking forward to coming home would be an understatement. We have 13 days to go. Our social calendar is improving: a consulting firm is hosting a tea for Ron, the Asia Foundation program director is having a last night party with us giving a guest list (We have included very special people like Geetha and Mr. Kularathna), neighbors Veasna and her husband Peter are having us over for dinner. Tonight we are taking Veena and her family (brother, his wife and their two girls) out to celebrate Veena landing the consulting job with the Asia Foundation. Monday when we return from Galle, Veena is hosting her family and us and treating us to vegetarian Indian feast. She is an excellent cook so we are very excited. Our favorite cuisines are Indian and Thai. We also have been invited to dinner at the home of Mohan, one of the drivers for the Asia Foundation. In addition, we will travel a bit north to meet the family of one of the program officers whose daughter to eager to meet us. It is a great privilege to be invited into a Sri Lankan’s home so we have been blessed many times over in this regard.

Our household goods have arrived in Thailand and our air shipment to USA has arrived. We are thrilled that things are moving along as planned, mostly. Our Thai shipment requires a step we hadn’t counted on but it only puts us back a day and since we anticipated this possibility we built several days slippage into our schedule. It shouldn’t be a problem.

So that’s the latest from paradise five degrees from the equator where civil war continues with senseless killings. The Bergmans are safe and having an adventure of a lifetime.