The day after New Year, which was spent quietly and with a few visits to neighbors, we decided to go to the beach the following morning.
We packed our lunch in banana leaves, after having a light breakfast mainly of fresh cows milk by the milking crew in the morning and left around 10am. We could not possibly leave Bahu the Ridgeback and Megha the Dalmatian on their own, so we decided to bring them along with us.
After passing Kaduruwela, and then the Japan Peace bridge over the Mahawelin in Manampitiya it was only 45km from there to the Bay. Total distance from my agricultural property was 80km and it took us 90 minutes as I was driving leisurely surveying the countryside I had not seen in decades due to the war. A fast car on this newly widened empty road, would have taken only 45 minutes.
Pasekudah was very different to when I had last seen it. There were no trees. I remember when it was so lush and thickly overgrown with trees and shrubs. The Tsunami must have changed the landscape dramatically.
We parked in a central parking spot teaming with all types of vehicles. The Bay was so full of people, probably 2000 with very few in swimming gear, and most of them in the normal clothes they wear. The women were in the water in their saris or dresses.
There were no waves, and there were about 5 boats plying the water taking people on a 5 minute ride and charging Rs500.
Those boats certainly did a roaring trade that day. I was all ready for the water, but the boys and Menika and daughter were completely unprepared despite my saying that it was the bathing spot par excellence of Sri Lanka. Only once they saw the place that they could not resist the temptation and decide they must go in.
I was worried because Ranga decided to show off and swim all the way to a far off rock, in long trousers!! Well he made it there and back much to my relief, saying that at the rock were some drunken louts preventing them from alighting onto the rock with their silly antics.
Of course I had an Elephant House icy choc the perfect accompaniment after a long swim and then took the dogs who had been waiting patiently in the cab till we finished our swim, to take them for their enjoyment into the water and to a side where there were not too many people as I did not want to frighten them.
having a late lunch from the rice packet we had brought, under a really cool Kumbuk Tree on the wayside, with a pond on the side. We could not have found a quieter more perfect place to relax and satisfy our hunger, having also bought a couple of cold water bottles along the way.
To see more photos of the dogs having the time of their lives see Sinha Bahu's blog which is www.sinhabahuridgeback.blogspot.com
