were able to release the baby turtles to
the ocean themselves. Such an impact
this had on my children that it is no
wonder one of Lucia’s first words was
“turtle.”
Another day, we chartered a
sailing boat, found an expert and
headed out to sea to find whales. Sri
Lanka’s deep-water trenches offer one
of the best locations in the world for
seeing blue and sperm whales, and the
only location in the world where they
can be seen together. In fact, the area
has one of the highest concentrations
of cetaceans in the world.
Back on land, we explored the area
on foot and in
tuk-tuks
. We visited
schools, where our children giggled
with the uniform-clad children, and
united in kicking king coconuts about.
We passed women weaving on their
porches and bathing in the local wells
– their sun-drenched faces beaming
with delight as they invited us in for
tea. Everywhere we went, there were
friendly smiles and a natural interest
in the children.
We could have stayed forever, but
we had to move on.
Blessings and beaches
We travelled by private vehicle to
Colombo, a hair-raising hour’s journey
along which we stopped at a roadside
cafe, ate roasted sweetcorn and drank
the delicious yellow king coconut juice.
In Colombo, we stayed in the historic
Galle Face Hotel, a reflection of a
bygone era and one of the oldest hotels
east of the Suez, established in 1864.
In the afternoon, we walked along
the seafront on the famous Galle
Face Green, where we watched snake
charmers charming and locals taking
early-evening swims in the sea. Sri
Lanka’s capital draws together all
the colours and cultures that make
up the island, condenses them into a
patchwork of markets, gardens and
buildings both humble and grand, and
presses them against a narrow strip
of beachfront. The decadence of a
Photography: Sonia Jackson Henrich
