We had checked out and on the road by 9:30am.
Our destination, Mannar, has been described as a future Dubai of Sri Lanka. It has the potential to become an economic hub for Sri Lanka because of its significant natural resources, as long as they are developed and managed diligently.
Mannar harbour was the gateway to the Roman Empire due to its past where it was a 1500 year international trading centre for 400 years from the 1st century bc. This was driven by trade in pearls, gems and spices. The area has the most abundant pearling in Sri Lanka.
Along the way we stopped Kaludiya Pokuna, ot otherwise known as The Black Water Pond
It was built around 900ad and is said to be one of the first Buddhist monastery in Sri Lanka.
The pond is 200ft long x70ft wide, the name Black Water Pond comes from the colour of the water that is caused by the buildings around the pond and its depth. It is said that monks here lived in small dwellings and within the surrounding forests. It was established by a forest monk, and so drew like minded monks to the monastery.
The areas approaching Mannar are dry with poor soils making agriculture difficult. The feed for livestock is poor, and the scrawny local cows reflect that. There are around 100,000 people in the Mannar area, mainly Tamils of Southern India descent, and there is a mix of Hindu’s and Muslim’s, but the dominant faith in the area is Christian at close to 60%.
AL9ng the way we saw local farmers sun drying rice their rice on the main road. Taking up one full lane with areas of about 50m long. Occasionally there was some sesame drying.
Hiru gave us a run down on Hinduism, many gods, at many levels for many different purposes, complicated!
The closer we got the drier the scrub became, with Palmyra trees predominating. Most trees small leafed, the soil is poor and doesn’t hold water, making it very poor farming land.
Until 1964 there was a railway line between Sri Lanka and India, but a big cyclone destroyed it, and the Sri Lankan government of the day decided not to rebuild it. The consensus now is that they made the right call.
We stopped on the side of the road adjacent to alarge body of water to lookat a big number of birds in the trees. There were Open Billed Storks, Purple Heron, Intermediate Egrets and Cormorants, as well as a number of others.
The closer we got to Mannar the more western the villages/towns began to look, there were even some supermarket type shops.
Around 12 noon we were pulled over by the police for speeding, our driver was exceeding the 60km/hr limit, police with radar gun are always going to get you. The fine for this was around 25,000 rup, but if you settle with the officer on the side of the road it is often much less, say 1500.
This are major producer of wind electricity in Sri Lanka, with a number of wi d turbines evident around the skyline.
As we got near the coast the area became more and more estuarine. The animals changed as well, the cattle were out numbered by goats and donkeys.
We could see the Indian Ocean and u fortunately the smog haze that drifts across from Southern India.
We got to our hotel safe and sound and settled in for quiet afternoon.
Our bird watching begins tomorrow, early tomorrow!
#retiredlyf done our way.
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