Well this is it-the final posting.

Photographs are, top to bottom:

1. View from Galle International Cricket Clubhouse towards the Fort (incidentally I was listening to the Test Match commentary yesterday and Aggers was discussing the Galle ground - the view - the fort - the tsunami impact - restoration etc. with the Sri Lanka commentator who also happens to be the minister for tourism)
2. Inside the GCC Clubhouse
3. The Temple - painting should be complete by now
4. Front view of the improved framing technique- I picked the completed frame at random so have no idea who the girl is; guaranteed however that there is a tragic story attached)
5. Rear view of the improved technique - note the flat hooks I found in Colombo and made a wholesale purchase of, also the black selfadhesive vinyl.

All that now remains is a last THANK YOU to you all for your generousity and support (and a particular big thank you to L for her tolerance and understanding).

Incidentally, the coffers are now seriously depleted so, if anyone has any pictures that need framing, I am doing special deals .....................................

It's now Saturday morning - very enjoyable party last night. The premises are wonderful, steeped in history and atmospheric, with stunning views of the fort. You can easily overlook the dilapidation and pretend its grander.

I was paid one of the biggest compliments of my life - being told my presence with PG06 was worth at least the equivalent of 30 young "traveller" volunteers. I've also been offered two jobs but ten weeks is long enough and I'm anxious to be home.

This is your man who's not in Havana (and soon not to be in Galle either) signing off ..................

Well, that's about it dear reader.
Its Friday afternoon and this will be my last, brief, posting from Sri Lanka. I have my farewell drinks and snacks ('short eats' in the vernacular - don't you just love it) at the Galle International Cricket Club tonight.
Sunday I travel to Colombo and Monday fly to Blighty.
What happened to ten weeks?

Playground's finished and planters planted; 300 frames completed by Saturday and I have bought the materials for a total 750 frames. All in all a sweet deal - Project Galle get cheap framing and Rifideen earns serious money and has been taught a new trade. All thanks to you good people.

The playground looks a picture - I have schmoozed the Mayor, the Parks Superintendent and the Park Maintenance Supervisor by presenting them with framed photos of their involvement in the opening ceremony. Hopefully they will now look after the place - signs are good thus far.

Thanks again to all of you; I'll do a wrap-up posting, including details of what the money was spent on, when I'm back in Kemsing. Look forward to seeing you all sometime soon - when West Ham have the FA Cup safely in their trophy cabinet!

Photos are of Rifideen and family (Faisa, Farven and Rifna), the two girls with a friend, Rif's half built house with workshop, view from Rif's front door and the 'hood.

Saturday 29 April

I came out of the bathroom this morning, having showered, only to find a chipmunk on my bed! I have plenty windows on two sides of my room, which I keep permanently open for cross ventilation, so I’m probably fortunate it was only a chipmunk.

Oh yes, my Swiss Army knife. You know those Sunday Papers travel supplements in which they interview celebrities regarding aspects of their holidays? One question they always ask is “what would you never travel without?” Well with me, it’s my Swiss Army knife. Had it for the best part of 20 years and it is close to top of the range – even got a toothpick! Well I always keep it in the bag I use for work here and lately I’ve been getting rather lazy and instead of strapping the bag on my back – where it belongs – I’ve been placing it on the passenger seat of my scooter held on by an elasticated spring.

Out and about last Tuesday the bag fell off – somewhere in Galle. I didn’t think stolen, as I had not really stopped long enough anywhere where this was likely. So I spent an hour retracing my route in the vain hope of finding it. Not only was the knife in it but also my camera, some documents and my notebook containing all sorts of important miscellany. I was pretty distraught I can tell you.

The most likely spot was some waste ground within the Fort where I had driven up a sloping bank to pass ten minutes watching an impromptu game of cricket. The bank was bumpy – just the sort of treatment to make the bag fall off. So that was my first port of call, but nothing. Then it was cruising around town retracing my route and getting more and more depressed knowing recovery was now pretty unlikely.

Pretty reconciled to its loss by now, I made one last visit to the site of the cricket. There an 8 or 9-year-old urchin accosted me who insisted on dragging me to a shanty where his grandmother wanted to speak to me. Against my better judgement I went along and imagine my delight when this dear old lady, with not two pennies to rub together, produced my bag.

They had obviously been through the bag as they recited all its contents to me, including my ‘phone charger. But they gave it back to me intact. The contents could well have been the equivalent of a year’s income to them but they did the honest thing. They also confirmed that the bag had indeed fallen off on the bank and the young boy had spotted it and had then spotted me searching for something. What a relief. I asked if it was OK to give the lad some money and duly rewarded him.

With the completion of the Park project, it’s time for me to think about coming home. It’s now been almost 10 weeks and that’s for sure long enough. I shall be going to Colombo on Wednesday this week and I’ll sort out my flight whilst I’m there – I’m aiming for Sunday 7 May.
I’ve done a reconciliation of the funding and calculate that we can afford to finance the materials for 750 frames of the 1,000. By the time I leave next weekend, we’re programmed to have completed almost 300. So I need to stock Rifideen with the materials for another 450. Then its up to him.

Sunday 30 April

Wow, some day today – I’ve solved two of my remaining three problems on the framing.

1. You know how I’ve been fretting about the cost of the bookbinding tape, which I am using to ensure continued adhesion in these humid conditions? Well yesterday I was purchasing some MDF in town (ever seen twelve - 8 feet by 4 feet sheets of MDF balanced on top of a tuk-tuk for a two mile drive?) when I spotted some vinyl self-adhesive sheet (just like Fablon in the sixties). They had a black graphite looking one so I purchased half a metre to experiment. This morning I’ve tried it and, hey presto, it’s worked a treat. Moreover, as the frames we’re using are black with gold embossing, it looks bloody good. It’s a bit labour intensive cutting it into strips but needs must. I calculate we’ll get 20 frames per metre and at a cost of SRs. 200 (£1.20) a metre that’s SRs. 10 per frame rather than SRs. 17 per frame using bookbinding tape. As the overall cost per frame is about SRs. 120, that’s a substantial relative saving. Not only that, it’s available locally whereas I was going to try to source some more economic tape in Colombo.
2. Boxes for transportation of completed frames. In common with elsewhere in the sub-continent, cardboard boxes are at a premium as they’re snapped up by little fellas on bikes who somehow get a return on them. Today I was directed to SU Mohamed Cigarette Agent. He’s the agent for Bristol cigarettes (remember them – “Take a tip take a Bristol, today’s cigarette is a Bristol”). Go round the back door and he will sell you cartons that the packs of cigarettes are delivered to him in, for SRs. 10 each – about 6p! Cracked it.

Monday 1 May (holiday)

I must get rid of this sign on my forehead that says “Soft Touch”. Last week I was approached by our receptionist/security manager (Rama) who said the monk in his temple had asked to see me about some painting he needed done. Rama is an absolute sweetheart of a man – lives in the Fort, old school, educated at the Catholic College and 66 years old but Yoga fit. His son used to be a Sri Lankan international cricketer and is now the under-19 national cricket coach and fast bowling coach of the senior squad – so he’s currently in England. So off we went to the temple in the Fort where I was duly introduced to the senior monk. Turns out he wants the outside wall of the temple repainted white as it has not been painted since the tsunami damaged it (I had heard that the tsunami never got in the Fort but apparently there were some pockets where it penetrated). He showed me the extent of the wall and I swallowed hard. I explained that whilst there was a resemblance, I was not Donald Trump. “Well” said the monk “there are some painters who worship here, would it be possible for you to buy the paint and they will apply it?” I said I would consider it, if they could let me know how much they need and that was how it was left. Not quite though; I knew Rama was a member of the Galle Cricket Club and so I thought a quid pro quo was appropriate. Would he take me for an evening’s drinking at his club? This was no trouble at all so Friday evening was spent drinking Lion at the GCC looking out over the pitch and its magnificent backdrop, the Fort. The view of the Fort is really special. Elsewhere views of it are limited to sections only but from the Club you get the full vista. The Club is seedy and dilapidated but absolutely oozes character, history and charm. Wonderful.

I forgot to mention that the reason the monk wants the wall painted now is that on May 15, all Buddhists celebrate Vezak, which marks the death of Buddha. This year it is the 2,550 anniversary so a bit of a landmark. Vezak is like Christmas to Sri Lankan Buddhists, its terribly commercial and tacky.

Well Rama tells me today that the painter has estimated that he needs 12 litres. Doesn’t sound like enough to me but at about £10 for a 4 litre can that’s manageable so I breathed a sigh of relief and agreed to fund it.

That will not be the end of the story though as I shall be seeking a further quid pro quo from Mr Rama. I’ve decided it would good if I could have my going away drinks party at the GCC. I thought I could see if they would organise some sandwiches and nibbles and I put a kitty over the bar. I’m sure the GCC would agree; when I was chatting to the bar staff last Friday they told me that the bar is the Club’s only source of income. I shall broach this with Rama tomorrow and see if it’s a runner.

Top is general view taken from atop the climbing frame. Then detail of the ginisapu benches on concrete plinths.
Then the Contractor (back) and the PM (right) and Project Galle representatives. Next the mayor (centre) admires one of my mahogany planters. Finally, detail of the concrete columns.

Friday 19 April

Not dull around here at the moment. Yesterday I accepted the seating as complete and delivered another 46 frames, which makes a round 100 already with another 84 in hand.

Today we handed over the seating to the Municipality. The seating was formally opened by the Mayor cutting the coconut rope around the West unit and the Park Supervisor the rope around the East unit (both actions being undertaken with my trusty Swiss Army knife).

Incidentally I am lucky to be still in possession of my knife but more of that later.

I think the seating looks tremendous and I have received many compliments. As always, there are things I would, with hindsight, have done differently but overall I’m satisfied. It doesn’t look much but it has been a lot of work, albeit spasmodic. What do you think of the higgledy-piggledy arrangement? Idea from a children’s adventure playground in Southwark, which I simply must visit when I return and take the Association some photos.

My fear now is that it will not be looked after – the majority of locals will not appreciate it, the kids are destructive and the crows will shit on it. The park supervisor has instructed his labour to keep it clean. I have “befriended” a couple of them and I’m sure they will try their best. I’ve already seen evidence this morning of them washing off the crow’s droppings.

One very satisfying thing this morning was to see the locals move in as soon as the coconut rope was removed and start utilising the seating; using the higher ones, as intended, as tables for their breakfast packets. I’ll try posting this with some photos.

Selected Beneficiary

Bashir Ahmed Rifideen

I chose Rifideen as our beneficiary, not because his was necessarily the most deserving case, but because he shows initiative and enthusiasm and I felt he had the potential to sustain the enhancement we bring to his business.

Rifideen lives in a Moslem quarter of Galle known as Katugoda; it is a poor area, which was seriously affected by the tsunami.

Full address:

4A Katugoda Watta
Katugoda
Dewata
Mobile 0777829933

Rifideen is married, wife’s name Faisa, with two daughters - Farvin 7 years and Rifna 3 and a half years. Rifideen also supports his mother.

Before the tsunami, Rifideen had a jewellery box making business employing four others. The quality of the boxes he makes is of a high standard, superior to any of the other candidates I short-listed. He came to the “workshop” I held in the office and completed a sample frame to a good standard once he had watched me prepare one.

In the tsunami, Rifideen lost some relatives including his father in law. He lost his house, contents and business. He has received no assistance save for SRs. 18,000 ($ 180) from Project Galle (PG) to replace lost materials in an attempt to restart his business.

Using a loan from the bank, secured by virtue of his previous business performance, Rifideen is rebuilding his house. This shows initiative as so many just sit in their temporary housing awaiting the aid. However the loan has been spent and the house is far from complete; Rifideen needs to earn money to finish the house and repay the loan.

The agreement I have reached with Rifideen and PG is therefore:

1. We, that’s you and me, provide all materials and equipment to Rifideen to enable him to make the photo frames
2. Rifideen provides the workshop, a temporary structure tagged on to his house (and which we have paid to make watertight and to keep the goats out – they now have a small pen) and employs additional help as necessary
3. PG pay Rifideen SRs. 75 (75 cents) per completed frame.
4. The agreement is for an initial 200 frames and, provided they are completed to a satisfactory standard and timescale, the agreement can be extended for up to 1,000 frames. 200 frames earn Rifideen $150 and 1,000 earn him $750. This is serious money. Additionally of course, PG get a good deal as we are paying for the materials. I calculate they save a similar amount to what Rifideen earns. I am not sure how far our funds will stretch; I don’t think as far as the 1,000, as I have had other expenditure, but probably 700 or so.
5. Satisfactory completion of the first 200 frames also secures for Rifideen the supplied equipment and tools. This comprises of the quality equipment provided by Duncan MacDonald of DIYframing.com,, tools, equipment and sundries I have purchased locally to ensure a properly fitted out workshop and various items of used equipment, spares and consumables I have couriered from the UK.

So what do we achieve with the donations you have all so generously made? I see it as:

a) We help a family continue in its endeavours to get back on its feet
b) We enhance a business that already has good potential
c) We create positions for perhaps two new employees
d) We teach those individuals a new skill with earning potential
e) We leave Rifideen with some stock as I am deliberately over-ordering materials
f) We reduce Project Galle’s cost of their worthwhile project

To secure orders for jewellery boxes, Rifideen has to travel around Sri Lanka visiting jewellers. Jewellers do not come to these sort of areas to place orders. There is therefore no reason why he can’t extend his ‘door knocking’ to take in photographic studios etc. to attempt to secure orders using his new found skill.


*************************************

Photos show Rifideen and the newly erected sign, two interior shots of the workshop and 54 completed framed photos ready for delivery.

Wednesday 19 April

Some day today.

As the DHL parcel arrived yesterday, and I have alternatives in the clamp-framing department, I took the malfunctioning one into a little engineering shop and told the boss to cut the bottom off the useless quick release mechanism tube. This he did and it’s apparent the defect is that the spring is not robust enough for the application. So I dismantled it, did away with the quick release and asked him to cut a cylinder on his lathe to fill in the tube and hold the female thread secure. This he did; we hammered it home and bingo it all functions again save for having no quick release. As all the mouldings are of small section and all the same size, this add-on is not essential. I also got him to grind down a centre punch into a nail punch.

“How much?” says I for this half hour of labour and use of lathe and grinding machine. “One hundred rupees” says he – 60 pence! I gave him 200 out of gratitude and he still tried to give it back. Amazing thing was he’s still on holiday today and I had to drag him out of his residence into the workshop!

I then delivered this newly adapted equipment plus a set-square and panel pins I had purchased, to Ritna Jewellery Box and Picture Framing (Ritna for short). Also told Rifideen the good news that the first 66 photos will be ready for collection from the printers at 14 hours today – hurray! Then we can get on with some serious framing. We haven’t been able to even start cutting the moulding, board and ordering glass yet as we are unsure what size the laminated photos will turn out to be.

Then it was on to my Moslem carpenter to check that he had started on the planters. Yes indeed he had. He also had the audacity to ask me to buy preservative for him, cheek. I was about to embark upon the “lump sum fixed price” contractual argument but, at 75p a litre, decided I didn’t have the energy. After yesterday’s monsoon it has turned very hot again today.

Onward to the park where yesterday, in spite of the monsoon, the piers for the seats were concreted in. Today the seats themselves have been delivered and two carpenters have commenced installation.

I organised three volunteers to clean the roof of the canteen that is situated in the playground. It had bike tyres, arrack bottles and all kinds of other rubbish deposited there – perhaps by the tsunami but more likely inconsiderate owners and users. The Municipality make a reasonable fist of keeping the playground tidy (much sweeping, sweeping everyday) but anything above eye-level is obviously not within their remit.

Saturday 22 April

Well, 54 frames completed today – 2.5 days, which is within my schedule. It’s been a lot of hard work but the quality of them is excellent. Rifideen is hard working and diligent and has that oh so important eye for detail. His skill is certainly superior to mine at this framing lark. (Duncan – please tell Alex he would have been proud of me, I’ve even got Rifideen blackening the mitres with marker pen so the light wood won’t show through it the mitre is less than perfect. Actually the marker pens are a little expensive so for the next batch I’m going to try black shoe polish!). We can crash on now but I’ve told him that I won’t be able to help in future so he must get an assistant. There’s no point in him doing the mundane stuff when an assistant could so easily do it. Rifideen needs to concentrate on the clever stuff – the cutting, joining and assembly if he is to complete some hundreds of frames.

We had a bit of a hiccup over the glass. Being the soft touch I am, I was persuaded to let a local glasscutter buy sheets and cut the glass for us rather than me going to the shop and getting them to do it. I agreed to pay him what I would get it for at the shop, which I knew was a very competitive price I had negotiated. Back he comes some hours later with 54 pieces of glass and nearly half of them didn’t fit in the frames! Turns out he had cut them all to the exact size opening of the frame we had given him and didn’t allow any tolerance. Given that a lot of the moulding is a little bit twisted you need some tolerance. So I had to go to the shop and get another 24 pieces cut. Good job it’s only 12p a piece! To add insult to injury he then tells me he only made SRs 13 (8p) from the deal!

The playground enhancement continues apace and is in danger of being completed by end of next week. Had a flare up with my contractor yesterday – I think I actually terminated the contract at one stage I was so annoyed. As he doesn’t understand a word I say however, it had no effect! I think he guessed from my histrionics though that I was not best pleased. All to do with the angling of the shading; I had been at pains to describe to him the traverse of the sun and consequently how I wanted the shading configured but he must not have comprehended my mimicry of the sun’s route. And I had thought it so effective.

Project Galle local staff are hosting a new year’s party tonight at the office for the trustees and volunteers. New year was a week ago and still the parties continue. I stumbled into another of my landlord’s parties yesterday evening, when I arrived home, and was not allowed up to my room until I had sunk a couple of arracks.

Sunday 23 April

Well the party was pretty good – they had build a bar of palm fronds in the courtyard and the beer and arrack flowed. The food was fantastic – chicken buruni (biriyani) and devilled fish.

This morning I have been to the workshop to help Rifideen hang his sign. Looks great (if a little out of place); I’ll try to publish a photo.

One of my trees .......









Tuesday 11 April

My neighbourhood? Well what can I say? I’m in a very ethnic area on the outskirts of Una. I’m on the second floor of my guesthouse (penthouse?) and as everything around is single or double storey I keep an eye on things.

Ours is the only house with a well, so it’s also the centre of the community. Most others have tanks and showers in their yards. I overlook their showers and privies! Many still only have wood stoves with which to cook.

My landlady cooks for me, usually:
Monday – rice and curry (hot)
Tuesday – devilled prawns (hot)
Wednesday – fried rice (mixed and hot)
Thursday – devilled calamari (hot)
Friday – whole fish (tuna or whatever) grilled but still somehow hot with ginger and chillies.

There is a local community spirit – its New Year now and everyone cleans (like our spring cleaning) so this week it was the local storm water gullies, Local contractors have built over various outlets so the water doesn’t go where it should and the Municipality does nothing. Our neighbourhood has therefore been concreting to adjust the falls and directions. After each day’s work they decide they’re entitled to a party so the arrack comes out. By the time I get home most are under the table! We have a particular problem, as there is a guesthouse just down the lane that is owned by an English couple. She has a problem (known locally as an arrack attack) and after one of these evenings keeps the whole neighbourhood awake till 1 or 2 o’clock with really very strange behaviour!

One poor old fella across the lane has an awful cough – I can’t believe he’s long for this world.

Fireworks are plentiful and readily available. At times it’s like WW3 around here.

Mohammed’s Birthday (PBUH) today and New Year on Thursday and Friday so this week is a write – off, much like Christmas and New Year in England.

Fireworks and outrageous behaviour are the norm; however there are some beautiful traditions that I’ve been learning about which are lovely but endangered – being a traditionalist I find it very sad,

This week’s good news, I saw my trees being turned into benches today. Eat your heart out Simon. We’re talking Ginisapu, which is hardwood as hard and as heavy as granite. One man can just about lift one of the small pieces, a 3-foot by 15-inch bench 3 inches thick. It is so beeeeeauuutiful. My tree!

Now on to this week’s disaster.

(Small break for another lemon gin and tonic).

Everything was going great on the framing front – I have a beneficiary, a workshop (which we, you and me, are financing the refurbishment of) and an order from Project Galle for up to ONE THOUSAND FRAMES. Then on Saturday, an essential item of equipment fails! It is US made and guaranteed unavailable here. I was less than pleased – not suicidal but “troubled”.

Monday saw me on the 0740 express to Colombo – 130 kms 3 hours – to seek a replacement. Failed miserably other than an empty box, which described what sometimes is available! Chinese of course – colonisation by economic means is what is happening worldwide at present.

I stood all the way home – like in a London tube – everyone going home for the hols.

Interlude – it’s started to rain! Wonderful, its immediately cooler and I may be able to sleep tonight!

(Small break for another lemon gin and tonic).

Everyone around is out in the garden cooking something in big pots over open fires. I’m told it is some sort of sweetbread, which apparently I have to eat plenty of over New Year - yuk, Incidentally I’m visiting Jaya and family in Matara (his family home) 50 kilometres south of Galle, for New Year.

Back to the story. I spent eight pounds on tuk-tuks travelling round every business in Colombo that had any sort of connection with picture framing. That’s kinda like spending £100 on the tube in one day!

All to no avail but by luck rather than good judgement I today stumbled across a fella in Galle who has a framing business 20 miles south of Colombo and he has the Chinese version upon which I immediately negotiated a price.

I’m giving the manufacturer of the failed equipment some stick by email but no result thus far. I have also had to call on the assistance of Home Office. Lesley has bundled a package of spare mitre saw blades and wedges (things for pinning corners together) -both kindly donated by Duncan MacDonald of DIYframing.com- and some spare clamps etc from my toolbox in Copperfields. Cost a lot of money for a courier but mail is unreliable and if we end up doing 1,000 frames these are essentials.

Battery low on laptop so will continue later …………..

Wednesday 12 April

Well I got too impatient today regarding this Chinese equipment so I phoned the supplier in Colombo and told him I was on my way to collect. I hopped aboard my trusty Scooty-Pep and off I went. Three hours to do 100 kilometres, and pretty hairy. Mission accomplished, I then headed back to Galle. The filthy state I was in when I arrived back in the office was a sight to behold. Still I feel a lot more reassured having that replacement available. DHL should also collect Lesley’s package today so that should arrive in about 5 days. Then we start assembling on Monday next.

I paid for the new roof to the workshop today so hopefully that will be completed before Monday and the workshop should be watertight.

Another bit of good news – my design for the trendsetting sports pavilion has been approved by all and sundry and construction is to go ahead. So versatile!

My visit to the Salvation Army last Saturday was an eye opener. Blood and Fire is their logo – I’ve had nothing to do with them previously other than buying the occasional copy of Watchtower / War cry (whatever it is) on a Friday night down the pub. I had to meet a Major Mike. I was expecting a grey crumbly but was greeted by this 6’6” all-American type footballer aged no more than 25. He has signed up to do two years here. I told him I had already found a suitable beneficiary and made my excuses. Amazing what still goes on – I imagine from his accent that he was from the South’s bible belt. They’ve got some serious money collected from the States and Canada to do good things with. Now I’m tuned in to them, I’m amazed at the number of properties they have around the country – churches, hostels, community centres etc.

To complete the overall effect of my Park Seating project I decided I needed a couple of big planters alongside the entrance pathway and to draw the eye into the seating. I designed them based upon a catalogue I have and asked my contractor to quote. SRs. 190k he wanted (about £1,250). I told him I wanted boxes to put plants in not fortification against the Tamil Tigers. He went away and came back with £240. I then asked the friendly Buddha/Elephant carver in Una to give me a price based on coconut wood. He quoted £180 but couldn’t complete until first week of May – too late. Then a couple of days ago I was driving through one of the poor Moslem quarters and came across a little carpentry shop. Not being shy, I ventured in and explained what I wanted. He immediately twigged, notwithstanding the almost total absence of a mutual tongue, and showed me this mahogany timber he had which he thought would be just the ticket. Much gesticulation and scratching of belly and struggling with a calculator and eventually he decided he could do it for £108 and would complete by 25 April. I thought my mimicry of the height of the perimeter seat and backrest was particularly informative. I’ve given him the order and I’m invited to inspect construction on a daily basis 19 to 25 April. I’ve bonussed him and said that if he does complete by 25 April I will pay £120. Can you imagine two 6x6 planters in Mahogany for £120? I’m sure Mahogany is endangered and you’re not supposed to use it but, hey, the planks were already in his workshop so it was too late to save that particular tree. Might as well use it and put it where it can be admired.