Our man is not in Havana

2006-05-12T01:11:00.000-07:00

Well this is it-the final posting.

Photographs are, top to bottom:

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)
Inside the GCC Clubhouse
The Temple - painting should be complete by now
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)
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 .....................................

2006-05-12T01:01:00.000-07:00

2006-05-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

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 ..................

2006-05-05T01:43:00.000-07:00

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!

2006-05-01T02:49:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-05-01T02:45:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-04-28T00:28:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-04-28T00:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-04-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2006-04-22T23:37:00.000-07:00

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

2006-04-22T23:35:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-04-12T19:44:00.000-07:00

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.

2006-04-07T04:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 5 April

Started my framing workshops today. The first group were from the same family in Thalapitiya; keen but amateurish. They could do the work, to an adequate standard only, but it would just be a one-off venture for them and I couldn’t see them developing it as a business. It would be very sad if the equipment was just left to rust.

Tomorrow I’m seeing my big hope, Rifideen BA from Katugoda.

Friday 7 April

Big day today – I’ve appointed my framer and got a commitment from PG06 to buy the first 200 frames from us. We have to get them completed within 3 weeks and provided we comply, and they are happy with the product, we then get the next 200 and so on up to 1,000.

The deal is I provide the equipment to my framer and free issue the materials
to him. PG06 then pay him SRs. 75 per completed frame ( £90 for 200, £450 for 1,000), which is serious earnings for him and his team (as well as learning a new trade) and PG06 save SRs. 85 (160-75) per frame (£100 for 200, £500 per 1,000). I don’t think our funds will cover the cost of materials for all 1,00 frames; we’ll see how far it stretches.

I’m therefore happy that the equipment and cash donated are being put to good use – we are helping a family/business, seriously affected by the tsunami, get back on their feet and at the same time reducing PG06’s costs for the photographic enhancement project. If it all works out as planned I will be very pleased.

Rifideen BA came up trumps and I have every confidence he will use the training and equipment to develop his business in the future.

His is a jewellery box making business that before the tsunami earned him a reasonable living and he employed four others. He is a Moslem, married with two young girls (4 and 6 ish). One is in the second grade and the young one goes to a Montessori School. Their house was destroyed in the tsunami and they lost family members as well as the business. They have received no help from anyone save for £100 from PG05 to buy materials to help restart the business. They are currently rebuilding a permanent house, on the edge of an IDP camp in a very poor Moslem area, with a loan from the bank and earnings as they are achieved, so progress is slow. Rifideen works in a shack tagged on to his unfinished house. The railway line is literally 10 yards from the front door so it’s a lively spot.

The quality of his jewellery boxes is exceptional – comparable to the bracelet/necklace/ring boxes etc. we buy our jewellery in, in England. He delivers pan-Sri Lanka so must spend an awful lot of time travelling. His English is very limited but his wife speaks enough for us to just about get by.

I’m setting him up with all equipment and first batch of materials this coming Monday. Thereafter I’ll visit him every day to keep my eyes on things although I also still have my park project to look after of course.

After a promising start the park project is wavering a bit; mainly (so I’m told) because my trees have to dry out now they’ve been cut. Now I understand that, but so did they when they signed the contract. Mind you, having your own trees is a darn sight more interesting than buying a few lengths of twisted spruce from Wickes and Homebase! The finish to make the concrete columns look like tree trunks is really quite good, so a reasonable compromise has been achieved. The guys who did it are chewing beetle-nut juice all the time so that must be the secret behind their talent.

2006-04-05T03:31:00.000-07:00

A couple of photos that may be of interest - on the left my trainee site engineer and below the first graduate of my photograph framing workshop!

2006-03-31T19:09:00.000-08:00

Friday 31 March

Election day (local government) yesterday. The Fort is used for polling stations, ballot security and counting so it is off limits to everyone save residents. Security is extremely tight with dozens of armed police and militia; quite intimidating at first. Now however I’m recognised and don’t even have to show my pass, they just wave me through.

It’s a sort of unofficial holiday, yesterday and today, and a party atmosphere prevails. It all contrasts markedly with elections in Britain. Mind you if the punters lined up by the Fort walls don’t get the result they want, it can get really nasty.

Construction at the playground continues apace – tomorrow I’m off to inspect the wonderful timber that’s been delivered to the contractor’s premises for final cutting and drilling. I also have two voids to fill in and thus integrate the seating into the park more. I’m hoping to have a couple of large planters made with seating around them all made in 30 year old coconut wood. It would be great, as coconut wood cannot be planed into regular cross sections. It’s all quirky and twisted. I’m told its SRs. 25 per rejan ( a rejan is 18” – don’t ask me!) so that calculates to about 15p a foot. And its really hard – used a lot for carvings. Unfortunately, I don’t think what’s left of the budget will be sufficient.

On the framing front, I’ve visited three jewellery box makers in the Moslem quarter this week. It is impossible to describe the squalor these people live in and the further bereavements and hardship they have suffered due to the tsunami. All three were desperately keen to get involved in the framing but I just didn’t feel any of them were capable of building on it for their future prosperity. The PG06 exercise would be a one off which would supplement their income for a few weeks and then nothing else. I have visions of this fine equipment just rusting in a corner for the next ten years. Whether they were even capable of doing the PG06 exercise was debateable and accommodation for a workshop is also a problem when you’ve got about eight of them already living in two rooms. They tend to use little scruffy lean-to’s as their workshops and putting my equipment into one of them would look absolutely incongruous. I’m so desperately keen to ensure the equipment is put to good use.

I’m meeting the Salvation Army’s project manager next week so will see if he has any suggestions. Meantime I have another option to explore. Ravi Livanage at Surfcity, last time I was here confessed to having an interest in framing – upmarket framing that is as a commercial venture; so I visited him yesterday to chew my situation over. I explained that I had received financial and equipment donations and they had to be used for a good cause. Ravi then said that he knew a young man who had lost family in the tsunami, was currently drifting and in danger of going off the rails. Perhaps a framing business would give him a purpose and get him back on the straight and narrow. Not only that, Ravi also has an undeveloped room at Surfcity that could be used as a workshop. This is more like it thinks Colin. This is a genuine good cause; Ravi could look after him after I’m gone and with Ravi’s help he could develop the business and possibly create jobs.

So let’s see what next week brings.

2006-03-29T03:28:00.000-08:00

Alright already ...........................

2006-03-27T23:58:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 28 March and all is back to normal; Lesley,Clare and Victor having flown to London on Saturday. They seemed to enjoy the holiday and the highlight, especially for Lesley, was obviously the trip to Ampara to visit with Jaya.

On Saturday I moved into my new guesthouse, MidumVilla. I’m in the penthouse suite (!) – two balconies one of which is equipped with furniture and a punkah fan such that it is effectively a conservatory lounge. It’s in a rural location (ethnic) away from the tourists and the wildlife is extensive. Gunga (yes really) and Janath, my hosts, feed me breakfast and dinner and for bbem I am paying £9 per night.

The last few days in Una have been affected by the closure of its only road (I use the term loosely), to facilitate the construction of a stormwater drain. No half and half measures here to enable traffic still to flow, they just closed it. This resulted in many vehicles being hemmed in as the only other route out is over the peninsular and through the boondocks to Galle. My particular difficulty was that I had to move my large suitcase from the hotel (which was on one side of the closure) to my guesthouse, which was on the other side and half a mile away. No tuk-tuks on the closed side to help so I ended up balancing the case on the front footrest well, dangling my feet and driving the half-mile (as well as crossing the footbridge at the closure) to my residence. Quite a feat I thought.

Tamil Tiger activity seems to be increasing despite the cease-fire agreement. On Saturday a fishing boat laden with explosives was steered into a Naval ship. Nine sailors dead and a number of Tigers. Some who know about these things tells me that it’s shaping up for the Tigers to withdraw from the cease-fire agreement and for hostilities to re-commence in May. So very sad and such a waste of lives and resources.

Sunday I spent settling in and also preparing an outline design for a sports pavilion for which PG06 have arranged funding. Versatile or what? We want to come up with something that is a bit different from the usual clinker block structure and one that will set a pattern for how the locals may construct similarly in the future.

Yesterday, Monday, I was to Colombo on a visa extension run. 0645 train going up and 1600 train coming back – dumped me in Galle at 1900. A very long day I can tell you in this temperature and humidity. The passport / visa office was chaotic. Anyone who has experience trying to get visas in a TWC will know exactly what I mean. Little ole me, who is used to having a Mr Fixit alongside to ease me through the minefield, was left to my own devices. I must have learned something over the years as I emerged 3 hours later hot and frustrated but successful as, stamped in my passport, is a visa extension of 60 days.

I’ve completed my trawl through the Livelihhood Project database searching for a suitable beneficiary for the framing project. I have discovered three men who are jewellery box makers, who all but lost their businesses but were helped by PG05 through the supply of tools and materials to get started again. They are now just surviving whereas previously they had viable businesses and two even employed others. To my mind, jewellery box manufacture must provide a good basis for framing so, giving one of them the equipment and training, will give him another string to his bow and perhaps allow him to employ others in the medium to long term. I still have the Salvation Army idea to explore but I thought I’d start with this idea and see how it develops before approaching them.

Contract day 2 of my playground project. I visited my contractor today and was delighted to see that he has already precast all the concrete bases for the seating. Tomorrow we have a ‘sod-cutting ceremony’ at the park (or at least ‘sand scraping ceremony’), as he is to commence the bases for the shading columns.

2006-03-22T04:01:00.000-08:00

These are the non-functioning toilets at the junior school in Ampara which, if they were working (which they are not) would be used by 1,000 pupils.

2006-03-22T03:34:00.000-08:00

Wednesday 22 March

I forgot to mention the woeful Wednesday I experienced the day before we departed for Ampara last week:

 Went for a swim in the evening after I arrived from work and got stung by a jellyfish! Fortunately I didn’t have to wee on it (traditional cure as I understand it) because I had an ammonia bite treatment stick in our room. That managed to stave off the pain and the swelling considerably although I still have some swelling and discolouration a week later. Doesn’t keep me out of the sea though.
 Then when I was getting dressed after showering I spotted a credit card missing from the deck! Apart from the obvious concerns, it is the only one that performs in the ATMs here so I was doubly distressed. An early morning visit to the relevant bank the following morning confirmed that this stupid Englishman had left the card in the machine and after much hilarity and pointing amongst the staff at the aforesaid SE, the card was produced from the manager’s drawer after having been sucked back in by the ATM when I failed to take it after the transaction. My only excuse is that the sequence is different here as the receipt appears before the returned card.

I’m leaving Lesley to chronicle our adventures during the Ampala / Kandy visit. The only thing I must mention was the awesome (I’ve never used that word before but cannot come up with another one that comes anywhere close) experience at the newly built Ampara Peace Temple. This had been funded by the Japanese Buddhists and has been built over the traditional elephants’ route to their evening watering place on the lake. We had been told that if we were there at sunset it was possible we might see elephants walking to drink. We were there at 18 hours and looked around the temple and stupa where devotions were proceeding. Sunset came and went with no sign of elephants save for three babies frolicking in the marshlands half a kilometre away. We were reasonably satisfied with this but then, out of the semi darkness not twenty yards away, lumbered an enormous bull elephant followed by another nine adults and finally the three babies hot-footing it to catch their parents. They passed not fifteen yards from us strolling through the temple grounds. Innnnncredible.

Back to my playground project. This week I have awarded the contract and been to see the mayor to get Municipality approval. I can’t begin to attempt to describe a visit to the Mayor (and entourage) and I’ve now done it three times. The first to tell him our intentions, the second to present a proposal letter and the third to table an MOU which he gave me half an hour to prepare. No trouble – he didn’t know he was dealing with a professional! He is keen though as its local elections on 30 March so anything like my project enhances his prospects.

I visited my contractor’s “premises” this morning and, other than the crazy monkey in the trees above it was all pretty much as expected. He speaks not a word of English and my Singhalese only extends to good morning, how are you? and cheers! He has a daughter-in-law who speaks a little (very little) English so mainly we rely on sign language and sketches. With the help of DIL, I’m sure their English and my Singhalese are going to improve dramatically over the next three weeks.

We then made a visit to the timber yard he intends using for the seating and shading and I was shown my trees! Ginisapu for the seats and Astoniya for the shading. Both as hard as rock.

I’ve started a Project Diary, which will detail the construction process, with photos, for anyone who is interested. I’m not sure how to post that for general reading.

We had our weekly volunteers’ meeting on Monday evening and at the end one said he was sponsoring an athlete who showed serious promise at the twenty kilometre walk but had no shoes, strip nor travel costs to the stadium. The volunteer said he was aiming for $130 dollars and would match anything collected from others. Get this, this boy before the tsunami had eight brothers and sisters. Post tsunami there are TWO of them, him and one brother! The SRs. 1,000 notes were on the table before you could say “Sebastian Coe”.

I seem to also have stumbled in to another project requiring my attention if I am ever to sleep easy again. Not tsunami related but results from a visit to Jaya’s daughter’s Junior School in Ampara. The school was built 50 years ago (Jaya actually attended it) designed for two or three hundred children. It is in a picturesque rural setting but there are now 1,000 pupils in classes of forty plus. The municipality recently added an extension but it is still far too crowded. Nothing unusual there then – it happens all over the world you say, overcrowding and too big classes. The tragedy though is that for those 1,000 children there is NOT ONE TOILET! There are three or four privies that have fallen into disrepair but nothing that functions. The children are at school from 0800 to 1430 and if they want a wee or something else they have to sit on it! We were given the royal tour by the principal and entourage. The children are so happy and smiling all the time. I shall think on …………………..

A lighter note – when I was trawling the Livelihood Projects database attempting to identify a potential beneficiary for the framing enterprise, the title of an article caught my eye. It read “Goat Leaves Bicycle”. I must read this I thought. Had they had a row? How had they got together in the first place? Turns out, there was one gentleman whose only income was collecting mango leaves in the jungle, transporting them on his bike and selling them to the local goat farmer for a few Rupees. Goats love mango leaves. The tsunami swept his bike away and Project Galle bought him a new one. Who will pass this on to Lyn Truss, she of “Eats, Shoots and Leaves” fame?

An update on the Framing. At our Monday meeting I raised the matter again and mentioned my trawl of the database. One chap who hadn’t been there the previous week had a good suggestion. The Salvation Army are represented here both locally and Internationally. Being a bigger organisation than ours they have a bigger more robust database. Not only that, having a local presence they would be able to support the enterprise when I am gone. I am to make contact with them.

It’s Buddhist New Year on 13 April and apparently the week before is a virtual closedown – not for my contractor though, he has said three weeks and three weeks it will be. There are harsh penalties if he fails - £30 per day!

2006-03-19T20:26:00.000-08:00

Tuesday 14 March

Today is “poya” a full moon day and consequently a holiday in Buddhist Sri Lanka. I read somewhere that Sri Lanka has the higher number of public holidays of any country in the world. I’m in the office taking a look at the design and budget for the school rebuild I mentioned in a previous note. It turns out it is not a school rebuild but a new hostel in the school grounds. The school is for handicapped (or am I supposed to say “disadvantaged”) children – both mentally and physically. It is 370 square metres so not inconsequential.

Yesterday at our internal meeting, I made my pitch for the photo framing. I tabled my two frames, alongside the off-the-shelf frame used for the last project. Everyone was suitably impressed and positive to my idea that we set up someone in a livelihood project and place the order with him/them. I would train and also purchase, with the funds I collected, a substantial amount of the materials he will need. So, we have a plan. The hard part is finding a suitable beneficiary and this is going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. We’ll see what the next weeks bring.

I’ve not got my playground project underway yet. I’m faced with budgetary restraints. I can do what I want in concrete within budget but I’m determined that I don’t want to use concrete exclusively. There’s far too much concrete used unnecessarily around here as the locals see it as the future – substantial, unyielding and long lasting. There is though an abundance of wonderful local resources particularly hardwoods and coconut timber and this is what I want to use. The playground equipment itself is already plasticky and unnatural, and I don’t want to add to the artificiality of it all. As with all things, I will have to find a way of compromising.

I heard yesterday that there have been five earthquakes, unreported here, in the same location as the one that resulted in the tsunami. That one was 9.2 on the Richter and the biggest so far has been 5.7. A little troubling. Every coastal village has a tsunami action plan, and there are escape routes signposted. One thing that has struck me is that the sea is at least 20 feet higher/further up the beach than last September, so much so that some restaurants have lost their lounger/beach seating areas in front of them.

Lesley, Clare and Victor arrived safely and I was there to meet them at the airport. Last night I introduced Clare to the English teachers at the Temple, and they must have hit it off, as Clare and Victor never arrived back at the hotel until three o’clock this morning. Quite what that does to the jet lag I really don’t know.

The hotel is quite comfortable after my guesthouse, although a bit quirky. Ever drunk beer from a tea mug, and served up in a teapot? Me neither until Sunday night when I ordered my customary Lion and it was delivered in this fashion. No liquor licence so this is the way they camouflage it!

I’m arranging for us to visit Jaya in Ampara at the end of this week. Plan is that we travel to Ampara by taxi (8 or 10 hours I think) then after a day or so there we take another taxi to Kandy where we overnight and then a train from Kandy to Galle.

Monday 20 March

Returned last night from our trip up-country. Memorable but very tiring. Lesley is writing a book!

2006-03-11T01:50:00.000-08:00

Well, my first framing in Sri Lanka. I have made the two frames on the top step pirating the mass produced frames that PG06 purchased for the first family portraits project, shown below. I have sourced all the materials locally. I shall now show these to the project manager for the enhanced photograph portrait project and see how I can become involved. The equipment shown is those major items kindly donated by Duncan MacDonald of DIYframing.com.

Some of the stories I hear are quite harrowing. There is one family that lost their 12 year old daughter and the only photo they have of her, to show she ever existed, is from her dog-eared identity card

2006-03-09T01:30:00.000-08:00

Thursday 9 March

For those interested, the organisation I’m involved with here is Project Galle 06 (PG06), which is the successor to Project Galle 05 (PG05). Interesting details can be found on its web-site www.projectgalle2006.org

The trustees of PG06 have now approved my proposal - which was ably supported by Nick - for the playground enhancement and I have two contractors pricing the work.

In the interim I am turning my attention to framing. The way forward is troubling me somewhat and, though the people here prefer that I do this as a livelihood project, I have my doubts. I’m not sure that somebody could start up a picture framing business in competition with a few others and for it to be viable. As you can imagine, there is not much in the way of framing of fine arts going on around here. Better I think to train up a number of people and in so doing, expand their skill base.

The original family portrait project is complete the photos having been inserted into standard photograph frames. However, PG06 has now received funding for a similar project that of collecting damaged, dog-eared and faded existing photographs from the residents of the IDP camps, enhancing them on the computer, laminating and framing them. It is this project with which I want to become involved. I’m therefore setting up the equipment, supplementing my toolbox and buying framing moulding. I shall then make a sample frame of what could be made locally by selected residents in the camps if I was allowed to set up a workshop and train them. We’re talking approximately one thousand photographs being collected, enhanced and framed so there has to be scope for such a scheme. We shall see.

Lesley, Clare and Victor arrive on Sunday. I have booked them into the Villa Hotel – a bijou upmarket hotel on the beach in Unawatuna. I booked it on Sunday last but am still negotiating the price! I have organised for Clare to utilise her TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) skills to aid the two-expat teachers at the temple in Unawatuna who are not TEFL qualified. Victor I think is lined up to help the computer man at the temple in writing the software for an electronic curriculum.

Madam is destined for a well-deserved holiday on the beach, drinking lemon gin and eating fresh fish. This will be interrupted the following weekend when a “trip” across country to Ampara, to visit Jayweera, is planned. Jaya is getting so excited – keeps ‘phoning me to see if Madam has arrived yet.

Time for my free lunch – free to all PG06 volunteers. Mainly rice and curry with an attempt at some western dishes (which are not for me). I usually have rice and vegetable curry – plenty dal which I think I’m becoming addicted to. Breakfast is a couple of egg rotis, with chilli, picked up en route to work at a little wayside canteen, or “hotel” in the vernacular.

There’s a big cricket match in Galle this weekend with two local teams participating. The atmosphere is very much that of a Spurs v Arsenal derby with all sorts of vehicles cruising around town packed with frenzied fans waving banners and chanting their allegiances. I shall have to visit the cricket ground on Saturday and soak up some atmosphere.

There’s some sort of local election approaching and I was tickled last week-end when I saw one of the local candidates touring his constituency with a posse of about 50 of his supporters swarming around him all wearing green baseball caps to identify themselves.

Later on that day, the skies opened and Colin found himself on the wrong side of town with no transport and no shelter. A couple of local residents took pity on this forlorn, sodden, hapless Englishman and insisted on dragging me into their house sitting me down with a towel and feeding me tea and wafers. When the storm showed no sign of abating, the two daughters were sent out with umbrellas to find a tuk-tuk for me.

2006-03-04T20:43:00.000-08:00

Saturday 4 March

I am now mobile having rented a scooter, there’s no fool like an old fool! It’s pretty hairy driving in this traffic I can assure you but it does make moving around so much easier rather than being reliant upon tuk-tuks. They’re very convenient but it takes time to explain where you’re going and then to negotiate a price.......... Anyway, for someone who learnt his scooter riding prowess on the streets of London in the Sixties, I should be alright.

I also this week nearly took on a house for two months. It is a three bedroom villa in the suburbs i.e. forest, but next to the railway line and with coconuts and bananas growing in the garden. On my wheels it is about 10 minutes drive outside Unawatuna.

The cost would have equated per month to what I am paying in my guesthouse and would have provided accommodation as well for Lesley, Clare and Victor when they visit. However I decided that it was a little large for when I am on my own and a little remote for my visitors. The fact that there is no hot water was also an important consideration for the more mature of my lady guests.

I heard my name mentioned by Project Galle trustees in connection with a school rebuild the other day. That would be something really worthwhile getting into. They had been thinking of turning it away but now they have this unique resource, yours truly, they may think again.

I have yet to do anything with the framing idea, other than to kick the idea around with some involved people at Project Galle. The particular difficulty is that the situation in the displaced persons’ camps does not allow anything to happen to one individual or group. If you give to one you have to give equally to all other residents. The feedback I’m getting at the moment is that I need to be thinking about locating a deserving “livelihood project” case. This is related to people who lost everything and are now living in shacks on their land for fear that if they move, into a camp or with relatives, they will lose their land as well.

Project Galle’s office in Galle is quite something. It’s an old house within the Dutch Fort area. It’s beautiful but an estate agent would describe it as "full of character but in need of some renovation". I was there this morning and happened to venture upstairs for something. I was the first visitor up there for the day and consequently I alarmed the bats that live in the roof void, which is open to the floor. Others would probably be blasé about it but it certainly took me by surprise.

The Fort area itself is so very interesting; most of it is very dirty and distressed but some properties have been renovated and look superb.

Yesterday I made contact with the UTDS co-ordinator and heard the news regarding the Children’s Community Centre. After the original scheme fell through because of UTDS’s failure to secure its commercial registration, a limited amount of funding was secured and the derelict weaving factory on the land UTDS purchased was turned into a roofed open area with a small office and toilet attached. At least it’s something.

However, all is not lost (supposedly). The fishing boat factory that was so scandalously built on the site of the destroyed school is to be abandoned and UTDS has now had an outline plan prepared for a full-blown Community Centre complete with medical centre, auditorium etc. The design has been prepared by an internationally renowned US architect (think Twin Towers) who has also committed to assist in raising the funding. UTDS insist they will appoint me as their coordinator for the project. Knowing UTDS, as I so well do, I will not hold my breath, as it is certainly pie in the sky. Still it’s a nice thought.

Sunday 5 March

My first week is over - flashed by. It's been pretty difficult all round. Like starting a new job I suppose. Takes time to get to know people and convince them you're someone worth knowing: everyone is just so busy. It also takes so long to do everything as you don't know how to, and understanding the internal politics of course. Anyway next week should be different - I make a presentation of the playground scheme tomorrow and, if the trustees like it I will have to go ahead with getting mayoral approval, appointing a contractor and getting it built. Once I prove myself with one project I should become more a part of the organisation.

2006-02-28T02:27:00.000-08:00

The photos are of the Galle playground. It's amazing to think that just over a year ago this whole area was under water! Since its drained off, USAID and a Jewish Charity from the US have provided some play equipment but these need to be supplemented with covered seating areas, planters etc. Project Galle has agreed to fund these. Yours truly is on the case; I have already commissioned the services of an eminent Landscape Architect, one Nicholas Harman of Manchester City Council, and a design brief has been issued to him. I'll keep readers advised of progress.

2006-02-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

2006-02-26T21:38:00.000-08:00

BLOG 230206

Thursday 23 February

Five hours to kill in Abu Dhabi Airport, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to commence the discipline of regular blog entries; or at least the drafting of them in readiness for publication when I can get on line.

The flight out on Etihad “National Airline of the UAE” was uneventful save for the fact that it wasn’t Etihad but some Spanish line, Iberworld! Apparently the latest state of the art airbus has not arrived yet so they have to lease. Whatever, the flight was only a quarter full so I had four central seats to myself. The Times small crossword was subjected to a coat of looking at as were a number of Sudoku posers. Fifty pages of my book and forty winks later I was disembarking in Abu Dhabi. Raining, would you believe? The airport has not changed much – some extension work but about ten times busier than when I was a regular here some years ago. I can’t believe the number of people smoking – locals, Europeans, Arabs, Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos etc. all seem to be puffing away. Guess we’ve changed radically in Britain.

My case is somewhat heavy; I just about managed to squeeze a few shorts and tee shirts in the top five centimetres so I was relieved to hear from Lesley just now that my guesthouse has emailed to confirm that its “taxi” will be waiting for me at the airport in preparedness for the white-knuckle ride to Unawatuna. I would have needed a forklift to get me from the airport to Colombo station and on to the train.

Saturday 25 February

Twenty-four hours after arriving and I am well established. The room is sorted, as is the local mobile phone, I’ve done a bit of shopping, there’s beer and white arrak in the fridge, I’ve had my first calamari curry (last night) and I’m meeting Mark, the Project Galle 2006 trustee, for dinner tonight.

Unawatuna has changed little since my last visit. Some buildings have been completed and the businesses opened but it is still a hotchpotch of ruins, shanties, and partially complete and completed buildings. I hear varying reports on the numbers of tourists over the recent few months. Some say it was busy, some say it was disappointingly quiet. There are certainly more tourists around now than for my last visit, but that visit ended before the season got underway. For my last it was mostly young charity workers; now it is mainly middle aged and elderly Dutch people.

Sunday 26 February

Knew I was back when I awoke in the middle of the night to find a 5cms cockroach exploring my forehead. I caught the miscreant and, needless to say, my room has experienced a heavy coating of Baygon.

Had dinner last night with Mark as planned and Tom, who I know from last time, also stumbled upon us. These two and people like them are doing such good things in such a humble fashion. I shall have to go into that when I have time.

Mark provided information on “my project”, the Galle playground. Only small but I’m very excited.

This morning I had breakfast with Tom, my first full tropical fruit platter-wonderful – and the ubiquitous fried eggs. I then accompanied him to the Temple where he, in conjunction with another and the monk (and sponsored by sundry NGOs and a monk in Colombo) run extra-curricular educational classes. Back in September there were somewhat ad hoc English and Art classes. Now everything is much better organised and there is also an IT room with eight computers of varying ages (one is currently showing Henry Potter and one playing Jamie Cullen!).

There is a very small Montessori school just recently built in the grounds plus construction of a carpentry classroom has recently commenced. Unfortunately it will not be complete in time for me to requisition a corner for a framing workshop. I shall have to seek other premises for that.

On Saturday I located, in Galle backstreets, a couple of establishments that did some basic framing. I am able to buy limited moulding and glass there – two items I was a little concerned about being able to source.

Electric storm tonight - resulted in a large monkey going crazy in the coconut tree outside my room and on the roof.

2006-02-20T14:34:00.000-08:00

A really good day today - donations continue to arrive plus Ivor has graciously made a slim laptop available for my use. I worry that the internet places I use do not hold a connection for too long a period to painstakingly type in a posting, but if nothing else I will at least be able to compose an entry and then download it onto the Blog.

Purchased the glass for the Venetian photos today so, provided I get an early start tomorrow, I should be able to complete that exercise. Tho' I say it myself, the finished articles will be magnificent. The photos themselves are dramatic and the glossy black enamelled frames render them absolutely stunning.

I also finalised my accommodation today - Rock House. Same as I stayed in last visit altho seeing as how it is still the "season" in Una, I am not securing such a phenomenal room.

Against my preference, I have also arranged a "taxi" to collect me from Colombo airport. I had been looking forward to the train journey (the reader may recall my scintillating account of my journey Galle to Colombo last October. However, given the weight of the framing equipment DIYframing.com have donated, this has become beyond the ability of this old timer. Mind you, thirty quid for a 160 kilometres journey is hardly excessive.

So, this is my last posting before the real thing ...... I repeat my sincere thanks to all those who have contributed and hope my efforts will not disappoint you.

2006-02-19T06:53:00.000-08:00

Another view of the cricket ground, this time taken from the Fort.

2006-02-19T06:31:00.000-08:00

Had some wonderful news a couple of days ago. My friend who's the local trustee for Project Galle 2006, has a project for me to handle during my vist. He has received funding for a Children's Playground adjacent to the international cricket ground in Galle. I know the area and it is a spectacular setting with the Dutch Fort as a backdrop. The area was completely submerged during the tsunami and the Government has yet to do anything to reinstate the cricket ground. The playground project is only small but the design, tendering and construction processes require management and that will be my responsibility. The overall timescale is six weeks so that will coincide nicely with my visit. This project plus my framing project should keep me busy and content. I'll try to post a photograph of the location of the cricket pitch / fort.

The donations continue to flow in. Over £500 is now pledged. I am overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity of so many people.

Lesley and I have had Clare and Victor, Nick and Amy visiting this week-end so that's been good as I depart this coming Thursday. Lesley, Clare and Victor are planning to come to Sri Lanka roundabout 12 March for a couple of weeks.

I shall now have a crack at blogging a photograph.

2006-02-19T06:30:00.000-08:00

This is the international cricket ground in Galle with the Dutch Fort in the background. Somewhere nearby is the site of the chiildren's playground; the construction of which I am to manage.

2006-02-16T00:12:00.000-08:00

I cheekily sent a round robin letter to everybody in the address book on my computer asking for donations to help me with the project Mark Juba at Project Galle 2006 has suggested to me. The idea is for me to establish a picture-framing workshop, and train some locals to create frames for family portraits photographs and others. I was expecting a fiver here and there but have been absolutely flabbergasted by the re-action as cheques for twenty, fifty and even one hundred pounds have been received. This will result in a total that I will be able to do something serious with. Perhaps even establish an enterprise that will give a livelihood to a family.
I’ve now finished the decorating around the house so I can now travel with a clear conscience. Bought Lesley a new LCD television so she can be entertained whilst I’m away (no, there’s no connection between this and the funds I have collected). Needless to say the run-in to my departure is not relaxed. Framous has received a commission to frame five beautifully artistic photos of Venice (still the proceeds can go into the donations pot) and my car has failed its MOT. Seized brake caliper. The mechanic put it down to lack of use! That tells a story – its not that long ago I was doing thirty thousand a year.

2006-02-12T01:30:00.000-08:00

So the flight is booked for 23 February and I must start planning. Fortunately, Lesley has got me to start decorating the landing so that will help! My fault for just finishing the hall and staircase; apparently you can't do that without doing the landing as well.

Still no good news on the Children's Community Centre so its looking less and less likely that it can be ressurected. COOPI, the Italian NGO, intend leaving Unawatuna in May and there is no way the CCC can be built before then. Consequently the money will not be spent by then so they will be unable to commit it. My first meeting with the committee of the Unawatuna Tourism Development Society should be lively; how they have been unable to get their registration in all this time is beyond my comprehension. Had I been there, I would have gone and camped out in the appropriate governmental office until it was secured.

2006-01-03T00:08:00.000-08:00