Kingfisher love

A pair of  White-Throated Kingfishers gettin' it on....

Love was in the air that day. A charming Sri Lankan couple getting their wedding photos taken.

Just moments before they banged. Notice the lustful gaze. There are Kingfishers all over the city of Kandy. Little beauties they are.

Sweet Blue Whales video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9QaFkG17ds

For a much better explanation of Sri Lanka's Blue Whale colony, watch this video.

Side: I met a guy named Gavin on the whale boat and he was actually going to see Asha (the scientist in the video) give a talk on Lanka's Blue Whales the following day. After an hour on the boat he told me that he also hoped to get her number. Hope it worked out for you mate.

Blue Whales

The best thing I did in Lanka was go whale watching. During the 25 year civil war the coast was littered with angry naval vessels ready to torpedo someone's ass. Since the war ended a couple of years ago, scientists have discovered perhaps the most accesible community of Blue whales ever. 

Apparently, these whales live off the coast Full Time because the water there is warm enough to breed in and there is also a massive trench in which to dive and feed on krill. In other words, there is no need for these big boys to travel. They just kick it all day off the coast, mating, chillin' grillin' and krillin' yo. 

Side: Everyone was trying to get the 'whale money shot,' you know the one of a huge tail breaking the surface of the water just like on the old Hartford Whalers jersey. I came close with the pick above, however it was a profile of the tail and not the flukes. 

One of the other trusty vessels that morning. It was a bit like cat and mouse, as the whales would reveal their position by spouting huge geysers of water in the air, the boats would charge full-throttle rigfht at them. The whales must think we are a pain in the ass. I hope this whale-watching business doesn't piss them off too much.

Temple waves

About a hundred years ago I wrote a Master's thesis on Buddhist politics in Sri Lanka. That little gem is now collecting dust in the bowels of my university in southern Ontario. Anyhoo, after doing mountains of research on this little country and its devout people, I felt very happy to finally visit this beautiful and complicated land that has always been close to my heart and psyche. 

Side: Did you know that Arthur C. Clarke, the legendary sci-fi writer, lived in Sri Lanka for over 50 years? Huh, did ya?

On my last day in Lanka, I rented a board and did my best to catch a wave or two. I paddled out and got absolutely battered. Then I paddled in and laid on the beach to catch my breath. This cat managed to catch a few though.

Once in Costa Rica, in 1998, I wiped out while surfing and gashed my melon, requiring 7 stitches. The doctor's name was Dr. Hermes and he was super cool. 5 dollars a stitch. No problemo!

Side: This little beach town on the south coast of Sri Lanka is called Mirissa. It was levelled by the Tsunami of 2004. As a result, some boats were carried hundreds of metres inland and can still be seen resting amongst the trees. An odd sight.  

Birds around Kandy, Sri Lanka

In the middle of Kandy there is a small man-made lake. There are LOTS of excellent birds hanging out around the lake, like this Spot-Billed Pelican. 

In the countryside, one can see the quintessential image of Sri Lanka as one of these Little Egrets perches on  the back of a wallowing water buffalo. This image has pervaded my dreams for years.  

White-Breasted Waterhen 

Indian Pond Heron