Just a few days in Jaffna

So the bus journey from Trinco to Jaffna wasn't too bad, all in all! As it was a semi luxury (!) bus the air conditioning consisted of the open window, so I was washing brown dust out of my earholes for days afterwards!

Dreaming of EK business class!

We spent four nights in Jaffna at the Greengrass hotel, which appears to have been designed by some weird, drug crazed, Disney freak! However, our room was quite comfortable and as there were only a few places in Jaffna that served alcohol, we were delighted to find a bottle shop in the hotel, so we could top up on a bottle of Arrack for our evening tipple on our balcony.

The Disney inspired Greengrass Hotel.

Perhaps the rails are there incase you enjoy the onsite liquor shop too much.

Even the food at Greengrass has an unusual artistic bent!

We spent our first day wondering around the sites of Jaffna and by 2pm had pretty much seen them all! 

The fort was pretty fabulous. It is being currently being renovated - a project which looks like taking several years to complete. The original fort was built of sea stone (or coral as its otherwise known). Unfortunately coral is being used in the rebuild!! Bit of an environmental disaster but it looks fabulous! There were also some great trees growing through the walls - a touch of Ankor Watt.

The Fort, Jaffna.

Coral bricks!

I finally purchased the clay cooking pots that I'd been coveting since I'd seen Sujata back in Kandy cooking with them. I found them in the Jaffna market and they set me back a whopping $3. Sadly one of the lids has already broken so I despair about getting them all the way back to Perth in one piece. Jaffna market was a colourful place but apart from my lovely pots there wasn't much of interest.

Fruit and veg, Jaffna Market.

Directly behind out hotel was an abandoned rail way station. Apparently it was closed down 39 years ago, when the troubles started. It was a derelict and fantastically atmospheric - could have been a movie set.

Jaffna's abandoned train station.

Waiting for the 1020 from Colombo, it's 39 years late!

 We spent an interesting morning at Keerimalai Spa, which is a sacred site about 40 minutes north of Jaffna. The men's and women's bath sections are separate. The men's is, of course, the bigger and better of the two. Richie had a fun time frolicking with the boys whilst getting a bit of spiritual healing. I attempted the women's baths but found it full of very friendly, very old, ladies doing their washing and giving their feet a good clean. Being the princess that I am, I declined their kind invitation to join them and spent my time relaxing in the shade with about 400 over excited school children.

Keerimalai Spa, north of Jaffna.

Gill and school kids watching Richie in Keerimalia Spa.

And so completes our tour of Jaffna highlights! We spent a day hanging out at the 'pool' at the Greengrass, an evening drinking beer with some fellow Aussies and met an interesting fellow who had spent many years of his childhood in London before being sent back to Sri Lanka when his refugee status was denied. He was delighted to meet Richard and spent lots of time regaling him with his tales of woe. Poor chap, he just couldn't fit into Jaffna life, however, I suspect he might not have fitted in anywhere. 

Strong military and police presence, street scene Jaffna.

Tree roundabout, street scene, Jaffna.

We had planned to catch a bus back to Vavuniya, overnight there, catch a train to Colombo at 6am, spend a few hours in Colombo and then catch the 2pm train to Galle. As we were having breakfast, we discussed our plans and thought "sod that for a bowl of monkeys" - hired a car and a driver and 40 minutes later we were on the road the Galle - $200 poorer but with a day up our sleeves.

Temple, Jaffna.

The drive went well, apart from two stops for prayers - that lasted 30 minutes each and one dinner stop for another 40 minutes! The driver was driving at about 40k's an hour - a bit faster than a quick run, until we reached Colombo - then he turned into Aryton Senna! He had agreed to take the new highway from Colombo to Galle - which cuts about 2 hours off the journey. However, he proceeded to drive down the Galle Coast Road. Richie very irately asked him what the hell he was doing and he told us the highway was closed, there was a big accident, it wasn't safe - just pick an excuse. 

Finally he gave into Richards' wrath and turned too the highway. Surprisingly there was no accident, the road was open, beautiful and had no traffic. We will never know why he didn't want to take the highway! Needless to say he didn't get a tip.  The entire journey from Jaffna, at the very northern tip of Sri Lanka to Galle, at pretty much the most southern tip took 11 hours - it probably could be reasonably done 9 hours - if you took your chances and omitted the prayer stops!

The $200 bus we took from Jaffna to Galle.

The $2 bus we should have taken from Jaffna to Galle (via Vavuniya and Colombo).

The journey gave us some small insight into what it's like travelling with a driver. We have met and seen a lot of people who hire a driver and car for their entire journey in Sri Lanka. Whilst it is no doubt convenient, it would be a royal pain - you would either be arguing and second guessing your driver all the time or your holiday would be whatever the driver decided he wanted it to be! No matter how nice they seem - they usually have an agenda and roads are mysteriously closed, towns are suddenly twice the distance away there is always an interesting little gem shop just around the corner!

Last comment - very few restaurant options in Jaffna, Mangos thali is a good one.

and Cosy North Indian is another.