If you like to have a calm vacation, then don’t go to Sri Lanka
I just jump in to this simply entry at one of the Peter Greenberg’s travel website, dontgothere.org. It was the latest entry, so I would not miss it. This is what it says.
But then I realize what it say there is true. Every bit of it. Sri Lanka is not a calm quite place. Not anymore. Either it is screaming TATA buses fly over our roads or bikers on Bajaj bikes ride like they don’t have families, children or reason to live another day. It is good we don’t have salesmen using loudspeakers vigorously promoting their merchandise, such as lottery tickets or religion. But we are far from been the quite calm place we used to be. Still there are enough beggars waiting to surround any tourist bus with their rented baby’s hanging on their arms or amputees rolling on tiny carts. A lady told me about her experience once and I’m quoting her, “when we get down at Kandy, he rolled toward us like a crocodile in dark, making all of us shiver”. Another lady told me about souvenir sales people, “When I was at Mihinthale, they separated me from the rest of the group, and forced me to buy a Souvenir. I didn’t get down from the bus since”. If you escape all those horrible encounters, then there are nationalist nut cases too, that you may occasionally bump in to. I came across such a horrible person at top of the Sigiriya, who scold one of my foreign friends for standing inside “king's Palace” and accused him for disrespecting our thousands of year’s old Royalty.
What I’m trying to say is, Sri Lanka is not the hospitable, wonderful, and "ST" place it used to be. I remember when I was young; the neighborhood I grow up had an unholy reputation as the “Korea”, and I thought about it while I’m looking at the sky line of port city of Busan some time back. There, young kids around 10 years old, cross the road alone, late at night, shop whatever they came for, and walk back home softly. Young school girls, walk home after night school around 10 at night, giggling at each other, wearing those short stripe skirts that they ware that part of the world. A pretty girl wearing short club dress, licking an ice cream, cross the road middle of the night, far from the town and went toward her way like it is Sunday morning. And that is a beautiful country. And the "Korea" I grow up in, well, we still live there.
"If you like to have a calm vacation, then don’t go to Sri Lanka. The corruption will kill the joy of traveling around. You will be told how poor the country is. Hmm… I don’t think so if u look to what prices there are on everything, it’s cheaper in Europe and don’t forget, clean."I thought commenting there, because commenting on every single blog in the world is one of my bad habits among many other such habits, but most importantly, as a child, every word I heard about Sri Lanka ended with glorious ST, such as greatest, prettiest, oldest and then usual world ‘paradise’. When one used to hear such nice things for long time, it quite painful to see those kinds of posts popping up here and there and you feel unstoppable desire to say “it is not true”.
But then I realize what it say there is true. Every bit of it. Sri Lanka is not a calm quite place. Not anymore. Either it is screaming TATA buses fly over our roads or bikers on Bajaj bikes ride like they don’t have families, children or reason to live another day. It is good we don’t have salesmen using loudspeakers vigorously promoting their merchandise, such as lottery tickets or religion. But we are far from been the quite calm place we used to be. Still there are enough beggars waiting to surround any tourist bus with their rented baby’s hanging on their arms or amputees rolling on tiny carts. A lady told me about her experience once and I’m quoting her, “when we get down at Kandy, he rolled toward us like a crocodile in dark, making all of us shiver”. Another lady told me about souvenir sales people, “When I was at Mihinthale, they separated me from the rest of the group, and forced me to buy a Souvenir. I didn’t get down from the bus since”. If you escape all those horrible encounters, then there are nationalist nut cases too, that you may occasionally bump in to. I came across such a horrible person at top of the Sigiriya, who scold one of my foreign friends for standing inside “king's Palace” and accused him for disrespecting our thousands of year’s old Royalty.
What I’m trying to say is, Sri Lanka is not the hospitable, wonderful, and "ST" place it used to be. I remember when I was young; the neighborhood I grow up had an unholy reputation as the “Korea”, and I thought about it while I’m looking at the sky line of port city of Busan some time back. There, young kids around 10 years old, cross the road alone, late at night, shop whatever they came for, and walk back home softly. Young school girls, walk home after night school around 10 at night, giggling at each other, wearing those short stripe skirts that they ware that part of the world. A pretty girl wearing short club dress, licking an ice cream, cross the road middle of the night, far from the town and went toward her way like it is Sunday morning. And that is a beautiful country. And the "Korea" I grow up in, well, we still live there.
posted by Sam at
3:37 AM
12 Comments:
sadly, I too have to agree with u.. People are getting worse by the say in SL, they talk about all the sihala-buddhist sadaacharaya, but the majority doesn't practise it.. there are no manners at all!!!! specially towards foreigners!!!
very very sad...
Let alone foreigners; even locals go through that trauma when traveling.
On my way home; I took the transit through Dubai and was standing in a queue for a security check. I was standing couple of feet behind the person in front of me as I’m used to respect personal space. There were about 10~15 people behind me. Suddenly a guy came; placed his hand luggage between me and the lady in front of me and shamelessly stood there. There’s no way that he didn’t noticed the queue - he just jumped it. I asked him to get the hell out of there - then he just jumped the queue next to us; later; I heard him speaking in Sinhala with another fellow. That’s my first impression of home. And it’s very mild compared to all the things I’ve been experiencing during the past two weeks.
To put it simply; Sri Lankans as a whole lack good manners and discipline. They are proud to jump queues; cut through traffic; dominate the weak; speak out loud with no regard to the surroundings; violate personal space; make noise just for fun; make fun of less fortunate so on and so forth. And what’s worse is some of it is encouraged by the law enforcement.
I'm sure most Sri Lankans have more important things to worry about than winning international popularity contests. At the least, we might someday be able to stop being so dependent on tourism.
Any one can say anything about Sri Lanka, and I can say it is not the paradise as it used to be. I do not think it is fair to blame the Sri Lankans only, and in my opinion Americans are worse. They grizzle for any slightest thing and keep on complaining. they do not know what comapssion is and they are the people who laugh at others. Some Sri Lankans try be foriegn nationals just because they have a foriegn passport, and have an acquired accent. In an international airport, it is your privilege to speak in any language, high or low. If you see the other nationals, the Dutch make the biggest noise.
For the plight of Sri Lanka today, the westerners are responsible. They think it is still Liptons Tea Estate. Americans think they own the whole world. Unfortunately there are some people who lick the boots of these stupid foriegners.
SRI LANKA WILL BE THE PARADISE ONCE AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Ok there is corruption, but what corruption does a tourist have to go through here?
I think the part we should be concerned about is that thing about prices of everything. If the cost of living is high here even for tourists, how can the locals manage themselves?
I don't think the situation in any other south asian country differs from Sri lanka except for the war.
Screaming TATA buses, speeding bikes.... these kind of sights will be seen also in other developing countries.
There is nothing special about this comment. These kind of comments are made in several web sites irrespective of the fact that they are true or not. In one of the tour guide sites I saw a warning to the tourists about keeping their valuables protected when they are in Nuwara Eliya. I don't know the exact situation there. But i'm sure it will not be different from any other tourist attraction place in Asia.
Anon,
I think putting it as international popularity contest is over simplifying it. We or any other country in the world could not give up tourist dollars (not even Cuba). Singapore, Egypt, and Dubai and many others are like, depend on their tourist friendly environment to do rest of whatever the business they do.
Sarath,
I very well agree with you about loud mouth Americans. But I don’t put the blame on westerners. When we blame on westerners, we are excepting them to correct it. And we don’t want them to correct things. Do we? And most of all, we used to do things better without westerners and before we start blaming on westerners for things. We used to have surplus budget. I remember when I was young; they used to wash roads at night. And it is not from westerners alone I hear those sort of disappointment about Sri Lanka, just today one of my friend’s mother from Singapore who visited SL for two weeks, express the similar feeling that wound my pride. By our nature, we can’t ignore by saying “those stupid foreigners”, we are not that kind of people.
Chamila,
That is exactly my point. Sri Lanka was not any other south Asian country if you look at the time before Bandaranayake (the first). Not very long back.
I think not just Lanka, but the world in general has become louder, busier and expensive. And prices? umm In my experience most things in Lanka aren't pricier than other countries. But perhaps if you're a tourist they charge you more - I saw that foreigners have to pay like 2500/= for a ticket to sigiriya... Anyway some tourists expect places like Lanka to remain 'unspoiled' and 'laid back' and when they find that like the rest of the world Lanka has moved on (though not as much as Lankans want!) they get upset.
niroshinie,
very good point of view! thanks!
>> Anyway some tourists expect places like Lanka to remain 'unspoiled' and 'laid back' and when they find that like the rest of the world Lanka has moved on (though not as much as Lankans want!) they get upset.
Exactly the point I was trying to make above. If our progress means disappointment to their vacations, then screw them.
We don't have 'Sri Lanka' written on our foreheads. So among other brown people, the easiest way to identify a Sri Lankan is the language. I thought any idiot would understand that logic. But seems I under estimated the depth idiocy.
Sounds like a description of 'Tourist India', though the government these days is carrying on many educational exercises... you know, ads and stuff.
There's one that goes on about 'Atithee Devo Bhava' which in Sanskrit means 'Gues is God'. At one point in time, this used to be true for India, but is not so anymore. The govt. is running many awareness programs these days centering on this theme.
About the beggars and other people accosting tourists... well it most definitely happens in India when you look different from the local population, but then it even happens to the locals sometimes... you know, the girl travelling alone and stuff.
The Korea you mention sounds like heaven.
However, apart from all this, I'd like to tell you that my best friend travelled to SL, and she loved it. She thought it was less crowded :D, that the people were very helpful and hospitable, and that they always welcomed her and her family when they learned they were from India.
She thought you people were hard working and thoughtful... and that the food was great. I think, if I remember correctly, she stayed in Kandy and Colombo... so maybe you're being a bit harsh on yourself..
Think about it, because she's lived in Switzerland, and travelled all over Europe.
About the prices being through the roof, well, what did that person expect? Every one knows inflation is crazy in SL, and that is common sense since you guys are at war. Maybe it is his fault for not researching well enough. I agree with Kasun and Niroshinie.
@ Mahasen Bandara: You may as well be describing Indians, actually... I was kind of afraid that the gate crasher would turn out to be Indian, very relieved that wasn't the case.
BTW, you've been tagged.
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