I'm not quite so sure why I'm thinking about this so early in the year. It could well be the weather that's prompting this train of thought. The weather forecast is suggesting that our beloved rain will return tonight and wash away any remnants of snow. Still, having to put up with so many weeks with white stuff on the ground has been unusual and could have been responsible for the visions of coconut trees in my head.
Also, the war is in the news again. The civil trouble started in 1983 and my first visit occurred in February of 1986. The country could be even more of a paradise were it not for wasted lives and resources. I cannot believe it ever got to the point where rebels actually controlled sections of the country. Thankfully, in recent years, the US and Europe finally got around to banning the LTTE. I might suggest that truly understanding terrorism comes when it hits close to home. Without the vast infusion of overseas money, arms shipments to the rebels were curtailed. The terrorist organization bought not only munitions but ships and aircraft! Right now Sri Lankan government forces have, again, taken control of vast stretches of former rebel-held areas. It's not merely an ethnic problem when certain groups and individuals benefit from continued warring. Let's hope these recent changes will lead to a lasting peace and fighting will occur in the political arena. Sri Lanka has a historic and functioning democracy unlike so many other trouble-spots around the globe.
In the photo above we took advantage of a short-lived peace treaty in 2004 to travel through rebel held areas to the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. Along the road, we had to get special paperwork from the LTTE. I look forward to the time when that road is free for all to traverse. You can read about my thoughts at the time, right in the blog entries from that time.
I got a bit carried away in the details today, I guess. I was going to talk about how I enjoy life on the island. The geography is stunning and the people warm and welcoming. Returning every few years allows Jay to visit family and us to get out to explore more of the country formerly known as Ceylon. There is a vast amount of diversity packed into a relatively small area. Perhaps it will be an excellent place to retire for six months a year. If only the air tickets weren't going for $2000 nowadays ...