Two of my friends from Sweden came and visited me for three days and we where able to cover quite a lot during these days!

Their names are Elin and Wille (William) and we are all from the same University in Sweden. Elin is currently an exchange student in Singapore and Wille is studying at Lund University and came to Asia to visit Elin.  Fortunately for me they decided to come to Sri Lanka and see how I live as well as travel with me.

Follow Elin's journey as a exchange student in Singapore:   http://elineriksso.blogg.se

It defiantly has its charm traveling alone and you learn a lot, but it is also fantastic to travel with your friends! When traveling with your closest friends you can be yourself and your can relax, not relax but everything is just easy. The conversation just flows and the laughter is never far away because you have the same kind of humour, and I guess it is partly because you are able to speak/joke in your mother tongue.

 

 

In Kurunegala Elin and Wille got the opportunity to eat at P&G that offers rise and curry as well as other foods and sweets. It’s a small, local dining place. To prepare my friends for the upcoming Selyn Fair Trade Experience they got to practice how to eat with their hand. Based on the fact that almost everyone eats with the hand/fingers in Sri Lanka. It seemed as if they appreciated the authentic experience of eating my usual dinner with their fingers.

 

Monday:

Rise and shine,  and of we sent for the Selyn Fair Trade Experience. A whole day of showing them what I have been doing here in Sri Lanka.

They day started off at the dye plant and on our way to one of Selyn’s weaving workshops in the outskirts of Kurunegala. On the way we stopped for Elin and Wille to drink their first King Coconut and taste the insides. We also tasted some fresh corn that what boiled on the spot and dipped into a bath of salt, that was very good!

 

Then we reached the weaving workshop in Neliya, There they got the chance to see how the handloom artisans of Selyn are producing beautiful Sarees and fabric for some of the other products. For those of you who already know Wille and Elin might understand why I was a bit nervous about their reaction to go on a Fair Trade tour, maybe not one of their biggest passions in life. But being nervous was an unnecessary feeling, because even Elin and Wille could not help to become amazed by these artisans, and as the tour progressed everything fell into place, when we ended up in the Toy Factory where many of the products are produced as well as where the products made by the homeworkers are collected before distribution.  I was further glad to see when Elin flourished at the Toy Factory. Here she showed renewed interest in the products being produced.

 

All together, they got to see/experience how white/gray-ish cotton threads were turned into a playful and colourful purple money made by the hands of these talented artisans.  

 

After the Selyn journey, we continued the Kurunegala tour. We went up on the top of the elephant rock where the Buddha statue is strategically placed to watch over the people of Kurunegala. We also visited the temple on top of the rock but in order to do so Wille had to cover his knees.

 

The day ended at the Hang Out in Kurunegala eating Hopers and curry.

 

Tuesday

The plans for the day were to first climb Sigirya and then see the Dambulla temple caves.

Both are beautiful places that are a must to visit especially Sigirya, but both have two things in common; the tropical heat and Stairs! Never ending staircases in tropical heat but it was (in my opinion and strangely enough) a part of the charm. Thus, each of us where like a living swimming pool or maybe more like a sea because of all the salt from the sweat. Anyhow, with fantastic company anything makes you happy.

 

On the Top of this ancient and wonderful place we came to think of and wanted to give our love to our dear friend Cissi. With a lot of discussion about how to do the perfect Hallo from Sigirya to Sweden this was the result. We miss you<3