Brotha In Sri Lanka Day 3

We just saw 2 bulls roaming the sidewalk like they were people. Two things:

1.I'm mad as hell I didn't get a pic.

2. I would've been terrified if I was walking near it.

Oh, ok, we are definitely where cows roam the street. Ok. Got some pics. They are actually everywhere. Most of the time in groups.

We unexpectedly stopped at an herbal and spice garden and there was no predicting how AWESOME something so boring-sounding would be. Walking in just felt like healing was happening. We were surrounded by many plants and given an explanation of what they all do by a student.

As we were brought some tea and read a brochure about specific herbal remedies, we were given surprise massages with the herbs. And I mean, these were MASSAGES. Maybe 30 minutes, back, shoulders, arms, legs and feet. It was the best massage I've ever gotten. During mine, I had a mental conversation with a small lizard of some sort. That's private. 

Getting a BOMB massage at the herbal and spice garden.
This was free!
Just cost the price of a donation.

Student at the herbal and spice garden. He was the man.
Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient.

We bought some stuff for joints, skin and oral care. I'm very much looking forward to using them.

Left to right: Sandalwood for skin rejuvenation (Doha climate and diet is HARSH on my skin). Herbal tooth powder for my gum issues. An herbal rub for dermatitis (sweaty nuts rash) and the famous Red Oil from the leaf that contains glucosamine. That's for the joints.

We went to a turtle hatchery which was a place to protect and raise turtles. Kind people doing a tough, often thankless job. We bought some cool souvenirs here. There was an albino turtle with missing fins and one with a beautiful shell. These turtles can live to be 200 years old. 

Clockwise: turtle egg feels like a ping pong ball; albino turtle;
me holding a day old green turtle;
albino turtle missing front fins :( and a healthy adult turtle.

Afterwards was a cool safari I'll share through video.

There's more video but blogger isn't cooperating :(

We were able to see water monitors (GIANT lizards),

birds, I held a baby crocodile

and put my foot in water that had dozens of fish which bit the dead skin off.

It was very cool. I also drove the boat for a little bit.

We ate by the magnificent Indian Ocean but had a terrible time with bad, slow service. That took way too much of our time out. Afterwards was a moonstone mine which was quite boring but my wife did get a ring out of it :)

Btw, before we got here we joked that since the Sri Lankans stare and marvel at her in Doha, a whole country will now. It wasn't a joke, turns out. They tell ME how beautiful she is and that I'm lucky, and ask to feel her hair. Families stare at her while eating. It's the craziest thing. Being African-American is intriguing enough because they don't really see us here, but her hair is of the UTMOST interest. Something about the way she looks in general is completely exotic and magnetic to them.

Our guide in the safari was a young, dark local who definitely tried to use his "darkness" as a bond to hustle us out of money. "I'm black like you...the Europeans, they give a tip if they are happy - 10 dollars, 20. You understand? *smiling*"

"This will be 500 rupees" :)

At this time he was trying to get his man some dough to show us something about cinnamon. I said "I don't have more money. So it's free?" He says "No. I pay and you give it back to me." Uh-uh, lol. I gave him 6 bucks for his 90 min tour. I called that fair. He was being too weird, very very inquisitive about our blackness, Americanness and economics. He did things like feel the fabric of my shirt or ask if we smoke or drink. He thought we were a come-up. Asked for my number. I was like "I don't use this in this country." Because it's expensive. And because you're weird. He was cool enough though. The people are poor and he was trying to get at some rupees. 

We decided to skip the beach and some boring-sounding fort so that we could get the long ride home over with. Sri Lanka is so stimulating it tires me out just by being here. Haven't even explored our hotel, which we always do. Haven't even had a drink! But the touring is outta the way. Now begins relaxation.