Sri Lanka

Tragedy finds Sri Lanka alluring, and so she comes to visit here, in the form of war, poverty, and climate disasters. Restless lovers huddle together as if the next trauma is about to separate them, and even Buddha cannot sleep, but rests with his eyes half open or gazing upward, unable to stop looking at this arrestingly beautiful place.

This is one of the last places on earth where elephants roam freely, where Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists all live in harmony, and where stilt fishermen will pose for you like models, draping themselves sensually on their perches with the powder blue sea thrashing all around. Everything teeters on the brink here, with the threat of hornets adding drama to the ascent up Sigiriya, and the single train track just feet from the sea.

Sri Lanka surpasses expectations in a way that could never be met in the Western world, with its gracious customer service, its spicy curries that burn their way into your consciousness, and the effervescent joy of its unspoiled children. While most consider themselves “poor in this life,” one cannot help but hope for a reincarnation for this country that is so rich in every other way.

Here’s my photo essay on Sri Lanka.