Serendipity & Stickers

There is an old Persian fairy tale about three princes from the Kingdom of Seredip, who "make pleasant discoveries, without actually looking for them".

Serendip is Sri Lanka and true to its serendipitous namesake, Princess Heather and her prince Riad made countless pleasant discoveries over the course of a magical two weeks.

Two especially delightful discoveries, immediately spring to mind...
1. the People, the People, the People
Every less fortunate country which Western travelers visit, will have obnoxious touts... and we have had some past seriously obnoxious tout experiences.
Your every day Sri Lankans could not be lovelier and more helpful.
In a fruit market, Heather got a little aggressive on a Star Fruit and choked, I panicked, but in swooped a half a dozen dudes, ready with Heimlich and water.

A glimpse of the friendly faces whom we meet...

2. the food
I am West Indian and Heather is Korean... there is no such thing as too spicy.
In two weeks of travel, not a single bad meal... not one.. seriously how does that happen?
From street vendors, to bus station food court, to high end nouveau Sri Lankan fusion (yep, that is a thing), excellent, yummy, spicy and freakin delicious.
We had every permutation of rice & curry and still did not scratch the surface...

A glimpse of the amazing food we had...

A few other quirky observations on Sri Lanka...
Apparently copy write laws don't apply here...

Grown men with a serious sticker fetish for sassing up their taxis...

It is Asia, so sort of expected that the driving is nuts. but gotta remember they are a "drive on the wrong side of the road" country...
Mom did always say look BOTH ways before crossing the street...