Author Archives: Anna
It feels like a time ago since I went to Sri Lanka. But this is very good. To remember. I spent some time at Anu´s house and she showed me beautiful glimpses of Sri Lanka. Before I went to see her I asked if it was possible to see the elephants. I have never seen elephants in nature before. I like nature a lot, and wild animals. I am a supporter of the WWF (world wildlife fund) so I follow what happens with nature. To try to save what is left of the beautiful animals. There are, to the best of my knowledge, no lions left on Sri Lanka. Leopards yes, but no lions.
It was a a very good safari. I liked it a lot, and when the safari was over I wanted to see more animals. They are so beautiful. I saw many turtles in Vietnam, and in Sri Lanka the elephants dominated. The elephants are an integral part of the history, culture and religions of Sri Lanka, and they were commonly depicted in eg temple architecture. The Sri Lankan elephant is distinct from the African elephant. It has e.g. smaller ears. When Anu and I studied in Gothenburg I remember that I laughed when I heard the story about the elephants and the durian fruit. When this fruit is fermented in nature it produces alcohol. Some elephants like this and get drunk and sometimes destroy property. This is one of the reasons behind the Human-Elephant Conflict. However, the Sri Lankan elephants are taken care of. There was an elephant orphanage where captive elephants were housed. I never had a chance to see them, those we saw were in the jungle. It really was like elks in Sweden.
This is a memory I will keep during my whole life. Some of the elephants in the photos above are actually not older than a month. Believe it or not.
Recently, I got a question why I don´t write about what I do for work. Actually, I have never thought about it, and it is true, I should write since life consists a lot about work. That is why I don´t write every day, simply because I don´t have time. I also like to exercise so that occupies a lot of my spare time. There should be more hours and not just 24 hours in a day. I wish I were 17 so I could re-live my life and I would choose sports.
I have worked for the University and the Industry for several years, but recent years, I have worked for different pharmacy chains. Today, I work for Lloyds pharmacies. And, it is nice, because I get to know new colleagues and friends, just like I have done before at previous work places. My life has changed a few years ago since I have rediscovered how fun it is to write. I really like to write. To read about what happens in the world. Make analyses. But it takes time. A lot of time. To be honest, I am addicted to writing and it is a huge part of my life.
I have written a book about life which really is a concentrate about life. Maybe my life. So, right now, I am working on how to get it published. I like my book a lot and it can be interpreted in many ways. There are also a few poems accompanying the book. And photos. So, I hope, whoever reads this, will get the opportunity to read my story one day.
I am continuing with my Sri Lankan voyage. So, above I show you some photos from Anuradhapura where Anu introduced me to Sri Lankan kitchen and also Sri Lankan Pharmacy.
Woman, politics, religion and discrimination. What a mess, at least when summarizing today´s news. To get older has its advantages and also disadvantages. It was a few years ago since I met Anu so we are older, and maybe see life with different eyes. My stay at Sri Lanka was very much about religion. In Asia the stars are still very important. Different constellations may predict future and also relationships. If there is a match between a couple or not. Difficult to understand different cultures. East meets west. West meets east. Every month on Sri Lanka the full moon is celebrated and it is a holiday. So, astronomy is important.
Buddism is a very beautiful religion according to me from what I saw. I feel a bit upset and sad that there always must be fight between religions. Various religions should be respected, but, with regard to history, there have always been war due to religion. It is terrible that you have to be forced to believe in something that you don´t believe in.
I like fairytales a lot and there was a legend about “The sacred relic of the tooth of Buddha”. Something very sacred and unique. Will write more about it when I will write about Kandy. I was introduced by Anu to rituals and ceremonies. We went to a sacred place (Ruwanveliseya) in Anuradhapura where we offered flowers for Buddha as you can see on the picture above. Anuradhapura is a very old town and has been a very important political and religious center in Sri Lanka.