The Day I Ended Up In a Hooker Hotel

Day 13 – 08APR2014: Unawatuna -> Mt. Lavinia (Colombo)

Distance: 120 km
Time on bike: 5h 41m
Avg. speed : 21.0 km/h
Total (km) : 941

IMG_7602

I made it to Galle this morning. A cultural highlight on most peoples’ Sri Lankan itineraries. After cycling along all those semi-deserted beaches and in the rugged mountains of the centre of the island, Galle is a fine change of scenery. Despite the heavy traffic.

IMG_7612

IMG_7620

Hanging out with the locals, drinking some kind of herbal wonder drink that most men seem to dig really hard around here.
It was a little too herbal (think: algae) for my tastebuds, but a fine way to male bond the local way.

IMG_7627

Galle Old Town:

IMG_7635

IMG_7655

IMG_7657

IMG_7664

IMG_7674

IMG_7671

IMG_7669

The southwestern part of Sri Lanka was badly hit by the 2004-tsunami. Some 35.000 people lost their lives on the island.
This buddha statue is part of a memorial park dedicated to those people.

IMG_7679

IMG_7681

Almost 10 years after the tsunami, hundreds of concrete ruins along the road still bear witness to the catastrophe. Quite depressing looking inland (right):

IMG_7684

…and quite joyful looking towards the sea (left):

IMG_7686

IMG_7698

Juice stall in Kalutara, south of Colombo.

IMG_7690

Kalutara seemed like a pretty lively, upbeat little town. No (other) tourists at all.

IMG_7699

IMG_7714

Gangatilaka Vihara (temple) in Kalutara.

IMG_7718

Shantytown along the rails south of the capital Colombo.

IMG_7730

IMG_7736

IMG_7742

Dehiwala Railway Station.

IMG_7758

IMG_7772

Fairly long day in the saddle. In the southern suburb Dehiwala, I find a bed for the night at the motel-like New Dehiwala Inn. It’s just 1.000 Rp (7 USD). A price that sort of explains why I chose not to complain when – after check-in – I found very suspicious, short, black hair on the sheets in the centre of my bed. Oh no, a hooker hotel, I thought to myself, but I was too knackered to do anything about it (apart from removing those pubic hair). It’s just one night. It’s just 7 USD.. What seemed like a great deal just minutes ago, now seemed like not such a great deal. Oh, well. On the plus side, I’ve got a fine view of the Indian Ocean from my bathroom.

IMG_7775

IMG_7778

TODAY’S RIDE: