I'VE GOT THIS THING ABOUT...

 don't know what it is...

Maybe we have a few things in common...

We both started out as little nuts... That probably explains a lot...

We seem to like the sand and being close to the water...

 We like good clean fun and beautiful things...

We love the life and  keep trying to grow up, but when we come into the light our best efforts to go straight are sometimes sadly revealed...

But, no worries, Matey...
With open palms we keep looking to the sun...
and the view is always terrific!
Tom

RUINED CITIES...

...ancient footprints everywhere

Towering above rural Sri Lankan countryside, a 400 ft high dagoba in Anaradahapura still stands. The 93 million bricks constructing Jetavanaramaya make it the biggest structure in the ancient world next to the pyramids in Egypt...

The Ruined Cities... Anaradhapura, the capital of Sri Lanka from the 4th to the 11th century, the longest continuous capital city in world history, and Polonnaruwa, thriving from the 10th to 13th centuries...

Buddha statues, guard stones, moonstones, remnants of engineering ingenuity and artistic expression still testify of glory days gone by...

Ruined Cities... In the midst of rubble everywhere, the graceful curves and massive size of the few renovated stupas are really impressive...

Gigantic Ruwanwelisaya- 300 ft tall, 950 ft around

Buddhist pilgrims, tourists and their guides, school kids on field trips and lots of monkeys keep the grounds hopping...

Since the days of the tower in ancient Babylonia, it seems all cities in time become Ruined Cities...
I'll be holding out for the New Jerusalem...
and the streets of gold...
and looking up,
Tom

DON'T PASS ME BY...

She was begging on a winding tea country road, her basket toting days well behind her...a tough life indeed.

Walking down a dusty road with a Swami in India some years ago, he told me...The more you have, the more you have to give...something to do with being generous on every occasion. 

After hastily grabbing a few shots, leaving a few rupees and rushing off, I felt a bit convicted reviewing this shot of my brief upcountry encounter. I could have done more. Funny how we miss opportunities and somehow go on justifying selfishness and busyness.
Guilty as charged...
Till the next round...
No shortage of opportunities in Crasia (Crazy Asia)
I'm up for it,
Tom

GOOD MORNING...

...from Marble Bay

  

I love being around the water, so to wake up to the sound of waves gently lapping the beach and this young fisherman paddling by was something like a dream to me...

As the sun began revealing the surroundings, I spotted a cliff at the end of the beach and thought I'd try hiking my way through the jungle growth for a view from the top. I felt a bit like Robinson Crusoe...

 ...so, this is what the locals call Marble Bay, just down the coast from China Bay and Trincomalee, a sweet, little soft sand beach on the Eastern side of Sri Lanka...

Once I managed to find my way out of the jungle (with no help from Friday), I strapped on my fins to check out the underwater scenery. It was getting a little windy, so I was fortunate to find this fairly secluded spot just below the cliffs...

To my delight, these little fellas were there to greet me...

Maybe I'm still sleeping,


No problem,
Dream on...
I'll see you there,
Tom

PLAY TIME...

 Just returned from a brief tour of the 'dry zone' in Sri Lanka. I'll follow up with some lovely shots of the scenic beauty, but thought for now I'd post a few people pix for a little story I want to tell. All along the way, people here are extremely photogenic, almost always in great situations and great light...a photographer's delight. If not always beautiful, they never fail at being genuine characters in a tropical wonderland setting.

We took a little side trip to a remote country school about ten miles outside Vavuniya...a hard hit war zone area in North Central Sri Lanka where everyone has been deeply affected by tragedy and most are still in a long process of patching lives back together. I'd like to say the kids here are too young to have learned to take life seriously, but that wouldn't be true. These youngsters are already survivors, unlike a lot of their friends and family members. Amazing resilience! I was impressed...

 The timing was perfect. We arrived during recess, so all the students were out of class, just milling around in the dust under a big shade tree, waiting for classes to resume...no balls, no games, just hanging out. Of course, I was an unplanned novelty. I'm a sucker for the innocence of play and somehow kids seem to have a little more of that going on, so we hit it off pretty well.  I spiced things up a bit with my camera and we all goofed around until our time was up. I remember those days...having to come down off a playground high in order to return to academia. Bummer...

 This is Principal Vijekumar. In our conversation with him, we realized how limited his resources are. We asked him what his greatest needs for the school are at this time. He said a library with books for the students to check out and read, and sports / playground equipment for them to be able to use. Hey, I thought...that's something I could possibly help with.
So, I decided to take up a little collection for the school. I'd like to at least collect enough for some balls and proper sports gear, but if possible, arrangements could be made to put up some nice playground equipment, too. 100% of what we receive will go to the school. That is a promise. I will follow up with pix and a report, so if you care to, please send (tax deductible) contributions to:

Tom Tidball

Street Kids
P.O. Box 6473
Lincoln, NE  
68506
USA


or

Community Concern
Tom Tidball
15/4 Aponsu Road
Dehiwela,
Sri Lanka


(designate for 
Vavuniya school)


I haven't used my blog for fund raising before, so please understand. I think it's a good gesture all around, and it's always nice to see kids blessed and having fun.


Thanks for helping out...
and remember to play hard till the bell rings,
Tom