A nature walk.

 I saw the largest tree I have ever seen in my life today.

They call it a Banion tree. (Banyon?)

It's huge but I couldn't find out how old it is.

I'm lost inside this tree!

Mr. Haton (my tuk driver) swings on the root.

That stringly-looking thing grows down from the branches into the ground and ta-da a new tree grows from it.

A dead monk guards the tree. It is said he was 6 feet tall. Unusual, as most Sri Lankans are fairly short.

Then it was off to see Kaludya Pond.

Most signs are in three languages. Sinhalese, Tamil and English.

This pond is over 3000 years old!

It's in the center of the archiological dig.

Had to do some climbing to get to the site, but don't mind as I need the exercise.

Then my friends came to see me😊.

Also ran into some devotees taking lunch for Buddhist monks who meditate at a building nearby and in the surrounding forest.

It is the custom for devotees to supply breakfast, dinner and supper for the Buddhist Monks in their district.

Inside the "Arms"

The food is prepared in a large room called the Arms.

I had a good lunch today too.

 2 boiled corn and a jelly coconut.

Proud of myself as I have been a vegan for 2 days!

Yup, healthy living but it's because mi fraid a Sri Lankan food, for peppa wudda kill mi.😭

https://joan-myviews.blogspot.com/2025/05/omg-im-allergic.html?m=1. 

Anyway healthy living won't kill me for 

 there is no shortage of delicious fruits as stalls like these line every road. (Instead of potholes like a Yard😡)

Fruit stalls abound all around Sri Lanka.

For people who like pepper, there are no end of signs advertising rice and curry. 

To go, it's served in banana leaves.

Corfu Island, Greece.

Corfu island otherwise known as little London because of its weather, had been a a part of the Republic of Venice for some five centuries, hence their local language is still influenced by Italian as much as by Greece.

This Byzantine castle on the highest point was once an important lookout, but it's in ruins now.

Because of its strategic location and high mountains, it became a very well-fortified island for Europe against the Ottoman empire. 

It later fell under British rule and finally ceded to  Greece in 1864.

Because of its mountainous terrain, it is extremely scenic and today is a popular tourism mecca.

An underground spring makes the beautiful turquoise lake extremely cold.

With a population of less than 150,000, it once had a vibrant fishing industry but that has replaced by tourism. 

Thanks to olives, of which there are some 4.5 million trees in this little island, farming and manufacturing remain solid contributors to its economy.

They use these meshes to gather the olives. The longer the olives stay on the ground the less "Virgin" is the oil.

The age of the olive tree is calculated by the number of holes in the trunk. The oldest on Corfu is over 2000 years old and is still producing!

There are many monasteries here. attached to the Greek Orthodox Church, but  Paleokastritsa is the most popular.

The monks operate a restaurant and small farm right there.

The road to get to the monastery is so narrow and winding, so to cope with large buses and traffic visiting that location, they set up timed traffic lights at the narrowest points to prevent traffic jams.

It works perfectly.

Waiting time at the traffic lights at both the top and bottom is 4 minutes. 

We went up even further above the monastery to Castelino, passing through a small village called Lakones. It was first settled by Spartan natives from Lakonia in the 17th century, hence the name. 

However it is virtually abandoned now.  Only a few older people remain there now.

The view from all angles is breathtaking.

Their small burial ground attached to the monastery is surrounded by Cyprus Pine.

Partially abandoned village of Lakones

View of the monastery from Castelonia.

Then it was back to town and Old Corfu.

Part of the shopping area in old Corfu. It's pedestrians only except for delivery vehicles.

The new fort

This is an old fort, operated as part of the Greek archives.

Other memories in picture.

Our cruise ship

Stray cats are very friendly here as most Greeks nurture them.

People drop coins here for good luck. (At the monastery)

Ferry to mainland Greece. You can take your vehicle.

There is a ferry to neighboring Albania but it's people only.

Nb. Pics contributed by: Kadi, Sonja, Camille, Michelle, Joan.