Surfing the lankan blogsphere I eventually ended up a blog that had very descriptive post about Barefoot. Now I like Barefoot, Paradise Road, The Saffron Warehouse as much as anyone else does but there were elements of that post that kind of got me thinking about the social structure of Colombo
The post was a good one, one of the best 'reviews' I've seen of Barefoot and was obviously written with first hand close up experience - you have to have that to know that Suresh is the guy to help you with the curtains!
Certainly an ideal post to promote SL as a destination, but to say that it offers "A true insight to the untroubled life of Sri Lanka and its people’s philosophy." seemed a little too broad.
The place most certainly is a calm oasis in the hustle and bustle that is Colombo but whether it reflects the general populace and their lifestyle is most certainly debatable. To many of us such boutiques are places most often seen as haunts for the 'Colombo 7 types", the nouveau riche, the spouses, off spring of politicians and the expat community - their 'reality' of a life of leisure and Hakuna Matata.
I suppose it happens everywhere, a minute strata enjoying a life style that is far beyond the imagination of a majority of people, dropping on a single meal what could feed another family for a week. The irony is that most of them, designer wear and all will still haggle a couple of rupees with the pavement hawker over a mango! There was I recollect a recent post in a smiler vain
Colombo has a select group, perhaps 300 - 400 souls in the age group 18 to mid forties, a group that seems to spend an inordinate amount of time in one club or the other depending on where the beat is. I'm not saying this is wrong, its a life style choice, but one that I find difficult to come to terms with.I can understand partying all night in your late teens, easing up as you go into your 30's, but to keep at it weekend after weekend, just how much is enough? How do you spend 10k on a night out? Why would you do that when perhaps you could pay for the education of a child for an entire year with that?
That part i don't understand
Thank you for my blog mention and link. I understand where you are coming from to a certain degree. It does bother me that a football player could feed whole of Africa with his annual salary.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I floated the blog in what ever limited capacity to encourage tourists to visit Sri Lanka. Therefore it was also an attempt at creative writing to engage the reader and the line about the philosophy of it's people in which I still believe it was largely accurate. The main audience of course remains potential visitors to our country.
@ Go To Sri Lanka: The writing was fab, one of the best written posts I've seen in a while and kudos indeed - I hope to see more in time to come. I was merely commenting on one specific part, no intention on my part to dish your post at all.
ReplyDeleteBecause they can afford to, dahling. That's the way the rich and privileged roll. ;)
ReplyDelete@ Mak's: Somthing I've noticed, its the people who have so little to share that share the most - think its because they know what it feels like to be in want and therefore are more willing to share?
ReplyDeleteInteresting post...I used to be one of the party animals dropping inordinate amounts of money in clubs in SL every december but over the last two years I've grown out of it quick time. I've found way more meaningful ways to spend time and actually hopefully contribute to 'society' (though that always makes me gag when I say that). I guess some people never learn or expand their horizons?
ReplyDelete@N: I'm a believer in there being a time and place for all things, and yeah, I've done my share of all nighters in one club or the other. But with time should come a greater awarness, that there is more to life than in mindless escapisams. It's those Peter Pans and the female equvelent of them that I dont get. Its really not that difficult to make a differenace in someones live really, just a little effort.
ReplyDeletenice post sigs. don't think we can really analyse the Colombo bourgeois without going into capatalism and why the system works/doesn't work. hm... but Sri Lanka sure must be a playground for 'em.. :S
ReplyDelete