A mighty promontory jutting out into the Indian Ocean, Swami Rock divides Trincomalee's Back Bay from the Dutch Bay. It's an impressive natural landmark and has always played an important role in the city's affairs. Before the arrival of the Europeans, Swami Rock was home to the world-famous Temple of the Thousand Pillars. Currently, it's occupied by the massive Fort Frederick.
Our first day in Trinco, while we were walking up Fort Frederick Road, we spotted a small deer in a park. Of course, deer are skittish, but we were unusually nearby and no "danger alarm" seemed to be going off in his head. Then we noticed another deer, walking alongside dogs, and another approaching a group of people. Then we saw someone petting one. Then I pet one. And after that, we watched a couple guys share their rice and curry with one. And that's when I figured out there must be LSD in my water.
The large, windswept island of Delft sits twenty miles off the mainland; about as far away from a city as you can get in densely-packed Sri Lanka. After an 80-minute bus ride to Kurikadduwan, we took a ferry to the island, and almost immediately upon disembarking from the ship, Jürgen realized with a cry that his camera battery was out of juice. I instinctively started backing away from him. A Jürgen who can't take pictures at a wild, remote island is a dangerous, unpredictable Jürgen.
After our time in Jaffna, we headed southeast to the capital of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province: Trincomalee. We'd spend six nights in Trinco (as it's almost always referred to), enjoying its beautiful beaches and fascinating city life.
