Saman

Saman was our tuk tuk driver, taking us from the station to the Lotus Tower, so we could get a panoramic view of the city before we left on the train to Habarana in the afternoon. I spotted it all lit up last night on the taxi ride and it needed to be done. Getting to the highest point of a new city has become something of a ritual for me. Saman had never been up there before so he came with us and functioned as an impromptu guide. He never stopped smiling. Indeed, everyone seems to smile here. The Sri Lankans are very smiley, lovely people, and charming and elegant with it. Lots of photos to choose from, of course, and especially from the train station (I love the trains here), but today was about the people - and their smiles. 

Perhaps they're smiling in thanks for simply being alive. Traffic lights are generally ignored here. Crossing a road is to take a leap of faith. You have to be bold and place trust in the tuk tuk drivers to stop.