A breakfast of hoppers and coconut samba! 

Then a drive out to Point Pedro, named by the Portuguese during their rule at the early part of the 17th Century, and the northernmost point of Sri Lanka. 

Distinctive but complementary smells of smoking fires, drying fish and salty sea. All felt magnificently authentic here. 

A later saunter around lagoons and temples with the whole of Jaffna seeming to be untouched by tourism. Some unusual sights – prawning fishermen, tobacco fields, lighthouses built by British colonialists and a kung fu fighter! 

Jaffna library with its pure white facade stands grandly, and as we walk inside we are transported to a bygone age of stacked high printed manuscripts, reading rooms, displays of typewriters and young people bent over tables studying with intent. Despite the library’s devastating fire caused by petrol bombing in 1981 it has risen again to its former glory. 

Last stop today was the strategically positioned 17th Century Dutch fort, sitting back from the 21km causeway across to Kayts Island where we’re heading to tomorrow. 

Further sponsorship – if you’d like to help me to help those who have various forms of need in Sri Lanka, whilst being assured every penny will get to those who need it, then please donate by clicking on this link. Don’t forget if you’re a tax payer to declare gift aid when doing so which will increase your donation by 25% at no cost to you. Alternatively, if you know of anyone or any organisation who may have an interest in this cause please share this blog link with them. And, if you’d like to get involved in anyway please get in touch with me at marciasummers@hotmail.com

Next up: Kayts Island

Last blog: Day 1 – Arrival