First things first: The food continues to amaze and delight us. The strong flavors of curry leaf, coconut, lime, Maldive fish, chili peppers, and tamarind complement a delicious array of vegetables and each meal seems to consist of five or six different dishes, all served in small bowls with flatbread and rice.Perhaps it’s that riding in the heat all day generates an undiscriminating palate, but neither one of us can recall ever so thoroughly enjoying a country’s food (including Taiwan, our previous culinary paragon). Below is yesterday’s simple breakfast, from a very humble roadside shop in a small town: (clockwise from top left) yellow dal spiced with curry leaves, seeni sambal (a carmelized onion rellish with dried fish, fish curry, appas (aka hoppers, rice flour crepes) and of course the king of Sri Lankan condiments, coconut sambal (shredded coconut, hot chilis, lime juice, salt).

Here’s yesterday’s simple lunch from another small roadside shop: fresh papaya, a chewey bagel type bread with a baked egg and pepper, and a sweet coconut and sticky rice dessert, steamed in a leaf of some sort. And below, a delicious post-ride snack of spiced chick peas with coconut, sold by a street vendor.

OK, back to biking! We left Udawalawe yesterday and followed a very pretty dirt track along a canal, where we watched turquoise kingfishers looking for breakfast. The day’s route gradually descended through rolling hills, the heat and humidity rising as we got closer to the Indian Ocean. Yesterday was the last day of school before a long weekend (every full moon is a national holiday in Sri Lanka) and the kids we encountered on their way to and from school seemed giddy with anticipation.

After a stop at a shrine with a massive 50 foot tall Buddha and briefly considering a purchase from a handsomely dressed broom seller, we eventually came to the ocean at the end of another dirt road. Our hotel was just up the road and after a papaya juice and a shower, we strolled on the beach, ate dinner and fell asleep to the sound of the waves.

Today, another stop at a Buddhist temple, this one much more subtle but exquisitely painted and very welcoming. We were immediately invited in and shown around by a wild eyed and haired attendant, who helped me push our small donation into the slot with a palm frond.

On to Galle, an historic fort colonized by the Dutch and home for generations of a strong Muslim merchant community. Because today is a holiday, the town is packed with families visiting the fort, playing in the water and eating snacks from the many vendors.