A taste for Sri Lanka, in spite of dining dilemmas
Author Paul Topping definitely knows how to make an entrance – walking down a staircase onto the Barefoot garden (a spotlight following his every move), he climbs into the green vintage car and delivers his speech there, holding an umbrella to ward off the rain. An intrepid traveller, Paul launched a book on his travels – ‘The Whinging Pome – to the point’.
The term ‘pome’ stands for ‘Prisoner of Mother England’, a term used for a British national who often complains (or whinges) about the state of affairs in other countries. A variation of this term, ‘whinging pom’, was used liberally on British nationals who moved to Australia following World War II and complained continuously of the conditions there. Born in Northern Rhodesia (present day Zambia) when it was still under British rule, Paul’s interest in travel was born out of his experiences with the different cultures in Africa during his childhood.
The book covers the many experiences Paul has had during his travels, listing 18 of his favourite countries in the book. A great example of his ‘whinging pome’ take on the different countries lies in his opinions on Sri Lanka. Having lived in the island for the past 20 years, he has lots of wisdom to impart to travellers. For a day in Colombo he advises tourists to skip Pettah and the Crescat shopping mall in order to head straight to the Galle Face Hotel (also spending time on the Green in front), the Dutch Hospital, Chatham Street, Hospital Street, the Beira lake, Nuga Gama (and Mount Lavinia Hotel, if time permits), before going back to Galle Face Hotel for cocktails and walking around to savour the many cafes and restaurants open in the area.
The author makes his entrance in an old crock: Unconventional book launch at Barefoot. Pix by Indika Handuwala
He laments that when dining with friends, the dishes do not arrive at the table at the same time, sometimes the items one wishes to order might not be available and most often the requests made to hotel staff at five star hotels will be misheard (a doctor was called for when he rang to ask for an adapter, for instance). However, Paul admits that his love for the place is what keeps him here in Sri Lanka.
“The Whinging Pome – To the Point” is priced Rs. 1500 and is available at Vijitha Yapa bookshops.