Welcome to the Blog!
So here is how the joke begins...A Sri Lankan, a Philappino, and a Norteño walk into a bar...I am not sure what the punchline is going to be yet but I am sure that I will find out in time! This was my actual life just two nights ago on Poya Day when I went with my mentor (Sri Lankan) and the international coordinator of the company who hired me (Philappino) to the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo. This was my first time in the city and boy was it a sight to see.
The colonial architecture was really beautiful and there were tons of people out on the beach celebrating their day off for the full moon. The Sri Lankans are people after my own heart seems how they take full moons off. Astrologically things go haywire during full moons and I have always thought it best to chill out on those days. These folks make it official and the whole country spends the day meditating at temples, spending time with family, and just taking it easy. I like their style! 
Anyway, the three of us had a wonderful dinner at the hotel. They had all kinds of fish that they cooked in a variety of different international styles with a ton of spice choices. I couldn't resist the baked crab. The crab bisque was also very tasty. We ate outside amidst tropical flora and fauna, a waterfall and lagoon, and a heron type brid that was hanging around.
Once we were done, we headed over to the Hilton to have a drink and dessert. It was very nice. We all had some tea since they never serve alcohol on Poya Day. Their tea bar had something like 100 different varieties of tea. Sweet! A live Philappino band was playing some very nice music. Our resident Philappino actually knows the people in the band as he frequents the Hilton when he is in Colombo. It is actually a mother/daughter operation. I got to meet the mother and I was introduced as her future son in law. 
Her daughter is quite a looker and can sing like an angel. I really got a kick out of having them sing Besame mucho and Sabor a mi. Que buenisimo!
Well that is it for now folks! I will be writing more very soon to provide more details of my first week in Sri Lanka!