
Although not classified as the Big 5, hippos are widely considered to be one of the most dangerous large animals in Africa. Aggressive by nature, old scars and fresh wounds accompanied by loud vocalisation is typical with every hippo congregation; intensity increasing with overcrowding during the drought period and the arrival of infants. While hippos rarely kill each other, they are typically aggressive towards humans whom they commonly attack in boats or on land with no apparent provocation.

Maritime have always been associated to Europe in early civilisation. However, the discovery of the oldest dugout boat (circa 8,000 years) in Africa in present day Nigeria in the late 1980s have lead to a scientist reexamining Africa’s role in the history of water transportation. Although the oldest dugout boat remains in Europe, closer inspection of Africa’s dugout boat superior design and built by archaeologists suggest that their evidence would have undergone years of refinement; possibly before the use of water transportation in Europe.

An act of dedication to the guardian deities of the island during the month of Esala, the Esala Perahera is one of the most extravagant of all festivals that takes over the city of Kandy once a year, featuring rituals and parades of fire jugglers, acrobats, whip crackers, swordsmen, torch bearers and thousands of barefoot pilgrims. Centre stage however, is the oldest and largest of all tuskers, entrusted to carry Buddha’s tooth relic in a golden casket before returning to the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple.

An act of dedication to the guardian deities of the island during the month of Esala, the Esala Perahera is one of the most extravagant of all festivals that takes over the city of Kandy once a year, featuring rituals and parades of fire jugglers, acrobats, whip crackers, swordsmen, torch bearers and thousands of barefoot pilgrims. Centre stage however, is the oldest and largest of all tuskers, entrusted to carry Buddha’s tooth relic in a golden casket before returning to the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple.

An act of dedication to the guardian deities of the island during the month of Esala, the Esala Perahera is one of the most extravagant of all festivals that takes over the city of Kandy once a year, featuring rituals and parades of fire jugglers, acrobats, whip crackers, swordsmen, torch bearers and thousands of barefoot pilgrims. Centre stage however, is the oldest and largest of all tuskers, entrusted to carry Buddha’s tooth relic in a golden casket before returning to the Sri Dalada Maligawa temple.

After 7 years since the Tsunami devastated the coast of Sri Lanka taking over 50,000 lives with thousands more injured, displaced and left to reconcile with their memories and nurse their scars, businesses, infrastructure and lives have been rebuilt. However, the signs of destruction that had taken the nation by surprise are still there … none more prominently showcase than the Tsunami Museum in Telwatta, Sri Lanka.