Galle Face Hotel - Whitees to the Left, and Whites to the Right of me

It’s a Wednesday, sunset time and the tourist whitees are gathering at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. The men are wearing socks and open sandals with historical British baggie shorts, old sports-branded t-shirts, and caps of a bygone era. All the men carry a small backpack. They probably have all been in the same clothes all day.

The Whinging Pome Random Rule No. 312: "We didn’t build an Empire without showing our knees."

“Whitees “ is not found in most English dictionaries, though I found an obscure reference to "pale skin". There is actually more on the internet about a clothing brand called "whitees" than the name often used to describe us, pale people.

It’s the start of the great sunset view and they are now going for a stroll down the Galle Face Green followed by a drink and bite to eat. The long-suffering wives are in their "bestie" summer frocks, flowery dresses and smart shoes—lots of chat and a not-too-hectic night out.

This is meant to be my coffee survey of the 'Travellers Bar' at the GFH. I’ve never thought of the GFH as a coffee place but having had a few meetings here recently I found the coffee and service were great.

"Dame Fine" is their preferred coffee bean, local Sri Lankan coffee.

So I’m sitting in the Travelers Bar, a cosy bar come coffee shop surrounded by history. Above me on the wall are photos of some of a hundred celebrities who have stayed at the hotel. President  Nixon, Prince Phillip, Peter Finch, Che Cavara, Yuri Gagarin, Sir Arthur Conadolyle, etc. There are another fifty or so other photos of visitors to this amazing historic hotel. More can be found in a small museum on the upper floor of what is the prestige wing of the hotel. This includes Prince Phillip's car.

The flat white is actually a good black coffee with some froth that disappears after the first sip. I recommend this nostalgic location for more than a coffee experience. It may not make the routine of hard-core coffee nuts.

It’s time for me to leave and there is yet another crowd in the lobby just like the first lot. My life flashes in front of me, I look in many ways like these old whitees. Then I realize they are on holiday, the same as my permanent goal of living in Sri Lanka. The whitees will return to the worst weather England has had in twenty years. Then Spring and the English summer with a month of dry heat that’s normally in August by the way.

Glastonbury is a good barometer of when it’s going to rain, it is June. Last year was an exception with no rain. Elton John and Cat Stevens who was previously Yosef Islam were the stars of the show (both in their mid-seventies) Cats birth name was Steven Demeteri Georgiou, a Londoner.

One week in May is now my annual target to be in England and mainland Europe each year. I only pay three dollars for my flat white in SL, not four pounds as I hear it is in England.

I get home to the Shang Apts and get ready for another night out in Colombo. I look in the mirror, “god I am white” but born in Africa, adopted by Sri Lanka. Still trying to get darker.