I love the conflict zone ambience!
There are soldiers everywhere…
…wearing different uniforms and carrying assault rifles.
Some were seen at structures like bridges but mostly they’re everywhere – there’s an armed soldier every 100 meters or so.
The car (furnished by Holiday Inn Colombo) had heavily tinted windows at the back, which I wound down to take photos of this interesting phenomenon, much to the consternation of the driver and the Holiday Inn representative. Heh!
It’s like playing I Spy, no wait, like Foto Quest Fishing where you try to take as many photos of different soldiers as you can, preferably in groups.
Congratulations! You’ve just snapped a rare Sri Lankan soldier in desert combat fatigues!
However, it should be noted that most soldiers in Sri Lanka are fond of shouting questions and firing guns with no apparent preference about which order they do this in, so I would exercise caution when taking photos. I’m told the military does not like to be pointed and shot at (even with a digicam).
I managed to take one with a decidedly grumpy looking soldier.
I also convinced him to let me pose with his rifle. He was apprehensive and put the safety on and won’t let go. I got the impression he was extremely uncomfortable about the whole thing. 😉
