Long Lost Values of Traditional Sri Lankans.
Seated beside my wife with the autumn wind gushing against my face, I looked up towards the exit of the Sygun Copper mine in Snowdonia, Wales. A Victorian copper mine closed and abandoned in 1903 but, reopened as a tourist attraction in 1986 by the Armies Family.
Armed with hard hats it was a lifetime experience to go through the mines entering through a narrow typical logged entry built into the mountain. Rail tracks that carried the hayday produce of copper ore harvested within the mountain stood unused for decades. The present day owners had refurbished the abandoned mine preserving the eerie underground surroundings reminding the visitor of the scary conditions of mining.
Since my wife could not bear the climb and the walk, we turned back halfway. We were waiting for my daughter and the others to appear at the top through the exit which was barely visible from the place we were seated below the mountain.
The tour through the mine according to the Welsh mine keeper whose accent was nothing more than gibberish to a Sri Lankan, was supposed to be only 45 minutes. But, the clock seemed to be frozen by the cold autumn wind. Although covered with thick coats the feeling was grueling. We were seated in freezing cold on a garden bench eyes glued on the mountain exit. Well accustomed to the tropical Sri Lankan 360 days a year warm climate Sygun into its late autumn and winter round the corner was like a devil waiting to swallow this old shivering couple from the tropics.
Much before the others appeared at the exit the mine keeper appeared from his office and walked towards us with a smile on his face and two cups of coffee in his hand. Coffee is a standard drink in UK which burnt their frozen mouths with its high temperatures. He came straight to me and offered us Capuccino which at this time was really comforting. When I offered to pay for it he politely said no and wished that we enjoy the drink. It was just a cup of cappuccino but, filled with caring and hospitality we Sri Lankans boasted for centuries.
We are Sri Lankans coming from the most resplendent island supposed to have given birth to hospitality and kindness. Here is a Welshman who is a descendant of the so called British, popularly known as barbarians for stealing our wealth. We have lost our values and they have come back in 1948 having stolen our values. I wanted to cry when I recalled my history lessons in school where we were told how barbaric British were during their rule.
They have stolen our good manners and not our wealth leaving us behind with their so called barbarism. Sad to say but we are barbarians today.
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