Sri Lanka, a Friendship Force Journey to their Eastern Club & Revisiting Singapore October 2026

Singapore on October 3, 2026

We traveled on a 16-hour plane flight from San Francisco to one of our favorite cities, Singapore. We arrived at 6:15 a.m. just as the sun was rising and checked into a new hotel, The Waterloo, close to the MRT subway.  After a quick view of The Jewel, at the amazing Chiang airport, we walked around our neighborhood enjoying lunch with the locals at the Hawker stands.  Then we checked out the amazing modern buildings ending up at the Merlin Statue, Singapore's mascot, the iconic Raffles and the gorgeous Marina Sands Hotel with a boat-like structure built across 3 towers.  We stayed 5 days here to enjoy this amazing city before we took another plane to Sri Lanka, a 3-1/2 hour flight for an almost 3-week stay.

Visiting the Orchid Garden, Garden by the Bay and Super Tree Light Show on October 4-7, 2026

Singapore's gorgeous Orchid Gardens with large and exquisite displays, Garden by the Bay and Super Tree Light Show are lovely, memorable and we were so very fortunate to have experienced them.  It was so worth the long plane flight.  It is hard to capture the majesty of Super Tree Light Show with music.  You position yourself under a super tree.  It is a night to remember and hold in your heart forever.  We made friends everywhere - and even met some lovely Aussies from Adelaide.  We really enjoyed dinner on top of the Marina Bay Towers with the flickering lights entertaining us.  Also, the Cloud Forest with a dinosaur that greets you as you begin your walk through it was just great.  It was so easy to get around on the MRT train pass!

Sri Lanka arrival at Columbo and 10 hour drive to the other side of island, Eastern Club, October 8, 2026

Sri Lanka, formerly know as CEYLON, is an island nation not far from India, home of 22 million, the majority of which are Sinhalese.  Six of us from Friendship Force of Southwest Florida are here to visit the EASTERN CLUB.  It was a short 3-1/2 hour flight from Singapore.  

We were surprised that it took over 10 hours with stops to drive across the country to the Eastern Club.  Irzath, our Host Coordinator, rented a large van to transport us; we used this vehicle all week to travel around. We stayed with a Muslim large-extended family in a rustic pink-painted compound. We received a warm welcome.  Richard and I had a less than optimal room that exited to the outside of the building.  It was quite an ordeal to visit the restroom in the middle of the night.  We discovered that we were the first visitors that this club ever had - and they do not have an understanding of what ambassadors need as basics e.g., sheets on beds, towels, soap.  As the week progressed we realized that this club does not have any members except the extended family of the organizer, Irzath.  We found his family to be welcoming but they were located in their own home quite a distance to where we were housed.  We decided that Irzath rented this facility from a relative.

Fishing Boats and Ice Factory

After a Sri Lankan traditional breakfast of rice dishes and other items that were 'different' to us, we toured a major fishing port surrounded by deep-water and opening towards the Bay of Bengal.  The fishermen arrive in port once per week and we had the opportunity of watching them unload their catches.  The port was called Trincomalee that has a history extending back more than two centuries during Portuguese, Dutch and British rule.  This city is also an important center of Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu heritage.  We also were taken to an Ice Factory located at the dock and given a demo of how the ice was made and used in this fishing industry.  Compared the US fishing ports, this port is very primitive; the boats appeared to be haphazardly constructed and maintenance of the fleet was poor at the very least!  Thus, this is how it is done in Sri Lanka.

Snorkeling

We had requested a snorkeling tour and the next morning, we were taken to Kalkudah near Pasikudah Beach.  Here Irzath rented a local boat to take us a short way to the snorkeling area.  We all jumped in and were able to enjoy a large array of colorful fish swimming in calm water.  Later that day, we checked out their pickle production facility.  We learned that cucumbers grow plentifully and Sri Lanka has capitalized on this potential by making pickles in large round vats in the fields and then shipping product to Colombo for packaging.  Sri Lanka certainly has a prosperous business supplying pickles to many countries throughout the world.

Market Day, Mosque and Fort

As in India, cows seem to be sacred and are allowed to roam the streets along with cars, cycles, bikes and tuk tuks making it quite an experience for non-natives like us!  We visited the local market place full of hordes of people selling food items, spices, clothes, and trinkets.  Later we visited a beautiful mosque, a heritage center and a Dutch Fort dating back to the 1600's.  My long pants were OK to wear in the mosque but they still put a wrap on me to cover my arms.  They dressed Beverly and Jackie in long robes.  Modestly is imperative here - but no shoes!  Along the way, we stopped to try a 'King Coconut' drink, a local specialty.  The fort was in total disrepair.  The Sri Lanka government has not appropriated any funds to keep it in good condition.  We thought we were lucky not to fall through the steps!  That evening we met with more of Irzath's family.  One member painted my hand with a fabulous henna tattoo!  It was very special.

Visiting a Muslim School

We toured a local Muslim community school from Grades 1 to 12.  Each grade has its own uniform and the children were marvelous. Beverly is a retired English teacher in Canada.  She gave the children a few lessons and really related to them.  We went into many classrooms, wrote our names on the board and told them were were from the US and Canada.  I even showed them a picture of my daughter, Michele.  We received a very warm welcome and donated a smart tv.  It was one of the special parts of this journey.  We all received shawls of gratitude and of course, tea was served to us.  We reluctantly waved goodbye to these amazing children.

Saying Goodbye to Family and Traveling to Sri Lanka First Capital

Irzath's family all said their goodbyes to us and we received lovely shirts.  We boarded the van for a trip to Sri Lanka's historic second capital in the northern part of the country.  The name is Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage site  established in 993 AD and flourished as a urban and religious center thorough the 11th and 12th centuries.  The ancient city is well preserved and we visited archeological ruins. Our last night was at a hotel near Kandy.  We toured a lovely tea plantation and later bid our host and driver goodbye.

Capitol Tours hired by Tour Radar 11 Day Journey Throughout Sri Lanka begins October 14, 2026

Richard, Joanne, Jackie, Maureen,
Beverly, Dennis with guide Sakun

On our first day we met Sakun, our 20-year old guide. (He was old enough to be a grandchild or great grandchild!) He loaded us up on another van and our first stop was an interesting Hindu Temple.  It was an amazing ceremony with horns, trumpets, drums with an altar.  People brough baskets of fruit and flowers to Goddess Shriva and other gods as a blessing.  Once they were blessed, they offered them to us.

The next day was onto UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 1st capital of Sri Lanka called Anuradhapura dating back to 377 B.C.  The highlight was the 'Stupa' containing relics of Budda. The vast dome 'Stupa' represents the physical universe, while the towering spire represents the path of Nirvana and ultimate enlightenment.  We took off our shoes in pouring rain and walked into the massive site all around the round Stupa.  The gold reclining Budda with people worshipping was fascinating!

While visiting we saw a bool tree that is over 2,300 years old, making it the oldest living human-planted tree with a documented date.  Gold scaffolding is held it up. It was brought to Sri Lanka as a cutting from India.  Why? Because Budda sat under it and became enlightened.  It is a sacred place of pilgramage for the world' Buddhists.

While traveling in the van we were surprised to see elephants near the road! Driving here requires a whole new degree of diligence!

Day 3 involved riding in an oxcart, cruising on a catamaran on a lake and a cooking demo in the countryside.  The cooking demo was interesting as we ground millet for roti bread and tried to make an authentic SL cookie with a wood fire.  We tried quite an assortment of eggplant curry, green leaf salad, mango curry, green bean with egg and so forth.  The mountain views in the background were amazing.

On the way to Kandy, we stopped to visit Sigiriya AKA Lion Rock, an ancient rock fortress and palace built during the 5th century AD.  We then drove to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, followed by a Cultural Show with fire dance.  Dinner was on the terrace at a nice hotel overlooking the lovely city of Kandy.

Every day we drove to another destination and hotel.  This day, we really enjoyed the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya.  There were such interesting trees and plants from all over the world.  We toured from a tram with a great guide.  Later we enjoyed amazing views of the hilltop tea gardens and waterfalls.

Selling our Lido Drive Home and Moving Out!

 On May 1st we closed on selling our beautiful Lido Drive home.  It was on the market on and off for a year.  After 3 hurricanes hit in the summer of 2024, Punta Gorda became a "Buyer's Market" because of widespread flooding and hurricane damage (did not effect us), higher insurance premiums and generalized concern about global warming and climate change.

We lived in our custom-built "on the water" home in an active boating community for almost 16 years and enjoyed our time here immensely.  In 2011, it was an absolute thrill sailing Eagle's Wings, our 35 ft Catalina across the Gulf Stream all the way down the Exuma Bahama Chain of Islands to Georgetown.  We achieved our "Retirement Dream" of sailing by ourselves there in the company of other friends in their boats.  We treasure the tremendous adventure shared with Maureen & Tom in s/v Can't Agree and Marilyn & John Jorgensen in s/v Blue Goose.

Later in 2014, we returned in the company of Sue & Gene Fuller to visit the Abaco Islands of Bahamas.  We rejoiced that we completed all our exploring of these beautiful islands, snorkeling, beach combing, enjoying the conch and other restaurants.  We were so fortunate along the way to meet sailing buddies who encouraged us.

We had so much fun in the PGIslander Boating Group and we became the only couple to be Commodore (equivalent to President) of our club in different years - 2014 for Richard and 2018 for Joanne.

We also enjoyed the Isles Yacht Club and visited all 13 Florida Counsel clubs and received an inscribed glass plate award for it.  We treasure all boating adventures with the club, especially Jackie & Bob Whitaker, who showed us around the Miami area.  We particularly enjoyed the Memorial Day tributes, the Blessing of the Fleet and the Christmas Lighting of the Fleets, in which we participated fully.  Joanne also enjoyed water aerobics, Rhonda, the leader and all the lovely 'water' women.

Along the way, with our 'best buddies' encouragement (Sue & Rob Linehan), we joined the Friendship Force (FF), an organization that promotes world peace and understanding through home visits and home hosting of those from other countries and clubs.  We did not anticipate how much it would impact our retirement.  Joanne became the President, wrote the newsletter while Richard was Treasurer for many years.  We hosted countless 'ambassadors' (our name for visitors from other countries) and traveled to 24 different FF clubs throughout the world.  We made so many friends and still hear from them. Of note, our friends in Perth Australia (Linda & Colin) are very dear to us and every day after 14 years we still play "Words with Friends" with Linda!

Over the past 8 years we have been very active in volunteering with St Vincent de Paul affiliated with our local Catholic Church, Sacred Heart.  Joanne interviewed those in need while Richard worked in the warehouse, and took leadership roles as District President, Secretary and Treasurer.  We definitely received more than we gave when we saw the tremendous impact this organization has on the local community.  It is a lifeline for those who are food and housing "insecure", need clothing and housewares, furniture and emotional support.  What a treasure this organization is for those struggling!

When we visited the Sacramento FF Club a few years ago, we realized we met an extraordinary group.  Now, we will relocate there and have a 'built in' group of friends in our transition across the country.

We also so appreciate our Cousin Constance and Bill who helped us find Punta Gorda.  It was wonderful having family close by throughout the years to celebrate birthdays, holidays and other events.  We will miss them and hope to continue to visit one another.

At the Isles Yacht Club Kentucky Derby Party shortly after our move

Continue reading about us:  California Dreaming

 https://eagleswings-californiadreaming.blogspot.com/2026/06/hi-world-we-are-moving-to-california.html

Friendship Force Journey – Cornwall, Wales and Scotland with Paris, France Add On – May 9 to June 6, 2026

Joanne & Richard with Jane & Andrew Parker, Cornwall FF

When I heard our Friendship Force (FF) Club was assigned Cornwall, UK last year, I decided to volunteer to be “Journey Coordinator.”  That is how I became the leader to coordinate with the British Club all aspects of the journey.  From Day 1 it was a pleasure communicating with my counterpart, Jane Parker, who was in charge of all things hosting; e.g., firming up dates, inquiring what we’d like to see, organizing our itinerary, finding hosts and accommodations, budgeting, and whatever else came up along the way.

I was approved to bring 14 “Ambassadors” (club members) and I began recruiting.  I received an enthusiastic response and before I knew it, many signed up.  I decided to organize a “Pre-trip” to Wales, a “Post-trip” to Scotland and later added a few days in Paris, France to meet our daughter, Michele, and check out the fantastic renovation of Notre Dame Cathedral.   Below are highlights and pictures of this fantastic journey.

Pre-trip to Wales – 5 days Great Rail Journey

Us riding the railroad

I wanted to see Wales from the time I dated Richard.  He read a lovely poem to me by Welsh poet, Leslie Norris, called Sea Growth. It inspired him to sail his boat and discover life on the water.  In discussing this lovely work he mentioned he would love to visit Wales.  For 33 years it has been on my ‘Bucket List’ and it was time to check it out.  I researched Leslie Norris and discovered he was from south Wales in the area near Cardiff where coal and other minerals were mined long ago. 

In researching the area, I came across South Wales by Steam Holiday from May 11 to 16.  It would give us a look at Welsh culture and it was centralized to one hotel in Swansea (next to Cardiff) and affordable for all.  It was an optional ‘add on’ that most decided to join. 

At the Welsh Folk Museum

I’ve condensed some FaceBook posts of the highlights of this area.

Our first day in Wales involves a scenic ride on an historic steam train through the countryside and a visit to the outdoor Welsh Folk Museum, showcasing the region’s rich history.  The lovely hotel in Swansea served us breakfast and dinner.  We tried Welsh Rarebit which is a toast paired with a savory cheese mixture.  The dish typically comes with cockles, a type of shellfish.

The second day was a free day and was spent exploring Cardiff’s remarkable castle and art gallery and met the famous Paddington Bear.  Richard opted for a hike on the cliffs but the wind made it less than optimal! In Cardiff by the castle I discovered “Cawl”, a lamb, carrot and potato stew for lunch.  Sampling the local cuisine was a treat!

Richard opted to ride a bus to Rhossill with Lois, Lynn, and Margret, a petite English lady.  We planned to hike out to Worm's Head and along the cliff, but the wind blew hard with gale force gusts, so much so that Lynn had to hold onto Margret to keep her from blowing away!  We cut our hike short at the cliffs and returned to Rhossill for a nice lunch before our bus ride through beautiful country side back to Swansea. 

Worm's Head

On Day 3 and 4 we rode the Gwili Railway and made our way to Mumbles, a quaint seaside town, where famous Joe’s Ice Cream Parlor served us the most delicious cones.  On board the train we tried ‘bara brith’ bread, a tasty fruit and spice blend accompanied by tea and it was great.

 

On Day 5 we wrapped up our tour of Wales with visits to St David’s and the quaint town of Tenby by the sea, located on the western shores of Carmarthen Bay.  The spring flowers were out and sunshine delighted us.

Making our Way to Cornwall via train by way of Bristol

We purchased Brit Rail Passes in the US because we had to cover a lot of ground in the UK.  We had a few more days before we had to be in Cornwall so we decided to stop in the lovely city of Bristol.

We enjoyed 2 days here: discovered Banksy and funky street art, went on a great walking tour, explored the Cathedral and listened to lovely music, traversed Clifton Suspension Bridge with a fun local bus ride and strolled on historic docks.

The Cornwall Journey

We met Andrew and Jane Parker, our FF hosts, at the Truro train station to begin the fun. We were greeted with homemade scones in their gorgeous sunroom porch and met the dog and cats.  We were surprised to be on a beautiful farm and our lovely accommodations were a B&B room with a comfy king-size bed, ensuite and sitting room attached to their home. 

The Parker's Farm House

Eight Cows, Two Calves and One Bull

Country Lane Crosses a Stream

Driving down the beautiful one-lane country roads before turning onto the highways and motorways was so pleasant for us ambassadors but probably just 'routine' for the locals. If two vehicles meet, one has to reverse to a wide spot in the road. I suspect these lanes have crossed the land for thousands of years.  One time as a FORD sign appeared along the lane, Jane asked me if I knew what that meant. I knew we would be crossing a stream just ahead.   

Jane and Andrew are accomplished retired veterinarians and surgeons, having built a successful practice.  They own a beautiful 50-acre farm where eight cows, two calves and one bull graze.  Jane’s skills include making homemade yogurt, bread and pastries and managing a B & B and rental homes on their property.

First up was a wonderful Welcome Party with an excellent variety of main dishes, salads and desserts.  We all introduced ourselves to the warm people of the club.

Some of the Friendship Folks at the Welcome Party

Lanhydrock Victorian Estate

Monday, we visited Lanhydrock, a beautiful Victorian country estate. 

With Our Hosts Outside Eden

Tuesday, Day 3, we stepped into the Eden Project, a collection of interlinked geodesic domes that house a tropical rain forest and a Mediterranean biome.  The domes were constructed in abandoned clay mining pit.  We had a lovely time admiring the gorgeous plants that thrive under all kinds of controlled conditions.  We also enjoyed a delicious lunch in the Mediterranean Biome where Richard enjoyed a Proper Job IPA.

In the afternoon we absorbed tidbits of Charlestown history on a walking tour. In the evening we made Cornish Pasties with Yvonne.

 The Church of England Refused to Pay for the Construction of this Church.

 

Charlestown Harbor Once Exported Copper Ore and China Clay While Importing Coal.

The next day we enjoyed a visit to beautiful Port Issac on the North Shore, the renowned filming location of the PBS series ‘Doc Martin.’  The great weather and our tour guide, who had a role in ‘Fishermen’s Friends,’ made the day even more enjoyable.  We loved riding on the one lane Cornish roads where cars back up to let each other pass.  Surprisingly, it all works out!

One evening our group mastered the art of making Cornish pasties, delicious meat pies.  It was fun visiting the little farm with horses and everyone had a try at rolling out the dough and stuffing the pies.

Linda Gets a Kiss While Yvonne Makes Cornish Pasties

Other highlights of our trip were visiting St Michael’s Mount and the historic Minack Theater.  We took a boat ride out the English Channel for the hike up up to the castle navigating the rocky ‘Pilgrim’s Path’.  Our effort was rewarded with terrific views and a castle tour. 

 Later we drove to the most unusual theater by the sea – the Minack – we could not believe how it was built and the productions taking place there.  What a wonderful day!

Minack Theatre

We concluded our journey at historic Falmouth, home to the world’s third-largest natural deep-water port.  Following a guided tour of the National Maritime Museum, a scenic boat ride took us to St Mawes, a charming village where we feasted on crab sandwiches.

Our Farewell Dinner was really special.  It featured homemade pizzas cooked in our host’s wood-fired oven and entertainment provided by local Cornish singers.  We sadly said our goodbyes, invited the club to visit us here and set off for our next adventure.

Visiting Liverpool, Home of the Beatles

Us with The Beatles in Liverpool

We took the train from Truro all the way to Liverpool checking into the Liner Hotel.  What fun to spend a day in Liverpool!  We began by visiting the ‘Beatles Story’, an audio-guided tour of their beginnings to a world-wide phenomenon.  We loved the ‘Magical Mystery Yellow Bus’ ride, viewing Strawberry Fields, 3 of the group’s childhood homes and of course, iconic Penny Lane.  We finished by having a drink at the underground Cavern Club, where they were discovered.  The next day we took a train to Edinburgh for an 8-day coach tour of Scotland.

 

Post-trip Tour of Scotland with Wingbuddy Tours

“Pure dead brilliant” is a Glasgow way of saying that something is exceptionally amazing!  Ad, it was visiting Scotland.  We began our tour in Edinburgh and  drove via coach to Stirling Castle and later to Glasgow’s Cathedral absorbing all the centuries old history, ancient artistry and stories of kings and queens’ legacies.  We had a terrific dinner together at a wonderful restaurant.

     St Mungo Mural

Cot of Arms

Richard enjoying Loch Lomond

LochLomond was probably Joanne’s favorite stop of the trip.  The weather was so pretty – brilliant sunshine on a gorgeous lake with a lovely cruise boat & informative guide!  Our guide pointed out the geology of Scotland – the lowlands give way to the highlands, a different tectonic plate with mountains called Munroes.   

We saw where episodes of Harry Potter were filmed and got a nice video of the steam train. So pretty! 

Joanne holds Isle of Sky Flag

The next day was misty and cloudy with intermittent rain.  That seemed to the the weather pattern here.  A rain jacket, hood or hat was the order of the day.  As we entered into the highlands, we motored to the ferry boat crossing to the Isle of Skye.  We snapped some pictures while we crossed the windswept Sound of Sleat via ferry boat.  Our guide related that Skye is now a popular destination with hotel rentals exceeding 350 pounds a night.  We cruised around taking in the lovely scenery through the raindrops, stopping for ‘Cullen skink’, a delicious cream soup made with smoked haddock, leaks and onions. 

 Later we checked out Eilean Donan Castle and had a close encounter with a ‘coo’, Scottish Highland cow.  We stayed in a nice hotel near Inverness.

The Amazing "COOS'

Our Scotland Travel Group of Marci, Kathi, Mindy, Mary, Richard, 
Lisa, Joanne and Nancy - Note: Castle in background!

The next day we set out to spot the legendary ‘Nessie’ at Loch Ness, although she remained elusive.  Despite this, the natural scenery was so pretty.  

Another Nessie Sighting

Another Castle Ruins Along the Road

Inveraray Castle

We then traveled to Urquhart Castle, where we watched an informative video about its storied past and met a Scotsman clad in his traditional kilt.  

After lunch in the busy city of Inverness, we visited Elgin, where we learned about the cathedral’s history of misfortune.  It was then time to head off for our hotel outside the city of Aberdeen.

After a short coach ride looking at the slate buildings of Aberdeen, we were off again.  An ancient Scottish saying, “Enough blue skies to make a pair of sailor’s trousers,” proved accurate with sunny weather at Dunnottar castle and St. Andrews, the home of golf. The beach adjacent to the course hosted the ‘Chariots Beach Race,’ a fun event paying tribute to the film “Chariots of Fire.” The little children receiving the applause of the crowd at the Finish Line was so fun to watch.  Sadly, our trip was almost over.

Dunnottar Castle

St Andrew's golfers and Us at the Chariots Beach Race nearby

We wrapped up our Scotland tour in Edinburgh with a visit to the castle and lunch at the Elephant House, the super famous café where JK Rowlings supposedly penned some of her early Harry Potter books or possibly just ate scones, who knows!  In the evening we took a walking tour called ‘Edinburgh Ghost Tour: Mysteries, Legends and Murders’.  We sadly said goodbye to our travel companions.

Edinburgh Castle

Paris, France with daughter Michele

We took an Easy Jet flight south to Paris the next morning.  We met Michele at our hotel and set off to see the recently refurbished Notre Dame post fire.  Paris remains a breathtakingly beautiful city, even after years since our last visit.  We rented head phone tour guides and took our time looking at everything.  I really enjoyed the new “Crown of Thorns” sculpture behind the main altar – it is a round gold modern circle that is breathtaking.  We then took a scenic Seine River boat ride and Michele treated us for dinner at one of her favorite places.  The next night we dined at Les Invisibles, a recommendation from our friend, Marci.  The time flew.  Michele departed and we had one more day.  We took the metro to Paris’ Musee d’Orsay and had a very nice time looking at the spectacular Monet art and famous sculptures.  It was time to return home to our temporary condo, courtesy of our Friendship Force friends, Bev and Dennis.  We have to find a home in the Sacramento, CA area and relocate.  We are trusting the Holy Spirit will help us find the place we are meant to live.