I'm not lost- I'm on an adventure!: Spring Break- Sri Lanka

I wasn't planning on traveling for spring break this year. I wanted to save money and take the time to get stuff done around here. I had been so busy that an actual break sounded like a good idea. BUT my friend was going to Sri Lanka, and flights to Sri Lanka are pretty cheap from here. She said we would just hang out on the beach.... so I booked a flight for just a few days, 4-5 days.
Then sadly my friend had a family emergency and had to go back to the US over spring break instead. I posted a plea on Facebook to see if any other friends wanted to join me. Luckily my friend Amanda, who works in South Korea, had time off at the same time and decided to join me for part of the trip.
It was HOT there already. I'm talking too hot to really enjoy hanging out on the beach. I actually burned the bottom of my feet when I forgot to put my flip flops on to walk across the sand. I would go out and read on a beach chair in the morning until it was too hot and then I would go into my room with AC until the most intense part of the day passed. I read three books. Lots of reading and chilling.
There is SO MUCH to see in Sri Lanka, but I didn't want to run all over the country so we basically just chilled at Hikkaduwa, which is on the Southern part of the island. We did one day of touring around but that's it. For the tour we went to the Tsunami Museum, a moonstone mine, a place where they carve traditional wooden masks, a spice garden, a sea turtle sanctuary, and a fort. It was a pretty full day.
Sri Lanka- another country that I need to go back to because I didn't even come close to seeing all the major sites there.

I don't have tons of pics of the beach, but this is where I spent most of my time.
This is right when I arrived- grilled cheese on the beach.

These water can torches came in handy (and my iPhone flashlight) when the power went out and I had to walk back to the hotel.

just a view of the main road from where I had lunch one day

WARNING- not appropriate for younger audiences.
Side note- I need to take up diving.

This was the railway guard for when the trains went by.

That red tarp is what was used for shelter for years after the tsunami.

so sad!

This was cinnamon leaves he was burning. It smelled awesome!

Moonstones!

They climb down that tight, small, mine shaft...

bring up a glob of dirt....

rinse it off...

find moonstone.

They cut it.

sort it.

They have to polish it.

fit it for jewelry

pretty!

(cinnamon sticks and oil also sold here)

hand painting wooden masks

the entrance to the spice garden

crazy cool tree that was taking over the whole place

There are turtle eggs under this sand

This poor gal had swallowed a plastic bag that kept air in her tummy which made it impossible for her to dive. It was so sad! Too much trash in the oceans!!

"Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards." thanks Wikipedia.