Today our first cycling was mostly along mangrove area. Swampy without many people and mostly straight roads. A slight headwind made for slightly tougher morning. Given the 130km full distance, I decided to stop at lunch.

We start the day off with breakfast

Swampy areas near the hotel. A big contrast in hotels – last night was a more secluded and quite nice hotel along the mangroves. Bird watchers would love it. Today a nice hotel near the middle of Jaffna with shops and other places nearby

Looking back at Mannar. Mosque on the left

Start of a long flat, straight road, initially concrete.

Church along the way

Temple along the way

I missed the listed coke stop at 46km but this was a nice alternative another 6km later

The road was quiet enough one could herd your cows along it. At other spots it became one lane because the other was taken by drying grains

Lunch stop. If there had been 35km left, I think I would have just gone for it, but heat and some headwinds had me be cautious this afternoon

The next photos in Jaffna – an elaborate library

The food court

Entrance to the old Dutch fort

Roundabout statue. Apparently Jaffna has a little less than 100,000 residents. We seem to be in the middle and close to many shops.