‘’Helga darling, I tried to commit suicide again , I jumped off a bridge and broke both my ankles, I’m just so depressed I may never be able to wear my Manolo Blahniks again’’
In disbelief at Helga the owner of the legendary artists haven ‘’Helgas Folly Hotel’’ in Sri Lanka she was talking about a telephone conversation with her late daughter in law Fashion Icon and magazine editor Isabella Blow after one of her 7 suicide attempts. She had suffered from Bi Polar disorder and tragically finally succeeded in ending her life after swallowing poison at the age of 48.
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| The Effusive Madame Helga. |
The hotel is a fading majestic butterfly and her old dalmation with his dull greying coat and wracked with arthritis once sleek, proud and beautiful is a living metaphor for the bizarre retreat in Kandy’s hills. Yes, there are cobwebs, and yes it is over-priced and yes the decor is decaying but the essence of Helgas Folly. Referred to by Helga as ‘’she’’ and ‘’her’’ still very much remains, and that for me is why it was worth every penny. The building itself is a labyrinth of different emotions from inside the owners mind. Helga explained when she was going through her first divorce she went ‘’slightly mad’’ and began painting in a crazed frenzy as therapy, the result is an eccentric Alice in Wonderland on LSD effect.
There are 100’s of monkeys that hang out in the trees next to the hotel and quite often run into the buildingnd try and steal your breakfast as the old school butler style waiters run around flapping teacloths to get rid of them. I called this one Boris Johnson due to his hairstyle.
Rick Politz was born in the East End of London, England where he carved out a career in television and media. A former television cameraman, studio director and ultimately producer Rick worked across various television formats for companies such as ITV, Channel 4, 5IVE, Virgin Media and SKY. The highlight of his young career coming in 2008 when he assumed the role of Assistant Director for the cult UK feature film City Rats. In August 2010 Rick married his fiancée, television presenter Sara Damergi, and took a position in her ever-expanding online web empire. They now travel the world together completely location independent writing about their adventures overseas. Rick is a keen amateur photographer and an avid snowboarder.
Sara Damergi is a TV presenter, entrepreneur and globetrotter. TV clients include, MTV ,5IVE, Bravo, Sky and Channel 4. Sara also presented international extreme sports show, ''The Crunch'' filmed across China which was a prime-time success worldwide. Sara is of Lebanese and English descent and has always had a passion for new cultures and travel having lived in Beirut, Cyprus, London and in her clubbing heyday Ibiza, she is now indefinitely travelling the world funded from her internet businesses and blogging about it with her husband What Politz and Damage Did Next.
Sara Damergi is a TV presenter, entrepreneur and globetrotter. TV clients include, MTV ,5IVE, Bravo, Sky and Channel 4. Sara also presented international extreme sports show, ''The Crunch'' filmed across China which was a prime-time success worldwide. Sara is of Lebanese and English descent and has always had a passion for new cultures and travel having lived in Beirut, Cyprus, London and in her clubbing heyday Ibiza, she is now indefinitely travelling the world funded from her internet businesses and blogging about it with her husband What Politz and Damage Did Next.
Love your story..Thank you for sharing it. Take care you both, and hope to see you here again..Keep in touch..All the very best..All on the hill.