Here a few shots from around the Lighthouse Hotel (a Geoffrey Bawa designed hotel) which is just 10 minutes or so from Galle. I took them while Brenda and I were on a reconaisance mission assessing nice hotels close to Colombo that Mark and I might want to stay at. The Lighthouse is definitely one I wish to return to!
One afternoon when Brenda and I were staying at the Lighthouse Hotel, I decided to hire a driver and scoot about Galle to take photographs. I thoroughly enjoyed myself! The driver was great – he not only went where I wanted to but also suggested a few places that were perfectly visually appealing (not your typical gem or souvenir shops!).
Here are a few samples from that afternoon:
Brenda and I went down to Hiccaduwa on another one of our ‘crazy woman weekends’ last fall. Across from our hotel was a private school. I met the owner who walked me around the premises and allowed me to take photos. He explained that after the Tsunami, his school was lucky enough to receive some sponsorship
He explained how the tsunami washed across the road and right into the class rooms – there were visible signs of structural damage but he explained things were pretty much back to normal.
Now that’s quite a switch – This vendor was selling utility bags that had a “Made In Canada” stamp on it. The bags were made of a strong woven plastic that came from Alberta (from what I could tell) and cost about 40 cents Canadian (40 Rupees).
We drove the short distance from the Street Pola to the Fish Market which we were told would be quiet because it was Sunday. Once there, we saw fish drying EVERYWHERE! across the wide expanse of beach. Mike wasn’t satisfied to just view from the van so he asked if we could go and check it out – next thing we know we’re shuffling through the sand, nothing but the stench of fish filling the air. We also received a warning to watch where we walk because the fishermen do not have washrooms (get my drift?…!!).
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We found out that it takes about 2 days for the fish to dry and then it is sold right from the beach. Desima said the Fish Market is usually a crazy place – packed with people buying and vendors yelling out the prices for their catch. When we passed through There were a few stalls selling a meagre catch – I found it quite serene and civil.
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One vendor had some fun with Mike, suggesting he not be such a wimp by holding up dead fish and squid… be a real man and hold up a CRAB!!…or so she seemed to be saying in her native tongue. Of course, it snapped him!!
The Negombo Sunday Pola was loud, crowded, fragrant, HOT!, colourful, a cultural experience… I loved it!!
This guy was selling fresh fruit drinks (from what I could tell). He was quite the showman – a crowd pleaser, I believe, by the number of people standing around watching him. He wanted me to pay him for his picture but I don’t like to get into that kind of thing. Unfortunately, I don’t think my immmune system could survive a drink from him either.
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Here’s a 1 minute video from my digital-still camera to help you get a better idea of the Pola:
On Sunday March 4th, we got a special treat of a trip to Negombo with Desima. Being her ancestoral home, we were able to visit Desima’s old homestead which included her second house that was changed into a two-level dwelling in miraculous style. We also met her in-laws, long-time Negombo friends and had lunch at Brown’s Beach Hotel where my mother and I had stayed briefly before heading to Kandalama on a trip 4 years ago.
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Mark was still sick with a cold so he opted out but Mike came and seemed to really enjoy himself.
Negombo is only 30 kilometres or so from the centre of the city. With all the traffic these days, Desima said it sometimes takes two hours to get there. On Sunday, with the roads relatively clear, it took us about an hour of stop and go travelling.
On the way, Mike was entertaining us with elephant trivia and stories when we came up beside this….
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Mike took these shots – He was in the front of the van so only he had access to a window that opened.
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Desima pretty much had the day planned out for interesting things to see – I love visiting a place with a local since you definitely see a different side. She was happy to inform me that every Sunday there is a Pola – I had earlier said that I love to go to markets…so a Pola (something akin to a flea-market) was going to be great by me!
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When we went to Kandy for the Perahera Festival, we had dinner at the Queen’s Hotel (this is also the location where we viewed the parade). The buffet was great and so were the sculptures of the food:
Although I prefer to take the train to Kandy, taking the road has its advantages. On our way to PeraHera, we dropped into two villages but passed by many others such as, Cashew Village, Fruit Village with Rambuttans, Leather Village, and Plastic Blow-Up Toy Village. Now, you may think that I’m making this up, but I think there’s some kind of Economic Development Co-operative-thing happening on the Road to Kandy and therefore, the villages have ’specialized’ and co-operated in not competing with each other’s special market areas. Well, at least that’s my take on it, anyway.
Here are some pics from Wicker Village:
My friend, Brenda says that the above items are very durable and practical… a great gift – Can you tell what they are and how they are made?
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Although Wicker is light, it is also bulky and therefore doesn’t make the best plane cargo…we ended up not buying anything at Wicker Village. However, if I go back, I think I will take a second look at the salad spoon and fork made out of the same material as the third photo from the top. Feel free to put your orders in!
I’m not sure if the last two pics can be classified as ‘musicians’… 
A week before Mark and I headed back to Canada for our holidays during the summer we made it up to Kandy to see the Pera Hera Festival. Here is how one website describes the festival:
Festival of the August Moon or the Kandy Esala Perahera
For ten successive nights ending on the full moon day of the month of Esala (July/August) a spectacular procession with hundreds of gaily caparisoned elephants, Kandyan dancers, drummers, trumpeters, whip crackers, torch bearers with all the pomp and glory of the past parade the streets of Kandy. On the back of a majestic tusker the sacred relic casket is carried in procession. Kandyan chieftains led by the lay custodian of the Temple dressed in their traditional ceremonial attire participate in the procession.
It was everything described above and more…what I think I liked best was that the festival was not part of a tourism ploy, but rather just a part of the regular calendar of events for Kandy people – the fact that the parade we saw, on Day 7 of the Festival, was almost 3 hours long, supports this idea!
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On my train trip back to Colombo from Kandy two weeks ago, the train stopped for 45 minutes on the top of a mountain because another train coming up the the single track was stalled and needed to be ‘boosted’ by another locomotive.
While we waited for the track to be cleared, a few people appeared out nowhere and started selling the trapped train passengers various sundries including bananas – it all seemed a bit make-believe with these people popping out of the bushes along the track.
But not only did we have visitors from the nearest village, the local wildlife came visiting too. My camera doesn’t have a good telephoto so these pictures are a little blurry but I really wanted to share the iridescent colours of this bird.
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A little research here told me it was a white-breasted kingfisher. Can you believe the turquoise?!!
I’ve also seen this kingfisher flying around the canal that drains into the ocean near our hotel. Reading about the whitebreasted kingfisher here, suggests that the bird does not only eat fish – “This species mainly hunts large insects, rodents, snakes, fish and frogs.” …finding the bird so far up a mountain seems to support this theory!
I received this set of photos in my email from a Sri Lankan friend. Anand operates a foundation called “Gods Own Children” which runs a school in Jaffna for children with special needs.
One of his staff members came across these two snakes up in Jaffna…I think the shots are self-explanatory….
Guest Photographer: “Anand’s Staff Member”
