Unawatuna and Galle
In the past year, my friends and I have
been heading down to Galle often because it now only takes an hour thanks to
the Southern Expressway which opened up in November last year. The decision to
go is usually a last minute one made on a late Saturday night with a little
extra push that comes from being in our ‘happy place’!
So as the sun rises the next day, our beach
bags, packed with the essentials [Frisbee, shorts and a towel!] are thrown into
the boot of the car and our extremely essential food bag full of crisps, cheese
rings, peanuts, chocolate fingers and whatever else that catches our eye at the
supermarket, is placed carefully in the best accessible-to-everyone spot inside
the car, as we set off usually by around 10.30.
Although the highway is a quick and easy
drive down to Galle, I do miss the scenic route we used to take along the coast
where we would stop every now and again to have some thambili [king coconut water] and enjoy the view. We now also miss
out on the delicious mangosteens that are sold in Kalutara, the masks and wood
carvings that Ambalangoda is famous for and the turtle hatcheries in Hikkaduwa.
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| The quick route |
We pass Galle and head straight to Unawatuna,
down the Wella Devalay Road, where the sea is the best. Although there isn’t
much beach area in Unawatuna anymore, the sea [especially between November and
April] is that gorgeous blue that you tend to only see on postcards. All along
the beach there are lots of different restaurants and bars serving amazingly
refreshing drinks and everything from club sandwiches and fries to Rice and
curry. We go to our usual spot, which is almost at the centre of the bay and
find a table. If you’ve read my other entries on this blog, you know that I
love the sea and won’t waste much time before I run in…! After a nice long dip
in the sea, we relax with some drinks in the shade, order some lunch and then
either play with the Frisbee, go for a walk or go back in the sea until the
food arrives…!
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| A walk along the beach |
As the light starts to fade, we get changed
and grab a quick cheese roti [because, according to the menu, “a roti a day
keeps the doctor away”!!!] before we make our way to the Galle Fort.
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| Nuff Said...! |
Entering the Galle Fort is like walking
into a place where time has stood still. It’s a completely different world
inside, where the architecture is heavily colonial. The combination of the cobbled
streets, the buildings with arches and verandas, the cosy coffee shops, the
antique stores, the old churches and even the street names inside the Fort are a
striking contrast to the world outside. Its charm is enough to make even an
uninterested teenager look up from their mobile phone or portable gaming device
and be captivated.
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| A whole different world...! |
The Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
was initially built by the Portuguese in 1524 but it was seized by the VOC [the
‘Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie’, better known as the ‘Dutch East India
Company’] in 1640 when they attacked from the sea side. The VOC then developed
the fort by building bigger stone walls not only on the land side but on the
sea side as well. These ramparts are twenty meters high and seventeen meters
thick and they go on for 3 kilometres around the perimeter of the Fort. This
ensured that the citadel was never taken by force again. The VOC then handed
over control to the British in 1798 when Sri Lanka fell under the British Rule.
The main gate is one of the additions to the Fort by the British who were more
interested in trade and tourism than in improving the defences.
There are many land mark buildings inside
the Fort, bearing evidence of the successive rules the Fort has been under. The
Dutch built Courthouse cornering the Court Square, surrounded by large mara and banyan trees is still in
operation today along with the Lighthouse and the Clock Tower which were
erected by the British during their rule. Other interesting attractions inside
the Galle Fort include the Meera Jumma Mosque and the Dutch Reformed Church.
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| The lighthouse built by the British |
As I Walk through the streets in the Galle
Fort I am always completely mesmerised by the buildings, the architecture and
the thought of so many different cultures and ethnicities developing,
converging and clashing over decades.
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| A great place to wander around and stop for a chat! |
We make it in time to the ramparts to watch
the sun setting on the horizon. It is amazing how a colourful setting sun can
silence a large noisy bunch like us. We then head to Pedlar’s Inn for some
milkshakes and iced coffee before we head back home. A perfect way to end a
perfect day.
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| Watching the sunset in silence |
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| Peddler's Inn for a quick iced coffee |
