'There' and back again

Aside from the title, this blog post doesn’t have much to do with the hobbits tale written by Bilbo Baggins! Instead, it’s about a very relaxing trip to a bungalow hidden away in Dehiowita. The bungalow named ‘There’ is about an hour and a half away from Colombo and about fifteen minutes from the town of Awissawella.

Pardon my references to The Lord of the Rings, but now as I think back… ‘There’ reminds me a little of Rivendell, the home of the elves that is surrounded by rivers, because of the river and the stream that surrounds it.

 

A painting of Rivendell (thanks to FineArt America)on the left and my attempt to draw a map that shows how the rivers flow around the bungalow on the right.

 

 

The road from Colombo to Dehiowita was good but it was the last bit from Dehiowita to the bungalow that gave us a hard time. It is a possibility for a van or a four wheel drive, but not even an option for a car. We did however manage to get a car up there albeit at a very slow pace by getting out of the vehicle to lighten the load at the difficult points. The bottom of the vehicle got slightly banged up a few times but the car soldiered on and made it to the bungalow in the end. When I was talking to David, the owner of this lovely property, about the road access… He said that he was looking to only fix the bigger potholes on the road instead of paving the entire stretch to deter any other traffic and vehicles that might come that way. He wanted to keep the area peaceful.

I noticed a change in the air the second I stepped out of the vehicle… It was cool, fresh and crisp and we were welcomed with some Kola Kenda, a warm and inviting herbal Sri Lankan porridge. The second thing I noticed was that there was no cell phone reception anywhere. I walked all around the house and the gardens in panic searching for at least one bar of reception but found nothing. After the initial shock of realising I would be offline for two whole days wore off… I started to enjoy the bungalow and its surroundings a lot more. The house is surrounded by lush greenery and the rivers and all you can hear are birds chirping and the peaceful sound of the river rushing past.

The front garden

 

A warm jug of Kola Kenda

 

The flowers that brighten up the garden

My cousin looking for cell phone reception!

Features of the bungalow's facade

The resident stray that paid us a visit!

 

The river

From the veranda

 

The master bedroom, although I would rather sleep out in the veranda!

By afternoon, I was actually happy about being offline and out of cell phone range. It was great to just switch off and take a dip in the stream [because the river was too rough] or play some games with my family. The gardens were full of flowers and big colourful butterflies [the kind you would never see in the city]. Another interesting feature about the bungalow is that the greens used to make the kola kenda, the fruits used to make the fresh juices and the vegetables they cooked for our meals were all grown in their garden. 

The very clear water in the stream

Best seat there was...!

Some mushrooms I found walking back up to the house

The steps from the stream up to the house

The collection of indoor games they had there...!

You find so many pretty things while walking around the gardens....

The fresh juice we were offered and the fruit it was made out of

 

The delicious lunch...

Enjoying the view...

This is an ideal place for someone who wants to just switch off from the city life and enjoy some fresh air. It is also the place the inspired me to create a concept holiday in Sri Lanka that is solely focussed on bathing spots. More on that later! Until then, Live. Love. Travel. 

Fort Food

An honest review of the food and the places to eat in the Galle Fort by someone who loves to eat!

Ask any Sri Lankan and they’d tell you that a Galle Bath Curry [rice and curry from Galle] is the best you could find in the country. Rice, a fish curry and jaadi [pickled fish] or karawala [dried maldive fish] are the essentials of a typical meal in the South Coast.

This post however isn’t about rice and curry, instead it is about the delicious food that I have stumbled upon while wandering around the Galle Fort. Let me first start with the smaller vendors…

You will always find raw mangoes available with a mouth-watering mixture of chillie powder, salt and pepper sprinkled on it to give that bitter-sweet spicy flavour that Sri Lankan’s love. Getting the perfect ratio of chilli powder, salt and pepper has come down to an art form mastered only by these vendors. The same mixture is sprinkled onto pineapple by the pineapple vendors at the Fort. There are also kadala karayas [vendors who sell boiled chickpeas mixed with pieces of coconut and dried chilli] and men that sell Bombai Muttai, which is something similar to candy floss.

Moving on to the bigger cafes and restaurants, Pedlar’s Inn Café is one of my favourites. It has a very historic  vibe inside with lots of wooden carvings and other old ornaments as well as art on the walls that are seen only with a black light… A refreshing twist to their vintage setting. Try their coffee milk shake which is absolutely energising, especially on a hot day.

The vintage interior

The historic look inside Pedlar's Inn

There’s also Indian hut, which is famous for its tandoori chicken and [surprisingly] its Chinese food (!), Wok on the Wild Side which ironically serves rice and curry instead of Chinese(!), Anura’s where everyone goes for the best pizza in Galle and the Nescafe shop, which is famed for its Roti!! Clearly, when it comes to the food at the Galle Fort, you can expect the unexpected!

Indian Hut: Serves Indian as well as Chinese!

Good Advice!

 

My absolute must-eat-before-I-leave-the-fort food is some homemade Ice Cream. There’s a tiny pink and blue shop on Church Street that sells various interesting flavours of Ice Cream such as Magic Mango and Banana, as well as juices, milkshakes and coffees. Dairy King is a small but delightful place with the friendliest owner named Tariq, who’s sure to recommend something great depending on what you like.

The Facade of Dairy King

Tariq - The friendliest owner...!

Spending a day soaking in the sights, sounds and flavours of the fort is enough to leave anyone stuffed to the brim with food and culture. If you are planning to explore the Fort, you should definitely try as many of the places I’ve mentioned above as you can while you are there, and if you aren’t able to, then at least taste Tariq’s Ice Cream!

10 things you should know before coming to Sri Lanka

While searching for tips that are available to travellers planning to come to Sri Lanka, I found that there was not much good advice offered. Which is why, this month, my post features 10 things that travellers should know before coming to Sri Lanka.

1) You need to get a Visa

Since January 2012 all tourists are required to obtain a Visa to enter Sri Lanka. You can apply online through the Sri Lankan Electronic Travel Authorization website - http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ .  A tourist Visa for double entry valid for 30 days costs US$ 30.00 for adults and is free for children under 12. You could get the Visa on arrival at the airport, but I recommend that you get it before you arrive because it saves time and is more convenient.

2) Packing Essentials

It’s important that you pack light for your holiday, especially if you are going on a tour with your family. Spending half an hour trying to stuff five cases into a car every time you travel from one destination to another is a huge waste of time and effort. If you are exploring Sri Lanka, you are likely to visit many religious places, so it is important to pack a modest outfit like jeans, light coloured pants or a knee length skirt with a light coloured top, tshirt or shirt with sleeves. Other things that you should pack are flip flops, a hat or cap, sun glasses and a light jacket if you are staying in the hill country which can get chilly in the evenings.

3) Medicine: Talk to your physician

Although I believe it isn’t necessary, most doctors recommend taking Malaria tablets if you are travelling to the North of the country. You should meet with your physician and get advice on what medicine is best for you in the event of allergies etc.

4) Insect Repellent

Sri Lanka is a tropical country and we are home to lots of insects such as mosquitoes. Consider bringing a good brand of insect repellent to avoid getting annoyed by them.

5) Chargers

The plug points in Sri Lanka are most often three round pins or three square pins and electricity is at 230 volts at 50 Hertz. If your devices need charging and it doesn't support this power voltage, you should bring an adapter along with you to protect it.

6) It’s hotter than you think!

Everyone knows that Sri Lanka is a warm country all year round. However, most of the time, it’s hotter than you think. It’s important to not only bring the sunblock, but to actually use it and remember to stay hydrated. Whether you are going to climb Sigiriya Rock or for a short walk down the street, you should always carry a bottle of water with you. It is also very humid in Sri Lanka, so consider packing a good hair conditioner to avoid having frizzy hair throughout your holiday!

7) Don’t get ripped off…

Some shop owners, vendors and tuk-tuk drivers look to make some quick money and tourists are an easy target for them. Don’t give in if they charge you extortionate prices and don’t let them guilt you into giving them a bigger tip than they deserve. Find out how much a ride is to your destination before you get into the tuk tuk, or better yet, get a metered one so you know you won’t be paying extra and always bargain with vendors who don’t have a fixed price list…!

8) Road Rules

Try not to get freaked out by the traffic and the chaotic way people drive here. You will get used to after a few days on the road. Many people have asked me about driving a rental around Sri Lanka on their holiday. I always advise them against it unless they are used to the way Sri Lankan’s drive because it isn’t the safest thing to take on.

9) Food

I believe that to fully experience a country, you need to fully experience its food. You should try as many types of dishes possible and experience the wide range of fruits and vegetables that Sri Lankan has to offer without thinking about the calories. A few must try food items are string hoppers, hoppers, koththu roti, Ceylon tea, tin-kiri te [tea made with condensed milk] and [obviously] rice and curry.

10) Experience

There is so much more to Sri Lanka than just the pristine beaches, ruins and tea estates. You must witness the Sri Lankan culture and experience everything from the wildlife that we are so proud of to the rivers that flow from the hill country. Sri Lanka has so much undiscovered potential and I believe you should stray off the beaten track and discover it first-hand.

I hope you found this post useful. I will leave you with Andrew Zimmerman words; “Please be a traveller, not a tourist. Try new things. Meet new people, and look beyond what’s right in front of you. Those are the keys to understanding the amazing world we live in”. 

My kind of Sunday

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.

 

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…! 

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.

  

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

Watching the sunset in silence

  

Peddler's Inn for a quick iced coffee