my 2014 trip through Sri Lanka

posting nr.1= flying to Colombo with Qatar Airways..(2014))

I always wanted to visit Sri Lanka as a country...it made me think of tea,rice paddy fields,sunny weather,Buddhism,tropical vegetation etc..so on a nice March day in 2014 i set off towards Brussels airport and stayed the night before my departure in the excellent youth hostel around Leuven central station...my flight was booked with Qatar airways via Doha(Qatar)for entering Sri Lanka I needed an entry form which my travel agent arranged for me...i was not expecting too much trouble in Colombo anyway..i usually am well ahead in time for my flights,so this time it was no different,Brussels airport was very busy,checked my luggage in and went through the customs and security check up without any problems at all..the dreamliner plane from Qatar airways is really the best plane i ever set foot in..very spacious,comfortable,movies,music,headphones..very relaxed seat and very friendly staff..
i noticed that in Qatar airlines not one airhostess will be Qatarese,they are from all over the world really...i got a seat not to far from the toilets,it was a window seat which is allright but sometimes a disadvantage for going to the loo..to give you all an idea of this Dreamliner Airbus==watch this video... Your text to link here... nice flight to Hamad international airport in Doha,i must say the staff is extremely friendly and helpfull,this makes flying towards your destination a pleasure,unless you got fear of flying(ahah)in Doha i had a transfer from a couple of hours and usually it's no problem at all finding the right gate etc..i did have a Stella Artois which i payed in dollars but they gave me back the change in Qatari reals(ah)to give you all any idea of landing in Doha and being in transit==look at this you tube.. Your text to link here... it's no problem at all to find the gate one needs for a connecting flight,i did like this airport a lot which only just had opened in 2014 by the way,everything is well indicated in English and the place is spic and span regarding cleanliness...marble floors etc..i had no problem boarding the plane towards Colombo,not too much hassle going through security since i was in transit mode...the plane towards Colombo was not as comfortable as the dreamliner but the 8h flight went O.K..finally i landed in Colombo international airport which is in Negombo==known as Bandanaraike airport..

posting nr.2==landing in Negombo+transport to Mount Lavina..

as in every airport one goes through the same things,walking to the bagage claim,going through the customs,just following the flow towards finally reaching the exit and say...wooh..i made it to Sri Lankan soil..the custom check was a piece of cake..i gave the officer my entry form,he smiled...and he said==welcome to Sri Lanka,Sir..my intinerary for the first few days was just exploring Colombo...i booked a hotel online in Mount Lavinia because it's out of the hustle and bustle of downtown Colombo which can be hectic,believe me..first i needed transport from the airport...so i took a cab..nice young Sri Lanka dude who liked music =R and B,rap etc..they all have a dream coming to Europe or the USA=why is that?money game perhaps,i bet?the airport was 22 miles from Colombo town and Mt.Lavinia was even bit further..the weather was hot and sticky,nice drive... i reached my hotel=Ivory Inn on De Saram Road,the cab could not even find the adress at first(ahah)great place,run by youngsters to my surprise...very friendly,nice room with a mosquito net over the bed..i do not remember exactly what i paid,but it was reasonable..breakfast available...i did like this hotel in a quiet street,no fuzz,no traffic noise..I love places like that...i must say i was gladly surprised...i booked few nights,first day you get to know the staff etc,..the other guests etc..there were some folks from the Maldives staying there=they turned out to be smartphone freaks typing messages or seeing you tubes the whole day...nice hotel i must say...I liked it...i refreshed myself a bit=one is always bit tired from the long flight,the time difference....i went to see the famous sandy beach in Mt.Lavinia...there's a very famous luxury hotel which i certainly never can afford regarding price category==the Mount Lavinia hotel built in colonial style...i was told lots of posh wedding parties go on there...just a link if you won the lotto? Your text to link here... you know?all that glitter is not a must for me..i could enjoy a glass of simple red or white wine(or a cocktail)with the one i love on that beach...i would feel happy inside as well..so...my afternoon stroll towards sandy beach=nice..but empty..but it's a nice sandy beach as i would like a beach anyway..on the way back to the hotel on the same lane i discovered a little eaterie which served simple but good food based on a rice curry etc..very cheap prices..2 litlte tables in the garden,just privacy again which i think was nice..the owner told me about Sri Lankan people=he said he ran a small bed and breakfast on even cheaper price then the hotel where i stayed...he said only for foreigners,because if Sri Lankan young couples come to his place they only see it as a rendez vous for an exciting night,if you know what i mean..and he told me the government would come down on that issue...and fine him..(ahah)the food at that little place was excellent=enough,tasty and not too spicy...i walked back to the hotel,had a drink,talked to the Maldivians and went to bed in a mosquito net bed...that does not every night in life,is it?lucky me...

posting nr.3==first impression of Colombo

I did have a nice and comfortable sleep,not too much noise from the street etc...i took a shower==the water supply was so so,but it was O.K..breakfast==toast/fried eggs..had to pay for it since breakfast was not included...i changed euro's to Sri Lanka roepies in the airport==the rate=let's say 200 roepies=1 euro..i ordered a rickshaw towards Colombo city center==a long ride on Galle Road=Mount Lavina is south from the city center..nice old fellow rickshaw driver...i asked him to drop me at the Fort railways station because i wanted to book ahead my railway ticket towards Kandy...i managed to book a seat for 2 days later...to be honest i did not like the hustle/busle of Colombo too much,street hawkers bothering tourists,the area of the Pettah looks like a wirwar of small streets full with little shops=fascinating..each street specialises in certain goods==Front street is full of bags,suitcases,shoes etc..while a bit further on electrical stuff,colourful clothes etc..very busy streets with crazy traffic running through it..Pettah is mainly a Tamil or Muslim area..i wanted to buy postcards and stamps...i had to ask for a post office and finally i found one close to the railways station,one fellow approached me on the street and asked can i help you,Sir==my advice==beware for these kind of people giving themselves away as tourist guides etc...let me tell you what happened==he told me...i know a shop where we can buy nice postcards from Sri Lanka...he said=let's take a rickshaw...in my opinion but i cannot prove anything he played a scam with a rickshaw driver who was waiting up from the railwaystation..they drove me miles out of town to a govt emporium shop where indeed i could get postcards,we stopped at a Buddhist temple for a visit..the fellow was telling take some pics,you can trust me..i am an honest man etc...turned out he was not..they just drove around huge detours to get a high bill for the cab ride..i told at 1 point==stop...i will walk back to the railway station==the cab driver got bit mad and asked a very high price while the dude who lured me into all this also wanted money...i said fuck you and left but i knew i got rolled by paying an exaggerated rate..i had some food in a little restaurant near the station,found out a place where i could go online on internet..i believe it was at the YMCA,.internet connection was not too good,but i managed to do something...i decided to go back by local train towards Mount Lavina...ticket is damn cheap and i could avoid the crazy traffic in the afternoon...nice walk from the railway station at Mt.Lavinia towards Galle Road and my hotel which was located at a side street from Galle Road...inbetween i bought bananas from a street hawker,visited a Buddhist temple on the way etc....reached the hotel..had a beer,talked to the guests,went for a rice curry nearby...Colombo weather was extremely hot...luckily air conditioned room,a fan,a mosquito net etc...

posting nr.4==strolling through Colombo town..

Since it was my last day in Colombo i decided to just go strolling through Colombo town,the bazar which Pettah seems to be and really is,the area around the main bus and railway station etc..i took a rickshaw from the hotel again==the same old rickshaw driver,his English was limited but on the way rickshaw drivers try to point out important things like landmarks==the clocktower,a museum etc...i took a tea and a light snack in one of the numerous snackbar type little eateries aroud the Fort railway station,i went into the railway station to find out about my train to Kandy next day..my reservation was booked,i got a seat..so nothing to worry about..one local asked me what my itinerary was in Sri Lanka==it seems to me they all got a friend in Galle,Ella or where ever who runs a hostel or a place for tourists to stay..they are called touts and Colombo is full of these guys=beware of these people==they only are friendly and helpfull because they are very much interested in the roepies or dollars in your pockets=so don't give in too tourist info advice,a free tea,a tour around the city,charity collectors,commission scams from hotels,guesthouses etc..these folks are extremely clever and cheeky...try to turn a blind eye and ignore them,not always easy..but anyway...so i went to the post office to drop few postcards,then took a look at the city main bus terminal,went too Pettah to look at the vibrant streetlife,shopkeepers,market displays on the road,i stopped at a Buddhist temple and had a nice talk with an older wise gentleman about Sri Lanka,i went into an Indian temple as well,usually very colourful,bit mystical ..the Pettah area is mainly Indian Tamil/Muslim oriented,i felt thirsty and wanted a cool beer,one of these touts took me around towards the harbour into a sinister place where locals were boozing on cheap beer,i ordered few beers,my companion was just out after money because he asked for a huge tip because he took me to that place,to be honest i did not feel very safe at that drinking pub with locals who seemed to be stupidly drunk...i managed to shake off my companion and went my own way back to town,not such a far walk anyway...it was late afternoon and hopped into a rickshaw and asked to drive me to Mount Lavinia via Galle road,we ended up in a giant traffic jam with crazy traffic..i had bit enough of the hustle/bustle of Colombo...i knew Kandy was going much much better,the rickshaw driver was the kind of driver who asked tourists=want to smoke weed,do you want a girl etc...not a very decent fellow but he did not ask me a very high price for the ride,but still i knew i payed too much==tourist always do in Sri Lanka..i went for food in the little Mt.Lavinia restaurant on De Saram Road==good food for a cheap rate,in the hotel i arranged a cab for next morning,had a nice chat with the guests and the staff which were all youngsters,one of them had a tattoo and admired my full sleeve==nice colours,he said...all by all i did like the nice stay in Mount Lavinia but did not like Colombo as such=too busy,noisy,hectic,too many tout scams..and very hot climate conditions..

a you tube on Colombo Your text to link here...

posting nr.5==a train trip Colombo Fort to Kandy...

So..next morning a tuktuk from the hotel towards the train station..a beautiful sunnny day,a good mood,a new adventure waiting...lots of travellers told me about these beautiful train rides which go through wild nature,exotic places,rice and tea fields..from a train window the world becomes a panorama..i was well in time before departure...i booked a reserved seat...so no problem...waited at the platform and bought some softdrinks for the trip..i was rather curious because this was my first long distance train trip....i got a nice seat in an observation car they say,it's comfortable and train fares in Sri Lanka are fairly cheap..i do not remember what i paid up to Kandy but it was O.K..this line goes through to Hatton,Nanu Oya,Ella....they call it the hill country line..the train ride itself was a good experience..nice tropical scenery..little villages,lovely vegetation and nature..it took 3 hours to Kandy for a 110kilometers distance..often the tracks went high upwards...i reached somewhere in the early afternoon in Kandy station...this was different then noisy Colombo..nice railway station,i took a cab to my hotel called Freedom Lodge on Saranankara Road,i did not know about the distance,in fact it was nor far from the railway station,but since i had no idea about directions and walking in a tropical heat did frighten me off...i got rolled by the cab driver of course who asked me a too high fare==let's say tourist prices(ahah)i was gonna stay 3 nights in the hotel..the owners are Muslim,very nice people..i got a good room on the second floor with a balcony street view,the lady told me==keep your room window closed when you go out==there have been cases that monkeys stole things out of the rooms..i refreshed myself a bit,talked to the owners,they serve breakfast as well,Sri Lanka or Western style...i went out and made a stroll throught the town center..lots of little shops lined up on the road which leads down towards the railway station..like in many towns there is a clocktower===i've seen these in Malaysia as well...good concentration point...it was hot in Kandy...tomorrow i was gonna visit the railway station to buy a ticket to Nuwara Elia and also spend a day around the lake and the temple of the Tooth....i did like Kandy town.. a you tube on the hill country line..... Your text to link here...

posting nr.6==Kandy

let me tell you all about my visit to the main tourist attractions in Kandy==the temple of the Tooth and Peradeniya botanical gardens...the setting of the Dalada Magiwa(=temple of the tooth)is very impressive around a lake..entrance fee is not cheap and they charge extra as well for taking photographs..the legend of this tooth dates back to the year 543 before Christ,and Buddha was cremated and one of his teeth was saved and later was brought from India into Sri Lanka,this tooth was kept in many places throughout India and Sri Lanka and finally arrived back in Kandy in 1592..nice temple with lots of crowds,school kids etc...the complex itself looks very interesting and it takes easily few hours to see everything..
Kandy is the place where the Perahera is held end of July,beginning August==a nightly procession with elephants,dancers,Kandy drummers etc..it lasts for couple of days..it's almost impossible to get a hotel unless you booked well in advance..i enjoyed my visit to this temple and took couple of hours in there...afterwards i enjoyed sitting by the lake and watch the surroundings,the people etc...i walked back to the railway station ad booked a train journey ticket towards Nanu Oya=the station which i neeed to travel upto Nuwara Eliya...I booked a hostel stay there for 2 nights...i did find a Muslim restaurant which served good curry/rice dishes..bit chillied according to my palate...but it was O.K...after my dinner i walked up to the main street which is called Dalada Vidaya and i found the Pub=a restaurant with a balcony view,ordered a few cocktail drinks and to my surprise met a French/British couple who stayed in the same hotel then me...nice streetlife view in the Pub..it went dark and i lost my way and had to ask a policeman the way to the hotel==i bet it was the cocktails(ahah)next day i wanted to visit the botanical gardens...
a link on the temple of the Tooth Your text to link here...

posting nr.7==botanical garden Peradeniya

Nice breakfast in the hotel..they served Sri Lanka breakfast but i didn't like the sight of it so switched last minute for fried eggs/tea/toast==delicious...i asked about a bus towards the botanical garden and it happened that the bus stop was few hundred meters away from where i was staying..the bus came..nice bus full with locals and i always enjoy bus rides anyway...Peradeniy is few miles out of Kandy town..to be precise 6kms...the bus stops near the garden entrance...got a ticket and started a long walk through these extensive gardens===to give you all any idea how it all looks this link=== Your text to link here... another you tube on these gardens== Your text to link here... although there are lots of trees etc...it can become a very hot tropical climate day,i saw locals with umbrellas against the sun,hats etc..i do not like hats==sunglasses and a good sunscreen cream factor 50 do it for me...i saw trees which in never saw in my life,plants and flowers as well,every botanical garden with a name has a rose garden and an orchid house,palm trees enough here==there is an avenue called double cocunut palm which is a row of high coco de mer palm trees==really impressive...i met a Sinhalese girl who wanted a picture with me...i will put it in my photograph list=she was a student in the Fiji islands,she said...nice local Kandy girl...i took my time in that garden,often stopping for a soft drink or a small snack...i took quite some photographs,the battery life in my Lumix camera has an short life,but i always take a spare battery along..
i took the bus back,went into my room,took food in the Muslim restaurant again and finished on the top terrace of the pub and had a gin cocktail...nice place to relax at that bar..tomorrow i was gonna visit an temple on the hill...with a giant Buddha statue overlooking Kandy town..

posting nr.8==a giant Buddha statue upon a hill in Kandy town

Breakfast at the hotel was as usually very tasty...i love fried eggs/toast(ahah)i heard a lot about a Budhha on hilltop..it's a very steep climb+++i did take a rickshaw for it, because of the heat,but on the way back down i decided to walk it,point is to drink lots of fluid in hot weather...so i stocked myself with some soft drinks..the name is called Bahiravakananda Vihare...steep road if one has to walk it in the hot sun..one has to pay an entrance fee,keeping for your shoes etc...I spent 2 hours on that hill and enjoyed the views,the giant Buddha,and anything on dissplay like books,leaflets,small shrines etc..i thoroughly enjoyed it,it's a quiet place with no touts harassing you to buy this or to do that..a you tube about this giant Buddha statue... Your text to link here... i did enjoy that giant Buddha place=the views over Kandy were stunningly amazing...i decided to walk down that hill==much easier then going up(ahah)i really did like the (hot)food in the Muslim resto..i went back there and had a nan/curry/lamb meal...loveley..but bit strong for a Western palate..next morning it was gonna be goodbye Kandy..i was taking a train direction Nanu Oya and then a cab to the town of Nuwara Eliya..the hotel which i booked would send me that cab to pick me up..they told me the 4h train ride was gonna be spectacular.

posting nr.9==train trip to Nanu Oya

Travelling by train in Sri Lanka stays an adventurous experience...i started a 4h amazing trip from Kandy Central towards the Southern Hill country towards Nuwara eliya which was my end destination this day..this town looks very colonial British=some people call it little England because of its bungalow style houses,tea estates etc..so..this train ride took me to spectacular climbs in hilly countriside and nice views of tea plantation sites..tea became an export item for Sri Lanka..i visited tea plantations in Assam(India)and i can tell you it's a big trade worldwide..mostly the picking of the tea is done by Indian Tamils..link about the train ride Kandy-Nanu Oya=== Your text to link here... i booked 2 nights in the Trevene on Park road==it's a guesthouse bungalow type place which really got my value regarding good accomodation...i was the only guest...the owners were very friendly,so was the house cook..my room was a private single big bed place..lovely...
as i said i got a free pick up cab ride from Nanu Oya railway station about 5 kms away..i did enjoy my stay here...and had nice talks with the owners...

posting nr.10==private cab towards Ella..

i decided not to go into Nuwara Eliya town but instead i relaxed in the hostel/bungalow...nice garden..hot sun as well...never forget sunscreen 50+..sun spectacles,a hat maybe...but i am not a big fan of hats==never wear them...the dude who picked me up from Nanu Oya station got a cab service and lots of Sri Lankans see a little business in the fact they drive tourists around on private means...i agreed a price with that dude to take me to Ella..the advantage of that formula is the fact that mostly they are locals who can tell you something more details of the places one drives through..they stop if you want a photograh on a scenic spot,they stop for refreshments be it tea or soft drinks..driving through Sri Lanka is a delightful experience this way...my cabbie was a nice outgoing fellow with a good sense of humor,i was not his first client==he told me sometimes he drives tourists around for 1 week in a stretch..so...i enjoyed the ride,the road and certainly nature and the Sri Lanka scenery..Ella seemed to me more like a village surrounded by deep cliffs,a waterfall called Rawana Ella falls where my cabbie made a stopover for taking few pics...nice waterfalls...my hotel was few miles up the road...very nice place..the lady of the house was married to a German dude from Augsburg..very nice quiet location,bit on the expensive side what price was concerned,but cerrtainly worthwhile the money..i took an excellent curry dish as my dinner..nice room with air conditioning,a mosquito net,bathroom..the owner came home later on in the evening and we had a conversation in German..he told me there was a couple from Belgium staying at that moment,they came in late at night because they were touring around on a Honda 650 motorbike...nice couple...and i could speak my mother tongue even(ah)I had booked 2 nights in this place...the place is called Feelin Your text to link here...good resort run by Michael and Dhanmi==it's on the road between Ella towards Wellawaya...website =see link....

posting nr.11==private cab from Ella to Tissamaharama

i took a scooter rickshaw from the hotel towards Ella village...usually hotels have a rickshaw or a cab driver who does transport for them on regular basis..reached Ella and got some information on bus services out of town,but not satisfactory at all..so...i ordered a private cab and made a deal about the price towards Tissa via Haputale-Wellawaya...nice cab driver and a good drive as well..i booked 3 nights via internet at the Elephant Camp on Court Road in Tissa town...Tissa is short for Tissamaharama..a real nice provincial town with some nice Buddhist dagaboa's and a lake called Tissa wewa...the cab driver could not find the Elephant camp hostel first but he asked directions and he found it..this place gave me directly a feeling like being received as a guest of the family..the owner(Jaya)knows the area very well and from his place jeep safaris are organised to Yala national park..the lady of the house(Anoma)makes excellent currie dishes and i tasted her culinary dishes with delight,my room was excellent,fan,airco,private bathroom,there was a veranda where guest could sit on a table,order some drink etc...same day an Australian couple arrived with their young child...very adventurous couple since they bought a scooter rickshaw abd were travelling around the country in it,we had some nice talks,a beer,good food...this hostel had a private garden with bamboo trees,birds..nice vegetation bit jungle like...in the evening the owner took me in his jeep for a short sightseeing tour and a visit to a local market=groceries,spices etc...i bet not too many foreigners know or visit that place because it was few miles north of Tissa..

posting nr.12==Yala national parc safari

I have never done a safari in my entire life,but coming to Tissa is always connected towards doing a safari in Yala..
Jaya the owner of Elephant camp is organising trips into this parc==he got his jeeps,his driver..and he convinced me to go for an early morning jeep safari from 6 am.up till noon..i think thats the best option because in the afternoons it becomes hot and lots of animals do their siestas(ah)a safari is not cheap,but afterwards i think it certainly was worthwhile the roepies i spend on it..i was woken up between 5 to 6 morning...i was ready..the driver came along==a young fellow with enough English language knownledge..we drove to different hotels to pick up other folks for going into Yala...Yala is at 20 kms from Tissa..the jeep got good seats and an open area so that we could enjoy fully the open air etc...we picked up 2 American girls,1 Canadian girl and a French/Japanese couple with their kid..the driver drove us fast enough to the entrance of the parc where the jeeps had to line up to enter the parc...lots of tourists do this safari..parc opens at 6 morning...the driver was a local who had damn good driving skills because it was rough bumpy terrain==he was wearing shorts and to my surprise in houseslippers..he took us through the parc and they do this job daily maybe twice so for them it's just peanuts..I was surprised of the variety of wildlife in Yala=elephants,mongoose,langurmonkeys,buffaloes,peacocks,
lots of birds,crocodiles even...the headlight of our day was that the driver stopped the car...and shut the engine...he spotted a leopard at very close range lying in the bushes...click..click...we are tourists,you know...he told us be quiet..it's rare he said that tourists could come so close to a leopard in the wild..suddenly another leopard crossed the path and maybe was nuts about the leopard in the bushes..they dissapeared together...we never will know what happened(ahah)we really had a nice group and we all enjoyed the ride...after the tour the driver stopped for softdrinks and icecream and drove us back to our hotels...this was my first safari and i will remember it...i got a good picture of the leopards and he showed it to Jaya in the hostel..he felt proud he had sent me on that adventure and indeed all the credit goes to him really...I relaxed in my room,ordere a 7 items curry dish from Anoma==her cooking is just excellent...stay in Elephant camp...i can recommend it..i will look for a good you tube on Yala parc and add it here into my blog... Your text to link here... the second link i put here shows the variety of birds and wildlife with their names...to my surprise i often noticed that elephants come very close to the jeeps sometimes....i wonder if there have been any incidents in the past??i would'nt feel safe if one of these big buddies go nuts on a jeep?? Your text to link here...

posting nr.13=bus trip Tissa-Unawattuna

So..next morning i was ready for a bus towards Galle..the bus stopped right in front of the Elephant Camp and Jaya assisted me and waited with me until the bus arrived...i had been on Sri Lanka buses before,this one was rather crowded but i got a seat at the last row in the back,the ticket has to be payed cash on the conductor who comes around...cheap fare...i enjoyed going through the coastal towns of Southern Sri Lanka;nice scenery,very lush exotic vegetation typical for a country like Sri Lanka...we went throughHambantota,Tangalla and had a stop in the bus station of Matara which seems to be a busy town..Matara was hit by the tsunami in 2004,Galle as well...Matara is known for buffalo milk yoghurt called *kitul*,someone told me that Matara town is nothing special but the nearby beach of Polhena atrracts backpackers..we set off from Matar direction galle but funny enough bit later our bus broke down..we had to leave the bus and wait for another bus,our tickets were controlled...i was heading for the beach town Unawattuna...half an hour later we could transfer into another bus...i did ask people around me==is this Unawattuna but the conductor was gonna warn me...its a little pace 5kms from Galle..i did not book any accomodation online...we reached this place in the early afternoon,i flagged down a rickshaw driver and asked him==do you know a cheap bed and breakfast or hostel?==he drove me to guesthouse Sea Breeze..the owner was a rather young limping Sri Lanka man==he told me he suffered from a motorbike accident,and to my surprise his wife was a German girl from Frankfurt,i got a nice room on the first floor,simple but O.K..nice garden and i even had a lovely dog as a guard who stayed on my terrace a lot...nice friendly dog..the food was limited,but the owner made me a simple curry/rice dish and eggs/toast in the mornings,i stayed 3 nights there and surprisingly enough i was the only guest...the rickshaw driver got a bonus on taking me there,i am sure of it...in the evening i went towards the beach side=nice bay,lots of food places,even a noisy disco or two on friday nights..i made a stroll along the beach and along the main street,quite a bit of tourists around..went back to the guest house and took my rest...link for this guesthouse Your text to link here...

posting nr.14==a visit to Galle town

Next morning breakfast made by the owner of the guest house=toast double fried egg...he suggested he would take me to Galle town by his moped,i agreed..he gave me a helmet and we set off...fact was===he drove me to an ayurvedic resort place first for a guided tour...of course he got his commission on everything i bought there..it's a tourist trap..i did enjoyed that visit..the ayurvedic farm looked nice and interesting and they gave me a personal tour,and even a body massage by a local girl,nothing sexual)the products i bought turned out to be rather expensive...the guide was a smooth talker who knows how to trick tourists into buying the farm products...everything turns around the fact that tourists are seen as money preying victims,the name of the place is called ayurvedic village garden Unawatuna..i reckon their products are O.K,but beware of their prices..some reviews with negative comments...so...beware of what you buy and spend in that place.. Your text to link here... after this garden visit my guest house friend drove me to Galle town and dropped me off at the entrance of Galle fort...it was very hot in Galle..Galle is a very interesting town to visit where one can make excellent walks along the remparts and bastions with perfect views over the Indian ocean...the Fort got a Dutch history==i walked some silent side streets into the hot afternoon sun...had an ice cream and a soft drink somewhere on outside tables..nice friendly owners...i did like my walk around the walls and bastions..there is a litlle beach near Flag rock where some daring boys dive down the cliff..i also saw a Masjid(Mosque)named Meeran Jumma which looked to me more like a church,i can surely recommend a walk around the bastion..the views on the Indian ocean are stunning...if you're sensitive to the sun,protect yourself with a good sun screen factor and maybe a hat=i never wear hats..on the way back to the bus station i met a snake charmer,the necessary pic was taken for a tip(ahah)took a bus back to Unawatuna+enjoyed some good food on a beach side resto,made a walk as well..nice day it had been...i was gonna go by train from Galle to Hikkaduwa tomorrow==another beach town...i did not book a train ticket in advance...

posting nr.14==by train from Galle to Hikkaduwa..

so...took a cab from Unawattuna towards Galle Railway station...Galle Raiway station was not too busy and i easily could get a single journey train ticket towards Hikkaduwa....i was much to early so i just took some soft drinks and waited on the platform...a train journey in Sri Lanka is always a look at the exotic side of nature,palmtrees,coconut trees,nearby beaches etc...the ride between Galle-Hikkaduwa is not such a big distance as such but that part of South Sri Lanka is worthwhile visiting..reached train station Hikkaduwa and got a cab direction Narigama where i booked few nights in hotel Moon Beam on Galle Road..i was presently surprised about this place because the beachbar and the beach itself is just a short walk from any room..good room,airconditioning,shower,nice bed...i did have a problem with the door lock of my room and had to ask for assistance..had a look at the beach and even had a swim...the sea waves were bit hefty..they have beach chairs which are used to the maximum..it can get very hot in Sri Lanka..sun screen factor 50 is advisable..there is a nice resaurant with view on the Indian Ocean in a lush tropical setting...i can recommend this hotel==i think i payed 6000 Roepies+breakfast..i had a nice meal with rice/seafood and a beer and few cocktails...this is enjoying a holiday at its best...some Russian group of young folks had a ball..bit noisy..but for them it's part of holiday fun.. a you tube on Narigama beach.. Your text to link here...

posting nr.15==train trip towards Negombo

i did stay on for 1 day more on Narigama beach...mostly relaxing on the beach itself in one of these beach chairs with a straw roof over my head...the sun can be scorching hot..i went for soft drinks to the hotel beach bar..and in the evening had a copious evening dinner=seafood,rice,few beers and a cocktal..excellent service...I talked to a waiter who was from a small village near Ella..he said next door hotel was very noisy everynight with loud techno music..food in that hotel was good,but not cheap...but i enjoyed the splurge...next morning a good breakfast=fried eggs,toast,tea...i ordered a rickshaw towards Hikkaduwa railway station,bought a ticket to Negombo where i was gonna stay the last 3 days of my trip...i booked in hotel Ocean view=Lewis Place 104...price range=around 35 to 40 dollars/night... Your text to link here... Your text to link here... the train trip from Hikkaduwa towards Negombo was quite troublesome and tiresome,first there was the heat,and i had to switch into a local train Colombo fort towards Negombo...hectic scenes in Colombo since i reached in the peak hours...the whole ride Colombo-Negombo i was not able to get a seat,i was sweating like a horse,tte train was packed like sardines..finally reached Negombo station and took a cab towards Lewis Place and my hotel...the hotel reception went fine and i got an excellent room on the second floor with balcony,shower,airco,nice bed...i took a shower to get fresh...put other clothes on and went to a restaurant just few doors away==restaurant Sea View...simple rice dishes but delicious...and not too expensive at all...i really relished my dinner..after that i made a short walk through Lewis Place...lots of eateries,few hotels,a small shop where i could get fruits,small groceries,excellent nourishing hair oil called Kumarika...i bought few small bottles for home...hair easily suffers from sun and gets too dry...hence applying hair oils...after food i went to my room,relaxed,was reading my travell guide to make a program for tomorrow...i slept well...i can recommend this hotel as a whortwhile stay in Negombo..

posting nr.16==Negombo+airport and flying back home

to tell you all the truth...i had a nice couple of days in Negombo town before flying back home...
i went out of the hotel next morning after breakfast..asked for the nearby beach..i met fishermen getting their boat ready...i even offered to help them push their boat in the Indian Ocean..fishermen are like sailors==outgoing mentality..they earn their living the hard way.i ordered a taxi towards the fishmarket which is a must see for every tourist visiting Negombo==the locals call this market *lellama* whatever that means..the fish market is situated near the Negombo Lagoon,St Stephens church etc..my impression about the fish market==smelly,but interesting..i saw fish in any size,small,big...the fish ladies cut the fish according to how the client wishes it...local people sure enjoy buying fish here..i talked to some locals...Sri Lankans always wanna know where are you from...do you like Sri lanka etc...the usual questions...i must have answered them 100 times on my travells..i enjoyed the fish market but it became to smelly so i walked to the Kotawala bridge with nice views of boats,the nearby lagoon and Duwa..Negombo got Portugese and Dutch history,the Dutch build a canal to transport spices(cinnamon)i walked a mile along this canal since there are bridges and pathways..nice...Duwa island is connected via a bridge but it was so bloody hot so i did not enter Duwa...i went to the nearby church of Saint Marys...nice Catholic church very peaceful and cooling out of that scorching sun...Negombo is mainly based on 65% of Roman Catholics,Muslims and some Buddhist population..on Main street i went into the main post office to get some stamps ..
i took a coco nut somewhere...it's very thirst quenching...the locals know how to cut coconuts...the juice is fresh and tasty...i loved it..nex day i went into the main part of Negombo town=shops,restaurants etc..==got some local mango brandy in a liquor store...the staff in the hotel liked the taste as well...my Sri Lanka trip was coming to an end....nex day i ordered a cab from my hotel with the hotel driver to the airport which is 7kms south,i payed a good price for it,but i enjoyed the comfort and luxury of escaping the heat of a bus...airport check in,the usual hub and excitement of people flying home...flight to Doha(Qatar)went well..stopover...and flight to Brussels..easy going through my local customs and back home by train and bus...my trip was history...I had been a trip to look back at...and i am glad i can let you all share it via this blog..

the fish market... Your text to link here...

a view about Negombo town... Your text to link here...