Saturday, April 16

SRI LANKA

GALLE

We had a 3 night stay here at the Light House Hotel  http://www.jetwinghotels.com/
This is a very beautiful place food was excellent,Service was poor view was brilliant but they did let us down when our air con broke down at 1am and we were informed that the A/C had to be replaced with a new one..hmmm
A hot night for us...I don't think so

We called reception to ask what they were going to do!!!
We had to tell them we wanted a room where the air conditioner worked....Mark ended up asking the room boy to send the manager
We would like a room with air con...after a while we were told they were moving us.. keeping in mind we had to be up at 5:30am the next morning not even an apology.
Then we had to call them back to make up our bed..such a nice place but hmmm...
We arranged the hotel to make a packed brekky for us....cheese sandwiches fruit and a drink.

Next morning we were up at 5:30am ready for our adventure on the high sea's FISHING!!! yay..

Poseidon Diving station in Hikkaduwa
http://www.divingsrilanka.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=7 

Clean rooms friendly people right on the beach,there are lots of little shops for those who like shopping for a special gift restaurants hotels great spot would like to stop here next time.

Off we went out to sea it was beautiful the colour of the sea was a most brilliant blue and calm waters at times it looked like a huge silk blanket fantastic we were out for about 5hours.
Their were two fishing rods on the back of the boat and one either side alas we did not manage to catch a fish!!!
As we were roaming the sea we passed by quite a few fisherman out for their catch they of course had much better luck than we did,as we passed one fishing boat one of the guys held up one of their catches about a 5kilo fish wanting to sell it to us talk about rubbing it in...lol

The two guy's that were with us pulled over to 2 of the fishing boats handing them food and drink they had been out their early morning and it was 10o'clock by this time.
There was another boat near by a fisherman yelling out to us wanting food and drink also and then they would tell us where we might have luck in catching a fish...hmmm...think we should have jumped onto their little boat think we may have caught one!!!
Mark said he might go diving instead at least he will see the fish even if he cant catch one!!..lol

We may not of caught a fish but we enjoyed being out their on that most beautiful ocean and watching the fishermen,the fish jumping out of the water teasing us because we couldn't catch them...
It was time to head back after our adventure we headed back to our hotel.

GALLE FOURT
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galle_fort

The day was so very hot and muggy we decided to visit the Galle fort in the evening very interesting and so much history once through the fort gate we drove around first.
A village inside with very interesting building from days gone by restaurants,backpacker's accommodation,hotels,museum,Churches,Gem shops where you could have a raw gem cut,polished and made into jewelry and watch as they did so.

We walked around on the fort walls,seen where once their were cannons sat and could just imagine the days way back in time of those days gone by it was fantastic what more can I say except it is a must see destination.

Time to return to our Hotel freshen up and have some dinner when we went back to our room their was an invitation placed on our bed to join in the celebration of new year and listen to the Raban padha drums
while having our meal the drum's began to play we were told that at this time around the villages one women in her house would start to play a tune on her drum then the lady in the next house would do the same or add to the tune this would go on from house to house until you could hear the drum's been played throughout the village.

Sinhala and Tamil New Year
Celebrated by all Sinhalese and Tamils, the traditional New Year celebrations fall on between 12 to 14 April and is the celebration of Sun God's passage from Pisces to Aries.
It is a harvest thanksgiving and is mainly celebrated by the villagers in true traditional style.
A colourful and extravagant festival, this season is usually a holiday for the whole country. The Aluth Avurudu (New Year) is a time for friendships and family and many traditions are observed according to the litha (A strological time).
New clothes are worn, milk boiled and traditional ricemilk with sweets fill the tables.
The youth spend the day engaged in various traditional games such as climbing a greased poll, pillow fighting, breaking a pot blindfolded and the girls plating swinging. The women also fill the air with Raban padha ( traditional drum instrument) dressed in their new year costume.

Next day we were up again at 5:30 as Mark was going for his dive to see the fish he was unable to hook...lol
I went to one of the little shops near by as I had been their the day before to order 3 tops made using the batik technique
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batik
after my little shopping expedition I went back to the hotel packed then off to pick up Mark after his dive
he enjoyed his dive seen all the fish he couldn't catch..lol
Our next destination visit to the Turtle Hatchery.







No comments:

Post a Comment