Tasting Sri Lanka
Oct 28th, 2017, 02:54 AM
#81
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JW, I’m even asking for bitter gourd now, still none !
Thx CaliNurse, he has completely recovered. The comparison will be forthcoming, we’ve been discussing what’s the same/ different, it will take a little time to put it coherently together.
Inquest, the add ons make it all the more interesting, so add away. We’re in the Kotahena neighbourhood, close to Pettah. Just might take that hole in the wall challenge !
Thanks Lolazahra. You know, M and I were just talking about how few interactions we’ve had with other westerners on this trip. I’m not sure that I’d call Sri Lanka “India light” now. Parts are just as full on as India.
Ella to Galle, a long slog.
We had a long day of driving ahead, so we fueled up with the exact same brekkie as yesterday, and headed for Galle. Rome2rio puts the drive at 3.5 hours, Dilee said more like 4.5 hours. He put me in touch with a friend of his to organise a car. Said friend reckoned the drive would be 5 hours, our guesthouse guy said 6 hours, and he was right. We left at 9 am, and arrived at Antic Guesthouse in the fort area of Galle at 3 pm. We stopped twice only, once for coffee and once to try and get some feeling back into our numb bums. It was not a particularly comfy van, with no seatbelts in the back, and limited English in the driver. The drive was only scenic for the last hour or so along the southern coastline.
The Antic Guesthouse is an old building renovated into hotel rooms about 3 years ago. It’s quirky as really old buildings often are, with odd rooms, quaint niches, many original features, and styled with memorabilia and interesting art. Our room is 16 meters from the front to the back door, it’s HUGE. There’s a daybed at the front (which will prove very handy tomorrow), a large queen bed suspended on steel cables and enclosed in a “room” of mosquito netting, a small kitchenette, a dressing room you could swing a horse in, then a tiny bathroom. At least it has hot water with decent pressure.
Glad to have put that drive behind us, we headed out to poke around this most interesting area. Built as a fort by the Portuguese in 1588, taken and enhanced by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, then later the British. It’s a compact easy to get around peninsula filled with accommodations, cafes, stylish shops, regular peoples houses, a mosque, a church or two and some government buildings. Said to be the most expensive real estate in Sri Lanka, many international cricketers have homes here. Just outside the ramparts is the Galle International Cricket Ground where cricket matches are played. Five different people told us that Shane Warne, (amazing Australian cricketer with ahem, a not so great personal track record) funded the reconstruction of the oval infrastructure, which was destroyed in the 2004 tsunami. He was held in awe, for his bowling skills and his compassion.
We stopped for a beer at a cafe down the road, and were sent to the roof for a glorious sinking of red sun into blue sea, complete with iconic lone palm tree. Magic. Dinner was directly across the road from our front porch. Serendipity Arts Cafe is run by a young chef Shamil Roshan who accompanied well known Australian chef and TV personality Peter Kuruvita around Sri Lanka to film the series My Sri Lanka. He also owns Spoons, mentioned up thread by inquest. He has another cafe venture the Stairway (Keep Calm and climb the Stairway), a busy guy. Dinner was terrific, I had rice and curry (he warned me the curries were cooked yesterday, that’s okay, they’re often better) and M had chicken skewers with chips and salad. My curries were pumpkin, okra, cucumber, pineapple and dal, all tasty with inventive spicing. M’s chicken was spicy, the chips were fried with curry leaves, and a huge mixed salad had a tangy dressing, not in the least bit pedestrian.
We hit the sack, and woke around 1am to strange sounds coming from the aircon. It spat out several chunks of ice (on to the bed), then stopped working....it was a hot, sweaty night.
Thx CaliNurse, he has completely recovered. The comparison will be forthcoming, we’ve been discussing what’s the same/ different, it will take a little time to put it coherently together.
Inquest, the add ons make it all the more interesting, so add away. We’re in the Kotahena neighbourhood, close to Pettah. Just might take that hole in the wall challenge !
Thanks Lolazahra. You know, M and I were just talking about how few interactions we’ve had with other westerners on this trip. I’m not sure that I’d call Sri Lanka “India light” now. Parts are just as full on as India.
Ella to Galle, a long slog.
We had a long day of driving ahead, so we fueled up with the exact same brekkie as yesterday, and headed for Galle. Rome2rio puts the drive at 3.5 hours, Dilee said more like 4.5 hours. He put me in touch with a friend of his to organise a car. Said friend reckoned the drive would be 5 hours, our guesthouse guy said 6 hours, and he was right. We left at 9 am, and arrived at Antic Guesthouse in the fort area of Galle at 3 pm. We stopped twice only, once for coffee and once to try and get some feeling back into our numb bums. It was not a particularly comfy van, with no seatbelts in the back, and limited English in the driver. The drive was only scenic for the last hour or so along the southern coastline.
The Antic Guesthouse is an old building renovated into hotel rooms about 3 years ago. It’s quirky as really old buildings often are, with odd rooms, quaint niches, many original features, and styled with memorabilia and interesting art. Our room is 16 meters from the front to the back door, it’s HUGE. There’s a daybed at the front (which will prove very handy tomorrow), a large queen bed suspended on steel cables and enclosed in a “room” of mosquito netting, a small kitchenette, a dressing room you could swing a horse in, then a tiny bathroom. At least it has hot water with decent pressure.
Glad to have put that drive behind us, we headed out to poke around this most interesting area. Built as a fort by the Portuguese in 1588, taken and enhanced by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, then later the British. It’s a compact easy to get around peninsula filled with accommodations, cafes, stylish shops, regular peoples houses, a mosque, a church or two and some government buildings. Said to be the most expensive real estate in Sri Lanka, many international cricketers have homes here. Just outside the ramparts is the Galle International Cricket Ground where cricket matches are played. Five different people told us that Shane Warne, (amazing Australian cricketer with ahem, a not so great personal track record) funded the reconstruction of the oval infrastructure, which was destroyed in the 2004 tsunami. He was held in awe, for his bowling skills and his compassion.
We stopped for a beer at a cafe down the road, and were sent to the roof for a glorious sinking of red sun into blue sea, complete with iconic lone palm tree. Magic. Dinner was directly across the road from our front porch. Serendipity Arts Cafe is run by a young chef Shamil Roshan who accompanied well known Australian chef and TV personality Peter Kuruvita around Sri Lanka to film the series My Sri Lanka. He also owns Spoons, mentioned up thread by inquest. He has another cafe venture the Stairway (Keep Calm and climb the Stairway), a busy guy. Dinner was terrific, I had rice and curry (he warned me the curries were cooked yesterday, that’s okay, they’re often better) and M had chicken skewers with chips and salad. My curries were pumpkin, okra, cucumber, pineapple and dal, all tasty with inventive spicing. M’s chicken was spicy, the chips were fried with curry leaves, and a huge mixed salad had a tangy dressing, not in the least bit pedestrian.
We hit the sack, and woke around 1am to strange sounds coming from the aircon. It spat out several chunks of ice (on to the bed), then stopped working....it was a hot, sweaty night.
Oct 28th, 2017, 06:42 AM
#82
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It sounds like a tough ride and wow too about the AC conking out.
The place otherwise sounds charming and I would have loved to try chips fried in curry leaves. Makes my mouth water.
Take care and I hope the next day is a good one.
.
The place otherwise sounds charming and I would have loved to try chips fried in curry leaves. Makes my mouth water.
Take care and I hope the next day is a good one.
.
Oct 28th, 2017, 09:56 AM
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NO SEATBELTS in the back??!! (What about the front?) That would be a deal- breaker for me in any transport, anywhere in the world. (If you're crazy enough to not use them --like Princess Diana--that is one thing, but you didn't even have the choice! Did Dilee tell you this in advance? You 're sort of stuck once the car shows up and you just want to get on with the trip.
I 'd naively forgot that seatbelts for all passengers aren't legally required in all countries. I stopped long ago asking in India when booking via the travel company I use, because no way would they consider using a van or SUV for their clients, if the vehicle lacked them. Funny, the only time encountering it in the last ten yrs---in an old Ambassador sedan --was with a driver booked myself in Cochin. Never again--especially on roads populated with drivers who make our USA's road rage look like a walk in the park!
Also--did I miss this? Is Dillee the driver, and/or the owner of an agency who books drivers/hotels?
Anyway, Sartoric, glad you made it in sore-bummed safety and had an interesting evening with great food (yummy...pumpkin curry!) ending with the Amazing Air Conditioner Ice-Spitting Adventure! A resultant humid uncomfortable night... but it sure makes for a great story later!
I 'd naively forgot that seatbelts for all passengers aren't legally required in all countries. I stopped long ago asking in India when booking via the travel company I use, because no way would they consider using a van or SUV for their clients, if the vehicle lacked them. Funny, the only time encountering it in the last ten yrs---in an old Ambassador sedan --was with a driver booked myself in Cochin. Never again--especially on roads populated with drivers who make our USA's road rage look like a walk in the park!
Also--did I miss this? Is Dillee the driver, and/or the owner of an agency who books drivers/hotels?
Anyway, Sartoric, glad you made it in sore-bummed safety and had an interesting evening with great food (yummy...pumpkin curry!) ending with the Amazing Air Conditioner Ice-Spitting Adventure! A resultant humid uncomfortable night... but it sure makes for a great story later!
Oct 28th, 2017, 06:06 PM
#85
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CaliNurse, Dilee is a one man band, licensed driver, but not a guide. He can help with hotels, in our case he booked Lakmini Lodge for me as they were showing “not available “ on booking.com. He didn’t provide the driver Ella to Galle, but rather gave me the name of a friend in Ella (manager of another hotel) who organised the ride. Had I known in advance, the lack of seatbelts would have been a dealbreaker for me too. As you say, when you’re packed and ready to leave, you just gotta go.
Read below for more “funny after the fact, making for a great story” tales of Antic guesthouse.
JW, you would love the food here if you like Indian. Sorry I’ll miss Bourdain in Sri Lanka, he’s a favourite of mine. There’s no TV here, let alone one with satellite channels.
Galle and how I made my own bed !
Breakfast at Antic Guesthouse was fantastic, the best yet. We had string hoppers, egg hoppers, fish curry, dal, coconut sambal, chilli sambal, roti, coconut pancakes with a sweet nutty filling, beautifully carved fruit and endless coffee. An aircon tech was called.
This morning we walked the ramparts, hot but scenic with a slight breeze coming off the water. We don’t feel the need to leave the fort area, and have walked the same streets many times, constantly spotting another piece of architectural design from centuries ago, another interesting shop, another possible dining option...
Back at our room it was hot, with no aircon tech in sight. I was offered a look at another room, a comedy of errors ensued, they were either occupied and locked, or not ready yet.....With the help of a man standing on a table, we kick started our rooms aircon, M explained how they work and why this one probably stopped (temp set too low for the size of the room) and everyone was happy. For now.
There’s more strolling, a fresh lemon soda at Arunas cafe, a nibble of nuts straight from the plastic bag of a local shop, and some buying of gifts at Embark (a charity which supports street dogs), the Spice Shop for roasted Sri Lankan curry powder and Barefoot (an enterprise which supports local women). These are our first purchases in Sri Lanka. The historical mansion museum is the collected memorabilia of one man, almost everything imaginable, and a front for the semi hard sell of semi precious jewellery. We resisted easily and left a small donation.
We lurved dinner at A Minute by Tuk Tuk, recommended by inquest (thanks again, ‘twas so good). It’s upstairs in the Dutch Hospital building, balcony seating (omg with padded chairs), a slight breeze off the water, professional service and great food. We chose ghodamba roti (like a handkerchief bread), with eggplant for me and roast chicken for M. Both came with dal and curry sauce, plus we had a side of nutty prawns. A gin and tonic completed a fine meal.
In the spirit of timing is everything we arrived home about 15 minutes before the thunder. Shortly after, the rain came, bucket loads, and prolonged. M went to bed, I stayed up for a couple hours, then retired to find a soggy pillow and mattress, a leaky ceiling to blame. It’s 11.00 pm, I didn’t see any point in waking M (his side of the bed is dry) and wander out to find reception is closed. A staff member (night watchman perhaps) was drinking tea across the way, I explained the leak, he offered another room. Instead I asked for a set of sheets to make up the day bed, saying M is asleep. My guy goes and finds sheets and hands them to me saying “Madam, I have no words”. M slept through this, I make up the saggy old day bed, and sleep, everyone is happy again.
Read below for more “funny after the fact, making for a great story” tales of Antic guesthouse.
JW, you would love the food here if you like Indian. Sorry I’ll miss Bourdain in Sri Lanka, he’s a favourite of mine. There’s no TV here, let alone one with satellite channels.
Galle and how I made my own bed !
Breakfast at Antic Guesthouse was fantastic, the best yet. We had string hoppers, egg hoppers, fish curry, dal, coconut sambal, chilli sambal, roti, coconut pancakes with a sweet nutty filling, beautifully carved fruit and endless coffee. An aircon tech was called.
This morning we walked the ramparts, hot but scenic with a slight breeze coming off the water. We don’t feel the need to leave the fort area, and have walked the same streets many times, constantly spotting another piece of architectural design from centuries ago, another interesting shop, another possible dining option...
Back at our room it was hot, with no aircon tech in sight. I was offered a look at another room, a comedy of errors ensued, they were either occupied and locked, or not ready yet.....With the help of a man standing on a table, we kick started our rooms aircon, M explained how they work and why this one probably stopped (temp set too low for the size of the room) and everyone was happy. For now.
There’s more strolling, a fresh lemon soda at Arunas cafe, a nibble of nuts straight from the plastic bag of a local shop, and some buying of gifts at Embark (a charity which supports street dogs), the Spice Shop for roasted Sri Lankan curry powder and Barefoot (an enterprise which supports local women). These are our first purchases in Sri Lanka. The historical mansion museum is the collected memorabilia of one man, almost everything imaginable, and a front for the semi hard sell of semi precious jewellery. We resisted easily and left a small donation.
We lurved dinner at A Minute by Tuk Tuk, recommended by inquest (thanks again, ‘twas so good). It’s upstairs in the Dutch Hospital building, balcony seating (omg with padded chairs), a slight breeze off the water, professional service and great food. We chose ghodamba roti (like a handkerchief bread), with eggplant for me and roast chicken for M. Both came with dal and curry sauce, plus we had a side of nutty prawns. A gin and tonic completed a fine meal.
In the spirit of timing is everything we arrived home about 15 minutes before the thunder. Shortly after, the rain came, bucket loads, and prolonged. M went to bed, I stayed up for a couple hours, then retired to find a soggy pillow and mattress, a leaky ceiling to blame. It’s 11.00 pm, I didn’t see any point in waking M (his side of the bed is dry) and wander out to find reception is closed. A staff member (night watchman perhaps) was drinking tea across the way, I explained the leak, he offered another room. Instead I asked for a set of sheets to make up the day bed, saying M is asleep. My guy goes and finds sheets and hands them to me saying “Madam, I have no words”. M slept through this, I make up the saggy old day bed, and sleep, everyone is happy again.
Oct 28th, 2017, 07:27 PM
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Sartoric, you seem to be having your fair share of accommodation issues. Hope the rest of your stay is better.
Jacketwatch, I too am looking forward to tomorrow night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. I heard that Ministry of Crab is featured.
Jacketwatch, I too am looking forward to tomorrow night's episode of Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown. I heard that Ministry of Crab is featured.
Oct 28th, 2017, 07:43 PM
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JW, thanks for "Parts Unknown" heAds-up. I catch them after-the fact streaming. (Off topic slightly, but did y'all you hear the story of Hillary Clinton's assistant "tweeting" Bourdain, "Go eat a scorpion or something!" LOL, and (not to get too political here) if you know the context, you might agree it was an appropriate reply to Anthony's comment on something that was not remotely food/travel related.)
Sartoric, Antic Guesthouse is VERY a propos! Do you think it was named after the bizarre occurrences there, or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? And what a caring wife you are---sleeping in a soggy bed so M can stay asleep!! "Madam, I have no words." Love it!...very evocative also of India. Were you thinking, "Hmmm. You have no words, but I sure do!"
Bravo, Inquest--seems your eatery reccos are spot-on!!
Sartoric, Antic Guesthouse is VERY a propos! Do you think it was named after the bizarre occurrences there, or is it a self-fulfilling prophecy? And what a caring wife you are---sleeping in a soggy bed so M can stay asleep!! "Madam, I have no words." Love it!...very evocative also of India. Were you thinking, "Hmmm. You have no words, but I sure do!"
Bravo, Inquest--seems your eatery reccos are spot-on!!
Oct 29th, 2017, 01:49 AM
#88
Oh, dear, sartoric! What stories you have! And I, too, am very struck by your consideration for your husband. I'm afraid I wouldn't be quite so concerned for my DH's beauty sleep (also, "M") if mine was (*ahem*) dampened! And, "Madam, I have no words" may have to be the subtitle to your report!
And, with a hoped-for trip to both Sri Lanka and S. India in the winter of 2019 (retirement, here we come!), I'm also very interested to hear your take on both.
And, with a hoped-for trip to both Sri Lanka and S. India in the winter of 2019 (retirement, here we come!), I'm also very interested to hear your take on both.
Oct 29th, 2017, 04:43 AM
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Thanks JW for giving the heads up to the Bourdain show.
For all of his shows he does field notes which are fun to read and watch. For SL he really describes the food with great pictures. Just looking at it this morning gave me a greater appreciation of sartoric's TR because I was not visualizing some of the food correctly. I will also watch the episode later by streaming it (I still need to watch Lagos) but the field notes are great.
Here is the link: https://explorepartsunknown.com/destination/sri-lanka/
Still following!
For all of his shows he does field notes which are fun to read and watch. For SL he really describes the food with great pictures. Just looking at it this morning gave me a greater appreciation of sartoric's TR because I was not visualizing some of the food correctly. I will also watch the episode later by streaming it (I still need to watch Lagos) but the field notes are great.
Here is the link: https://explorepartsunknown.com/destination/sri-lanka/
Still following!
Oct 29th, 2017, 05:35 AM
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Yes I do believe I would like the food! Even in Chicago with just about every type of food available there is nothing specific for Sri Lankan. There is one or two Nepalese places and Indo-Pak are often lumped together but of course until 1947 they were one country.
Yes indeed "Antic" is a most apt name for that place. Leaky ceilings and no AC. I'd be pretty upset but I admire how you made the best of it.
Well some hotels in India do have their "Antics" as well. Been there, done that. There was one place stayed in Ajmer, the Merwara Estates which at one time was a palatial estate privately owned. But this were days gone past. When you pressed the button for the elevator you heard a sound like water running, the room safe was NOT bolted down, the AC sounded like a prop plane, the bed posts wobbled, service was non-existent, they ran out of juice one day for breakfast and day 4 into our 5 day say the manager told us we had to leave our room to accommodate a block of guest who wanted to stay in he same wing! HELL NO! We had booked this room ten mos. prior. My wife refused and I said only if the new room is acceptable and the balance of the stay is on them. The manager turned his back and we have saw him again. And we not vacate our room. I suppose he was not trained by Hilton, Hyatt etc.
. And we have seen worse too!
Following and love your narrative style.
Yes indeed "Antic" is a most apt name for that place. Leaky ceilings and no AC. I'd be pretty upset but I admire how you made the best of it.
Well some hotels in India do have their "Antics" as well. Been there, done that. There was one place stayed in Ajmer, the Merwara Estates which at one time was a palatial estate privately owned. But this were days gone past. When you pressed the button for the elevator you heard a sound like water running, the room safe was NOT bolted down, the AC sounded like a prop plane, the bed posts wobbled, service was non-existent, they ran out of juice one day for breakfast and day 4 into our 5 day say the manager told us we had to leave our room to accommodate a block of guest who wanted to stay in he same wing! HELL NO! We had booked this room ten mos. prior. My wife refused and I said only if the new room is acceptable and the balance of the stay is on them. The manager turned his back and we have saw him again. And we not vacate our room. I suppose he was not trained by Hilton, Hyatt etc.
. And we have seen worse too! Following and love your narrative style.
Oct 29th, 2017, 06:46 PM
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sartoric, you have had more than your share of accommodation mishaps in Sri Lanka! We felt like our accommodations in Sri Lanka were excellent, and we felt Sri Lanka the had the best array of boutique hotels anywhere. Of course, we were paying more money, but I am glad we dd it that way, reading about your experiences! You've been a real trooper! Of course, those experiences make for great story-telling after the fact.
Oct 29th, 2017, 06:47 PM
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TP, we’ve stayed in our fair share of luxury properties, and now prefer to spend our money at smaller more “local” places. Whilst the experience can be priceless, sometimes the cost is ahem....
CaliNurse, I’m pretty sure the name Antic is a riff on antique, still very apt. I surprised myself by how calm and pragmatic I was with the bed issue. I have been known to throw a tantrum in the past, realistically that doesn’t help much.
Progol, you’ll love southern India and Sri Lanka, we’re still working on the coherent comparison.
Lolazahra, I also subscribe to parts unknown, can’t wait to read/watch.
JW, funny story about India, amazing what they try to get away with.
Galle to Colombo, a visit to the gatehouse of Lunuganga and an Airbnb glitch.
Breakfast at Antic guesthouse was again excellent. The manager was mortified by my leaky room experience, and did what he could to make up for it. I can’t find it in me to write a bad review about this place. It was unseasonal and unprecedented rain, and they will fix the leak. The aircon issue just needed some education which they now have. I liked the place.
I found a man on Sri Lanka car and driver hire (website link in my OP) who offered the ride to Colombo for 6500 rupees. Nadeeka was a great choice, he had excellent English, a clean modern car (with seatbelts), and he’s a safe driver.
We motored up the coast road towards Colombo, passing through the beach resort of Hikkaduwa and briefly stopping at the Tsunami museum in Telwatta. This visit really brought home the devastation that the 2004 tsunami caused here. The land is very flat, some of it below sea level, the people literally had no where to run. Nearby a standing Buddha 15 meters tall (a gift from the people of Japan) marks the height of the wave. Very moving.
I had planned to stop at Lunuganga the country estate of Geoffrey Bawa, now in control of a trust and run as a small hotel. There are timed garden tours available, which need to be booked in advance. I’d assumed we couild have morning tea, but no, the gate is locked and there’s no admission without prior arrangement. Oh well, it was an interesting gatehouse.
From here we took the expressway to Colombo, and eventually found College St in the Kotahena district where our Airbnb for the next three nights is located.
I think I had accommodation combination syndrome when I booked this Airbnb. All the desirable features of the many options I looked at merged into this place, great host, fantastic location, comfortable amenities, great food, except that was only in my head.
The glitch was with Airbnb, usually a confirmation email also has a full street address, my confirmation email didn’t. We had the name of the road, two cross streets to narrow down the search, and a picture of the house itself. The fence of this property is a solid 3 metre wall, so the picture was useless. Our lovely driver helped me door knock the street although mostly no one was home. He kept saying “this is a very bad area Madam”. It took an hour in the hot chaos of College Rd to find the right house, they weren’t expecting us (the owner is actually overseas) and our driver missed his next job. Feeling bad about that, I gave him 8000 rupees. Frustrated, and probably showing it, we sat on the porch (on comfy lounges, I think this is the photo that won me) while twins, a Swedish/Sri Lankan brother and sister (other guests ??) got our room ready.
College House is 170 years old, it has the most beautiful carved wood fretwork above the doors and windows, high pitched ceilings which are typical of Sri Lanka and a pretty garden complete with mango tree and pond.
We got the distinct feeling (rightly or wrongly) that the male twin resented our intrusion. He didn’t say a word to us. His sister however, was delightful, an interesting young woman happy to chat about many things. There is another woman here, a warm and friendly Sri Lankan. She would prepare breakfast tomorrow and offer local tips for the area.
Today is a bit of a bummer, but, as can be often the case, tomorrow will make up for it in spades !
CaliNurse, I’m pretty sure the name Antic is a riff on antique, still very apt. I surprised myself by how calm and pragmatic I was with the bed issue. I have been known to throw a tantrum in the past, realistically that doesn’t help much.
Progol, you’ll love southern India and Sri Lanka, we’re still working on the coherent comparison.
Lolazahra, I also subscribe to parts unknown, can’t wait to read/watch.
JW, funny story about India, amazing what they try to get away with.
Galle to Colombo, a visit to the gatehouse of Lunuganga and an Airbnb glitch.
Breakfast at Antic guesthouse was again excellent. The manager was mortified by my leaky room experience, and did what he could to make up for it. I can’t find it in me to write a bad review about this place. It was unseasonal and unprecedented rain, and they will fix the leak. The aircon issue just needed some education which they now have. I liked the place.
I found a man on Sri Lanka car and driver hire (website link in my OP) who offered the ride to Colombo for 6500 rupees. Nadeeka was a great choice, he had excellent English, a clean modern car (with seatbelts), and he’s a safe driver.
We motored up the coast road towards Colombo, passing through the beach resort of Hikkaduwa and briefly stopping at the Tsunami museum in Telwatta. This visit really brought home the devastation that the 2004 tsunami caused here. The land is very flat, some of it below sea level, the people literally had no where to run. Nearby a standing Buddha 15 meters tall (a gift from the people of Japan) marks the height of the wave. Very moving.
I had planned to stop at Lunuganga the country estate of Geoffrey Bawa, now in control of a trust and run as a small hotel. There are timed garden tours available, which need to be booked in advance. I’d assumed we couild have morning tea, but no, the gate is locked and there’s no admission without prior arrangement. Oh well, it was an interesting gatehouse.
From here we took the expressway to Colombo, and eventually found College St in the Kotahena district where our Airbnb for the next three nights is located.
I think I had accommodation combination syndrome when I booked this Airbnb. All the desirable features of the many options I looked at merged into this place, great host, fantastic location, comfortable amenities, great food, except that was only in my head.
The glitch was with Airbnb, usually a confirmation email also has a full street address, my confirmation email didn’t. We had the name of the road, two cross streets to narrow down the search, and a picture of the house itself. The fence of this property is a solid 3 metre wall, so the picture was useless. Our lovely driver helped me door knock the street although mostly no one was home. He kept saying “this is a very bad area Madam”. It took an hour in the hot chaos of College Rd to find the right house, they weren’t expecting us (the owner is actually overseas) and our driver missed his next job. Feeling bad about that, I gave him 8000 rupees. Frustrated, and probably showing it, we sat on the porch (on comfy lounges, I think this is the photo that won me) while twins, a Swedish/Sri Lankan brother and sister (other guests ??) got our room ready.
College House is 170 years old, it has the most beautiful carved wood fretwork above the doors and windows, high pitched ceilings which are typical of Sri Lanka and a pretty garden complete with mango tree and pond.
We got the distinct feeling (rightly or wrongly) that the male twin resented our intrusion. He didn’t say a word to us. His sister however, was delightful, an interesting young woman happy to chat about many things. There is another woman here, a warm and friendly Sri Lankan. She would prepare breakfast tomorrow and offer local tips for the area.
Today is a bit of a bummer, but, as can be often the case, tomorrow will make up for it in spades !
Oct 29th, 2017, 07:12 PM
#93
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Thanks Kathie, we probably should/could spend more on accommodation. In a perverse way it’s great for me to push the comfort zone boundaries, and I am in it for the story telling !
Oct 29th, 2017, 07:54 PM
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Oh, how I understand the life-lesson realization that throwing a tantrum rarely helps. But darn, it's difficult to control sometimes!!
Indeed, endearing people and great food make up for a bunch of discomfort, but bottom line is, you had not one comfortable night's sleep at Antic. I don't know if yo meant an "official" review as to not giving them a "bad" one. Writing on a site like tripadvisor about a "mixed bag" I say honestly what happened--the good and the less so--and let other people decide if they want to risk it.
Sounds like Twin Brother is a piece of work. Hopefully he won't show up at breakfast, your morning will be bright, and your day better than expected, as your wonderful SL adventure winds down to a close!!! We all have those "challenging" days in life (and travel) and as you say, they are often made up for in spades!!!
Indeed, endearing people and great food make up for a bunch of discomfort, but bottom line is, you had not one comfortable night's sleep at Antic. I don't know if yo meant an "official" review as to not giving them a "bad" one. Writing on a site like tripadvisor about a "mixed bag" I say honestly what happened--the good and the less so--and let other people decide if they want to risk it.
Sounds like Twin Brother is a piece of work. Hopefully he won't show up at breakfast, your morning will be bright, and your day better than expected, as your wonderful SL adventure winds down to a close!!! We all have those "challenging" days in life (and travel) and as you say, they are often made up for in spades!!!
Oct 30th, 2017, 01:03 AM
#95
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CaliNurse, in due course I will review Antic on booking.com, the good and bad bits. The twin brother hung around until Sunday morning, then headed for the hills with a cousin. We never really saw him, just felt uncomfortable knowing he was around somewhere and didn’t want us there.
Colombo with our new family.
Raji, our host (we think) made milk rice, dal curry and coconut sambal for breakfast. I got to invade the kitchen and watch the sambal prep, easy enough and it will appear on the menu at home soon. All delicious, but we were saving stomach room for lunch.
You may recall Nimashi, the grand daughter of the Airbnb host from our first night in Sri Lanka. We’ve stayed in touch via email and had hoped to meet her and her cricketer boyfriend for lunch in Colombo. She contacted me a few days ago in Galle with exciting news. He was chosen for the Sri Lanka A team and is now in Jamaica playing against the West Indies. Bummer that we don’t get to meet him, but what a fantastic opportunity that he has clearly worked hard to realise. Instead, Nimashi asked if she could bring her mother, father and sister to share lunch in Colombo. No problem !
They picked us up at 10.00 am, and together we shared a whole day sightseeing in Colombo. We started with Gangarama, a spectacular Buddhist temple which to me surpassed the temple of the tooth relic in Kandy for its opulence in decoration. The temple is in two parts, the old section which also has a museum of stuff, and a new section (designed by Geoffrey Bawa) on the lake.
Lunch was at Kamea Sutra, this is a restaurant owned by a Bollywood actress who Nimashi’s younger sister idolises. She was so excited about eating here, and the staff made her feel very special. We shared many different curries including Australian mutton, barramundi, baby potatoes, dal and okra, also there was yellow rice, chicken kotu and godhamba roti crisps. The restaurant is stylish, comfortable and the food excellent. Inquest, you must add this to your list of places for authentic and inventive Sri Lankan cuisine.
After lunch we drove around the centre of Colombo with its majestic colonial era public buildings, lots of green space, plus a lake or two and ended up at the National museum. Our hosts thought the 1000 rupees entry fee for foreigners was outrageous given their fee was 60 rupees. Dad said “it’s full of old things anyway” so we acquiesced and didn’t visit. Too bad, but I always leave something for next time (and I feel quite strongly that there will be a next time, we just need the cricketer boyfriend to propose).
We stopped at Laksala (the government handicrafts store) at my request for some gift shopping. I bought an elephant to compliment our small herd at home, and while we were upstairs browsing Nimashi bought a gift for us. It’s enclosed in bubble wrap, so will be a surprise when we get home.
There was a stop for coffee/soda, enjoyed under the shade of majestic old trees, and a stroll at Galle Face to watch some kite action. Our family dropped us back to College house around 4 pm, farewelling us with hugs and kisses all round.
Early evening we grabbed a tuk tuk and headed for the Kingsbury Hotel which has a rooftop bar overlooking the ocean. It’s a great spot for a cocktail and snack at sunset.
Colombo with our new family.
Raji, our host (we think) made milk rice, dal curry and coconut sambal for breakfast. I got to invade the kitchen and watch the sambal prep, easy enough and it will appear on the menu at home soon. All delicious, but we were saving stomach room for lunch.
You may recall Nimashi, the grand daughter of the Airbnb host from our first night in Sri Lanka. We’ve stayed in touch via email and had hoped to meet her and her cricketer boyfriend for lunch in Colombo. She contacted me a few days ago in Galle with exciting news. He was chosen for the Sri Lanka A team and is now in Jamaica playing against the West Indies. Bummer that we don’t get to meet him, but what a fantastic opportunity that he has clearly worked hard to realise. Instead, Nimashi asked if she could bring her mother, father and sister to share lunch in Colombo. No problem !
They picked us up at 10.00 am, and together we shared a whole day sightseeing in Colombo. We started with Gangarama, a spectacular Buddhist temple which to me surpassed the temple of the tooth relic in Kandy for its opulence in decoration. The temple is in two parts, the old section which also has a museum of stuff, and a new section (designed by Geoffrey Bawa) on the lake.
Lunch was at Kamea Sutra, this is a restaurant owned by a Bollywood actress who Nimashi’s younger sister idolises. She was so excited about eating here, and the staff made her feel very special. We shared many different curries including Australian mutton, barramundi, baby potatoes, dal and okra, also there was yellow rice, chicken kotu and godhamba roti crisps. The restaurant is stylish, comfortable and the food excellent. Inquest, you must add this to your list of places for authentic and inventive Sri Lankan cuisine.
After lunch we drove around the centre of Colombo with its majestic colonial era public buildings, lots of green space, plus a lake or two and ended up at the National museum. Our hosts thought the 1000 rupees entry fee for foreigners was outrageous given their fee was 60 rupees. Dad said “it’s full of old things anyway” so we acquiesced and didn’t visit. Too bad, but I always leave something for next time (and I feel quite strongly that there will be a next time, we just need the cricketer boyfriend to propose).
We stopped at Laksala (the government handicrafts store) at my request for some gift shopping. I bought an elephant to compliment our small herd at home, and while we were upstairs browsing Nimashi bought a gift for us. It’s enclosed in bubble wrap, so will be a surprise when we get home.
There was a stop for coffee/soda, enjoyed under the shade of majestic old trees, and a stroll at Galle Face to watch some kite action. Our family dropped us back to College house around 4 pm, farewelling us with hugs and kisses all round.
Early evening we grabbed a tuk tuk and headed for the Kingsbury Hotel which has a rooftop bar overlooking the ocean. It’s a great spot for a cocktail and snack at sunset.
Oct 30th, 2017, 05:26 AM
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"JW, funny story about India, amazing what they try to get away with."
That bears repeating..
Really tough luck with that property. That had to e very disconcerting.
I don't know if you have ever beeb to an Indian wedding and am assuming a SL one is similar so if you do go back for this reason they are lavish affairs, quite different from what we do here.
Following!
That bears repeating.
.Really tough luck with that property. That had to e very disconcerting.
I don't know if you have ever beeb to an Indian wedding and am assuming a SL one is similar so if you do go back for this reason they are lavish affairs, quite different from what we do here.
Following!
Oct 30th, 2017, 11:34 AM
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You were right!! The "next day" was excellent. Great story about Nimashi's boyfriend! Great that you could spend time with the entire family! Exactly what makes a trip special, and as yours is ending, what a high note to do it on!
Oct 30th, 2017, 02:09 PM
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Thanks all. There’s one more nearly perfect day in Colombo below and now we are home after the 20 hour slog. I’ll get a summary of our comparison between Sri Lanka and southern India posted in the next day or so.
Colombo and we become disciples of the ministry of crab.
We skipped breakfast today, making do with tea and a banana because we were determined to find Mayura restaurant, another inquest suggestion. A tuk tuk to the Jami Ul-Alfar mosque in the Pettah district about 10 minutes away cost 70 rupees. Be aware that while many tuk tuks have meters, not all will turn them on. Insist on the meter or negotiate a price beforehand. One driver told us they have to buy the meters for roughly 18,000 rupees, many drivers need to pay this amount over time, which is allowed, but if you’re one day late with your payment the meter is switched off. As we alighted it started raining, damn, no brolly or raincoats. We admired this stunning red brick building from under a shop awning opposite, then awning hopped our way around Pettah. Apparently it’s not nearly as frantic on Sunday (today) as the rest of the week. It was hectic enough for us dodging puddles, traffic and finding the next unoccupied awning.
The Mayura Hotel is at 46 Sri Kathiresan St, “hole in the wall” is an accurate description. M chose white rice and chicken, I chose red rice and crab (what was I thinking given our dinner reservations at the Ministry of Crab). Both meals were served on a banana leaf and came with a splosh of dal, a scoop of veggie curry, a dollop of mixed pickle and an omelette. We washed our hands and ate like the locals under the bemused stares of other diners. They were doing a roaring takeaway trade, with people lined up to purchase their lunch in multiple little plastic bags. I can understand why, the food was delicious and very cheap at 930 rupees for both meals.
From Pettah we tuk tukked to the Colombo Fort railway station and bought tickets to Mt Lavinia for 40 rupees pp. It’s about a 30 minute train ride south of the CBD, on the beach, and a popular place with locals and foreigners. I didn’t get a seat on the train, but I did get my own pole to grip. The Mount Lavinia Hotel is very grand in that British colonial way with white brickwork and dark wood trim. The lighthouse bar overlooks the ocean and the large swimming pool. The terrace was a great spot to down a draft beer, do a bit of people watching and listen to some cool tunes played by a five piece jazz outfit. We called Kangaroo cabs to get home, I’d had my train ride and was happy to pay about 1000 rupees more for a seat and aircon.
Tonight we have reservations at the Ministry of Crab. This is a beautiful restaurant in the old Dutch Hospital, where many top end shops and cafes occupy a stunning restoration. We ordered baked crab to start, then a jumbo chilli crab, garlic rice and mixed vegetables. Bibbed up and with tools of choice at the ready, we hoed into this feast of feasts. M cracked claws and extracted the best bits of crab for me (this is why I let him sleep through the soggy/saggy bed issue), and while he’s not a huge fan of crab, he may be newly converted. The food is fantastic, the service professional and friendly, although quality comes at a price. With a bottle of NZ wine the tab was 25,000 rupees or about 3.5 nights at our typical guesthouse. There’s that trade off again. Fortunately we both agree that some minor inconveniences with accommodation are a price we happily pay to enjoy meals like this one.
What a fitting end to our time “Tasting Sri Lanka”.
Colombo and we become disciples of the ministry of crab.
We skipped breakfast today, making do with tea and a banana because we were determined to find Mayura restaurant, another inquest suggestion. A tuk tuk to the Jami Ul-Alfar mosque in the Pettah district about 10 minutes away cost 70 rupees. Be aware that while many tuk tuks have meters, not all will turn them on. Insist on the meter or negotiate a price beforehand. One driver told us they have to buy the meters for roughly 18,000 rupees, many drivers need to pay this amount over time, which is allowed, but if you’re one day late with your payment the meter is switched off. As we alighted it started raining, damn, no brolly or raincoats. We admired this stunning red brick building from under a shop awning opposite, then awning hopped our way around Pettah. Apparently it’s not nearly as frantic on Sunday (today) as the rest of the week. It was hectic enough for us dodging puddles, traffic and finding the next unoccupied awning.
The Mayura Hotel is at 46 Sri Kathiresan St, “hole in the wall” is an accurate description. M chose white rice and chicken, I chose red rice and crab (what was I thinking given our dinner reservations at the Ministry of Crab). Both meals were served on a banana leaf and came with a splosh of dal, a scoop of veggie curry, a dollop of mixed pickle and an omelette. We washed our hands and ate like the locals under the bemused stares of other diners. They were doing a roaring takeaway trade, with people lined up to purchase their lunch in multiple little plastic bags. I can understand why, the food was delicious and very cheap at 930 rupees for both meals.
From Pettah we tuk tukked to the Colombo Fort railway station and bought tickets to Mt Lavinia for 40 rupees pp. It’s about a 30 minute train ride south of the CBD, on the beach, and a popular place with locals and foreigners. I didn’t get a seat on the train, but I did get my own pole to grip. The Mount Lavinia Hotel is very grand in that British colonial way with white brickwork and dark wood trim. The lighthouse bar overlooks the ocean and the large swimming pool. The terrace was a great spot to down a draft beer, do a bit of people watching and listen to some cool tunes played by a five piece jazz outfit. We called Kangaroo cabs to get home, I’d had my train ride and was happy to pay about 1000 rupees more for a seat and aircon.
Tonight we have reservations at the Ministry of Crab. This is a beautiful restaurant in the old Dutch Hospital, where many top end shops and cafes occupy a stunning restoration. We ordered baked crab to start, then a jumbo chilli crab, garlic rice and mixed vegetables. Bibbed up and with tools of choice at the ready, we hoed into this feast of feasts. M cracked claws and extracted the best bits of crab for me (this is why I let him sleep through the soggy/saggy bed issue), and while he’s not a huge fan of crab, he may be newly converted. The food is fantastic, the service professional and friendly, although quality comes at a price. With a bottle of NZ wine the tab was 25,000 rupees or about 3.5 nights at our typical guesthouse. There’s that trade off again. Fortunately we both agree that some minor inconveniences with accommodation are a price we happily pay to enjoy meals like this one.
What a fitting end to our time “Tasting Sri Lanka”.
Oct 30th, 2017, 05:07 PM
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Getting home was actually pretty good. Colombo airport is small and easy to navigate, three separate security screenings, but all done in a friendly manner. The gorgeous woman who frisked me at the second point was so engaging I nearly shed a tear. I had a window seat and waved goodbye to the Emerald Isle. It’s a shortish 3.40 hour flight to KLIA2, where we had a few hours to grab a bite and a beer. For the 8 hour overnight flight home we lucked into 3 seats between the two of us, and slept for at least 5 hours.
The reason for all those appliance stores in the arrivals hall that I mentioned early on ? Dilee told us that about 1.5 million Sri Lankan people (out of a population of 24 million) work offshore, mainly in the Middle East. They’re cashed up when they return for annual holidays, and can then buy a time saving appliance like a washing machine for the family. There’s always a reason. Indeed, the departure hall when we left was full of families saying tearful goodbyes to their offshore worker.
Sri Lanka vs southern India.
This is hard, there’s so many similarities and so many subtle (or not) differences. The warmth of the people in both countries is heartening. If I had to, I would weight Sri Lanka as a just bit more friendly than India.
The streets and infrastructure in SL are in slightly better condition, though there’s still lots that’s broken. We saw less extreme poverty in SL, although it’s there in some parts. The traffic chaos was only slightly less in SL. The scenery is equally beautiful. We saw far more animals and birds in SL, many of our wildlife sightings were on the side of the road. The women’s dress in SL while often colourful and elaborate was not as full on as in India. The men were equally drab, many more men in SL had full beards (styled too), rather than the prevalent moustache of India. In SL almost everyone on a motorbike wore a helmet, including children. In SL not a single stranger asked to be in a photo with us, that happened a lot in India. We loved the food in both countries, and thought the food (though delicious) in SL was not quite as diverse as in India. There are less vegetarian options, chicken, fish and meat feature prominently at most meals.
Was this the best trip yet ? Hard to say, it’s certainly up there. We’ve had some excellent holidays, they all have their highs and lows. I would do some things differently, but there’s always things you can’t know until you go. We have our memories, many photos, a few trinkets and a new family to remind us of beautiful Sri Lanka.
PS. The present from Nimashi is a sandstone model of a temple moonstone. It’s gorgeous, I will find a special place for it somewhere in our home.
The reason for all those appliance stores in the arrivals hall that I mentioned early on ? Dilee told us that about 1.5 million Sri Lankan people (out of a population of 24 million) work offshore, mainly in the Middle East. They’re cashed up when they return for annual holidays, and can then buy a time saving appliance like a washing machine for the family. There’s always a reason. Indeed, the departure hall when we left was full of families saying tearful goodbyes to their offshore worker.
Sri Lanka vs southern India.
This is hard, there’s so many similarities and so many subtle (or not) differences. The warmth of the people in both countries is heartening. If I had to, I would weight Sri Lanka as a just bit more friendly than India.
The streets and infrastructure in SL are in slightly better condition, though there’s still lots that’s broken. We saw less extreme poverty in SL, although it’s there in some parts. The traffic chaos was only slightly less in SL. The scenery is equally beautiful. We saw far more animals and birds in SL, many of our wildlife sightings were on the side of the road. The women’s dress in SL while often colourful and elaborate was not as full on as in India. The men were equally drab, many more men in SL had full beards (styled too), rather than the prevalent moustache of India. In SL almost everyone on a motorbike wore a helmet, including children. In SL not a single stranger asked to be in a photo with us, that happened a lot in India. We loved the food in both countries, and thought the food (though delicious) in SL was not quite as diverse as in India. There are less vegetarian options, chicken, fish and meat feature prominently at most meals.
Was this the best trip yet ? Hard to say, it’s certainly up there. We’ve had some excellent holidays, they all have their highs and lows. I would do some things differently, but there’s always things you can’t know until you go. We have our memories, many photos, a few trinkets and a new family to remind us of beautiful Sri Lanka.
PS. The present from Nimashi is a sandstone model of a temple moonstone. It’s gorgeous, I will find a special place for it somewhere in our home.
