Sri Lanka- Colombo, (islands capital) Galle (beaches, contemporary Sri Lankan cuisine at Kaema Sutra, Peace Pagoda)

Sri Lanka has been written about for ages, the birth place of the famous demon Ravana from the Ramayana. This island country has more to it, with a stark scattering of stunning beaches, scented tea mountains and amazing forests all within this small country, is the most Exotic place to even visit as I felt during my trip there last year to celebrate the coming of 2015. We started the last day of 2014 i.e., my hubby, Arjun Pandalai Enthu friend Rura Edekar and always spirited mother Bindu Lulla Jaisingh with Colombo of course, shopping of course high on our agenda, we started off with Odel. Then dropped by for coffee and cake at Dutch Hospital (yes that’s a shopping village) and boasts of local boutique stores like Ayirate, barefoot (with best tea and cinnamon based products including cinnamon toothpastes) and of course The Ministry of Crab that serves the best black pepper crab this side of the world.  

We started the New Year by visiting the Buddhist Temple of Seema Malaka bang in the centre of the chaotic and colourful Colombo.  Apparently, the original Seema Malaka Temple had sunk into the lake, and the Government Commissioned, famous Architect- Geoffrey Bawa to design a replacement in the 1970's, that is to say the least is one of the most gorgeous Buddhist Meditation Centres I’ve ever visited.  Thus, this part of our visit was the much needed Serenade to a noisy partying we did the night before ending 2014.             

                                     Picture Credits - http://eatingcoventgarden.com/fabulous-sri-lankan-dishes-at-kaema-sutra-in-colombo/

Sri Lankan food is both delicious and spicy with a lingering taste of fresh herbs, spices in the sea, as the country is famous for all of them in abundance. My friend Angelo, who is a resident of Colombo, took it upon him to indulge us to the best food that his city had to offer, and like all hospitable Sri Lankans, introduced us to Kaema Sutra (literally means art of food) a joint venture of the glamorous Bollywood actress and model Jacqueline Fernandez – a chef Darshan Munidasa, located in the stunning Arcade Independence Square. Our meal of fresh cashew curry (my favourite), freshwater prawn curry (the size of their prawns would pat our shrimps to shame), boneless goat curry, chicken kothu (they even have a non-crab version of this though I wonder why you would like to be health conscious with all these yummy smell, taking over) with both plain and egg hoppers which kicked us into a definite state of food coma, a fitting end to our Colombo trip.

 

The next day we took off to the less touristy beaches in Vaskodava and the Dutch city of Galle, two hours from Colombo.  Enroute to Galle, we had a quick stop to Ambalangoda and boarded some mask’s for our homes (we can shop anywhere obviously grabbing another spicy Sri Lankan meat at a roadside shack, starting mindlessly a that clear blue Arabic Sea hugging it.

The quaint town of Galle is a must to visit for its cobbled stone streets. European style deserts in the cafe, (their cheese cake was even better than the one I have eaten in the town of Lake Como) and the Rumassala with a Peace Pagoda. The Ramasalia as legend would have it, is a spot where Hanuman, the Monkey God dropped some medical herbs that he was carrying to treat the wounded, fighting the war against Ravana. Right next to the Hanuman Idol, there is a glistening peace Pagoda built from the four stages of life of King Siddhartha to Lord Buddha on gold through statues. This is also one of the sights that had the most beautiful view of Galle Bay and the Dutch and the post also from there.

All in the Sri Lanka was a treat to all our senses and we left definitely wanting to return to discover many more of her hidden treasures to be uncovered and to come back for the taste of their fragrant cuisine and famed friendly hospitality.

 

For any queries contact- Seema S Jaising

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