Yours Consciously Sneha

Tag: galle

  • A Guide to Galle & Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

    A Guide to Galle & Unawatuna, Sri Lanka

    Traveling: It leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller-Ibn Battuta

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    This pretty city Galle situated by the shores of Indian Ocean at the southern most part of Sri Lanka still holds the charm of European styled buildings, cobbled stoned roads, red tiled roofs, flowered pots in the veranda & a fort built by Dutch takes you back to centuries of years when Portuguese & Dutch had stepped to Sri Lanka in 16th & 17th century.

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    Things to do in Galle

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    Although there isn’t anything specific or a huge list to be covered, a walk in the fort in itself is on the topmost things to do. Galle has been so far the quietest city I have been to in Sri Lanka, most of the old buildings have now been converted to either cafes or restaurants or a fancy tourist shop. There are high chances to be lost while walking around the fort as most of the buildings look similar, but getting lost will always take you to something better 🙂

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    I got lost once & this is where I ended up with the colorful Tuk Tuk’s lined up & colorful flowers hanging from the pots looked like they were made for each other.

    The Old Dutch Hospital which was built by Dutch as a hospital back then is now used for dining & shopping. Totally worth a visit if you are a foodie & a shopaholic like me 😉

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    There is a spectacular view of the cricket stadium from the fort, suppose to be one of the most beautiful stadiums in the world.

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    I also relished walking at the edge of the fort, watching the couples romancing under the umbrellas & hearing the silent waves kiss the shore. Water was as clear as the crystal & as blue as the sky, I sat here staring at the ocean for quite a while listening to all the life lessons they have been teaching.

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    Waves roar towards the shore,
    saying be wild & free.
    Wind whispers in my ears,
    saying be wild & free.
    Sun shines over my spine,
    saying be wild & free.

    Things to do in Unawatuna

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    Unawatuna is in the suburbs of Galle, a major tourist spot for its well known beach. I first landed at this sacred hill Rumasalla in Unawatuna where every plant/tree has some medicinal value. Tales of Ramayana flies around every part of this hill as this was one of the broken part fallen when Lord Hanumantha was carrying the Sanjeevani hill from India.

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    Japanese Peace Pagoda is located at a beautiful spot which has the views of the ocean, it is meant to shred Peace & the oceans across pours more shine to stay peaceful! At the entrance, there is also a statue of Lord Hanumantha as the tale in Rumasalla runs around him.

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    Jungle beach, this beach reminded me of Leonardo’s movie “The Beach”, from the walk to the beach till I reached the shore; the stills of the movie kept running in my head. It was my first time ever to walk alone in a secluded place & it was totally worth it. I witnessed one of the best sunsets as I was walking back from the beach.

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    Unawatuna beach is a little too crowded for me, although there are many restaurants if you would like to just go grab a beer & watch the ocean. That’s what I did 😉

    Where to stay

    Kikili House

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    Located in Galle & few minutes’ walk away from the fort; It’s a painting by itself, every step you take is filled with colors that tickles all over your body from head to toe, their quirky kitchen and the food served is a treat to your eyes and the stomach. Read the full post here, to stay at Kikili House they can be contacted through their website.

    Silva Tree House

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    Located between Galle & Unawatuna on the sacred hill Rumasalla, a glass house with the view of forest and my favorite is their bathroom with the view of ocean & forest J 15 minutes Tuk Tuk ride from Galle & a few minutes’ walk to Japanese Peace Pagoda, Jungle beach and Unawatuna beach. Read the full post here, to stay at Silva Tree House they can be contacted through Airbnb.

    Where to eat

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    There are plenty of options to eat in the Galle Fort & Dutch Hospital; I ate this yummy brinjal meal served on a leaf at “A minute by Tuk Tuk” & a drink at the “Hammock Café & Pub”. Hammock Café & Pub as the name says, where you swing on a hammock & chill with a drink.

    Otherwise, for a cheaper option, there are lots of street foods available at every corner of the road with yummy rolls, vade’s & kothu parathas.

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    How to reach

    Sri Lankan railways are very well connected to all the major cities/towns; there are trains from Negombo/Colombo to Galle. This whole journey is on the coastal route, it feels like train literally is floating on the ocean. Check this link to track the schedule of the trains in Sri Lanka.

    If you do not wish to wait for a train, there are plenty of buses as well from Negombo/Colombo to Galle.

    Bikes for rent are available too in most of the areas if you would like to travel around by yourself.

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    Blooming…

    Wild Flower

  • Sacred hill in Ramayana, Peace & some Beaches @ Silva Tree House!

    Sacred hill in Ramayana, Peace & some Beaches @ Silva Tree House!

    Our Peace shall stand as far as rocky mountains-William Shakespeare

    Ramayana is one of story that we Indian kids grow up hearing to by our grandparents or parents or on a TV series; we all know that Sri Lanka plays a major part in Ramayana. As I got into the Tuk Tuk to go to my next destination, driver Kumara started telling the story about this hill Rumasalla & yes it was part of Ramayana.

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    When Ravana kidnapped Sita, he hid her around many places in Sri Lanka to avoid the very strong Hanumantha. This is one of the hills where Ravana hid Sita, Laxmana (Rama’s brother) who came looking for Sita was injured and Hanumantha did not find any medicine for the cure, he went looking for it in Himalayas. He carried the hill and came to Sri Lanka, while he was flying pieces of the hill fell in few places and one of them is in Rumasalla. Every plant/tree here is supposed to have some medicinal quality.

    As Kumara was sharing the story climbing up the hill, I was gazing at the trees and went back to my childhood imagining all the characters of Ramayana that I remember seeing in the TV series. Noise of the engine of Tuk Tuk stopped and I stepped back to reality, as I got down there were 2 smiling ladies waiting to greet me and there was my destination.

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    At the first sight when I looked at the house, it looked like a gift wrapped by trees around and tied with branches as a ribbon. I released a branch and stepped into the gift, it appeared like I was in illusion when I walked in. I slowly take steps on wooden floor; I see the reflection of trees & myself on the glass walls. Like a magical gift that I walked into, it took me few minutes to realize I was still in the normal world! John calls this magical gift as Silva Tree House.

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    Next day morning, I woke up to the peaceful prayers from the nearby Japanese Pagoda, sunlight sneaking through the French windows, not too far away ocean. I open my eyes slowly and stretch my arms as the cool breeze from the trees sneaks in.

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    Dining Hall & Lounge at the roof top!
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    Traditional Sri Lankan hoppers for breakfast
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    With a view like this, it was too difficult to come out of the shower!
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    Could capture Silva Tree House on my way back from the short walk!

    I always chose to stay in eco-friendly places, I was happy to know that there were no trees cut when this house was built except for one tree that was removed as it was rotten. Water used here is only rain water; they are working on setting up the electricity to be completely solar. It was learning for me and also surprising to know that the sewage here runs through the natural filters like stones & gravels.

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    As always, on my morning yoga!
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    Japanese Pagoda & statue of Hanumantha on Rumasalla hill!

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    When asked what is so unique about this hill, John mentioned; Sir. Arthur C Clarke, a renowned British science fiction writer had a holiday house in Rumasalla because of the strong magnetic meridians passing through the headland. Magnetic Meridian is an equivalent imaginary line connecting the magnetic south and north poles and can be taken as the horizontal component of magnetic force lines along the surface of the earth. Therefore, a compass needle will be parallel to the magnetic meridian. Fascinating isn’t it? Of course, even I didn’t know what Magnetic Meridian means; explanation mentioned above is from Wikipedia. Another surprise, this hill also attracts more lightning than anywhere in Sri Lanka.

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    Walk does seem like how Leonardo finds that secretive island in the movie Beach!
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    Just one of those days when Sun chose to swim 😉

    Jungle Beach and Unawatuna Beach are both are at walkable distance from Silva Tree House, although me not being very beachy person; I preferred to walk to Jungle Beach as the walk through jungle sounded exciting. It is about 15 minutes walk and I totally felt safe through the Jungle, it was the first time where I walked through a jungle alone. Fear of not being safe on one side and the noise of waves hitting my ears on the other side kept me walking.

    Let this gift be unwrapped with many more surprises all along.

    *I was hosted by Silva Tree House; you have to stay here to witness some more surprises.

    Blooming…

    Wild Flower

  • I walked into a painting @ Kikili House

    I walked into a painting @ Kikili House

    Color creates, enhances, changes, reveals and establishes the mood of the painting-Kiff Holland

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    Take a Canvas, spill some colors and swing it around! That’s how this place was made, in one of the very quiet roads in Galle. I stepped in with swollen legs, eyes craving for sleep and shoulders begging for some rest; restlessly I sat on the colorful couch lifting my head up; I could hear my shoulders screaming thank you, my eyes weren’t blinking watching the colors on the roof, my legs giggling by the tickle from the colors on the carpet.

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    Henri & Kokila swung these colors on 1st August 2012 and called this painting as Kikili House. Kikili means Hen in Singhalese; each room is named after different species of Hen: Plymouth Rock, Orpington, Wali Kakula, Faverolle and Silky Bantom. Each color on every art in these rooms opens up to greet you with a smile.

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    Detailing at every corner is so neatly done; there is no place where the colors are spilled outside the line. From the curtain holders to the lid that covers a mug, from a kitchen with quirky posters to an open balcony with a calm place to do yoga, from a living room where the colors dance to the seat out where the colors romances with light!

    Also, read  A Guide to Galle/Unawatuna

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    Yummy breakfast at Kikili House!
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    Stroll around the Galle Fort, few minutes’ walk away from Kikili House.

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    Let the Kikili keep cackling brightening up the colors every day! Let the colors keep opening up and bring smiles to every soul that pass by!

    *I was hosted by Kikili House, envy? Well, don’t, pack your bags and walk into this painting yourself!

    Blooming…

    Wild Flower