Colombo Renewal The rejuvenation and expansion of Colombo continues at an incredible pace. Last month I wrote about the opening of the converted old Auditor General’s building by Independence Square into an ornate and upmarket shopping arcade. Now the downmarket area of Pettah opposite the Colombo Fort Railway Station is being gentrified with the conversion… Read More »
Christmas in Sri Lanka Season’s Greetings! Sri Lankans love to party and happily join in the celebrations of the feasts or holy days of all religions. December 25 is a public, bank and mercantile holiday throughout Sri Lanka. Even though it is a Christian festival, the government sometimes regards Christmas Day as equivalent to a… Read More »
Escape CHOGM The CHOGM roadshow rolls into town from 10 to 17 November 2013. CHOGM is the acronym for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and 54 HOGs representing Commonwealth nations around the world, plus 10,000 delegates, spouses and entourage members, as well as participants in Commonwealth youth and business forums, will be taking over… Read More »
Kandy in a Day August is the month of the world famous Kandy Perahera. It climaxes this year on the Full Moon day of Tuesday 20 August with the evening parade of whip crackers, fire dancers, jugglers and elephants, including one bearing a casket containing the revered Buddha’s tooth (or a replica of… Read More »
In my many travels to Galle, I have admired the ancient Fort area and enjoyed the laid-back feel of the place and remnants of the colonial era. While I have read a lot of articles on the place and researched its history, The Galle Fort Walking tour revealed secrets that were hidden in plain sight!… Read More »
When you think of safety jackets, the first thing that comes to mind usually is an activity that has something to do with the sea. In this case however, safety jackets have been deemed a must in one of the driest regions in the country! The Sigiriya Central Cultural Fund has made it essential for… Read More »
One of the many blessings of a peaceful Sri Lanka is being able to explore some of the ancient sites that were hard to see just months ago. One such ancient marvel is Tantirimale, a magnificent site both humbling and inspiring. I visited recently at dusk as the sun was going down over the acres… Read More »
Fed up with the frenzy of shopping and pre-Christmas buzz in Colombo, I escaped to Galle Fort for a peaceful couple of days with friends. My nagging list of unfinished things-to-do and a rather lengthy Christmas gift list was happily put aside to do when I return from my much earned r & r. Our… Read More »
Just before the Christmas rush I was able to escape for a day to visit some new properties in the Bentota area last week. One of these was the wonderful Bawa House 87 where I spent an utterly peaceful morning. Enter through the large white gates and an instant sense of serenity takes over as… Read More »
Plans for Galle Literary Festival 2010, to be held from 27 to 31 January, are gathering pace. With less than 100 days to go, the excitement is brewing with several well-known local and foreign authors confirming their participation. As in the previous three years, the Literary Festival 2010 promises five days of enthralling literary discussions,… Read More »
