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Paddy Villa at Jetwing Vil Uyana Hotel
I stayed in a Paddy Field Villa in the midst of paddy fields. I liked the villa especially the open shower concept and the enormous sunken bath tub and the beautiful four poster bed with fine mosquito net draped around it. The villas at Vil Uyana are built around a lake – home for a few marsh crocodiles, lots of fish and surprisingly large bright green frogs and many species of butterflies and birds. I enjoyed my stay in this beautiful place with all the wildlife around me. The staffs of Jetwing are always helpful and efficient, and the food at the Apsara restaurant was of excellent quality.
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Tea and Spices at Nuwara Eliya
If you ever go to Sri Lanka, ensure that you visit the highlands like Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. I was at Nuwara Eliya recently. The Colombo-Kandy-Nuwara Eliya motor road offers a exceptionally scenic and spectacular drive. Nuwara Eliya, the highest city in Sri Lanka lies at an elevation of 1890 meters above sea level and lies beneath the tallest peak of the island, Mount Pedro – 2555 meters. Nuwara Eliya is a favourite destination for all tourists to Sri Lanka as well as the people who live there because of the cool, sometimes frightfully cold weather and for quaintness of the place. During peak seasons, all the accommodation rates will…
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Pettah Market in Colombo
I like the open-air markets in Sri Lanka. I particularly enjoyed the Pettah market. The market stretches out towards the north from the Fort Railway Station. I got to see all the leafy green vegetables and herbs the Sri Lankans use in their cuisine. Fresh gotu kola, young jackfruits, betel leaves, coriander leaves, mint leaves and many other greens. Baskets of fruits, different types of chillies, green to red to black peppercorns and many other colourful vegetables and people make up the scene of this market! There are several vibrant narrow streets devoted to different trade and you could spend a whole day here. Remember to wear your sunglasses and…
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Fishery at Wadduwa
I visited the fish wholesale market when I was at Wadduwa. I had to leave the hotel at about 5 am to see the fishermen bringing in the catch. The fish market is a vivid and sensuous experience, full of warmth and colour and is a glimpse into the authentic everyday life of Sri Lankan fishermen! At the market, you can watch the fish being brought into the market from the brightly coloured fishing boats, to the auctioning as well as sales of some dried fish and knives used for chopping fish. The dried gills of the sting ray which fetches lots of money if exported to other demanding countries…
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Blue Water Beach Hotel – Hidden Paradise
I was given a extremely warm welcome by the staff of the Blue Water Beach Resort at Wadduwa, Sri Lanka. Wadduwa is 27 km from Colombo and on the south west of Sri Lanka; much laid back but a paradise for sea lovers. You can reach Wadduwa by train, car or bus. The Blue Water Beach Resort is a paradise hidden between lush coconut plantations and facing the Indian Ocean. The beach at Wadduwa is a stripe of golden powdery sands with crystal clear, shimmering water. The Blue Water Beach Resort was designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa and is about 16 years old and with about 100 rooms of…
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Handicrafts of Kerala
Kerala is well known for its beautiful handicrafts. These items range from brass and bell metal works, silk sarees, wall hangings, coir products, ivory works, lacquer products, sandalwood carving, wooden toys, jewellery, coconut shell products, and cotton and silk fabrics.
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Life in a Houseboat
Never leave Kerala without experiencing a stay in a houseboat. Trust me, you can stay in the houseboat, just chatting, reading, eating, drinking, lazing and just observing nature. You can see people bathing, washing their clothes or doing work along the banks of the river; you can watch the small boats or the bigger boats passing you; you can see boats used as a transport carrying heavy metal, bricks or wood. You will be able to see birds, chicken, hens, goats and cows as you pass the back of the houses. You can see another boat load of tourists and locals passing you………one of my most relaxing and peaceful times…
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The Elephant Fort at Thirssur
The Punnathoor Kotta is located about 3 km away from the famous Guruvayoor temple in Thirssur district of Kerala, and lots of tourists visit this place. This place is also known as Anakkotta – meaning Elephant Fort in Malayalam (language of Kerala). The elephant farm is said to be the largest in India and is owned by the temple. The elephants in this place were given to the temple by devotees and are looked after and trained here by the paid mahouts. The Hindus look upon an elephant as a sacred animal as it is considered to be a living symbol of Lord Ganesh, the deity who removes all obstacles…
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Fishing Phenomenon in Alleppey
I stopped by a fishing village bursting with life on the way to Kainakary village in Alleppey district. There were fishing boats everywhere, lots and lots of people unloading fish from the boat sorting fish selling fish, carrying fish and bargaining over fish. “Shagara” is a fishing phenomenon that happens only a few months in a year usually in June. It seems mud banks get formed naturally near the sea shore during the south-west monsoon season; oxygen and nutrients released from the mud attract thousands of fish and prawns. This action brings in the seafood in abundance, causing traffic in the sea ; everyone wants to fill his boat during…
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A Feast in Kerala
Kerala is known as the "land of Spices". Even the Kerala cuisine is known for its spicy and hot foods. Traditionally, in Kerala food is served on a banana leaf. One has to take food with right hand. Almost every dish prepared in Kerala has coconut and spices to flavour the local cuisine giving it a sharp pungency that is heightened with the use of tamarind, while coconut gives it its richness, absorbing some of the tongue-teasing, pepper-hot flavours. The unusual cuisine of Kerala brings to the fore the culinary expertise of the people of Kerala. Producing some of the tastiest foods on earth, the people of Kerala are gourmets…
