Diyawanna Oya, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

At the 'Waters Edge' flower plants sales point, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Scenes at the 'Waters edge' flower plant sales, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Scenes at the 'Water's Edge', Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Electric bus transport to the car park, Diyatha Uyana, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Floating Restaurant, Diyathu Uyana, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

A 'Thalagoya' S, 'Udumbu' T - Varanus bengalensis bengalensis, at the Diyatha Uyana, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

“…Thalagoya (1681). Ever since Robert Knox, English writers have often described the thalagoya in relation to the kabaragoya merely because these lizards are by far the largest to be found on the island. As there are many references to the word in English literature pertaining to Sri Lanka, I have passed them on to the OED as historical evidence to enable the editors to determine whether the word merits an entry in the third edition. My suggested definition (which should conform to the revised definition of kabaragoya): "In Sri Lanka, the name given to the land monitor, Varanus bengalensis bengalensis."
The reference by Knox (1681:31) reads: "There is the Tolla guion very much like the former, which is eaten, and reckoned excellent meat. The Chingulays say it is the best sort of flesh; and for this reason, That if you eat other flesh at the same time you eat of this, and have occasion to vomit, you will never vomit out this tho you vomit all the other. This creature eats not carrion, but only lives on herbs; is less of size than the kobbera guion, and blackish, lives in hollow Trees and holes in the Humbosses: And I suppose is the same with that which in the West Indies they call the Guiana."

http://www.lankalibrary.com/wlife/kabara.htm

'The Waters Edge Hotel', seen from 'Diyatha Uyana', Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Resting in the shade, Spotted Deer, Diyatha Uyana, Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Bridge near 'Waters Edge', Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Sights of 'Diya Uyana', Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Feeding time, 'Diya Uyana', Malabe, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Sights at 'Diya Uyana', Malabe, Sri Lanka.

Christmas tree at "The Waters Edge' hotel.

Enclosure for Elk, Deer and ducks.

A ferry to the opposite shore.

One of a herd of Buffaloes at Malabe

Buffaloes have been the beasts of burden in South Asia for millenia. They are still used very profitably in Sri Lanka. I took this picture of the head of one of them in the outskirts of Colombo, at Malabe.