Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Flower plants for sale, Haldumulla, Sri Lanka.


On the A4 road - Colombo to Ampara, at Haldumulla, we stopped to buy a few flower plants for the home garden. Selling flower plants is big business in present day Sri Lanka.

Monday, October 19, 2009

The trees and timber near Beragalla on A4, Sri Lanka.


I saw these beautiful trees by the roadside near Beragalla on the A4 road. Freshly cut timber from a pinus plantation was seen close-by.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

'Bathalagala' - 'Bible rock' seen in the afternoon, Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka.


The rocky mountain gave the impression of a bible to the conquring British. They called it 'Bible-rock'. The local name for it was 'Bathala-gala'. You can see the lush green valley and a part of a terraced paddy-field in the picture. You can also see a 'chaitya' on a dome shaped rock below. I took this picture in October 2009.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Pinus plantation and logging, Kalupahana, A4, Sri Lanka.


Pinus plantations were funded by international organizations in Sri Lanka from the 1980s. It was looked upon unfavourably by environmentalists. The pinus tree secretes an exotoxin through its roots so that other plants are discouraged to grow round its base. The fallen firs when dry are a fire hazard. The value of pinus is the long stem which is ideal material for telegraph poles. I took this photo at Kalupahana on the A4 road to Haputhale.