Tea Centre on the way from Dickoya to Castlereigh, Sri Lanka

A 'Hanging Parrot' on a 'Jambu' tree.

Long-billed sunbird, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A frequent visitor to my garden at Avissawella. They are difficult to photograph because they flit from flower to flower very fast.

'Brown-headed Barbet enjoying a Jambu fruit.

One of the many species of small birds which come to enjoy the 'Jambu' fruit in our garden in Avissawella.

Play-ground, Nawalapitiya, Sri Lanka.

Fireplace in the bedroom, Castlereigh Inn, Castlereigh, Sri Lanka.

Castlereigh reservoir with roads close-by.

Castlereigh valley in sunshine - another view.

The beauty of a garden and the green tea bushes on the hills across give a pleasent view from this former planter's bungalow now an Inn.

Hanging parrot eating a 'Jambu' fruit, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture in our home garden. You can see a 'Hanging parrot' nibbling at a 'Jambu' - Rose apple - fruit. You can see a honey bee - most probably from the bee-hive we have a few feet away - sampling the juice from the 'Jambu'.

Castlereigh valley in sunshine.

A look across the tea plantation, over thr reservoir on to the distant hills is what made me take this photograph.

A flower garden in Watawala, Sri Lanka.

A country stream for a picnic-bath, Thummodara, Sri Lanka.

A river piucnic and river bath is a fairly regular item in the life of the average Sri Lankan. Many beautiful and safe places abound in Sri Lanka. This is one of them on the Avissawella - Thummodara road.

Road-side tea boutique, Tummodara, Sri Lanka.

The building supported on timber stilts with a floor of wood is a common sight in the villages of Sri Lanka. I took this picture in a village.

Work on a paddy field, Thummodara, Sri Lanka.

A quiet country scene on the road to Thummodara from Avissawella.

Boat ride on the Negombo lagoon.

'Wee bissa' - Paddy store, Atale. Sri Lanka.

This device made out of rattan skeleton and clay was the old method of preserving paddy after harvest from the fields. I took this picture on the road to Kegalle from Avissawella.

Zesta tea-shop, Watawala, Sri Lanka.

Photo taken by me a few weeks back.

Tea halt, Watawala, Sri Lanka.

Church on a hill, Castlereigh, Sri Lanka.

I saw this church built on a hill, surrounded by tea plants on a hill at Castlereigh, Dickoya, Sri Lanka. A remnant of British Colonial days it seems to have been well maintained.

The mist shrouded hills & the flower in the garden, Castlereigh, Sri Lanka.

Planter's bungalow built in 1826, Castelereigh, Dickoya, Sri Lanka.

This planters bungalow built in 1826, is now a guest house. It overlooks the Castelreigh Reservoir built in the 1950s to provide hydro-power. The surrounding tea fields are a beauty. Rooms cost Rs.2500/ per day and meals are extra. Lovely country walks and a peaceful environment are guaranteed. I went for a lunch and rest for one day and took this picture.

Two king-fishers in the garden, Avissawella, Sri Lanka.

A cloudy day over the Negombo lagoon exit.

Boats on the Negombo lagoon.

Fishing boats anchored in the Negombo lagoon were a lovely sight on a sunny day when I took this picture from a boat. You can see the mangroves and the egrets perched on the fishing nets stored on the boats.

Canoe with outrigger on the Negombo lagoon, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture from a boat on the Negombo lagoon. Fishing using lead weighted nets is as old as time. The outrigger canoe is again a very old technology going back into the mists of antiquity.

'Nellama' - Fish market - in Duwa, Sri Lanka.

The fish market is called ' Nellama' by the locals in Duwa. I took this picture from a boat in the Negombo lagoon.

Birds nesting in the Negombo lagoon.

Little egrets and crows are seen nesting on a small island in the Negombo lagoon.

Mangroves, Lagoon, Negombo, Sri Lanka.

I took this picture during a boat ride on the Negombo Lagoon. You can see the lush trees (Rhizophora apiculata) encroaching on to the lagoon

Cassia fistula - 'Ehela' - 'Konrai' - in bloom on the Negombo road.

The 'Ehela' or 'Konrai' gives a lovely yellow colour to the tree when in bloom in April-May. The yellow blooms hang in chains. I saw this on the negombo road a few days back. Peradeniya University - Galaha road has a few of these lovely trees.

Flowering tree on the road to Negombo from Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The months of April-May have a lot of trees in bloom. I took this picture on the Negombo road.

The lights of Adam's peak- Sri Paada - Sivanoli Paadha Malai,, Ginigathena, Sri Lanka.

It is now the Pilgrim Season to climb Adam's peak in Sri Lanka. I took this picture through the mist of Adam's peak from close to Ginigathena a few days back. You can see the lights along the pilgrims path and the light at the top of the Peak.