Scenes from Belihuloya Rest House, Sri Lanka.

The front entrance and the bridge spanning the Belihul-Oya as seen from the courtyard of the Rest-house.

Inside the Belihul Oya Rest-house, Sri Lanka.

Rest Houses were strategically placed throughout Ceylon of the British Colonial times. This was to provide rest and nourishment to the Colonial authorities. These have evolved into the present day Rest-houses. The Belihuloya Rest House must be at least a hundred years old and is very famous in present Sri Lanka. It provides a charming retreat in very pleasant surroundings and is by the side of a stream where one can take a river bath. The lush greenery around abounds in bird life.

View from Belihuloya Rest House, Sri Lanka.

Views of the river up and downstream from a shaded retreat in the Rest-House, are shown in this photograph.
Click on the web-link below to see a video of the river flowing by the side of the Rest-house:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L39p4Dsgr40

Entering Balangoda on the Colombo - Badulla road, Sri Lanka.

The entrance to Balangoda a town famous in the gem-trade is by a gentle slope on the highway. A large statue of Lord Buddha from the top of a hill greets the visitor.
Click on the web-link below to see scenes from part of the road from Balangoda to Belihul Oya:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkCSBRAmaio

Tea factory on a hill, Lellopitiya - Pelmadulla road, Sri Lanka.

Tea factories run independently, buy plucked tea leaves for about Rs60/- a Kg and turn out processed tea leaves for the auctions in Colombo. This is a tea factory situated at a hill top in Lellopitiya, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka.

Black-headed Ibis, Angunukolapalessa, Sri Lanka.

A totally black head and beaks, sitting on an egret like white body makes this bird very striking as it wanders over swamp or paddy land.
 Click on the link below to watch a video of it:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnKJoZgEPLM

On the Bandarawela - Haputhale road, Sri Lanka.

The distant hills are seen in the background of a tea factory in the morning hours.

Bandarawela valley, Sri Lanka

The site of the valley below Bandarawela where the town of Diyathalawa is situated is seen early in the morning in this picture. The distant hills are shrouded in mist. Click on the web link below to watch a video of above.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrnajFWeWLE

Statue at Dowa - Badulla - Sri Lanka.

Reputed to have been made in one day by a 'Yodhaya' this statue is found in a temple by a stream on the Badulla - Bandarawela road.

A view of Unawatunna, Unawatunne, Sri Lanka.

Unawatunne beach and glass-bottomed boats, Galle, Sri Lanka.

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

The paddy store of ancient times is made of clay and wicker netting. It preserved the paddy in a dry state for almost an year. This is seen before the museum building at the ancestral land of the famous author, Mr. Martin Wickremasinghe. His famous novels 'Madol Duwa', 'Gam Peraliya', 'Yugaanthay', 'Kaliyugaya', and a compilation of short stories 'Magul Gedara' are famous.

Racing cart next to a horse drawn carriage

Temple 'Triacle', exhibit at the house of Mr. Martin Wickremasinghe, Koggala, Sri Lanka.

Kerosene cart - before 1960s - Exhibit at Mr.Martin Wickremasinghe's house.

The cart was drawn by a bull and would arrive on the streets of a village. The carter had a long metal blow-horn to announce his presence. The villagers would arrive with empty bottles or tin cans to buy their supply of kerosene oil measured in 'bottles' or 'gallons'. The carter would open the tap fixed at the rear lower part of the metal drum mounted on the cart, into measuring cans, carried suspended in a net below the cart. It was a weekly event in the village where the urchins had a good laugh at the antics of the carter. 

Boats - Exhibits at the Martin Wickremasinghe ancestral property.

Wooden boat and wooden anchor - Exhibit at the house of Mr.Martin Wickremasinghe

The Museum building and Pandanus trees in the grounds of Mr.Martin Wickremasinghe's house.

Ancestral house of Mr.Martin Wickremasinghe, Author, Koggala, Sri Lanka.

Koggala beach, Sri Lanka.

Mirissa harbour, Sri Lanka.

Mirissa harbour and a small island connected in low tide with the mainland, Sri Lanka.

View of the Indian Ocean from Mirissa, Sri Lanka.

The next land mass southwards from here is the Antarctica.

Inside the light house, Devinuwara, Sri Lanka.

Scenes near the Devinuwara light-house, Sri Lanka.

Please click on the following web-site to see a video of this bay:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdwhq9wdJfo

Light house beach, Devinuwara, Sri Lanka.

Please click on the following web-link to see a video of the place:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK-HK7_sOJM

Devinuwara, shore, Sri Lanka

Ruins at the temple at Devinuwara, Sri Lanka.

 

The 'Gaja-sinha' - elephant head and lion body - motif sculpted in stone.

Stone pillars.