Glorious Galle

After our epic 10 hour drive from Jaffna to Galle, we were very glad to arrive at 8.30pm and be welcomed by the ever beaming Rasika and Rasika (husband and wife) at the For Inn Guesthouse. Our room was on the top floor, with it's own private people watching balcony, up three very steep stairways and with a great sea breeze and a view of the fort and ocean. 

The lovely Fort Inn Guesthouse with Rasika andher brother Nimal.

 

We planned to spend four nights in Galle, which was one more than necessary but we wanted to catch up with our Sri Lankan friend Sanjiva, but he was out of town on business and only available on the last night. 

Our lovely room with roof top balcony.

Breakfast on the Fort Inn Balcony - eggs again?

We had a pleasant few days wandering around the fort. Galle Fort is very impressive, packed to the rafters with tourists and I think it must be European school  holidays 'cos the little blighters were everywhere!

View from Galle Fort wall.

Lots of lovely antique cars - mainly Morrises.

Lighthouse, Galle.

As four days is too long to be in Galle, we took a tuk tuk (10 minutes and 400 rupees) to Unawatuna and spent the day there reminiscing. We caught up with the lovely lady, Ranni who owns the Hot Rock cafe right on the beach and she remembered Richie, from our previous visits (everyone remembers Richie, I'm just chopped liver!). 

With Ranni at Hot Rock Cafe, Unawatuna.

Ranni is doing very well, post tsunami and now also owns a holiday villa in Unawatuna. The Sri Lankan Government had been threatening for years to demolish the parts of many cafes (Ranni's included)  that were built, illegally, close to the ocean. Finally this year they came good with their threat and brought in the bulldozers and literally cut  in half the cafes that were to close to the shoreline. 

What is left of the demolished wall and roof - still standing - sorta!

To be honest it needed to be done as the 

beach was disappearing under the weight of the numerous cafes, however it's a bit worrying that many of the buildings have been left structurally unsound. 

We also visited the Thampapani Hotel and looked at our old room and spoke to some of the staff members, who also remembered us from '04. it brought back lots of Tsunami memories for us, not the happiest but good to revisit and see the place doing well again at last. 

Thampapani Hotel, Unawatuna, still looking good.

Back in Galle we enjoyed a couple of good meals in the Fort, most notably, Mamas Roof Top cafe. It's no longer a roof top restaurant as they had to move premises, but the food was gorgeous and very good value.

 

Deco on 44 - example of lovely art deco buildings in Galle.

We also enjoyed afternoon drinks and dinner at the beautiful 1930's art deco hotel Deco on 44. Lovely atmosphere and good food although more expensive than other places.

Our final night in Galle, we caught up with Sanjiva , who used to be the general Manager at The Alila Manggis hotel in Candi Dasa, Bali, that we had stayed in a few times. He took us for dinner at another hotel he used to manage, The Lighthouse which is owner by the Jetwing Group. Yet another fabulous property right on the ocean. We had a really pleasant evening, lots of laughs. He is now managing another brand new Jetwing property in Yala nation park that opens up end of the year.

Street scene, Galle Fort.

We arranged with the Tuk tuk driver, Nimal, who drove us to Unawatuna to take us to Mirissa. He was the brother of Rasika and as Galle Fort is such a small place, they knew all of their neighbour's.

 

Richie Richardson will the Galle Police Force.

When Richie first introduced himself, he explained that his name was Richie, like Richie Richardson, the former West Indies cricket captain because that's the quickest way to explain anything in this cricket obsessed country. 

Still impersonating Richie Richardson.

Nimal thought it would be jolly funny to tell his neighbour's at the police station (!!!!!!) that he had Richie Richardson staying at the Guesthouse - and they bought it hook, line and sinker! On the day we were leaving half the police station queued up and insisted on having their picture taken with Richie. I'm glad we won't be there when they find out he's an impostor! 

So happy to be photographed with Richie ( Richardson)!

So this bring us to the last leg of our Sri Lanka revisited tour. We are spending the final week in Mirissa, back at the beach, slobbing out before we head home.