Perth

April 10th 

We drove from Galle to Colombo Airport a 3 or 4 hour drive on the new freeway. We passed several cinnamon plantations mostly small holdings. We also saw rubber plantations and newly planted oil palms.

Leaving Colombo was a bit of a fiasco as I left my crutches in the van, but as usual in Sri Lanka a stranger (who had lived in Melbourne for a number of years) came to the rescue and phoned the .driver who returned to the airport. Everybody has been so helpful and kind but it meant I had no time for airport shopping.

The flight to Perth was uneventful and Malindo Air business class certainly had roomy seats but passengers were unlikely to get drunk!

We are having idyllic weather in Perth and our friends and relatives have been driving us around our old haunts which has been great.

So I will finish off with a few photos of Perth and go into hibernation again.

George our relaxed host in Perth.

City skyline from Kings Park.

A few of the hundreds of boats on the Swan river.

Native plants in Kings Park.

Unknown variety of Kangaroo Paw.

Sunset from Cottesloe beach.

Walking around Galle

April 4th

Today is our last day in Sri Lanka so Tissa and Jayanthi came and we set off on a walk and wheelchair tour on the Fort area of Galle. It is a UNESCO heritage site and it looks good but is mostly restored rather than original.

Typical residence.

Another grander house.

The Light house near the end of our street.

Schoolboys practising marching complete with drum major.

Our hotel, Fortaleza at 50 Lighthouse St.

The table is set for our breakfast.

Furniture in the dining room.

Courtyard on the way to our room. We had an actual brass bell to ring for room service!

It is New Year this month and so the schools are on end of school year excursions.

The woman on the left has her sari tied Kandian style while the other two have South Indian style.

Around the fort to show how it might have been defended.

Galle Stadium where test matches are played.

Another view of the fort.

Schoolgirls ahead of us in the queue to get into the museum.

Seated Buddha.

Bas relief - Hindu?

Masks for use at festivals.

Furniture similar to that in our hotel in the museum.

 

The Dutch Reformed church in Galle was built in 1755 and still has services every Sunday.

The Public Library in Galle was established in 1832.

Not quite a Hills Hoist!

The road from Yala to Galle

April 2nd

The drive from Yala to Galle took more than 4 hours a lot of it past surf beaches and some smart new freeways and other developments begun by the previous president.

More birds as yet unidentified.

Liked this sign.

Hindu temple entrance.

I think these temple elephants were at a different temple but I envied them their shower as it was pretty hot.

Buddha by the road.

Morning tea barbequed corn on the cob.

Dipped in salty water and delicious.

Lots of fishing boats.

And plenty of fish for sale.

I bought the smallest red mullet for less than A$3.

and here it is barbequed and it was delicious.

Our hotel in Galle might not look grand but inside it has lovely antique furniture and attentive staff.

Sunset from Galle fort.

Galle

April 2nd
Yesterday we arrived at the Jetwings Yala resort which is pretty classy and right among the sand dunes but the beach is not so classy and you have to share it with elephants. Speaking of which last night..one went on a rampage in the hotel car park and damaged a car.

 

 Lunch in the resort dining room.

Jetwings Yala from the beach.

Not an ideal swimming beach.

We spent the afternoon looking for leopards but no success.

 Plenty of wild boar but not very cooperatively about posing.

Water buffalo know the best place on a hot afternoon.

Monkeys and elephants

 and a Sambar deer relaxing but it is really a twitchers paradise and we saw plenty.of birds

Wading birds

 Pretty red legs

A brightly coloured little bird

Bill was more interested in the spectacular rock formations.

Another solitary elephant.

After we returned from the game drive there was a thunderstorm and heavy rain.