Soaring high as an engineering feat and beacon of spirituality
Time was when the sailor, longing for a glimpse of Ceylon’s shoreline, would holler a relieved ‘Land Ahoy’ as soon as he glimpsed a shadow of a mountain – rising far away in the central uplands- a holy beacon venerated by all religions- Adam’s Peak. Today, the metropolitan skyline (and all its vapours) have mostly [...]
The cry of the devil bird!
One road from the central hills to the east coast at Pottuvil meanders through the foothills of Siyambalaanduwa and Moneragala reaching the flat where it passes the tank at Lahugala. The Wild Life Protection Society had at one time a little bungalow jutting out into the tank on a narrow peninsula off the bund on [...]
Letters to the Editor
Presidential candidates: More rules needed to keep out undesirables I refer to the letter published in the Sunday Times of October 27 under the heading, ‘Glut of contestants due to ridiculous rules’ and wish to add: The current presidential election rules about deposits is fair in a democracy. But in order to prevent undesirable elements, [...]
Appreciations
Erudite, yet humble and simple man Jayampathy Samarakoon The demise of Dr Jayampathy Samarakoon, ‘Sam’ to his friends and colleagues, was a deep shock. It is difficult to fathom that he is no more – most disturbing is we have lost a great mind that we turned to when we wanted wisdom. Sam was a [...]
A ‘teatastic’ afternoon with Lankan delicacies
Think afternoon tea and the quintessentially British fare of cucumber sandwiches and scones may pop into your mind. Think again! Soon you may be sampling manioc chips, nutmeg tea infused pork pudding with wild berry sauce and scallops on roti at your next High Tea outing. So there were surprises aplenty but it was after [...]
Sailing in dangerous waters
To the south of Sri Lanka, there is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. The movement of ships takes place in two lanes, one travelling west and another east in what is known as the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). South of Dondra, this TSS runs as close as five nautical miles from [...]
Cooking up Aunty’s favourite Lankan fare
Strains of old Sinhala songs greet your ears as you walk into a little renovated home nestled down Nelson Lane, Kollupitiya with the blackboard saying ‘Aunty’s Sri Lankan Cooking Class’. As you enter the verandah, you can see a grinding stone (the miris gala), winnowing fans (kulla) and coconut cleavers arranged on a table with [...]
Kolamba: Culinary memories of home in the heart of London
Newly opened in Soho, London, Kolamba was born of owners Aushi and Eroshan Meewella’s love for the recipes they grew up eating in the homes of family and friends in Colombo. Drawing on these vibrant culinary memories of their childhood, their new Lankan restaurant also looks to champion emerging talent, collaborating with food, design and [...]
Overlooking the sea and Galle Fort in grand style
Nestled in the historic Southern city of Galle, overlooking Galle Fort – evoking the feel of Dutch colonial times and the Indian Ocean, Le Grand Galle spells comfort and serenity. The journey to Le Grand Galle from Colombo takes around one and a half hours along the Southern Expressway. Exiting from Pinnaduwa, the hotel is [...]