I guess I’m raving too much about this beautiful, elegant place we’re staying. We keep having to pinch ourselves that we landed so well on our feet. We sat up and watched the waves roll in as we had the best brekky EVER. It was eggs Benedict Sri Lankan style and so delicious. I must admit that not having curry, samosas and coconut pancakes for brekky has been a welcome relief.
After brekky we set off on a little excursion to a nearby blowhole that blew a little but certainly didn’t blow its head off. We went by Tuk Tuk and he waited for us while we waited for a number of blows. Then he took us to a nearby harbour where masses of fishing boats were unloading the catch for the day. I loved that, I love the colour and the excitement and all the fish, the weighing and selling, the noise and the slosh. Anyway, he then took us back to near our hotel so we could walk into town around the waterfront. That was lovely for a while but it got more and more deserted and for the very first time in Sri Lanka a weird guy sort of stalked us on his motorbike. He looked very dodgy and followed us, then stopped by the side of the road and waited for us. It is the only time we have felt unsafe so we headed up for the main road as quickly as we could.
Rose had found some place for us to go for lunch and we got in a Tuk Tuk to take us there. He took us off the beaten track, down by the beach through an area that in the high season would be bopping with hotels, beaches etc but now is deserted and definitely uninspiring. We got to where we wanted to go and it was no longer there so we paid the driver to take us back…a Tuk Tuk ride for absolutely nothing!!
He dropped us back in town and we went to find the Wine Shop/ Dive for some beers and a little bottle of Gin for our G&Ts at Happy Hour. Did I tell you that this place isn’t licensed to sell alcohol but they are happy for us to buy our own and bring it in. And they do supply some under the table like our lovely bottle of wine with dinner last night. For our Happy Hour they supply the Tonic, a lime and ice and we have our little hip flask of gin. FYI Sri Lanka has a law that says women are not allowed to buy alcohol…can you believe it!! Doesn’t seem to apply to white women though.
Anyway by this time we had chased a few red herrings and had firmly decided that our place was the very best place to be…by our very own pool in our very own colonial mansion. So back we came and that’s what we did…spent the afternoon plopping in and out of the pool having a delicious sandwich and the odd G&T while we watched a family of monkeys playing in the tree next to the pool. Yesterday a large Monitor sauntered past the pool. We had seen them swimming in the lake in Kandy and Rose was worried in case this one decided to take a swim!!
They have dinner planned for us …fresh calamari followed by fish for me. They are planning on getting me a lobster for tomorrow night!! The charge for the meal is $30 each. Hugely expensive for Sri Lanka but for us…3 courses for $30 is amazing. We are indulging ourselves for 3 nights. Its back to homestay in Galle after this. No pool and no gourmet food!! Though we understand there are lots of lovely restaurants and shops to explore.
Now its bed time, another divine dinner has been demolished although we are worried about our chef who has a very painful foot following a cut. Hope he lasts the distance for us!! Tomorrow is another day and our last in paradise!! In the distance there is what sounds very like the Call to Prayer but I understand it is the Buddhist version…I find it very soothing whatever the religion. My bed is covered in Frangipani and Bougainvillea petals.