Sinhalese letters and flowers

I took this photo on Matara Road in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. Several years ago I decided to try to learn to write and read Sinhalese letters. Long story short, I gave up, but still want learn it again. Every single Sinhalese letters has special shape just like flowers. If I say so out of the blue, I guess not so many people understand what I'm talking about, but with the picture like this, hopefully some people understand what I'm talking about. The picture of Sinhalese letters and flowers. Since I gave up to learn to write and read Sinhalese letters, I can't read any, though.

There used to be a palace on the top of the Sigiriya Rock

The photo shows the Sigiriya Rock (a.k.a. Lion's Rock). One of the Unesco World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. Long story short, a son of the king took his father's life and became the King Kashapa many many moons ago. The King Kashapa built his own palace on the top of the gigantic rock in the middle of tropical jungle. The Sigiriya Rock is located in the middle of nowhere, so his palace was absolutely isolated. The king lived being surrounded by thousands of beautiful women, but, you know that something happened, the rest is history. If you go there, you'll be allowed to go to the top of the Sigiriya Rock, and if you'll go to the top, you'll be able to experience to view the same views as the ancient King Kashapa did.

Rice and Curry in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

I took this photo at a local eatery in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. Hikkaduwa is one of the popular beach towns on the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. The photo shows Sri Lankan Rice and Curry. I went to the same eatery several times during my time in Hikkaduwa, and my oder was always Rice and Curry, but ingredients were changed day by day, so I was able to enjoy having a variety of local favourites, on top of that, I enjoyed sipping a cup of Sri Lankan tea after meals. I miss that relaxing afternoons.

Hey sea turtle, where are you headed?

The photo shows a sea turtle that I saw in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. I've seen them several times during my 8-day vacation in Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa is a town on the South Western coast of Sri Lanka. Not to mention it is one of the most popular beach towns in Sri Lanka. If you head any further to South from Hikkaduwa, you'll hit Gale and Unawatuna in a row. My favorite destination in Sri Lanka is Unawatuna, but I like Hikkaduwa too. There are many reasons that I says so, but if I have to choose one, viewing the sun set over the Indian Oean. Unawatuna beach is right on the Southern coast, so you can't view the sun set over the Indian Ocean.

I could afford to buy it, but I couldn't find it

I took this photo in my hotel room in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. The hotel offered free Wi-Fi service. Wi-Fi signal was strong near the door, and not anymore in the balcony, so I was there right beside the door. By the way, I loved the key ring with a little elephant. Each room key had the same type of elephant's key rings, but colors were different. I mean each little elephant wore different colors of blanket. The cute little elephants (and room keys) were lined up on the reception counter and they looked so cute. I wanted to buy one, but I couldn't find the same one in the village.

Unawatuna fingerpost

I took this photo in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka when I hit sort of like a T-junktion of the village. There was a finger post looked like the photo shows. If you turn left you'll reach a long white sanded Unawatuna Beach, or if you turn right, you might be able to find a couple of beaches where the hidden beaches locally called "Jungle Beach". One of the Jungle beaches was super well-hidden and it was like hard to get there kind of thing, but the other one was not very difficult to find and I'd say it's already turned into a well-known beach.

Vegetable Roti and Sri Lankan Cutlet

The photo shows 2 Sri Lankan Vegetable Roti and 1 Sri Lankan Cutlet which I had in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. Normally, 2 Vegetable Roti was enough for breakfast, but that morning I was a bit more hungry and wanted to have a Sri Lankan Cutlet as well. If my memory is correct, that was a fish cutlet. The Roti shop was about a kilometer down onto Matara Road from Unawatuna towards Talpe. Vegetable Roti is my favorite Sri Lankan food, so I'm always very happy finding a place for Vegetable Roti and have them at least two.

Angurukaramulla, Negombo Buddhist Temple

I took this photo at a famous Buddhist Temple in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The temple is named Angurukaramulla Temple, but in Negombo, you can say just 'Take me to the Buddhist Temple' to a tuk-tuk driver, then you can reach the temple, it's that famous. I visited the temple more than a decade ago. Inside of the temple was very beautiful and colorful much much more than my imagination. The highlight of my visit was walking into the stunning room of this reclining Buddha statue. It's definitely an unforgettable cultural experience.

Sri Lankan porcupine

I took this photo in Pinnawala, Sri Lanka. That day, I took a car trip from Negombo to Kandy. Also, I visited Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and Royal Botanical Gardens on the way. Before I visited Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a couple of villagers showed me their couple of porcupines. The photo shows one of them. It seemed they are herbivorous rodent, and I happened to visit them at their mealtime. Was I interrupting? Anyway, I can't tell you where exactly it was, but it was somewhere close to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

Grain of truth

I took this photo in Negombo, Sri Lanka. There were some palm trees in front of my hotel room. One day in the evening before dusk, very heavy shower of rain hit Negombo. After the sky cleared up, I saw this view with a beautiful huge rainbow. It was a double rainbow actually, but the photo doesn't show the second one completely. If I could take the complete photo of the double rainbow, it would be an eye-grabbing photo. Is there a pot of fold at the end of the rainbow? Or there's no grain of truth in the saying? I believe that the saying contains a grain of truth.

I'm obsessed with Sri Lankan Rice and Curry

I took this photo at my hotel in Negombo, Sri Lanka. The hotel's restaurant provided Rice and Curry Lunch everyday. I enjoyed to have Rice and Curry Lunch almost everyday at the hotel's restaurant while I was staying in Negombo. The ingredients were changed on a daily basis, so I was never bored. The photo shows Rice and curry with Papadum, Banana Flower Curry, Green Beans Curry (locally called Bonchi Curry), Lentil Curry (locally called Dhal Curry), Chicken Curry (locally called Kukul Mas Curry) and Rice (locally called Bath).

Clear the table, please.

I took this photo at a hotel in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. There were a couple of glass display tables at the lobby. While I was waiting a car to the airport, I sat at the table and had a cup of tea. Also, I had a small talk with the locals. Then I realized that the tables we sat around were glass display tables, and common spices in Sri Lankan curry were displayed under the glass. I asked the locals to pick up their tea cups for a while, and I took this photo and another. What a cool table. By the way, I'm gonna attend a workshop for spice this weekend. There, I will learn how to blend certain spices for different recipes. I can't wait.

It's off the beaten track, you'll see amazing view

I took this photo in Gampaha, Sri Lanka. There is a Buddhist temple deep inside of a jungle with lots and lots of palm trees and the temple is locally called 'Rock Temple'. This place is less than an hour tuk-tuk-drive from Negombo city, technically a 40-minute drive or so, but it's off the beaten track and is a tad hard to find the temple by yourself. I suggest to hire a tuk-tuk for a round trip just like I did. The photo shows a view from the rock where the place I felt like I was standing in the heart of the tropical jungle in Sri Lanka.

Tie her up till dawn

This is my another photo of a sunset view with glass bottom boats in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka. I didn't choose an ocean view hotel that time, so I crossed the street to get to the Hilkaduwa beach and waited the right moment on the beach. Hikkaduwa beach is in a way Sri Lanka's Southwestern most beach where you can enjoy viewing the sun set over the Indian Ocean. Beaches in Southern villages are also super, and beautiful, but you can't view the sun set over the Indian Ocean, I mean geographically. Magnificent view, isn't it?

Colorful plant

I took this photo in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka. There was a corner shop on Yaddehimulla Road (a.k.a. the Strand) and they had a nice restaurant deep inside of the tropical garden. After having Sri Lankan Fried Rice with Prawns, I found this colorful plant in their garden. I didn't know the name of the plant and still don't know about it, but this photo reminds me of my favorite atmosphere of Unawatuna, Sri lanka and many, many more things. I've been to Sri Lanka seven times and spent 171 days in total. Unawatuna is my favorite destination in Sri Lanka. I really really love there.

Sri Lankan Fried Noodles - Mixed -

I took this photo at my favorite restaurant in Unawatuna, Sri Lanka and the photo shows Sri Lankan Fried Noodles. You can choose ingredients from vegetables, chicken, seafood, or "mixed". I ordered "mixed" which means it has vegetables, chicken, and seafood all together. It looks gorgeous, doesn't it? When you order Sri Lankan Fried Noodle, you see that each noodles are cut into short length about three to six centimeters long like the photo shows. So, you can eat Sri Lankan Fried Noodles without a fork just like the locals do.

It's considered to be the home of black tea

I took this photo in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka. The city of Nuwara Eliya is nestled in the hilly province of Central Sri Lanka and is at an altitude of more than 1,850 meters high. Due to its location in Sri Lankan highland, the temperature doesn't go too high in Nuwara Eliya. The location and temperature cause such a great effect on tea plantation. That is why Nuwara Eliya is considered to be the home of black tea a.k.a. Ceylon tea or Orange Pekoe tea. Even though you are a coffee person, you'd better order a pot of tea when you're in Sri Lanka. Your opinion on tea people will be dramatically change, I swear.

A very nice hotel tends to have a good restaurant

I took this photo at a hotel in Katunayake, Sri Lanka. The hotel is located this close to Bandaranaike International Airport. I've heard that the hotel has been receiving rave reviews from the locals as well as tourists. That time, my hotel was in the capital Colombo, and I visited the hotel just to have delicious Sri Lankan dinner at their poolside restaurant. It was really worth going there. Very good service and very nice food with good beer. The tables are exactly on the poolside, and the ceiling was clear night sky with a lot of stars. A-mazing. Next time, I wanna stay at the hotel for my first few nights in Sri Lanka.

Oh, it's a Poya day...

I took this photo in Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka on a Poya on a full moon night. Every full moon day in Sri Lanka is called Poya in Sinhalese, and every Poya day is Buddhist holiday. So that means a lot of shops and restaurants are taking a break for a day. I think for first-timer tourists, it's a tad hard to find a place to eat ( can't drink alcohol on Poya days, by the way) on Poya day. Anyway, I was in Hikkaduwa on that night and took a stroll around along Galle Road and at least found a place to eat spicy Fish Curry and some rice. I took this photo while I was waiting my dinner at the table.

Hey Lion, I need you...

The photo shows one of my favorite Asian beers named Lion. The photo shows Lion Lager. The beautiful gold just looks like the color of lion mane. By the way from my personal experience, beer Lion can be found anywhere in Sri Lanka, but once I leave Sri Lanka, it's next to impossible to find beer Lion again. Then I miss it more. It can be said an Israeli beer Goldstar. Goldstar looks like the most popular and the top-selling beer in Israel, but once I leave Israel, it's impossible to find the good beer again. Then I miss it more.