Sri Lanka: The Charm of Galle

January 10, 2010

The drive from Colombo to Galle took about three hours and we drove all along the coastline through small towns and villages. I really got to see the heart of southern Sri Lanka. It’s such beautiful countryside with turquoise and aquamarine seas and white sandy beaches fringed with coconut palms, all just a hundred yards from the narrow highway – with no commercial developments, buildings, boardwalks, etc. to serve as barriers between you and the sea. You can stop the car anywhere and walk over onto the beach. The vegetation is lush and green with plenty of banana palms with the taller coconut palms towering over them. There are also hundreds of country almond trees and jak trees with large jakfruit hanging down from the branches. And then there are the flowers – bright, brilliant and exotic – the profusely growing frangipani in not only white but also in pink, red and yellow; the mogra, the chameli, even gulmohar, lots of kaner and bougainvillea (I'm using the Indian names since I don't know what these flowers are caled in Sinhala). A lot of the flora is similar to that found in central and coastal India.

Galle is a quaint seaside village on a peninsular projection with the ramparts of the fort surrounding it on three sides, and the small houses and buildings within the old city reflecting Dutch architecture. The Dutch Reformed Church was built in the 1600’s and its floor is covered with gravestones inscribed with people’s names, ages and causes of death. Galle is known for its gemstones and cotton lace making which was an art introduced here by the Portuguese who came here even before the Dutch. Women walk around the fort peddling their wares and selling beautiful white cotton dresses and pillow covers trimmed with the most exquisite lace. Moonstones are mined in this area and having wanted some moonstone jewelry for the longest time I went in search of some and finally bought some moonstone earrings. I don’t know why – I think it may be because I read somewhere that moonstone was one of my birthstones!

I was lucky to be on the ramparts of Galle as the sun went down into the Indian Ocean. I sat on a bench watching the evening tide come in, with the waters of the ocean just a few yards from me; and the wonderfully panoramic view of the horizon in the west as the large red round sun sank lower into the sky and ultimately disappeared into the sea. The turquoise waters changed to a rapidly darkening blue until, long after dusk, the inky blue stood in stark contrast to the silvery white of the surf that continued to frolic in. Right next to where I sat was the lighthouse, and way up on the top its guiding light shone for all who would heed it. Far away, the twinkling lights of ships began to appear on the surface of the sea as stars fallen from the skies above, grateful I’m sure for the presence of the lighthouse to keep them safe from the beautiful yet treacherous coral. It felt so calm sitting there– without my laptop, without an MP3 or an iPod or a blackberry; with only a camera whose battery had run out and a phone that was too expensive to use. With no distraction I soaked it all in for the longest time  – the dusky evening, the sight and sound of the gentle surf on the waves rolling in, and the heavy salt air that I could taste and smell with every breath I took. What a perfect way to end any day...