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Newsletter aus Sri Lanka von Royston Ellis

Hallo Premasiri,

wünsche Dir uns allen Usern auch ein schönes Pfingsfest!
Es ist immer wieder interessant, wenn man Roystons Berichte über seine Vergangenheit liest.

Amagi Lagoon Hotel main block as seen from tree house

It’s clean and efficient and comfortable, and even has a tree house.
Zum Vergrößern anklicken....

Da hat er mal wieder was Schönes gefunden. :fing002: Ist mit 117 USD für 2 Pers., Standardz. m. Frühstück, nicht gerade günstig, aber für die letzte Nacht vor dem Flug bestimmt gut zum Relaxen.

Liebe Grüsse, Biggi
 
Beethoven & Mozart.


ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 257
Sunday 31 May 2015.


Welcome to this week’s newsletter from Sri Lanka (although I’m currently in London for a few days).


Quail cottage
Since a friend gave me a few quails last year, I have become fascinated by them as pets. They require very little care (just food and water) and in return produce eggs every day. Because they can fly (unless one clips their wings), they can’t be allowed to roam the garden as would chickens. I kept my quails in a cage we built for them under the garden’s water tank, and they seemed happy enough, but I was worried about their comfort.
Eventually, I discovered that quails need about one square foot of living space each bird. Since my dozen quails didn’t have that, we decided to build a pen for them. I wanted a walk-in pen so we didn’t have to crawl in on hands and knees to retrieve their eggs, and where the birds would feel more comfortable than in a wire-floored cage.


Building the quail pen
​

Using gathered materials such as posts cut from an old coconut tree, Kumara and his friends spent one day building a new home for the birds with an opening to their original cage, and a grass floor. They love it.


Contented quails
​

Last week, Kumara came home with ten more quails (young ones as yet to be layers) as well as two young chicks, a white and a black one. I don’t know what they are yet (Kumara can’t remember the local name but he assures me they are not ordinary chickens) so we have penned them separately, waiting for them to reveal their adult selves.

Dish of the Week
I know this looks messy but that’s because I only thought of photographing it when we had nearly finished. It’s called a “bite” in Sri Lanka – something to enjoy while drinking, like a tapa in Spanish. Coincidentally, it happens to be a popular dish in Spain too, where the ingredients, chick peas, are known as garbanzos.


Top pub snack
​

I’ve no idea of the ingredients but these chickpeas (kadala in Sinhala) were as spicy as they look, but also had a moreish texture and, strangely, were not palate-blasting hot. I don’t know the price as the platter came with the compliments of the management. Where? The Royal Bar & Hotel in Kandy, of course (see No. 255).


Beethoven & Mozart in Colombo
The Chamber Music Society of Colombo has a concert of stirring piano concertos by Beethoven & Mozart on Sunday 7 June. It’s being held at the Goethe-Institut, 39 Gregory’s Road, Colombo commencing at 7pm. I’d like to be there…





Galle Fort bargains
I’ve written before about the “Flea Market” in Galle Fort where both Sri Lankan and expat traders rent stalls to display their wares in the cobbled courtyard in front of the courthouse. It adds value to a visit to Galle Fort as there are usually some fascinating things to buy, whether it’s an antique door knob or a colourful shirt.


Galle Flea Market first Sunday every month
​

The next market day is next Sunday, 7 June, as the plan to hold it on the last Sunday of every month has been abandoned so it’s back to the first Sunday of every month. If you’re stuck in Colombo on a Sunday, it’s fun to book a seat in 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Class (curtained seats in pairs) on the 8050 train that leaves Colombo Fort station at 06.55 and arrives at Galle at 09.41hrs. Since it returns from Galle at 15.20 (arriving Colombo at 18.10) it’s a wonderful day’s outing allowing for bargain hunting, full exploration of the Portuguese/Dutch/British walled Fort, and lunch in one of the trendy restaurants in the converted “Dutch Hospital” complex.
From the organisers: “The Galle Fort Golden Flea Market was founded in 2012 “in love of fair trade, local heritage and community spirit. The market takes place on the first Sunday of every month from 10.00 to 16.00 in beautiful Law Court Square in the Fort. Strollers, shoppers and stallholders from all over the island are welcome.”


Card Slot
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)
No.10. RUBBER




“Rubber, like tea, is comparatively new to Ceylon but is now her second largest industry. It started in 1876 when 1,919 rubber plants from Kew were shipped to Ceylon on the SS Devonshire in charge of a gardener. The first exports of rubber from Ceylon were in 1900. Rubber is tapped from the trees at intervals of 2, 3 or 4 days into “cups” made from half coconut shells. Cleanliness in all the apparatus of cutting and collection is vital. The milky substance tapped from the trees is called latex. It is dried into sheets or crepe. There are about 660,000 acres under rubber in Ceylon.”

Gone Man Squared
If this newsletter hasn’t got delayed and you are reading it on Sunday 31 May, I should be in England right now. My plan is to spend the morning reading the English newspapers, and then to take the train from Liverpool Street station to Witham, in Essex, the town where my mother lived. In her memory Neel and I have booked a traditional Sunday lunch at the White Hart pub, which advertises an extravagant Carvery. Full report in due course.
I really am a ‘gone man squared’ now that I’ve retired from being a poet. My book of that name is available through all the amazons, and can be ordered through obliging bookshops (ISBN: 978 0965977791)


Raunchy beat poetry
​
Beat regards
Royston

Auch von mir Grüsse an alle die es wie ich geniessen diesen Newsletter zu lesen...Premasiri
 
Vielen Dank für den immer informativen Newsletter. :smil_dankä:

Der Markt in Galle hört sich interessant an. Mal sehen, ob ich nächstes Jahr an einem ersten Sonntag dort sein werde.
 
Rocking good time.


ROYSTONS REPORTS Number 258
Sunday 7 June 2015.


Thanks to those readers who sent greetings and especially to those who turned up to my shows in London on 29 May.


Rock Poetry

It is because of the marvellous organising and enthusiasm of Keith Woods, founder of Tales from the Woods, the UK’s only roots music magazine (www.tftw.org.uk) that the events happened. When I told Keith I had a chance to visit London, he suggested I give a talk to “Woodies” – membership is free by the way. He told Hylda Sims (of the City Ramblers Revival – formerly a 1960s skiffle group) who then suggested a special Poetry Reading under her auspices at London’s Poetry Café the same evening.


Royston reads (in poor light!)
​

Hylda’s concern was whether enough people would turn up to make the venture worthwhile. I wondered, too, who would be interested in my performances in England since I retired from being a pop poet in 1961, when I was 20.


Royston, Keith & Hylda
​

We were all astonished the number of Woodies as well as Sri Lankans and old friends who came to the King’s Head where I was amiably interviewed, for a filmed archive and broadcast on Radio Sutch, by Peter Stockton, a former musician and last manager of my old pal Jet Harris of Cliff Richard’s Shadows.


Interview by Peter Stockton
​

I used the occasion to launch Big Time my latest paperback novel published by Kicks Books (www.kicksbooks.com) and presented the first copy to Keith Woods. One member of the audience, who had come over from Northern Island, had a copy of every one of my UK-published books, which I was happy to autograph for him.


Book signing
​

It was standing room only at the session at the Poetry Café which Hylda described as “an excellent evening – one of our very best. It was good to meet you and hear you read and I’ll treasure the book.” (That refers to the copy of Gone Man Squared from which I read that I presented to her after the performance.)
As at the Woodies session, the mix of the audience was eclectic: London poets, old roots music fans, and several Sri Lankans. One member of the audience, who read a poem that I would have been proud to have written, came from Chicago. Another was the guitarist who backed me at the Mermaid Theatre in 1960, Jimmy Page, the begetter of Led Zeppelin. Jimmy has written the preface to Gone Man Squared


Royston Ellis, Jimmy Page & Neel Jayantha, London 29 May 2015
​


The Business
I flew to London Heathrow from Colombo (with Neel acting as my Road Manager) on SriLankan Airlines which has recently introduced new business class seating on their A300-330 aircraft. It is unlike any other business class I have ever flown in, as it seems to be modelled on working pods in a high-tech office. In other words, it means business.


SriLankan Airlines business class
​

Passengers have a choice of single seats angled for gazing out of portholes at the clouds, or pairs of seats pointing inwards. The pairs have plenty of shelf space between passengers, which makes conversation (and physical contact) difficult. Amazingly, the seats unfurl into a full-length flat bed although one’s feet have to be funnelled into a narrow space at the foot of the bed.


Neel, as road manager, at work in business class
​

Actually, with so many pods (28), the cabin lacks the charm and camaraderie of old fashioned front-end flying. For our return journey, instead of sitting in a pair of seats, we chose separate window seats. That was perfect as, after 21.30hrs take off followed by a dish of lamb curry and several nightcaps, I managed to sleep for six hours without disturbance. Since it’s not only comfortable but the only non-stop service between Sri Lanka and the UK, I heartily recommend SriLankan’s new business class.


Back to business, UL504
​


British cuisine
While in England, Neel and I were determined to sample some traditional British food. Neel opted for fish & chips. Through internet I tracked down a place called Fish Port near where we were staying in a self-catering apartment opposite Hayes & Harlington station. We walked there.




Perhaps predictably, given the area, it is run by an Asian couple who welcomed us warmly. It is an unprepossessing take-away but has one table for eating in, which we commandeered. We had a large piece of batter-fried cod (£ 4.50) and a large portion of chips (£ 2.50). The chips were the best I’ve tasted for about 50 years, huge and chunky with a crispy exterior and soft interior. Of course, the portion was far too much but contributed to a pleasant lunch eaten out of a cardboard box instead of the traditional newspaper of the 1950s. It cost Rs2884 [US$ 21.36], which we thought was worth it, given the amount and quality.


Sunday carve up
​

On Sunday, I wanted to try a traditional British Roast Lunch so, on a visit to Witham where my mother used to live, we sampled the Carvery at The Whte Hart. This was a choice of roast chicken and/or lamb, beef, pork, with creamed cauliflower, baked parsnips and Yorkshire pudding. With a bottle of superb Australian Shiraz at £ 18), our roast lunch for two with starters, cost £ 41.45 (Rs 8,538; US$ 63,24).


Yorkshire pudding and baked parsnips, etc
​


Card Slot
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)


NO. 11. COCONUTS
“By contrast with tea, the coconut business of Ceylon is essentially the small man’s industry. There are about one million acres of coconut land and roughly two thirds is in allotments of 12 acres or less. The coconut palm has six crops of fruit a year and it is, in fact, the Tree of Life to the villager. The shell serves as fuel; the husk provides fibre for ropes; the nut is food; the milk squeezed from it is a refreshing drink or ingredient in cooking. Some of the other products are Copra (the dried kernel), Coconut Oil (extracted from copra), Oil Cake for cattle (the residue), Desiccated Coconut, Fibres and Yarns.”


Big Time
Retro: Launch of Big Time
​

Now available through all the amazons, and good bookshops on demand, my first ever (1964) novel has re-emerged as Big Time. It’s a raunchy biography of the rise and fall of young rock and roll star.


Beat regards
Royston

Leider kommt der Newsletter ein wenig verspätet....bin nicht dazugekommen ihn einzustellen....Sorry LG Premasiri
 
Hallo Premasiri,

besser spät als nie :fing002:. Ich mag und lese die wöchentlichen NL`s von R. Ellis wirklich sehr gern. Auch dieser über London ist wieder sehr interessant! Jimmy Page, hehe, wer kennt nicht Led Zeppelin.


Liebe Grüsse und danke, Biggi
 
Naked models


ROYSTON REPORTS Number 259
Sunday 14 June 2015.


Greetings from Sri Lanka where curios and the curious continue to amaze me.


Antique Butterfly
An extraordinary curio recently came up for auction on ebay: a 100-years-old butterfly from Ceylon. I asked a reader of this newsletter, a butterfly and Sri Lanka enthusiast, about it since I was curious whether a butterfly could last for a century.


100-years-old Ceylon butterfly
​

He reports:
“Delias eucharis is a member of the “white and yellow family” (Pieridae) of butterflies, and is found in Sri Lanka, southern India in an easterly arc to Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan and northern Burma. It is a common and easily recognisable Sri Lankan butterfly, and I expect that you will have seen it in your garden at some time.
“It flies wherever its larval food plant (mistletoe) flourishes but rarely above 4,000 feet. Except on very hot days, it is usually a butterfly of the early morning and late afternoon. The flight is slow and deliberate but quite powerful. It is said to be active in the hill country when morning mists are just beginning to lift and the flowers are still spotted with dew. I didn’t see it myself when I was there because it rained practically all the time. The female has darker veins than the male. The specimen on ebay appears to be male. On the more colourful underside the predominantly yellow hind wings are bordered with rows of large orange/red spots.
“The data label (on the pin) dated 1915, is attributable to W P Curtis and the specimen was presumably once in his collection. The place of capture is not shown (as it should be) unless it is on the back of the label… It is perfectly possible that the specimen is 100 years old…The earliest known specimen from Ceylon is a Crimson Rose collected in 1758 and reputed still to be in a Stockholm museum.”
When I checked on ebay, the auction had ended and no one had bid, even the 99p minimum, for the butterfly. I’ve just heard though, that the reader who provided the information above has managed to buy this century-old specimen to keep safely in his own collection.

Naked models
As the clandestine author of the coffee table book Sri Lanka Railways, Celebrating 150 Years of Service(ISBN: 978 955 0821 044) published by the Railways on the sesquicentennial of the inaugural journey of the country’s first passenger steam train, I was thrilled to see some venerable locos (albeit diesel) parked perpendicular to the main road from Colombo to Kandy.


81-years-old diesel locomotive
​

One of them is this loco No. 500 built in 1934, stabled close to a lurid purple and blue painted steam locomotive No. E1 93, one of those built between 1898 and 1928. This curious sight heralds a recently opened National Railway Museum at Kadugannawa, 16km from Kandy. The admission ticket (Rs500 [£ 2.43; US$ 3.70] for foreigners, Rs50 for Sri Lankans) is a cardboard replica of an old railway ticket, and states the Museum was opened on 27 December 2014 to commemorate the 150[SUP]th[/SUP] anniversary.



One of my secret books & museum admisison ticket
​

Railway artefacts, including a huge model railway track with two electrically-controlled trains trundling around it, are housed in a British-built converted railway warehouse beside the Kandy road. In one converted wooden railway carriage, a video is shown depicting the history of the railways. When I opened the door of another converted railway carriage, I was astonished to see a group of naked dummies. Probably waiting to be dressed in period costume as railway staff?


Rail museum, naked models awaiting uniform?
​

Dish of the Week
I’ve never had anything like this dish, which I was privileged to enjoy in London as guests an old friend and her French-born husband. They invited Neel and me to dinner at the Parisian-style Zedel Brasserie in Sherwood Street, just behind Piccadilly Station. I hoped to dine in style while visiting London and this fulfilled my ambition not only because of its glorious décor (see: http://www.brasseriezedel.com) but also its sumptuous food.
Duck was on the menu but I was determined to try something I’d never had before (and can’t get in Sri Lanka) so opted for Andouillettes de Troyes Grillée (grilled tripe sausage with a mustard sauce) at£ 11.95 (Rs 2,500; US$ 18.55). My host was concerned that I’d find offal too awful. I didn’t. This matched my desire for something different and full of flavour to satisfy my addled palate. (And no complaints the next morning.)


Tripe sausage
​


Card Slot
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)
NO. 12 CEYLON TEA WORKERS




“Most of the tea workers in Ceylon are Tamils originating from South India, though they have been established in Ceylon for many generations. They live and work as families are well looked after in fact, each Tea Estate is a little Welfare Estate on its own. The planters maintain hospitals, dispensaries and creches for the babies. They used to provide schools also but since 1947 these have been the responsibility of the Government. There have been great changes recently in the workers’ houses. They used to live in rather barrack-like “lines”, but today these are being replaced with much more modern dwellings.”

Review
This comes from a review by Nick Cobban of my recent performances in London (see the full review with photos on: http://thevinylword.blogspot.com)
“Royston was a spokesman for teenagers in the late fifties and early sixties and frequently appeared on TV, sometimes causing controversy, but ‘retired’ when he reached 20 in 1961. He moved to Guernsey and then to Las Palmas, where he met up with Cliff Richard again in 1963 when he was filming A Wonderful Life. At Cliff’s suggestion, he tried to sort out a drink problem experienced by actor Dennis Price by taking him to a bar for a talk.



Dennis Price in Kill or Cure (1962)
​

“It didn’t work: Dennis mistook a cockroach on the floor for a Pekinese dog!”

More on Sir Cliff Richard and that incident in my Tomahawk Book available fromhttp://www.amazon.co.uk/372/dp/0956683479/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433990939&sr=1-1&keywords=Cliff+Richard+by+Royston+Ellis



Cliff Richard & The Shadows by Royston Ellis
​


Beat regards
Royston

möchte mich an dieser Stelle für die Feedbacks bedanken....was mich immer sehr freut...LG Premasiri
 
Tea with me


ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 260
Sunday 21 June 2015


Greetings from Sri Lanka’s latest tourist attraction: me! Come for tea?


Railway Mystery
In my pursuit of unusual items connected with the railways of Sri Lanka, I acquired this curiosity: a match box label bearing the phrase “Made in Ceylon” and depicting steam locomotive and carriages. Plainly shown is its Number: 501. Captions are in Sinhala, Tamil and English (PPKV). Did this reference to KV refer to the narrow gauge KV (Kelani Valley) Line?



Mystery train match box
​

So I took out my books on railways to see if I could identify the year this steam engine was built. Curiously, the number 501 and named Silver Foam was given to the first diesel power set imported into Ceylon (as Sri Lanka then was) in 1938. It ran on the coastal line (the one that goes through my garden) until being scrapped in 1955.
To add to the mystery, the numbering of steam locomotives in Sri Lanka didn’t go beyond 362 when the last steam locomotive was delivered in 1951. So what is this engine depicted on the match box cover – a figment of an artist’s imagination or a real steam loco?
Thanks to the diligence of a compiler who has posted a listed of steam engines on the internet, I discover a locomotive that might be the original for this match box design – but in Burma not Ceylon. No 501 Class YB, 4-6-2 wheel, metre gauge, made by Vulcan Foundry at Newton-le-Willows, England was part of the fleet of Burma Railways, and is listed as “dismantled.”
I’d be delighted to hear from any railway enthusiast who can solve the mystery of my tri-lingual matchbox label.

Iftar at The Barnesbury
I must confess I have yet to go to The Barnesbury in Barnes Place, Colombo, so I am relying on a very reliable correspondent, and regular reader of this weekly newsletter, for this inside information. She writes: “While the interior of The Barnesbury has essentially a western feel to it with urban modern British furniture accents, the unique garden space is an absolute bonus that is found nowhere else in the city!”


Coffee at The Barnesbury
​

For Iftar (the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramazan, now on), “the Executive Chef Manjula Dharmasiri has put together a wonderful set menu to break the day’s fast. Armed with his experience in Dubai for many years, he brings succulent kebabs, delicious Kanji, other savoury treats and a choice of mouth-watering desserts to the table.
“There are three set menus ranging from Rs 2000 to Rs 2195 [ ] plus taxes per with dates, beef or chicken rice kanji, a choice of a fresh fruit juice, a chicken or beef samosa, a mixed salad and a main. Each menu includes salads in different preparations like mixed greens, chicken salad in mayo, Lyonnais potato, or a Fattoush salad (an Arabic salad, colourful to the eye and tossed in a lemony garlic dressing). The mains are Lebanese or Egyptian style kebabs and breaded chicken breast. Each menu ends with an exotic dessert like a fresh fruit salad served with ice cream, a banana split or a chocolate brownie with ice cream.” Sounds delicious!


Iftar Dessert
​

My correspondent adds: “There is a Shisha zone in the courtyard – a trendy pursuit among young adults today that has been given pride of place in the garden. The Shisha comes in different flavours.”


Shisha Zone
​

http://www.thebarnesbury.com

Card Slot
No. 13 PLANTING TEA
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)




“The tea plant starts life in a nursery bed on the estate. There are two ways of growing it – from seed, or by planting cuttings taken from selected bushes. The seeds are about the size and colour of a nutmeg. The seed bed is frequently watered and later, a rough frame-work of thatch provides shade. After 12 months or so the young tea plants are carefully dug up and replanted in open ground. The tea bush (it is really a pruned down tree) is wonderfully hardy. It can be plucked when it is from three to five years old, and may go on yielding good leaf for 50 years and more.”

Tea with me
It wasn’t my plan to become a tourist attraction for visitors to Sri Lanka. However, my guidebook Sri Lanka originally published in the UK by Bradt is now being released in the Indian sub-continent by Speaking Tiger Books of India (http://speakingtigerbooks.com/authors/royston-ellis/).On the map in the book detailing the attractions of Bentota, the main village for tourists near where I live, it shows the way to my cottage.


Available in India & Sri Lanka
​

In addition a local travel agency (Sri Lanka In Style) has put together a package called “Tea With The Paperback Writer” based on a visit to the cottage to take tea with me! The first couple has already signed up. Check http://www.srilankainstyle.com/day-experiences/tea-with-the-beatles-original-paperback-writer/if you’d like to come to tea too.


Ready for tea with me
​

Press Review
That excellent local newspaper, the Sunday Times, features a short article on my recent appearance at The Poetry Café in London reading poems from the Kicks Books publication of Gone Man Squared. It’s on:
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150614/sunday-times-2/gone-man-squared-launch-in-london-153225.html


Gone Man Squared by Royston Ellis
​

Beat regards
Royston

Nach zwei Tagen www.rockthering.ch noch ein wenig müde, wünsche ich allen einen schönen Sonntag und den Usern am Usertreffen später eine gute Heimfahrt...

Premasiri
 
Danke, Paula! Wir sind jetzt unterwegs. Da ich heute eine Mitfahrgelegenheit habe konnte ich den Newsletter in aller Ruhe lesen.
Der Kaffee sieht ja mal klasse aus und käme mir jetzt gerade recht. ;)
 
Fish first


ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 261
Sunday 28 June 2015.


Welcome to this week’s newsletter heralding a newly opened old restaurant.


For the cognoscenti.
Last week I was delighted to be invited to the opening of the revamped Sea Fish restaurant. I first began popping into the original Sea Fish about 30 years ago (it was founded in 1969) because it was one of the few restaurants existing in Colombo then, except for those in hotels. By chance, since it was opened before any of the clutch of five-star properties around it, it is conveniently located close to the Kingsbury, Hilton and Galadari hotels.
It’s location, actually, helped to keep it a secret, as it is tucked alongside Secretarial Halt railway station and reached through the car park of the Regal cinema. Over the years, the restaurant lost its regular clientele and became gloomy, grimy and gauche. In the 2002 edition of my Bradt guide to Sri Lanka I stated: “Despite its gloomy décor, visitors in the know go there to enjoy the mixed seafood grill (Rs 350).” I dropped the entry from my book in subsequent editions.




Now, apart from being in the same building, the “new” Sea Fish is nothing like the old one. It’s bright, white and blue décor is clean and crisp with mirrors giving it an art deco appearance. There is a proper bar with fun cocktails, a huge, glass-walled wine cellar with a super range of wines, three private dining rooms and a booklet menu detailing 109 moderately priced dishes. I like the small print: “Prices include applicable taxes. No service charge. You may decided if they deserve a service charge.”



Sea Fish sensation
​

Beyond the skewers of lobster presented as cocktail snacks in a huge hollowed out lobster shell, I haven’t eaten there yet. But I note that the Mixed Grill “Ceylon Sea Fish” style, is now Rs 2,200 [£ 10.47; $ 16.29] while a lunch of fried rice with fish, cashew and green pea curry, mixed vegetable salad, fried egg & chutney is only Rs 550 [£ 2.61; $ 4.07]. Sea Fish with its upmarket ambience and great menu seems set to become, again, a haunt of the cognoscenti.

Map of the past
Ancient Dutch map
​

I was fascinated to see this etched map of islands off northern Ceylon offered on ebay at £92.50 (Rs 19,425), published in 1672 and drawn by Baldeus. While the islands are differently named today, the one that caught my eye was Hammenheil. As long-term readers of this newsletter will know there is now a hotel, run by the Sri Lanka navy, on that island which still bears its Dutch name.


Hammenheil island
​

Sun House




The Sun House, above Galle, has long attracted guests because of its care, attention and comfort, and whimsical décor that seems to be derived from a vigorous trawl through the antique shops of the world. It’s an inspired place of cachet that sleek, even boutique, hotels cannot match. So when I was invited to tea there last week, I accepted with alacrity.


Sun House garden & pool
​

The entrance is through a tiny door on Upper Dickson Road into a courtyard which leads to a huge parlour with a stunning view of the garden and swimming pool. What I thought was a water feature where a fountain of water suddenly shot into the air as I stepped into the garden, was greeted by the steward with the words, “Oh, oh, something wrong!”
He scurried away and returned a few minutes later with a maintenance man who rushed over to stem the flow from a burst water pipe. After tea, I joined the steward in Dick’s Bar (named after the former owner of the property) for a Sun House speciality, passion fruit margarita. It had a soothing sweetness after the intensity of the tea.


Sun House passionfruit margarita
​



Card Slot
Number 14. PRUNING TEA BUSHES
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)




“Left to themselves, tea bushes will grow into trees 30ft high. To keep them a suitable size and shape for the women to pluck the leaves, they are pruned at intervals of one to three years all through their lives. This encourages side growth and produces a flat-topped bush, three to four feet high. Pruning also prevents the bush from “going to seed” (some, of course, are specially left to provide new seeds) and maintains it as a constant leaf-producer. Pruning is work for the men on the estate. They use a sharp curved knife.”



Weekly book
This week I’m suggesting a book set in Kenya that, I discovered, is appealing to a lot of readers around the world, as well as here in Sri Lanka. Published recently in the first ever edition by Kicks Books of the USA, it’s available through all the amazons, and good bookshops. It’s the rollicking tale of four women who journey from California in the 1970s to Africa in search of the F word – fulfilment.
“Do they find it?” asked a reader I met at a Colombo party the other day, who has yet to reach the book’s final chapter
“In more ways than one,” I replied.




Sweet Ebony by Royston Ellis, ISBN 9781940157078


Beat regards
Royston

Sorry für die Verspätung...war Sonntag und Montag auf der Glättialp oberhalb Vitznau und hatte keine gute Verbindung

LG Premasiri

 
Hallo Premasiri,

der Tip von R. Ellis zum Sun House in Galle ist ja mal wieder richtig klasse. Kolonialer Style, damit hat er meinen Geschmack mal wieder getroffen, aber die Preise... :icon_frown:

Liebe Grüsse und danke, Biggi
 
ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 262


Sunday 5 July 2015.
Welcome to this week’s newsletter with a quest for animals and, as usual, good food.

Zoo Search
I have started to read a book recently acquired about Ceylon and am fascinated to discover that it details the unknown origins of the National Zoological Gardens at Dehiwala, Colombo’s zoo.


Misplaced tiger
​

It’s called Zoo Search in Ceylon by Heinz Randow and is the English translation of a book published in Germany in 1950. (I’ve no idea why the cover shows a tiger.)
In the lively opening chapter the author states: “John Hagenbeck picked me out of the crowd of passengers leaving the ship, drove me by car from Colombo in a southerly direction towards Dehiwala. The plan was to set up there a collecting station for animals and later, perhaps, even a zoo.”


Hagenbeck circus poster
​

Since the zoo had its foundations in the collecting station started by John Hagenbeck in the late 1920s, this book is the author’s recollections of the time he spent in Ceylon in the 1920s collecting animals both to start the zoo and to ship overseas for the various Hagenbeck circuses and zoos, including one in Hamburg.
John Hagenbeck (1866-1940) was the half-brother of Carl Hagenbeck (1844-1913) a famous animal dealer and zoo director; both were born in Germany, sons of Gotfried Claes Carl Hagenbeck (1810-1887), a fishmonger who had a side line in buying and selling exotic animals. Having settled in Ceylon John Hagenbeck eventually became a tea planter when his collecting station and zoo went bankrupt in 1936 and were taken over by the government. (Being German, he was interred in the Second World War at Diyatalawa where he died.)


Hagenbeck tea poster
​

The author of Zoo Search begins by saying John Hagenbeck took him to a bungalow in Dehiwala, “indicated the cluster of natives who stood there gaping at us, [and said] ‘Pick yourself a boy to act as your personal servant from this crowd. [You must] get to know Sinhala and Tamil, the two native languages.’ Then he gave me a loaf of bread and half a pound of butter and drove back to Colombo.”
I’m looking forward to reading Herr Randow’s adventures as he manages to survive and successfully collects leopards, elephants, crocodiles, rare turtles, poisonous spiders “and fish that climb trees.”

Altitude Swimming
Swimming in a fresh water pool at about 1,000m (3,278ft) above sea level in the chilly hill country of Sri Lanka is the closest I’ll get to Extreme Sports. More like extreme madness.



Meheim reception & restaurant
​

For five years, Haputale has had a modern, boutique style hotel offering accommodation that’s a contrast to the backpacker dens. Actually, Melheim Resort is not in Haputale but near the 183km marker on the A4 road from Beragala bound for Koslanda. It’s reached by a country lane that descends through tea plantations to a gate where a security guard instructs visitors to get out of the vehicle and walk down a short flight of steps to reception.
I obeyed, while our vehicle drove to the car park, which was actually outside our room, Number 3. Reception is at a desk at the entrance to the restaurant. It’s a separate building from the rest of the hotel and commands an amazing view, of carefully manicured landscaped gardens in terraces, sweeping down to a swimming pool! That’s what gave me the idea. Beyond, the view becomes more rugged as it stretches down to the south, the distant coast hidden by hills and swirling mists. It’s like staying in the clouds.


Melheim pool with a view
​

I was determined to try the swimming pool since it must be one of the highest elevated pools in Sri Lanka. I was foolhardy enough to plunge in at 7am, before breakfast, rather startling the pool boy who was trying to clean up and who got so flustered he told me where to find towels instead of offering one. The water was bracing and, with clouds in the valley floating below, I was temporarily numbed in both mind and body. But a hot cup of hill country tea soon revived me.

Card Slot
No. 15 PLUCKING TEA
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)




“In the Ceylon tea estates plucking goes on all the year round. With quick, deft fingers, the women take the tender top leaves (‘two leaves and a bud’) from each shoot and throw them into baskets slung from brow-bands. Each bush gets plucked over about once in ten days. The workers are bare-footed. They wear white cloths over the head against the strong sun. The dresses – saris they call them – look gay and colourful among the dark green bushes, but they fasten sacking across the front to keep them clean and dry while they work.”

Zing
I make no apology for returning to Sea Fish Restaurant after attending its opening party last week. I just had to try it on a normal day; in this case, lunch on a Wednesday. The restaurant was packed with even the private rooms occupied – a sure sign of success.
The restaurant’s revamp with colours of ocean blue and white, with art décor mirrors and napkins of blue, and a fantastic staff (one even shelled my crab claws for me) creates an irresistible ambience for gluttonous enjoyment.


Sea Fish crab curry
​

With friends we opted for the Ceylon Sea Fish Signature Premium Mixed Boat, a huge platter (the longest served in Sri Lanka) of grilled lobster, lagoon crab, jumbo prawns, cuttle fish, fried fish and catch of the day. Enough for four, it costs Rs9,900.


Sea Fish mixed platter
​

There are also crab, oysters and mussels on the menu and all kinds of fish including a tasty prawn curry served with red rice (Rs650). There’s mutton and chicken if you hate fish. What’s more, the prices are net so you can tip what you like. There’s a great bar too, and an outside patio. Such a pleasure to find somewhere with zing.

This week’s book
Go retro and look out for my fictitious autobiography of a rock and roll idol written in 1963 and just republished by Kicks Books, ISBN 9781940157122


Big Time now available
​

Beat regards
Royston

Ganz liebe Grüsse an alle von einer Tropen Nacht....Premasiri
 
Danke, Premasiri! Ich wünsche dir auch einen schönen Sonntag trotz Arbeit!
 
ein wenig verspätet...Sorry

Snorkelling jumbo


ROYSTON REPORTS Number 263
Sunday 12 July 2015


Welcome to this week’s roundup of information for Sri Lanka fans.
Snorkelling jumbo


Snorkelling elephant logo
​

If I seem to be writing a lot about sea food in recent issues, that’s because it’s so good at this time of the year, especially when eaten fresh on the beach on the east coast under the light of the full moon.


Cool spot at Club Dive Paradise
​

This happened when I was in Uppuveli on the east coast of Sri Lanka a few miles north of Trincomalee. More than 35 years ago I spent several weeks staying in a shack on the beach there in a rugged complex that has now become Club Dive Paradise. Last week I was invited to stay in a new hotel overlooking the lagoon behind Uppuveli beach, so I took the chance to check out my old haunt at the same time.


Sea food under the full moon
​

Nothing much has changed really. The accommodation is still basic and the atmosphere laid back and dedicated to fun after a day’s diving with the licensed PADI master divers who run the place. I have never fancied diving but couldn’t resist the temptation of these enormous jumbo prawns coated in garlic and butter as we dined on the beach to the blast of pulsing reggae music.


Delicious jumbo prawns in garlic
​

Rail Bus
Rail bus at China Bay
​

At China Bay, driving beside the railway line on the road south from Trincomalee we encountered this rare sight; it’s not from the rail museum but operates twice a day on the line between Trincomalee and Kantale. These two Lanka Ashok Leyland rail buses (with driver’s cabin at each end) waiting for the signal man to change the points, bear the inscription: “Gift from Government & People of India.” If readers have more information about them, I’d be happy to publish it here.

Dance Card
The Chitrasena Dance Company will be staging its newest production, called Devanjali: Ritual Rites Reflection next Saturday & Sunday 18 & 19 July at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. This is to commemorate the tenth death anniversary of the company’s founder, Guru Chitrasena.


Dance company
​

Choreographed by Heshma Wignaraja, Devanjali had its international premier in Australia in January 2015. Michelle Potter in her review in the Canberra Times stated: “Dance in Sri Lanka dates back thousands of years and has its roots in ritual. In its current manifestation by Chitrasena Dance Company, it is a contemporary performing art that continues to honour that past. It has lost none of the ritualistic feeling, but through energetic choreography, compelling performances, evocative lighting and beautifully designed and made costumes, it becomes an exciting 21[SUP]st[/SUP] century art.”
For information regarding the performance and for tickets contact the Chitrasena Kalayathanaya on 011 3150570 or 011 2368902

Property seminar
There must be a name for the urge experienced by many people, when they visit an exotic place, to own a piece of it. Tales of property purchasing disasters in European holiday destinations are numerous. Sometimes it works out. In my Kicks Books novel The Rush At The End (ISBN 9781940157931) with chapters set in Las Palmas it happens too – and that was in the 1965.


Rush at the End by Royston Ellis
​

Jump ahead 50 years to southern Sri Lanka and the stories of foreigners acquiring (or think they have acquired) property are still tales of woe and misconception – enough for me to write another novel about an idealistic British couple keen to settle in Sri Lanka to enjoy a peaceful (hah!) retirement.


Buy with care!
​

When a foreigner plans to buy land here, I always ask, “What are you going to do with it when your expiry date arrives? It’s not just the legality of the purchase to worry about, but who gets it when you go?”
The British High Commission (BHC) is planning a property seminar to address the questions potential or committed purchasers of property in Sri Lanka might have. A similar seminar in Colombo last year attracted more than 75 people, so it shows the problems of buying (or leasing) property here concern a lot of British residents.


Des res? 4 bdrms, 1 acre, sea view, £400,000 ono
​

This time in the seminar will be held in the south of the island where many Brits fancy settling. I hope to announce the date (in early August) and venue of the seminar in a subsequent newsletter. I am told it will be open only to British Nationals, spouses, resident or potential residents even. The session will be conducted by the Honorary Legal Advisor to the BHC. If you are interested, please send an email toconsular.enquiriescolombo@fco.gov.uk so that the BHC has an idea of how many people would like to attend.



Card slot
No 16. WEIGHING
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)




“At intervals, the women pluckers on a Ceylon tea estate bring their baskets to a weighing point. The leaves are picked over for foreign matter and then weighed. Every worker gets paid extra, above her wages, for the amount of tea plucked. Experienced women can gather up to 60lb in a day. The scale is often a simple balance, like the one overleaf. After weighing, the tea leaf is immediately taken up to the factory for processing. Usually this is by lorry, but in mountainous estates, where the factory is often at a quite different level, the tea may be transported by aerial ropeway.”



Beat regards
Royston
 
Rail bus at China Bay

At China Bay, driving beside the railway line on the road south from Trincomalee we encountered this rare sight; it’s not from the rail museum but operates twice a day on the line between Trincomalee and Kantale. These two Lanka Ashok Leyland rail buses (with driver’s cabin at each end) waiting for the signal man to change the points, bear the inscription: “Gift from Government & People of India.” If readers have more information about them, I’d be happy to publish it here.
Zum Vergrößern anklicken....
Railbus China Bay bei Trincomalee - da habe ich auch zwei Bilder.

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alle099.JPG

Drei weitere vom Bahnhof Galoya Junction. Hier teilt sich die Strecke von Colombo nach Trincomalee und Batticaloa.

alle090.JPG

alle091.JPG

alle089.JPG
 
Danke Dir Marco....schick doch die Bilder an Royston....er freut sich sicher...

LG Premasiri
 
Changing Colombo

ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 264
Sunday 19 July, 2015.


Greetings to readers old and new to this week’s newsletter of Sri Lankan titbits.


Seminar latest
Buy with care!
​

The property seminar for British nationals under the auspices of the British High Commission (BHC) conducted by BHC Honorary Legal Advisors, Julius & Creasy, will be held at the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel Galle on Friday 7 August 2015 at 11am. The BHC cannot help regarding property matters but
this seminar is to raise awareness on the current property laws for foreigners and to offer guidance if you plan to purchase or lease in Sri Lanka.
If you are going to attend, please register by Thursday 30 July by emailing:Consular.enquiriescolombo@fco.gov.uk

Coconut Miracle
That’s what it says on the packet. I’m a sucker for any new food product produced in Sri Lanka, which is why I purchased 500g of “Premium Virgin Coconut Flour” in a pastic packet when I discovered it on the shelf of my local supermarket. It cost Rs393 [£ 1.96; US$ 2.97]


Coconut novelty
​

With headlines stating it is “Pure, Nutritious, Delicious, Cholesterol Free” and adding “Gluten Free” it sounded something I should have. Another label on the packet adds: “Organic Virgin Coconut Baking Flour: Gluten Free, High in Fibre, Smoothies, Muffins, Loaf Breads, Dinner Rolls, Cookies, Pancakes” and “ethical, original, organic” together with “100% organic coconut, no refining, non-hydrogenated, no additives, no preservatives, cold pressed.”
My goodness! How, I wondered, have I been able to live without something that’s so highly hyped?
Unfortunately, there were no recipes on the packet so in my inexperience I tried to make a batter out of it. Big mistake. The coconut flour swelled as soon as I added water to it and wouldn’t bind (as wheat or rice or gram flour does) so I was left with a lumpy gruel. I since discover that egg should be added to bind it. Coconut flour is probably ok for baking but I’ve yet to work out how to it use it for pancakes. Any ideas?

Dish of the Week
I popped into the newly opened Steuart Hotel in Colombo last week. Its location is especially interesting for regular visitors to Colombo as it is at 45 Janadhipathi Mawatha, the road that leads between the Kingsbury and Galadari hotels and past the Central Bank up to the Clock Tower. It has been closed for nearly two decades because of its proximity to the President’s House.
Actually, security restrictions applied when The Steuart was being created, so the hotel’s entrance is not in Janadhipathi Mawatha at all, but from the side street (Hospital Lane) that leads off Chatham Street. The theme of The Steuart is subdued Scottish, which means the bedrooms have walls painted cream instead of being smothered in flocked tartan wallpaper (although the menu has a dash of plaid). However, the bar and restaurant are furbished with club-land-style leather settees, seats and bar stools, and exude a distinctly masculine air.


The Steuart menu
​

This “business boutique” hotel of 50 rooms is owned by the George Steuart Group, Sri Lanka’s oldest mercantile establishment, whose headquarters building it originally was. The group’s origins go back to 1835 when it was founded by two Steuart brothers from Scotland. The menu has a distinct British bias (Bangers & Mash; Shepherd’s Pie; Eton Mess) but my companion opted for a snack of Cajun Chicken Burger. It came with a bowl of “French fries” a dip of tomato sauce, salad, and two juices slabs of chicken. All that for just Rs400 [£ 2.00; $ 3.30].



Cajun chicken burger
​


Changing Colombo
The changes that have taken place in Colombo are hard to keep up with, not just with the hotels and restaurants opening up. I wondered out of the back entrance of The Steuart and that’s how I found I could walk along Janadhipathi Mawatha (formerly Queen Street) towards the Clock Tower.


Approachable again
​

The Clock Tower looked in great shape with a sign indicating it acts as a roundabout as it stands at the junction where Janadhipathi Mawatha meets Chatham Street. This city landmark used to be visible from the sea and served as a lighthouse until the 1950s. The tower was built in 1857 although it was not until 1914 that the clock with four faces – to show the time north, east, south and west – was installed.
Beyond it is President’s House and pedestrians can actually walk past it, take photographs and gaze through the wire fence at what is now the official (not actual) residence of the President. It was built in the 18[SUP]th[/SUP] century by the last Dutch governor and was formerly known as King’s or Queen’s House. Opposite is another imposing building that used to be the General Post Office until security concerns caused it to be closed in 2001.


Formerly the GPO
​


Card slot
Number 17. TEA FACTORY
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)




“Each Ceylon tea estate has its own factory, built mainly of concrete and steel. They are big 3 or 4 storey buildings. Everything except the ground floor is used for the withering process. The green leaves brought in from the estate are spread out on hessian or wire racks and left until most of the moisture has evaporated. They then move down to the ground floor where the processes of rolling, fermenting (or rather oxydising), drying and sorting take place. Whereas women do the tea plucking, in Ceylon these factory processes are mostly looked after by the men.”

This week’s book
I haven’t seen it yet, but you can buy the Speaking Tiger (and most up-to-date) edition of my book The Bradt Guide to Sri Lanka from www.amazon.in
Now on sale
​

Beat regards
Royston

Wünsche allen Usern einen wunderschönen Sonntag, auch wenn es bei der Arbeit ist...LG Premasiri
 
Changing Colombo

The changes that have taken place in Colombo are hard to keep up with, not just with the hotels and restaurants opening up. I wondered out of the back entrance of The Steuart and that’s how I found I could walk along Janadhipathi Mawatha (formerly Queen Street) towards the Clock Tower.

The Clock Tower looked in great shape with a sign indicating it acts as a roundabout as it stands at the junction where Janadhipathi Mawatha meets Chatham Street
Zum Vergrößern anklicken....
Das kann ich nur bestätigen. Von der Janadhipathi Mawatha kommend war früher an der Kreuzung mit der Bank of Ceylon Road Schluß (Checkpoint). Umgekehrt von der Chatham Street kommend war an der Hospital Street auch Schluß (wieder ein Checkpoint). Vor zwei Tagen war ich überrascht, dass man jetzt bis zum Leuchtturm (Uhrenturm) kann. Aus Gewohnheit bin ich aber doch in die BOC-Street abgebogen. Ich war mal kurz im World Trade Center.
 
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Ferry well

ROYSTON REPORTS, Number 265
Sunday 26 July 2015

Welcome to this week’s news from Sri Lanka.

Ferry Good
Last week I drove down the east coast of the island from Trincomalee to Passikudah. There might not seem anything remarkable in that statement but it’s only recently been possible to drive on a road (the A15) for the entire distance. That’s because all the rivers and lagoons that had to be crossed by ferry have at last been bridged.
Of course, the introduction of bridges means a loss of livelihood for the ferry boys, and perhaps that’s ferry good.

Ferry Boy (1938)
​


Eastern Promise
The name of Passikudah has been bandied around in Sri Lanka since the 1970s when it was seen as the beach destination of the future. Both natural and war disasters delayed that prophecy coming true but now hotels are gradually opening up there. It may well be the “Destination of the Future” but not of “Right Now.” I stayed at the Marina Passikudah, a pleasant economical option (double room with breakfast available through on line agencies at US$78++) among a clutch of fancy-priced properties.

Fishing boats at Passikudah beach
​

The hotel is in the middle of the beach strip, opposite an agricultural station where dragon fruits are being cultivated at the road side. New hotels are being built on either side of it and the huge beach seems to stretch for miles, both along the coast and out into the ocean where the sea is gentle and shallow. To the northern end fishing boats are drawn up on the shore, while at the southern end there is a public beach section with a swimming area cordoned off and a police lifeguard to restrain over-enthusiastic revellers.

Public beach at Passikudah
​

At Marina Passikudah (http://www.LSRhotels.com), the emphasis is on diving and water sports, but that’s not compulsory. It’s possible to do nothing at all but laze poolside by the beach while a steward in natty black brings drinks.

Prompt bar service, Marina Passikudah
​

My room, 104, on the first floor, opened onto a shared balcony that spanned the length of a three-storey block of rooms leading to the beach. Bougainvillaea bedecked the balcony rails overlooking the hotel’s carefully maintained lawn.
There is an air of exclusivity about Passikudah, perhaps because there are no beach vendors hassling guests. There aren’t any independent bars or restaurants either, in fact no “after-beach” life at all. Yet. Perhaps that’s its attraction?

Marina Passikudah for water sports
​

Flaky
Kumara, my house manager, has warned me not to buy on impulse items I know nothing about when I spot them on supermarket shelves. But that’s exactly why I buy, to find out what they are.
Perhaps I shouldn’t have bothered with my latest purchase. It’s called Rice Flackes [sic] and 200g cost Rs70 [35p; $ 0.53c] and it’s just flakes of rice. To confound me even more there was no recipe just some brief instructions in Sinhala, which Kumara translated as: ‘soak in water, squeeze out water, add coconut.’


Rice cereal
​

So guessing this is some kind of breakfast cereal, I soaked the flakes in hot water, discarded it, and then added milk and sugar. It wasn’t very pleasant. Flaky actually.

Match box puzzle
I have heard from Vinodh Wickremeratne, the dedicated expert on Sri Lankan Railways, in response to my puzzlement about the steam locomotive shown on this match box label.

Mystery train match box
​

As I surmised, No. 501 it is not a locomotive from Ceylon. Vinodh writes:
It is a British built export series. Same loco is in Thailand. I have seen two there.The overall silhouette is as a smaller scaled version of the Flying Scotsman.”

Stories at Sunset
Next Saturday, 1 August, Sri Lanka’s indefatigable author, man-about-town and jolly good friend, Ashok Ferrey, is hosting another interview session at the Closenberg Hotel, Galle. It’s a free event that starts at 5.30pm with a complimentary glass of wine before a 6pm interview with Chhimi Tenduf-La.

Sunset story star, Chhimi Tenduf-La
​

Half English, half Tibetan, Chhimi Tenduf-La grew up in Hong Kong, London, Delhi and Colombo, where he now lives with his wife, Samantha, and daughter, Tara. The Amazing Racist is his first novel. His second novel, Panther, will be released by HarperCollins India in July 2015. This is a chance not only to learn more about the author and his books but also to tuck into sushi (not free) at the bar on the Luna terrace (by the ‘floating’ swimming pool).

Card Slot
Number 18. FROM FACTORY TO PORT
(From 50 years ago. Issued by British grocers Seymour Mead & Co Ltd)



“Each Ceylon tea estate has its own factory. When the tea leaves have been through the various processes they are stored in bins until there is sufficient of each grade to be sent off to the tea markets of the world. Then the tea is packed into the familiar plywood chests, lined with tin-foil and paper to keep it dry and untainted. A chest holds anything from 100 to 120lb of tea. These chest are sent to the ports of Trincomalee, Colombo and Galle, from where they travel all over the world, marked with the grade, the name of the estate and the quantity stencilled on the outside.”

Blogging
I know “blog” is a horrible word but it has created a new profession: bloggers, an equally off-putting title by which I prefer not to be known. However, I do “blog,” to coin a phrase. As well as this newsletter, for which I receive no sponsorship as I prefer to feature only the things that interest me – and my thousands of readers – I write “blogs” for travel companies.
You can see my weekly contribution here: http://www.srilankatailormade.com/blog/
and a monthly one on: http://www.thesrilankatravelblog.com

Beat regards
Royston

Wünsche allen Usern einen wunderschönen Sonntag LG Premasiri
 
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