M
MA*R*CO
Guest
Pier88 kenne ich. Als Eisenbahnfan würde ich mich gern mal mit ihm unterhalten. Ich habe alle SL Bücher von ihm. Leider bin ich aktuell nur im Osten bzw. im Norden von SL unterwegs.
Newsletter aus Sri Lanka von Royston Ellis
- Ersteller Premasiri
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- kandy nureliya roystonellis
Premasiri
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Ja das ist schade....Royston lebt immer noch im Horizon in Induruwa....
Premasiri
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Old Dutch Hospital, Galle Fort
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
This week’s newsletter was going to be about a punnily-named bar in the restored Old Dutch Hospital at Galle Fort. But my laptop picked up a nasty virus that prevented me from accessing my Word Files, where I had stored the draft of the original article. But, in trying to locate it, I found photos of the original, un-restored Dutch Hospital.
This amazing one of me demonstrating my street-rickshaw-cred was snapped in 1985, not 134 years ago. It shows in the background the arches of the Old Dutch Hospital before it was transformed into a unique mall of gem shops and quirky restaurants.
The quirkiest of them all is Tequila Mocking Bird, a name boldly adapted from Harper Lee’s classic American novel, To Kill A Mocking Bird. The bar/restaurant has nothing to do with literature, but everything to do with Tequila served in various cocktails.
It is located on the balcony floor of the converted complex, with seats on the balcony overlooking the cobbled courtyard, the rampart walls, and the Indian Ocean beyond. You can also see the top branches of Sri Lanka’s oldest breadfruit tree, planted in the gardens of the Aker Sloot (governor’s mansion) built-in 1759.
It is typical of Sri Lanka that the heritage is adapted to contemporary fads, such as a bar specialising in tequila. Curiously, the classic Margarita cocktail is not on the bar’s menu of drinks, which is devoted to innovative tequila cocktails made with such surprising local ingredients like tamarind or chilli. However, Margarita fans who don’t want to deviate will find the classic is available but not served in a kitschy upturned sombrero shaped glass.
The food menu, too, has some pleasant surprises. The Chef’s snack platter features battered prawns and cuttlefish, an ideal bite with the tequila cocktails. If you eat pork, you ought to try the very unusual Black Pork Curry bun. It is authentic Sri Lankan peppery black pork curry served in a soft hamburger bun. The sauce seeps into the bun’s centre, creating a delicious, tangy comfort food treat.
The drinks and the food define Tequila Mocking Bird as more than a punny bar. After strolling Galle Fort’s cobbled streets, peering into gift shops, and inspecting the Dutch and British colonial architecture, I recommend you head for the old Dutch Hospital for the perfect antidote to too much sight-seeing.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
This week’s newsletter was going to be about a punnily-named bar in the restored Old Dutch Hospital at Galle Fort. But my laptop picked up a nasty virus that prevented me from accessing my Word Files, where I had stored the draft of the original article. But, in trying to locate it, I found photos of the original, un-restored Dutch Hospital.
This amazing one of me demonstrating my street-rickshaw-cred was snapped in 1985, not 134 years ago. It shows in the background the arches of the Old Dutch Hospital before it was transformed into a unique mall of gem shops and quirky restaurants.
The quirkiest of them all is Tequila Mocking Bird, a name boldly adapted from Harper Lee’s classic American novel, To Kill A Mocking Bird. The bar/restaurant has nothing to do with literature, but everything to do with Tequila served in various cocktails.
It is located on the balcony floor of the converted complex, with seats on the balcony overlooking the cobbled courtyard, the rampart walls, and the Indian Ocean beyond. You can also see the top branches of Sri Lanka’s oldest breadfruit tree, planted in the gardens of the Aker Sloot (governor’s mansion) built-in 1759.
It is typical of Sri Lanka that the heritage is adapted to contemporary fads, such as a bar specialising in tequila. Curiously, the classic Margarita cocktail is not on the bar’s menu of drinks, which is devoted to innovative tequila cocktails made with such surprising local ingredients like tamarind or chilli. However, Margarita fans who don’t want to deviate will find the classic is available but not served in a kitschy upturned sombrero shaped glass.
The food menu, too, has some pleasant surprises. The Chef’s snack platter features battered prawns and cuttlefish, an ideal bite with the tequila cocktails. If you eat pork, you ought to try the very unusual Black Pork Curry bun. It is authentic Sri Lankan peppery black pork curry served in a soft hamburger bun. The sauce seeps into the bun’s centre, creating a delicious, tangy comfort food treat.
The drinks and the food define Tequila Mocking Bird as more than a punny bar. After strolling Galle Fort’s cobbled streets, peering into gift shops, and inspecting the Dutch and British colonial architecture, I recommend you head for the old Dutch Hospital for the perfect antidote to too much sight-seeing.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Zuletzt bearbeitet:
Premasiri
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Royston's Report, No 10. Sri Lanka Holiday Guru Newsletter
Flying Sri Lankan
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
If you are considering how to fly to Sri Lanka, I have one simple personal recommendation: fly SriLankan Airlines.
This is not a sponsored article. It is based solely on my own experience, having flown with the airline for nearly 40 years from the time it was known as Air Lanka.
I won’t dwell on the past when the airline (and the planes) were smaller and the cabin crew became friends since I seemed to know a few of them on every flight I took. Actually, that personal touch of welcome and inflight care has remained over the years (even if the cabin crew have changed) and that keeps me loyal to the airline.
There is none of the robotic, fixed smile service that you get on international airlines. All of the crew who serve passengers inflight are Sri Lankan, and proud of it. Their personality, charm and interest in passengers’ wellbeing makes it easy to settle down for an enjoyable flight in their care.
The SriLankan Airlines stewards and stewardesses do their best to cope with all kinds of passengers confined for a few hours in their care. If service is slow (and sometimes it is) it could be because they have so much to do.
I often fly to and from the Maldives with SriLankan. The flight only takes an hour but in that short time, passengers are offered a welcome soft drink, hot/cold towels, all kinds of alcoholic drinks and a variety of meals from a menu. The meals are substantial, not snacks, and varied with choices of western and eastern cuisine. Tea or coffee is also served.
There are several reasons why I always choose SriLankan. One is that on a long journey (to England, Japan, China, Australia etc) the flight is direct, with no change of aircraft. But for me, the most important reason is the perks for SriLankan Business Class passengers.
Flying from Colombo, there is the Silk Route Lounge exclusively for checking in Business Class passengers and their luggage, so passengers don’t have to fight their way through the travelling hordes queuing in the main departure hall. And the service and comfort onboard SriLankan Business Class makes flying a pleasure.
If you’re coming to Sri Lanka on holiday, flying SriLankan Business Class is worth it. You can cover the extra expense by economising on the hotel room rate since there are plenty of low-priced and enjoyable places to stay in Sri Lanka that are not in the 5-star price range. You’ll have more fun too.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Flying Sri Lankan
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
If you are considering how to fly to Sri Lanka, I have one simple personal recommendation: fly SriLankan Airlines.
This is not a sponsored article. It is based solely on my own experience, having flown with the airline for nearly 40 years from the time it was known as Air Lanka.
I won’t dwell on the past when the airline (and the planes) were smaller and the cabin crew became friends since I seemed to know a few of them on every flight I took. Actually, that personal touch of welcome and inflight care has remained over the years (even if the cabin crew have changed) and that keeps me loyal to the airline.
There is none of the robotic, fixed smile service that you get on international airlines. All of the crew who serve passengers inflight are Sri Lankan, and proud of it. Their personality, charm and interest in passengers’ wellbeing makes it easy to settle down for an enjoyable flight in their care.
The SriLankan Airlines stewards and stewardesses do their best to cope with all kinds of passengers confined for a few hours in their care. If service is slow (and sometimes it is) it could be because they have so much to do.
I often fly to and from the Maldives with SriLankan. The flight only takes an hour but in that short time, passengers are offered a welcome soft drink, hot/cold towels, all kinds of alcoholic drinks and a variety of meals from a menu. The meals are substantial, not snacks, and varied with choices of western and eastern cuisine. Tea or coffee is also served.
There are several reasons why I always choose SriLankan. One is that on a long journey (to England, Japan, China, Australia etc) the flight is direct, with no change of aircraft. But for me, the most important reason is the perks for SriLankan Business Class passengers.
Flying from Colombo, there is the Silk Route Lounge exclusively for checking in Business Class passengers and their luggage, so passengers don’t have to fight their way through the travelling hordes queuing in the main departure hall. And the service and comfort onboard SriLankan Business Class makes flying a pleasure.
If you’re coming to Sri Lanka on holiday, flying SriLankan Business Class is worth it. You can cover the extra expense by economising on the hotel room rate since there are plenty of low-priced and enjoyable places to stay in Sri Lanka that are not in the 5-star price range. You’ll have more fun too.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Zuletzt bearbeitet:
C
Claudia
Guest
Er mag Sri Lankan Airlines, ich übrigens auch 
Man kann sich nur wiederholen: Schade, dass nicht mehr ab Frankfurt geflogen wird.
Man kann sich nur wiederholen: Schade, dass nicht mehr ab Frankfurt geflogen wird.
Premasiri
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The Ceylonese Cat
Did you know there is a distinctive breed of cat known as a Ceylonese Cat? OK, it’s rare, not as loved or as cute as the Siamese Cat, but it shares many characteristics with that breed.
For a start, there’s its name. It’s named after a country that no longer exists: Ceylon, which is now Sri Lanka. Just as the Siamese cat comes from Siam, another non-existent country, now known as Thailand.
I first learned about the Ceylonese cat in 1984 when I read about the breed in a local newspaper. It was identified and publicised in that year by an Italian named Dr Paolo Pellegatta. It was reported that he liked the small Sri Lankan wild cats so much that he took brought several back with him to Italy.
He started a breeding programme with the jungle cats he had collected, removing unwanted features until he had created a distinct breed. It seems that there was too much of another breed (from Egypt) to qualify the Ceylonese cat as pure Sri Lankan.
While his new breed caught the attention of some Italian cat lovers, it remains rare today and is not recognised outside Europe.
According to the Internet, however, the Ceylonese cat is widespread in Sri Lanka, but I personally have never seen one. It is supposed to be pert in appearance, of average size with a relatively compact body. It has a fairly normal shape with a slender but powerful figure. Its hind legs are higher than its front legs. But that’s the Italian-bred version, not the average wild or domesticated cat of Sri Lanka.
Wild cats in Sri Lanka include the fishing cat and the jungle cat and, of course, their big brother, the leopard.
You’ll see domestic cats throughout Sri Lanka but most of them are a mixed breed, not purebred. I have had several cats as pets, all of diverse ancestry. I call every cat that adopts my home as its own, by the name of Lena. It saves thinking of a new name for every cat.
The current Lena strolled through the open gate of my garden about 10 years ago, when she was an adventurous kitten. She sniffed around the place, meowed a bit and graciously accepted a saucer of milk. That seemed to please her and she has lived here ever since, often creeping into my bed at night.
The Lena I had before this one, had a jungle cat’s temperament, often bringing me the catch of the day (small rat, baby chipmunk). Then one evening when I went to my bedroom, there was Lena with a snake she had found under the bed and killed. Alas, that was the last I saw of her as the snake had bitten her and she died in the jungle.
So for me, cats from Sri Lanka, whether Ceylonese or not, are heroes.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Did you know there is a distinctive breed of cat known as a Ceylonese Cat? OK, it’s rare, not as loved or as cute as the Siamese Cat, but it shares many characteristics with that breed.
For a start, there’s its name. It’s named after a country that no longer exists: Ceylon, which is now Sri Lanka. Just as the Siamese cat comes from Siam, another non-existent country, now known as Thailand.
I first learned about the Ceylonese cat in 1984 when I read about the breed in a local newspaper. It was identified and publicised in that year by an Italian named Dr Paolo Pellegatta. It was reported that he liked the small Sri Lankan wild cats so much that he took brought several back with him to Italy.
He started a breeding programme with the jungle cats he had collected, removing unwanted features until he had created a distinct breed. It seems that there was too much of another breed (from Egypt) to qualify the Ceylonese cat as pure Sri Lankan.
While his new breed caught the attention of some Italian cat lovers, it remains rare today and is not recognised outside Europe.
According to the Internet, however, the Ceylonese cat is widespread in Sri Lanka, but I personally have never seen one. It is supposed to be pert in appearance, of average size with a relatively compact body. It has a fairly normal shape with a slender but powerful figure. Its hind legs are higher than its front legs. But that’s the Italian-bred version, not the average wild or domesticated cat of Sri Lanka.
Wild cats in Sri Lanka include the fishing cat and the jungle cat and, of course, their big brother, the leopard.
You’ll see domestic cats throughout Sri Lanka but most of them are a mixed breed, not purebred. I have had several cats as pets, all of diverse ancestry. I call every cat that adopts my home as its own, by the name of Lena. It saves thinking of a new name for every cat.
The current Lena strolled through the open gate of my garden about 10 years ago, when she was an adventurous kitten. She sniffed around the place, meowed a bit and graciously accepted a saucer of milk. That seemed to please her and she has lived here ever since, often creeping into my bed at night.
The Lena I had before this one, had a jungle cat’s temperament, often bringing me the catch of the day (small rat, baby chipmunk). Then one evening when I went to my bedroom, there was Lena with a snake she had found under the bed and killed. Alas, that was the last I saw of her as the snake had bitten her and she died in the jungle.
So for me, cats from Sri Lanka, whether Ceylonese or not, are heroes.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
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Hallo Paula,
und wieder einmal danke! Es macht immer wieder Spass Royston zu lesen, auch jetzt im letzten Beitrag über die Katzen. Gut für uns, dass er das Schreiben einfach nicht lassen kann!
Das habe ich übrigens ebend erst gesehen...
But, in trying to locate it, I found photos of the original, un-restored Dutch Hospital.
This amazing one of me demonstrating my street-rickshaw-cred was snapped in 1985..
Ein sehr cooles Bild, hab das Old Dutch Hospital so auch noch nicht gesehen.
Danke und liebe Grüße, Biggi
und wieder einmal danke! Es macht immer wieder Spass Royston zu lesen, auch jetzt im letzten Beitrag über die Katzen. Gut für uns, dass er das Schreiben einfach nicht lassen kann!
Das habe ich übrigens ebend erst gesehen...
But, in trying to locate it, I found photos of the original, un-restored Dutch Hospital.
This amazing one of me demonstrating my street-rickshaw-cred was snapped in 1985..
Ein sehr cooles Bild, hab das Old Dutch Hospital so auch noch nicht gesehen.
Danke und liebe Grüße, Biggi
Premasiri
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Danke vielmal Biggi....die erste Lena von Royston habe ich noch gekannt...hatte zwar immer Angst das sie draussen im Garten von irgendeinem Tier getötet würde...aber so hat sie Royston das Leben gerettet...
Bin auch froh das er wieder schreibt....hat aber auch hie und da interessante Artikel hier:
http://SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Bin auch froh das er wieder schreibt....hat aber auch hie und da interessante Artikel hier:
http://SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
C
Claudia
Guest
Ich freue mich auch, dass er wieder schreibt. 
Ich habe mir noch nie Gedanken über Katzen und Rassen gemacht.
Ich habe mir noch nie Gedanken über Katzen und Rassen gemacht.
Premasiri
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Antique Maps of Sri Lanka
Greetings.
Does anyone know the name for a person who collects antique maps?
That’s what I am. I collect antique maps of Sri Lanka, or I should say Ceylon since that’s the name (or a version of it) appearing on old maps of the island.
One of the first maps on which Sri Lanka is identifiable is as part of Asia was scratched onto a wooden block used for printing, by German cartographer, Sebastian Munster (1488-1552) and printed in 1550. Etching on copper and steel plates improved the quality of printing, but not necessarily the accuracy since a map in centuries past was based on reports of ancient mariners.
One of the most attractive of the antique maps of Sri Lanka is by Mercator and Hondius. Printed in 1609. It shows Sri Lanka lying on its side, oriented from the east and depicts the entire island in great detail. Forests and mountains cover the island and several different animals are illustrated including a stag and an elephant ridden by a man.
A map created in 1782 by Guillaume de L’Isle also shows Sri Lanka in its entirety with details of villages and towns. At the time it was first printed, the British captured (from the Dutch) the port and fort of Trincomalee, which lead to British occupation from 1796 to 1948.
A delightful map by Rigobert Bonne, dated 1770, shows Sri Lanka’s importance as a port of call on the Spice Route, with the Trade Winds clearly depicted by arrows. This is relevant even today as it reflects the monsoon winds which bring rain to the west coast from April to November, and to the east coast from December to March, establishing the coastal holiday seasons for sun-seeking tourists.
While some antique maps of Sri Lanka that come on to the market, have been hand-coloured, this would have been done at a later date, after they were printed. Although the colouring adds attractiveness, serious collectors prefer maps as they were published, uncoloured on old parchment paper that smells of centuries past.
These ancient maps of Sri Lanka can still be found for sale in antique map dealers’ stores in Europe (and on internet auctions) but not in Sri Lanka. The climate and insects combine to destroy old documents, books and maps here, so if you want an antique map of Sri Lanka as a souvenir of your stay, you may need to look in your home country. It’s a good investment (probably starting at US$100) since prices increase each year, as the maps become harder to find.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Greetings.
Does anyone know the name for a person who collects antique maps?
That’s what I am. I collect antique maps of Sri Lanka, or I should say Ceylon since that’s the name (or a version of it) appearing on old maps of the island.
One of the first maps on which Sri Lanka is identifiable is as part of Asia was scratched onto a wooden block used for printing, by German cartographer, Sebastian Munster (1488-1552) and printed in 1550. Etching on copper and steel plates improved the quality of printing, but not necessarily the accuracy since a map in centuries past was based on reports of ancient mariners.
One of the most attractive of the antique maps of Sri Lanka is by Mercator and Hondius. Printed in 1609. It shows Sri Lanka lying on its side, oriented from the east and depicts the entire island in great detail. Forests and mountains cover the island and several different animals are illustrated including a stag and an elephant ridden by a man.
A map created in 1782 by Guillaume de L’Isle also shows Sri Lanka in its entirety with details of villages and towns. At the time it was first printed, the British captured (from the Dutch) the port and fort of Trincomalee, which lead to British occupation from 1796 to 1948.
A delightful map by Rigobert Bonne, dated 1770, shows Sri Lanka’s importance as a port of call on the Spice Route, with the Trade Winds clearly depicted by arrows. This is relevant even today as it reflects the monsoon winds which bring rain to the west coast from April to November, and to the east coast from December to March, establishing the coastal holiday seasons for sun-seeking tourists.
While some antique maps of Sri Lanka that come on to the market, have been hand-coloured, this would have been done at a later date, after they were printed. Although the colouring adds attractiveness, serious collectors prefer maps as they were published, uncoloured on old parchment paper that smells of centuries past.
These ancient maps of Sri Lanka can still be found for sale in antique map dealers’ stores in Europe (and on internet auctions) but not in Sri Lanka. The climate and insects combine to destroy old documents, books and maps here, so if you want an antique map of Sri Lanka as a souvenir of your stay, you may need to look in your home country. It’s a good investment (probably starting at US$100) since prices increase each year, as the maps become harder to find.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Premasiri
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Sri Lanka’s Walking Trees.
Greetings:
“Once upon a time, there was a tree that walked.”
No, this is not a fairy tale but a report about Sri Lanka’s walking trees. I have several of them in my garden on Sri Lanka’s west coast, overlooking the Indian Ocean. The closest is about 15 feet from my cottage veranda and I suppose if I live here for another 100 years, it might walk into the cottage. I can see a couple of young trees even now contemplating the short walk across the lawn
Walking Tree is the nickname for one of the types of Pandanus doratissimus trees of the Pandanacae family, otherwise known as Screw Pine. It’s described in my tree guide as “an ornamental plant, grows along the sea coast, prevents sea erosion.”
I guess it helps prevent erosion of the soil by the many roots it puts down from its branches. These look like long, thin legs and help the tree not only secure its territory but also to advance across open space.
In this photo the tendrils can be seen hanging down from the branches of the tree. When they eventually reach the ground and take root, they would have advanced the tree by a couple of feet closer to my cottage.
When you travel round Sri Lanka, look for srew pines growing in the wet lowlands and in the dry and intermediate zones, and by the beach. Some varieties also bear a large, knobbly, orange-coloured fruit of many bulbs. Monkeys love to chew on the bulbs and some local cooks even make ice cream flavoured with the essence of the fruit when it’s soaked in water.
Its leaves, which are long and thin, have many uses. Dried and cut into small pieces, the leaves can be used as a flavouring for cooking, or colouring food. The sun-dried leaves can also be used to weave mats and, in ancient times, to make sails for small craft. Another use for the dried leaves was as manuscript paper on which messages were scratched or drawn.
I have discovered that there are between 600 and 750 varieties of this walking tree. They are propagated by birds picking up and dropping their seeds, or even by monkeys chucking them away. The fruit can float which means the tree (as a seed) can travel across oceans before growing to walk across land.
In a million years, I suppose descendants of my walking trees could stroll and float away to encircle the Earth and come back home to Sri Lanka. But that does seem like a fairy tale.
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
Sri Lanka Holiday Guru
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Greetings:
“Once upon a time, there was a tree that walked.”
No, this is not a fairy tale but a report about Sri Lanka’s walking trees. I have several of them in my garden on Sri Lanka’s west coast, overlooking the Indian Ocean. The closest is about 15 feet from my cottage veranda and I suppose if I live here for another 100 years, it might walk into the cottage. I can see a couple of young trees even now contemplating the short walk across the lawn
Walking Tree is the nickname for one of the types of Pandanus doratissimus trees of the Pandanacae family, otherwise known as Screw Pine. It’s described in my tree guide as “an ornamental plant, grows along the sea coast, prevents sea erosion.”
I guess it helps prevent erosion of the soil by the many roots it puts down from its branches. These look like long, thin legs and help the tree not only secure its territory but also to advance across open space.
In this photo the tendrils can be seen hanging down from the branches of the tree. When they eventually reach the ground and take root, they would have advanced the tree by a couple of feet closer to my cottage.
When you travel round Sri Lanka, look for srew pines growing in the wet lowlands and in the dry and intermediate zones, and by the beach. Some varieties also bear a large, knobbly, orange-coloured fruit of many bulbs. Monkeys love to chew on the bulbs and some local cooks even make ice cream flavoured with the essence of the fruit when it’s soaked in water.
Its leaves, which are long and thin, have many uses. Dried and cut into small pieces, the leaves can be used as a flavouring for cooking, or colouring food. The sun-dried leaves can also be used to weave mats and, in ancient times, to make sails for small craft. Another use for the dried leaves was as manuscript paper on which messages were scratched or drawn.
I have discovered that there are between 600 and 750 varieties of this walking tree. They are propagated by birds picking up and dropping their seeds, or even by monkeys chucking them away. The fruit can float which means the tree (as a seed) can travel across oceans before growing to walk across land.
In a million years, I suppose descendants of my walking trees could stroll and float away to encircle the Earth and come back home to Sri Lanka. But that does seem like a fairy tale.
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
Sri Lanka Holiday Guru
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Premasiri
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Super shopping.
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
Whenever I visit a country, I always explore the local supermarket. It’s a quick way of getting an insight to the country from what’s on sale.
For instance, in a Bangkok supermarket, you’ll find dried seaweed, in Maldives there are jars of shredded and peppered dried tuna fish, in Las Palmas, a flour called gofio, in Martinique, tins of foie gras pâté.
Sri Lanka’s supermarkets are cornucopias of fascinating food items that not only tell a tale of the country’s produce, but are great to buy and take home as unusual souvenirs. So along with batiks and gems you can take home something different to remind you of Sri Lanka.
Tea, of course, is typical of Sri Lanka, having been grown here since the country was Ceylon. While there are shops specialising in a particular local brand name tea, you’ll find many different local brands on supermarket shelves. And you pay what Sri Lankans pay for the tea, not a price inflated by fancy packaging.
The same goes for Sri Lanka’s divine nuts – cashews. Eschew the blandishments of smart containers and buy the cellophane-wrapped packs of cashews, salted or devilled, that Sri Lankans love with a drink.
If buying spice from source at one of the Sri Lanka spice gardens you’ll see sign-posted when you travel around, appeals to your desire for authenticity, that’s fine. But the truth is you’ll find better, fresh spices that Sri Lanka cooks use at much cheaper price in a town’s supermarket.
And as for curry powders, the choice ranges from hot Jaffna to subtle blends of spices for pork, chicken, beef, vegetable or prawn curry by Sri Lanka’s own celebrity chef, Koluu. Packed hygienically and re-sealable, they are a great gift for a home cook.
Browsing the shelves you’ll find jars of tantalising chutneys such as Pineapple, perfect with pork, and ever-popular Mango chutney. And there are some super relishes you’ll never find at home but really add “Wow” to a dish. My favourite is Seeni Sambol, a sweet-spicy onion relish that’s super to add a kick to scrambled egg.
You will also find several substitutes for wheat flour, important if you prefer a gluten-free diet. Try rice flour and flour of various kinds of millet and gram. You can also buy special flour mixes to make the local pancakes of hoppers and dosai.
But be careful you know the price of what you’re buying. In Martinique I was so confused by the exchange rate of French Francs to the US dollar, the tin of pâté I thought was reasonably priced, turned out to have cost me ten times more than I thought. Luckily, when I took it back to the supermarket, I was able to exchange it – for delicious French groceries of equal value.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
Whenever I visit a country, I always explore the local supermarket. It’s a quick way of getting an insight to the country from what’s on sale.
For instance, in a Bangkok supermarket, you’ll find dried seaweed, in Maldives there are jars of shredded and peppered dried tuna fish, in Las Palmas, a flour called gofio, in Martinique, tins of foie gras pâté.
Sri Lanka’s supermarkets are cornucopias of fascinating food items that not only tell a tale of the country’s produce, but are great to buy and take home as unusual souvenirs. So along with batiks and gems you can take home something different to remind you of Sri Lanka.
Tea, of course, is typical of Sri Lanka, having been grown here since the country was Ceylon. While there are shops specialising in a particular local brand name tea, you’ll find many different local brands on supermarket shelves. And you pay what Sri Lankans pay for the tea, not a price inflated by fancy packaging.
The same goes for Sri Lanka’s divine nuts – cashews. Eschew the blandishments of smart containers and buy the cellophane-wrapped packs of cashews, salted or devilled, that Sri Lankans love with a drink.
If buying spice from source at one of the Sri Lanka spice gardens you’ll see sign-posted when you travel around, appeals to your desire for authenticity, that’s fine. But the truth is you’ll find better, fresh spices that Sri Lanka cooks use at much cheaper price in a town’s supermarket.
And as for curry powders, the choice ranges from hot Jaffna to subtle blends of spices for pork, chicken, beef, vegetable or prawn curry by Sri Lanka’s own celebrity chef, Koluu. Packed hygienically and re-sealable, they are a great gift for a home cook.
Browsing the shelves you’ll find jars of tantalising chutneys such as Pineapple, perfect with pork, and ever-popular Mango chutney. And there are some super relishes you’ll never find at home but really add “Wow” to a dish. My favourite is Seeni Sambol, a sweet-spicy onion relish that’s super to add a kick to scrambled egg.
You will also find several substitutes for wheat flour, important if you prefer a gluten-free diet. Try rice flour and flour of various kinds of millet and gram. You can also buy special flour mixes to make the local pancakes of hoppers and dosai.
But be careful you know the price of what you’re buying. In Martinique I was so confused by the exchange rate of French Francs to the US dollar, the tin of pâté I thought was reasonably priced, turned out to have cost me ten times more than I thought. Luckily, when I took it back to the supermarket, I was able to exchange it – for delicious French groceries of equal value.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Premasiri
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Royston’s Report. Newsletter No. 15.
Take a Village Tuk Tuk Tour
A tuk-tuk, known in trendy Sri Lankan parlance as a “tuk” is a passenger vehicle with two back wheels and one at the front, steered by handlebars, like a motor scooter. It is open-sided enabling air-conditioning by nature. It has a canopy and flaps to close when it’s raining.
Tuks are ubiquitous in Sri Lanka as a cheap, comfortable and comparatively safe form of transport. (The new one I have at home to use for shopping trips even has seat belts.) They are nifty vehicles whose drivers are able to negotiate Sri Lanka’s anarchic traffic with ease.
While tuks are available as taxis in Colombo (check Pick Me), the way to enjoy a ride in one, as well as gain an insight into local life you will never get from inside a tourist coach, is to hire one in a village. On the west coast (where from November to April it is now the tourist season), you’ll find tuks parked outside your guest house or hotel.
To take a village tour, check with reception or the local drivers, what are the sights worth visiting. Plan a tour of about an hour and negotiate a price with the driver that you’re happy with.
Make sure the driver understands what you want and where you want to go. If you’re not happy with him, find another driver. If all goes well and you enjoy the trip, get the driver’s mobile number so you can hire him again.
There are so many lanes inland from the west coast’s Galle Road that lead to fascinating sights, not just temples and lush scenery. You can see paddy harvesting, cinnamon peeling, toddy tapping, coconut fibre rope plaiting, block making, buffaloes wallowing in pools, even water monitors, scurrying mongooses and strutting peacocks.
Cross the railway line by tuk to enter one village lane at Induruwa near where I live on the west coast, and you discover another world: venerable village mansions conjuring up the grand lifestyle of olden days.
The advantage of a village tuk tuk tour is being able to stop where you like, either to photograph, visit a village boutique (grocery shop) bursting with goods, or for a wayside cup of tea. You’re in command and your driver, being happy with the hire, will be proud to show you around his village.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Take a Village Tuk Tuk Tour
A tuk-tuk, known in trendy Sri Lankan parlance as a “tuk” is a passenger vehicle with two back wheels and one at the front, steered by handlebars, like a motor scooter. It is open-sided enabling air-conditioning by nature. It has a canopy and flaps to close when it’s raining.
Tuks are ubiquitous in Sri Lanka as a cheap, comfortable and comparatively safe form of transport. (The new one I have at home to use for shopping trips even has seat belts.) They are nifty vehicles whose drivers are able to negotiate Sri Lanka’s anarchic traffic with ease.
While tuks are available as taxis in Colombo (check Pick Me), the way to enjoy a ride in one, as well as gain an insight into local life you will never get from inside a tourist coach, is to hire one in a village. On the west coast (where from November to April it is now the tourist season), you’ll find tuks parked outside your guest house or hotel.
To take a village tour, check with reception or the local drivers, what are the sights worth visiting. Plan a tour of about an hour and negotiate a price with the driver that you’re happy with.
Make sure the driver understands what you want and where you want to go. If you’re not happy with him, find another driver. If all goes well and you enjoy the trip, get the driver’s mobile number so you can hire him again.
There are so many lanes inland from the west coast’s Galle Road that lead to fascinating sights, not just temples and lush scenery. You can see paddy harvesting, cinnamon peeling, toddy tapping, coconut fibre rope plaiting, block making, buffaloes wallowing in pools, even water monitors, scurrying mongooses and strutting peacocks.
Cross the railway line by tuk to enter one village lane at Induruwa near where I live on the west coast, and you discover another world: venerable village mansions conjuring up the grand lifestyle of olden days.
The advantage of a village tuk tuk tour is being able to stop where you like, either to photograph, visit a village boutique (grocery shop) bursting with goods, or for a wayside cup of tea. You’re in command and your driver, being happy with the hire, will be proud to show you around his village.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
C
Claudia
Guest
Koluu Curry Pulver habe ich auch mitgebracht, ich mag das für Gemüse sehr. fing002
Premasiri
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Greetings from Sri Lanka.
As an expatriate British resident of Sri Lanka for 40 years, I have never felt homesick for Britain. However, when Christmas comes around each year, I do yearn for the traditional Christmas fare. Of course, we can buy imported Christmas pudding, turkey and ham here, and even Stilton cheese, although that’s very expensive.
This Christmas, I am looking forward to enjoying, with a glass of port, a locally produced blue cheese which has the richness and pungency of Stilton. It is called Queen Blue and is manufactured in the foothills of Madipola, Matale, north of Kandy by Master Cheesemaker Maia Donadze.
Maia hails from Georgia and her passion is to bring European handmade artisanal cheeses to the tables of Sri Lankans and expat cheese connoisseurs. That’s a formidable task in Sri Lanka where local palate preference is for imported, mass-produced, processed cheese in slices or wedges, but she is gradually finding a loyal following of cheese lovers who place regular orders though her website: www.maiacheese.lk.
Her boast is that if you order through her online store before 18.00hrs, the cheese will be delivered to your door (that’s if you’re in Sri Lanka) the very next day. I’ve tried the system many times, and it works. The cheeses come in a rigid-foam box with an ice pack to keep them cool on the journey, although the ice has melted by the time the box arrives.
No problem. Just pop the cheese in a fridge to firm up again and it will keep for months. However, I enjoy Miaia cheeses so much, they never stay for very long in my fridge.
Maia cheeses are unique in Sri Lanka as they are made with just full-fat milk and no culture. She uses only vegetable rennet allowing the cheeses to develop their own flavour.
Thanks to Maia, for Christmas this year, I have a supply of Maia’s Queen Blue. It is indeed a royal cheese. I let it acclimatise to room temperature for a few minutes before tasting. It has more texture than a Danish Blue, Gorgonzola or a Roquefort, and is just as robust in taste as a Stilton. Do give it a try when you’re here.
This luxury of European style cheese produced in Sri Lanka costs around Rs2,600 (US$14.42; UK£11.20 a kilogramme, and that includes delivery to anywhere in Sri Lanka, even to a guest in a hotel or guest house. A perfect present for Europeans in Sri Lanka at Christmas, and a marvellous cheese to relish at any time of the year.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Wolfi
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Ich bin vor einem Jahr in einem Newsletter von Royston auf Maiacheese aufmerksam geworden. Seitdem bestelle ich, wenn ich hier bin, immer wieder mal bei ihr und kann, was Geschmack, Qualitaet und Lieferservice angeht, nur bestaetigen, was Royston schreibt.
Premasiri
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Royston’s Report. Newsletter No. 17.
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
Crackers
Not Christmas crackers, but multi-grain pop crackers to eat, produced in Sri Lanka. In last week’s newsletter, I wrote about artisanal cheese produced at a small cheesery near Matale, in central Sri Lanka. Now here is the best way to enjoy the cheese: on locally produced multi-grain pop crackers slathered with coconut butter.
Multigrain crackers and coconut butter
These crackers really do go “snap, crackle and pop” when you eat them. They are billed on the packet as 100% chemical-free and 100% natural, with “No MSG” and “No Preservatives.” The ingredients of corn, rice and oats are “not baked, not fried, just popped.” They are “fat-free” and “sugar-free.” A packet of ten costs Rs100 (UK£0.42; US$0.55).
Savoury pies from Perera & Sons
They are made by Perera & Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd, a company known to generations of Sri Lankans because of its island-wide chain of 163 snack shops. Founded in 1902, P & S has built up a reputation for good value local meals as well as having an appetising array of savoury and classic Sri Lankan snacks and short-eats, perfect for quick bites on-the-go or for laying out a huge spread. The company’s pastries, patties, rolls, and lots of other savoury bites come filled with a wide range of stuffing, ranging from vegetarian options to meat and fish.
You’ll find P & S outlets throughout Sri Lanka, making them convenient to stop for a meal, a quick snack or a takeaway, while touring the country. There’s even an outlet at Hikkaduwa that is in a prime location right by the beach.
The multi-grain crackers are a new product. The label on the packet suggests having the crackers with scrambled eggs, tomato and cucumber, vegetable or dhal curry, devilled chicken, banana, and stewed apples. Try them with local cheese and coconut butter and you’ll have a brand new, and healthy, tasty treat.
Coconut butter? Another product made in Sri Lanka that you can sample when you’re here on holiday. It’s available in Keells supermarkets. A plastic tub of 250g costs Rs425 (£1.82; US$2.34). On the container, it says: “healthy you, happy planet” which sounds nice. It also states “Dairy-free, gluten-free, trans-fat-free.” Ingredients include “Physically refined coconut oil, rice bran oil, and butter flavour.” This means natural oil from the coconut with fibre from the coconut flesh.
So for a picnic on the beach or a self-catering choice, Sri Lanka offers some delicious innovative options.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
Greetings from Sri Lanka.
Crackers
Not Christmas crackers, but multi-grain pop crackers to eat, produced in Sri Lanka. In last week’s newsletter, I wrote about artisanal cheese produced at a small cheesery near Matale, in central Sri Lanka. Now here is the best way to enjoy the cheese: on locally produced multi-grain pop crackers slathered with coconut butter.
Multigrain crackers and coconut butter
These crackers really do go “snap, crackle and pop” when you eat them. They are billed on the packet as 100% chemical-free and 100% natural, with “No MSG” and “No Preservatives.” The ingredients of corn, rice and oats are “not baked, not fried, just popped.” They are “fat-free” and “sugar-free.” A packet of ten costs Rs100 (UK£0.42; US$0.55).
Savoury pies from Perera & Sons
They are made by Perera & Sons Bakers (Pvt) Ltd, a company known to generations of Sri Lankans because of its island-wide chain of 163 snack shops. Founded in 1902, P & S has built up a reputation for good value local meals as well as having an appetising array of savoury and classic Sri Lankan snacks and short-eats, perfect for quick bites on-the-go or for laying out a huge spread. The company’s pastries, patties, rolls, and lots of other savoury bites come filled with a wide range of stuffing, ranging from vegetarian options to meat and fish.
You’ll find P & S outlets throughout Sri Lanka, making them convenient to stop for a meal, a quick snack or a takeaway, while touring the country. There’s even an outlet at Hikkaduwa that is in a prime location right by the beach.
The multi-grain crackers are a new product. The label on the packet suggests having the crackers with scrambled eggs, tomato and cucumber, vegetable or dhal curry, devilled chicken, banana, and stewed apples. Try them with local cheese and coconut butter and you’ll have a brand new, and healthy, tasty treat.
Coconut butter? Another product made in Sri Lanka that you can sample when you’re here on holiday. It’s available in Keells supermarkets. A plastic tub of 250g costs Rs425 (£1.82; US$2.34). On the container, it says: “healthy you, happy planet” which sounds nice. It also states “Dairy-free, gluten-free, trans-fat-free.” Ingredients include “Physically refined coconut oil, rice bran oil, and butter flavour.” This means natural oil from the coconut with fibre from the coconut flesh.
So for a picnic on the beach or a self-catering choice, Sri Lanka offers some delicious innovative options.
Happy Holiday,
Royston Ellis
Editorial Consultant
SriLankaHolidayGuru.com
C
Claudia
Guest
Diese Coconut Butter ist sehr gewöhnungsbedürftig 
Premasiri
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Diese Coconut Butter ist sehr gewöhnungsbedürftig
Habe ich noch nie probiert....Royston muss schauen was er isst, er hat Glutenintoleranz....