Our Day Tour to Galle, Sri Lanka

Welcome to Colombo, Sri Lanka! Notice all the “vender” stalls on the quay. Barbara is salivating!

Our pilot’s dramatic arrival.

The following description is taken from our excursion brochure.

Depart the quayside by coach to Galle to admire rich landscapes and explore the relaxing ambience of Galle Fort.

Potty stop at a modern rest area revealed families taking their rest and lunch in the shade of a giant billboard.

Flowers can be found everywhere, even at this rest stop!

First up is  Galle— a thriving port since long before colonial times. The Old Town is one of the best examples of a fortified city built by the Europeans in southern and Southeast Asia. It attracted Arabs, Persians, Romans and Greeks on their way across the Indian Ocean. Notice the narrow streets, old churches, cloistered courtyards and shuttered mansions bearing witness to a colonial past of considerable comfort. There are several museums here, as well as the Dutch Reformed Church and the lively Arab Quarter. In 1505, the Portuguese attacked and settled in the town, 135 years later ceding it to the Dutch, who built the famous Galle Fort. This remarkable structure, which you will visit today, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The bastions at Galle!

And flowers and seascapes.

And of course – fishing boats.

Looks like the Portuguese were here, as well as the Tuk Tuks.

After what seems like walking for miles we were taken to a fabulous resort/hotel for lunch at their restaurant.

With a grand Seaview from the terrace.

Then we were off to visit the only producer of Virgin White Tea in Sri Lanka, at Handunugoda Tea Estate . The estate has taken on the task of recreating the exact recipe and following the traditions surrounding producing the tea that was originally grown in China for the Emperor. Part of the mystique is that the only human body part that that comes into contact with the tea before ingestions is the lips. Appreciate the estate with a walk through the factory, finishing off with a tasting of this unique tea (and many others) before relaxing with a cup of tea and a piece of cake at the Planters’ Bungalow.

This lunch property also had some coffee trees in bloom, however hey did not produced coffee:

As I walked the property, after tea, I found a pineapple plant ….

…. which got photobombed by the flower in the foreground. One of the problems using “portrait mode”

Our weather was great, until we were halfway back to the port when we encountered – monsoon rains!!!

Then we had to brave their storm while getting off the bus at the port! However, when our skillful driver parked the bus just feet from the gangway and thunder was “clapping” lightening was flashing, we were greeted by a line of the crew with umbrellas to shelter us from the rain – how great was that?

Next: Three days at sea to recuperate.