The first underwater painter in Ceylon, it’s hard to believe but this story happened 150 years ago. He used a special submarine to paint underwater life in the ocean… “…a strong header from the edge of the heavy boat brought me into the depth. Immediately I found myself in the diving bell; cautiously I slid inside and started breathing in the confined space, in which all the sounds had a benumbing
Mihintale, the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka
Buddhism in Sri Lanka is inextricably linked to Mihintale, the place of an extraordinary meeting during a June full moon, where the mystery of the mango tree, properly solved, changed the history of Sri Lanka forever. Overcoming another one of the 1840 stairs leading to the top of the Mihintale hill, a picturesque vista of greenery, my imagination goes into overdrive and re-enacts the course of one of the most important
Julian Fałat, to Ceylon and around the World
Julian Fałat, one of the most outstanding Polish watercolourist, traveled to Ceylon and around the World in 1885. It turned out to be the adventure of his life. He had studied painting at the Krakow School of Fine Arts and became its rector. He had studied in Zurich and Munich and became the court painter of the German Emperor. He had traveled around Europe and then went on a journey around
Sri Lanka | Yapahuwa, the forgotten capital protected by lions
Yapahuwa was the ancient capital for a very short time in fact only 12 years.This was an extremely turbulent time for the Sinhalese kingdom was falling because of a mixture intrigue, a betrayal and invasions from the south of India. Recognizing the defensive potential of Yapahuva, the King Buvenekabahu I decided to build the capital there. He built a fortress with a double line of defensive walls separated by a moat.
Sri Lanka | Delft Island, where live wild horses
Delft Island, an coral island located on the west of the Jaffna Peninsula. It can be reached by daily ferry. What did we discover during our one-day trip… It was almost half past eight, a navy boat which should take us to the Delft Island was just visible at the end of the long jetty. The day had began with a quick breakfast, prepared especially early by extemely polite manager of the Blue
Must see in Negombo
Negombo is the nearest city to the Bandaranaike Airport, the fourth largest city of Sri Lanka. It is known for tourism, fishing and as a “small Rome”. After a long flight to Sri Lanka, it is worth to planing the first night close to the airport. Our body, pressed for a long time into a form of an airplane seat, now asks for straightening and also our lazy radio vascular system
Our travel plan to Sri Lanka
Our travel plan to Sri Lanka was for a group of six friends. We planned sightseeing and relaxation. Sightseeing in the north and rest in the south of the island. It was our second trip, so I prepared our travel plan to Sri Lanka without places that we knew. First time we visited Anuradaphura, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Haputale, Lipton’s Seat, Udawalawe National Park and Kandy. This time we were curious about the
Sri Lanka| How to prepare for your trip
Trip to Srilanka, why not? Sri Lanka is still less popular than India, but has a certain vibe of India, especially when you include in your trip, the north of the Island which is very Hindu. You are going to an exotic country, a few thousand kilometers away (about 7,500 km from Europe), and of course you have immediately thousands of questions, both organizational and related to health and safety. You
The history of Ceylon tea
The history of Ceylon tea has its close relationship with coffee and begins back in the 19th century. The father of tea brought to the island is a young Scot called James Taylor. The history of tea has its origins in China around 2700 years BC. Tea from China went to many Asian countries, and finally, also to Ceylon. When does the history of Ceylon tea begin? Apparently in the seventeenth
Nuwara Eliya | Little England of Sri lanka
Nuwara Eliya is known among tourists as Little England of Sri anka. The discovery of Nuwara Eliya was associated with a unique climate, unlike the rest of Sri Lanka. On my table steaming a cup of black Ceylon tea, in the background is piano music, several people immersed in comfortable chairs relaxing in the atmosphere of this place. The elegant colonial interior of the Grand Hotel brings me back to the