Bombay - Taprobane/Sri Lanka/Ceylon - Bombay

[Bombaywalla]

Some nice looking pick-ups...

[Dr.Kazim]

@bombaywala,
In your this thread I found missing in sequence.

[nickatnite]

thanks for the Nano pics

[Bombaywalla]

thanks for the Nano pics

No problem, mate. I think I have a few more which I'll post later

Just for fun, I walked into a TATA Motors dealership (in Dambulla town) in which there was a brand new Nano sitting pretty in the drizzle hehe, but when I walked up close and saw the price tag - man was I in for a shock - the Nano retails for over 1.2 million Sri Lankan rupees, which is the equivalent of half a million Indian rupees. R I D I C U L O U S!

[RN100]

@Bombaywalla,

Brilliant tour pictures. Thanks for sharing. Two years ago, my dad went to Sri Lanka as part of training tour for Air Blue (Private Pakistani Airline). He really liked it there. Sri Lankan people are very cool and friendly. There are alot of good food places (Halal), I think you also have a picture of Nice Halal Food outlet, Norris.

The country is very beautiful and has alot of diverse geography. I would like to visit there one day, hopefully. They use alot of coconut milk in most curry dishes, I would love to try that. Sri Lanka also has Highest Literacy Rate, above 80%, highest in South Asia, and also its the most prosperous Country in South Asia, despite the 20+ years like civil war. The per capita income is around $5,000 per year (PPP), I think.

They also Assemble their own cars, and made a local Sri Lankan Car with Chinese help, few years back, I think. TATA Nano in your last picture looks nice, but very pricey. Maybe its due to protecting their own local assembly of cars probably, just like in rest of South Asia. Imports get hit with alot of tarrif.

[Bombaywalla]

@Bombaywalla,

Brilliant tour pictures. Thanks for sharing. Two years ago, my dad went to Sri Lanka as part of training tour for Air Blue (Private Pakistani Airline). He really liked it there. Sri Lankan people are very cool and friendly. There are alot of good food places (Halal), I think you also have a picture of Nice Halal Food outlet, Norris.

Thank you, mate. It is always a pleasure to share.

The country is very beautiful and has alot of diverse geography. I would like to visit there one day, hopefully. They use alot of coconut milk in most curry dishes, I would love to try that. Sri Lanka also has Highest Literacy Rate, above 80%, highest in South Asia, and also its the most prosperous Country in South Asia, despite the 20+ years like civil war. The per capita income is around $5,000 per year (PPP), I think.

True that. The food is phenomenal. I tried to have as much Sri Lankan food as was possible during my almost 3-week long trip. I'm half coconut and half crustacean now. I think the literacy rate is 99% and 98% for males and females respectively. The islanders are a happy lot, and I like them a bunch. This might sound crazy but I think I'd like to have my own place somewhere along the Unawatuna cove someday soon.

They also Assemble their own cars, and made a local Sri Lankan Car with Chinese help, few years back, I think. TATA Nano in your last picture looks nice, but very pricey. Maybe its due to protecting their own local assembly of cars probably, just like in rest of South Asia. Imports get hit with alot of tarrif.

'Micro' is the local Sri Lankan assembler + manufacturer under which, the SsangYong Rexton and a few other models, are assembled. Re: Nano - I couldn't believe how many of them I saw down there despite the hefty price tag. While most Sri Lankans drive reconditioned Japanese vehicles, the only fresh imports come from countries like India, China, Malaysia, and Germany. I was told that only friends of the President have Mercs, BMWs and the like.

[Bombaywalla]

The Thilanka Resort and Spa, Dambulla, built on a couple of acres of prime agricultural land, provides great service in a serene environment. Now, of course it drizzled quite a bit, but I was fortunate to witness beautiful skies on my second day in town...

No vehicles allowed beyond a point, so it's cycle-rickshaw time

Lobby display...

[Bombaywalla]

Decent rooms...

[Bombaywalla]

Food! Finally!

[mansor]

wowoo lush green haaaaaaan

[nickatnite]

nice pics, BW. i know that cars are taxed heavily in lanka but i'm reeling from the nano sticker shock:o. if a dealer stuck that sticker price on a local nano he'll run the risk of getting shot at or at best get beat up real bad, i reckon.

keep 'em coming. the best place to visit in lanka is nuwara eliya, near kandy,acc. to me. did you get to visit there, by chance?.

[Bombaywalla]

the best place to visit in lanka is nuwara eliya, near kandy,acc. to me. did you get to visit there, by chance?.

Yup, I went up to Nuwara Eliya too. Comin' up later...

On my way to Sigiriya, about a half hour's drive from my hotel...

[Bombaywalla]

Sigiriya (lion's rock) is a place with a large stone and ancient rock fortress and palace ruin in the country's Central Province (CP), surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos) which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves in India. It is one of the eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

The moat that my guide told me had man-eating crocodiles...

[Bombaywalla]

Continuing with photos from Sigiriya...

The brick and granite construction is more than 1200 years old!

[Bombaywalla]

One of the many water channels seen at the lowest level of the archaeological reserve...

[faisal_here]

Thanks a lot Bombaywalla! for sharing such a nice treasure of pics with us. Man you have presented a Sri Lanka that I can "smell the rain, greenery and history" all from the pics.

Also while looking at your pictures, I was reminded of a famous urdu autor A. Hameed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Hameed_(writer)), who spent a good amount of his youth time in Srilanka (in the 50s) and later wrote a lot about it in his short stories and columns, his writings made me feel like this

Thanks once again, may be one day God willing, I will visist this place

[Tabish1]

Nice Sharing

[Bombaywalla]

Thanks a lot Bombaywalla! for sharing such a nice treasure of pics with us. Man you have presented a Sri Lanka that I can "smell the rain, greenery and history" all from the pics.

Always happy to share, mate. Thank you for your comment.

Also while looking at your pictures, I was reminded of a famous urdu autor A. Hameed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdul_Hameed_(writer)), who spent a good amount of his youth time in Srilanka (in the 50s) and later wrote a lot about it in his short stories and columns, his writings made me feel like this
Thanks once again, may be one day God willing, I will visist this place

Appreciate the information on the late Abdul Hameed. It pays to take a couple of weeks off from our hectic urban lives (when we can) to travel around the region. There is so much to see, experience, and learn in Sri Lanka, mate. You absolutely must visit the island soon.

[atharshah]

well nice to see a pw in my city

yea srilanka is taking a massive boom from the past 5 years specialy after the war.

well the car scene is totaly different here

almost all cars are imports or bn through dealers customers pay a hefty price for the wheels atleaset 50 % more then indopak.

well not true at all.........mercs and beemers are not even a question

most of the government candidates owned a lot of jaguars earlier now trend has moved towards beemers and mercs for seniors well i am talking about merc s 600s which cost a fortune here

most of the public own awsome cars c class,e class,3 & 5 series,audi a4 & 6,kia sorento,hyundai santafe,toyota premio are just normal cars here u can spot them easily

as do i know we have 4 sls 500 amg 2 i have seen personaly i think in white red and mayb even a black

cost is 600 thousand usd all are owned by civilians,unfortunately no roolsroyace yet however the most common super car is the porche as u showed above we have good dealers here

the most common sportster is the subaru wrx st-i it has gone down after subaru messed up the shape

i see u travelled through the city.................yea Colombo is Clean MASHALLAH and we emphasise in keeping it that way

well wheare r the out station pics and please te

[atharshah]

The chance to travel to an island much akin to my vision of paradise, and especially one that exists only 2 hours south of my home city Bombay, is a chance one cannot let slide. Sri Lanka is a place of immense natural beauty, with its 65 and a half thousand square kilometres offering the traveller a whole range of breathtaking topography. From the highlands in the central province, to the pristine beaches along the country's western coast, the island does not fail to leave one awestruck. Most importantly however, are the nation's peaceful, chilled-out people. They're beautiful, enjoy life, and don't take themselves too seriously. Perfect Here's my view of the 'Pearl of the Indian Ocean'. Enjoy!

i see u travelled through the city.................yea Colombo is Clean MASHALLAH and we emphasise in keeping it that way

well wheare r the out station pics and please show them too like galle kandy nuweraliya those places r beautifull too

dambula is more of relics but good to see u hed there and how about anuradhapura when my uncle was alive he used to take us to every part of the country

and do tell me what hotel did u stay in how was the price