Discover-SriLanka

DISCOVER - SRI LANKA: PROLOGUE

IN PRAISE OF MY BEAUTIFUL ISLAND,

INFORMATION, PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO.

THE 13th CENTURY VENETIAN TRAVELER MARCO POLO DESCRIBED THE ISLAND AS 'THE JADE PENDANT IN THE INDIAN OCEAN'. THE ABUNDANCE OF GEMSTONES, SPICES, RAIN FORESTS AND WILDLIFE; THE MAGNIFICENT BEACHES, ANCIENT RUINS AND A WRITTEN HISTORY OF OVER 2500 YEARS MAKE THIS ISLAND A TOURISTS' PARADISE.

THE RUINED CITIES OF ANURADHAPURA AND POLONNARUWA ILLUSTRATE THE GLORY OF THE ANCIENT KINGDOMS. THE GIGANTIC STUPAS AND BUDDHA STATUES ARE AMONG THE BIGGEST MAN MADE STRUCTURES OF THE WORLD. THE MASSIVE RESERVOIRS, BUILT BY ANCIENT KINGS TO IRRIGATE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF LAND, ARE MARVELS OF HYDRO ENGINEERING. THERE ARE EIGHT UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN SRI LANKA

THE ISLAND WAS KNOWN TO THE GREEKS AS 'TAPROBANE' AND TO THE ARABS AS 'SERENDIB'. EARLY MERCHANTS VISITED THE ISLAND IN SEARCH OF GEMSTONES AND SPICES, MAINLY CINNAMON AND PEPPER. COFFEE AND TEA PLANTATIONS WERE STARTED BY THE BRITISH COLONIAL RULERS. CEYLON TEA IS FAMOUS THE WORLD OVER.

TOURISM INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR MONEY SPINNER FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL ISLAND. THE VAST EXPANSE OF BEACHES, RAIN FORESTS AND NATIONAL PARKS WITH HERDS OF WILD ELEPHANTS, THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS WITH LITHE WATER FALLS, BRING IN THE TOURISTS. THE ISLAND IS DOTTED WITH HUNDREDS OF HOTELS TO ACCOMMODATE THE TRAVELER. AN ISLAND OF 25,000 SQ; MILES HAS 103 RIVERS AND 25000 RESERVOIRS, MOSTLY MAN MADE. WITH VARYING CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THIS IS TRULY A 'SMALL MIRACLE'.

" THE ISLAND OF SRI LANKA IS A SMALL UNIVERSE, IT CONTAINS AS MANY VARIATIONS OF CULTURE, SCENERY AND CLIMATE AS SOME COUNTRIES A DOZEN TIMES ITS SIZE........I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ANY COUNTRY WHICH SCORES SO HIGHLY IN ALL DEPARTMENTS - WHICH HAVE SO MANY ADVANTAGES AND SO FEW DISADVANTAGES. LOVELY BEACHES, BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES, IMPRESSIVE RUINS, A VIBRANT CULTURE AND CHARMING PEOPLE- NO WONDER SRI LANKA IS A SMALL MIRACLE ".***** Arthur C. Clark *****

13 May, 2015

SRI LANKA - NEWLY CONSTRUCTED ROAD TO JAFFNA ACROSS THE KILAI LAGOON

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

04 May, 2015

SRI LANKA - LAKE GREGORY

Facilities at Lake Gregory in Nuwara Eliya were improved recently for the convenience of visitors who like to enjoy the salubrious weather. The lake also serves as a waterdrome for sea planes carrying tourists, to and from, Nuwara Eliya.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

22 April, 2015

SRI LANKA - PICTURES FROM VICTORIA PARK [NUWARA ELIYA]

The 27 acre park in the middle of Nuwara Eliya town, 1868 meters above sea level, was named after Queen Victoria in 1897, to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

18 April, 2015

SRI LANKA ANTIQUES - SINGER SEWING MACHINE

This Singer sewing machine bought in 1874 is in pristine condition, the Singer Company was founded by I.M.Singer in 1851 in New York, U.S.A. It was renamed Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

29 March, 2015

SRI LANKA - NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM

More pictures of the National Railway Museum.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

20 March, 2015

SRI LANKA - DUTCH -CEYLON COINS

Dutch rule in Ceylon existed from 1640 to 1796, it was a governorate, established by the Dutch East India Company. VOC coins from the mints of, The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie, were in circulation during this period. Photographed at The Economic History Museum, Colombo.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony DSC H7

09 March, 2015

SRI LANKA - SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS [CEYLON GOVERNMENT RAIWAYS]

The railway system of Ceylon was introduced by the, British Colonial Government, in the year 1864 and the Railway Museum at the Kadugannawa station was declared open in 2014, to commemorate 150 years of rail transport.

The moment you enter, paying a very generous fee of Rs.50/-, you travel back in time a century and a half, a short documentary on the history of rail transport, is screened in an air conditioned old carriage. This jewel in the crown of the Department of Railways is a 'must see'.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6. 16-50mm Zoom

12 February, 2015

SRI LANKA -THE BIG ONES TAKING A DIP

Elephants of the Pinnawala orphanage are led to the river twice a day, although these are not tamed animals, they mingle with the crowds without any unusual behavior.