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 *****

15 July, 2016

SRI LANKA - FISH, CRAB, SQUID AND SHRIMP [NEGOMBO FISH MARKET]

Fresh seafood on sale at the Negombo fish market.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

14 July, 2016

SRI LANKA - VIDEO [ACCOMPANIED BY A SHADOW]

Filmed from the 11th floor of an apartment building.

Filmed by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

18 June, 2016

SRI LANKA - WATERFALLS [DEVON & RAVANA FALLS]

Devon Falls is the 19th highest [94 m] waterfall of Sri Lanka.

Ravana Falls [25m] cascades down a rock surface, creating a beautiful sight.

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

07 June, 2016

SRI LANKA - DEMODARA NINE ARCH BRIDGE

The nine arch bridge in Demodara was commissioned in the year 1921, it has a span of 300 feet and the width is 25 feet, the maximum height 80 feet. The materials used: stones, bricks and cement. Designed by engineer D. J. Wimalasurendra. A.M.I.C.E.; D.F.H.; M.I.E.E., this vintage bridge will occupy a prominent place in the pantheon of Arch bridges.

Click on pics to enlarge

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

01 June, 2016

SRI LANKA - CHAMELEON

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

28 May, 2016

SRI LANKA - DEMODARA LOOP [ENGINEERING MARVEL]

The construction of the Demodara railway line was completed in 1921 by the Ceylon Government Railway. The terrain just beyond the Demodara station was too steep to build the railway track to Badulla, the maximum inclination stipulated by the Railway was one foot per forty four feet [1/44], D. J. Wimalasurendra, the engineer in charge of design, suggested taking a path in the shape of a loop, encircling the mountain on the left of the station [applying a permittable inclination] and passing through a tunnel dug right beneath the station, at a lower elevation, to avoid the steep gradient beyond the station. The Demodara Loop is considered an engineering marvel of the Colonial era. Click on Pics to enlarge.

Demodara railway station

Railway line, encircling the mountain, reaching the tunnel beneath the station

Pics by: Nelsonlanka

Sony NEX 6

03 May, 2016

SRI LANKA - BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES [ELLA GAP]

Gaze into infinity, Ella Gap is situated 3,415 feet above sea level, covered with lush green vegetation, tea plantations and cloud forests, this location is foremost as a tourist destination.