colombo, sri lanka:

Jami-Ul-Alfar Mosque in Pettah

My final post from gorgeous Siri Lanka (finally - oops!). We had just a few hours up our sleeve to spend exploring Colombo, Sri Lank's most populated city and economic hub. We stopped off on our way from Bentota to the airport, before making our journey home. So while we didn't get to explore the city in depth, we did get to tick off a few things, like visiting Barefoot Cafe, meandering around bustling Pettah and taking in Geoffrey Bawa's residence at Number 11. After spending a very relaxing week by the beach, Colombo felt frantic, busy and congested. But I did see a lot of potential, and did wish we could have explored it a bit further. Next time!

This last lot of snaps are mainly from Petttah, the busy market area of Colombo and Geoffrey Bawa's residence. Both totally worth visiting if you have a short time in the city.

Thank you , Sri Lanka - you were just so lovely.

Next: an update on the latest and our next big adventure!

Pettah

outside Geoffery Bawa's Number 11

inside Geoffery Bawa's Number 11

bentota, sri lanka:

Lunuganga

After our time in Galle, we headed north-west up the coast to Bentota, another coastal area,  known for it's boutique hotels and its proximity to Colombo. Our main reason for visiting however, was to visit Lunuganga - Architect Geoffrey Bawa's residence and garden. We chose the scenic route and drove along the coastline. It was incredibly beautiful and we saw some amazing beaches that we mentally made note of for when we (hope to) visit again.

Upon arriving in Bentota, we spent time relaxing in our beautiful Bawa designed hotel (The Villa by Paradise Road), cooling down during the midday heat before venturing out n the afternoon to Lunuganga. Both Andrew and I are huge fans of Geoffrey Bawa and his tropical modernist aesthetic. So we were geeking out a bit, staying in one of his designs and than visiting his personal garden and Bentota residence. Meandering around the garden just before sunset was just stunning, and we left incredibly inspired. As this was also our last night in Sri Lanka, it made for a really nice finish before taking on hectic Colombo and then our flight home.

There is also the Brief Garden, which belonged to Bawa's brother, Bevis Bawa. However with bub in tow, we thought it best to just take on one garden with our limited time (and there's always next time right?).

If you're into architecture, gardens or just love being surrounded by beauty, I definitely recommend visiting Lunuganga and also checking out the work of Geoffrey Bawa.

Next: my last post from Sri Lanka - Colombo! Then I'll do a  little write-up from my perspective of travelling with a 7-month old (it's mostly good!).

inside one of the pavillions at Lunuganga

the Villa by Paradise Road - designed by Geoffrey Bawa

galle, sri lanka - part two:

Templeberg Villa

While in Galle, we did not stay within in the Fort but a few minutes outside of the main town, in a beautiful old colonial villa (Templeberg Villa) on an old coconut plantation. With a bub in tow we wanted somewhere we could retreat to during the heat of the day and really relax. Sri Lanka has some seriously stunning accommodation options, which can make for some hard decisions when it come to choosing where to stay. 

The Fort is easy to explore in a short amount of time, however we took our time, making a few different visits at various times of the day over the time we spent in the area. And you cannot beat sunset. Walking around the historical streets at golden hour, and watching the sun set into the Indian Ocean from the Fort walls is pretty magical experience. We also explored Galle town, outside of the Fort, taking in the local fish and produce markets, which I'm always drawn to any city.

While Galle was quite busy in comparison to other areas we had visited (mind you, we were there right in the middle of peak season), and at times a bit touristy, it was still so worth the visit and must do when in Sri Lanka. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

Next: Bentota and lots of Geoffrey Bawa goodness.

exploring Galle town