Stick Fishermen and Tea Pickers

The moment my internship finished, I packed my bags and ran to the south coast beaches! After months of boiling hot and humid weather I could FINALLY cool down in the sea. The landscape in the south is utterly beautiful, radiant green rice paddies and swinging palm trees contrasting with the golden coloured sand and the rich turquoise ocean.

Marissa Beach

Marissa Beach

Boat men Unawatuna Beach

Unawatuna Beach

Hopping along the coast I have viewed crumbling Dutch fort towns, brightly coloured fishing boats and stilt fishermen. I was out taking a sneaky photo one morning, when the monsoon rains decided to intrude. I was led to shelter and served king coconut and tea until the sun shone once again. Much better than lounging on a beach like a roticiary chicken.

Stick fishermen

Stick Fishermen

After a few days in the south I headed inland to the lush Hill country region, where the slopes are a carpet of emerald green tea plantations and waterfalls appear around every corner. It was just as easy to allow days to lazily drift by here as on the coast. Spending mornings walking with the tea pickers through the plantations, and the afternoons eating curd and treacle (a kind of yogurt made from buffalo milk).

Ella sunset

Dumbulla Buddha

Hill country waterfall

Hill country

Tea picker

Tea pickers making their way to work

Tea picker

I am currently exploring Kandy, the old capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom. It if full of Buddhist temples and colonial left over’s.

Kandy

Buddha temple Kandy

Considering I’ve been in the country almost six weeks, I feel as if I have run round a lot of the sights very quickly, spending only 1 or 2 nights in each place. However it is my belief that Sri Lankas greatest attributes are the two things I have been able to enjoy the most; the people and their food!