Sri Lanka - Lifestyle and Travel

Clockwise from top left: Afather and son peer into thewater near Galle’s Dutch Fort;locals walk a wooden bridgeover the Kelani River; andChanna Perera, larger-thanlifeowner and MD of Rafter’sRetreatsauntering cows presents an intense cultural experience to old Asia hands, letalone visitors new to this continent. It was here that I realised that the animalsin Sri Lanka looked happy, not something I could vouch for in many other Asiandestinations. This is a good sign – biodiversity may be threatened on this littleisland, but domestic animals appear well-fed and in good health.Nature called again the following day, in the form of a vast and resplendentMangrove Lagoon in Dodanduwa. The lush vegetation and placid waters hereare a temporary or permanent home to many water birds, butterflies and watermonitors. Hundreds of cormorants nagged at each other on their favourite treesfor the best nesting site.Rowed on a makeshift wooden catamaran (amazingly the venue for an Englishcouple’s wedding two days before), I was taken to a 2250-year old Buddhist templeon Hermitage Island in which 19 monks reside, meditate and chant. Imposing,graphic, and rather disturbing paintingss and sculptures inside the templeportray vivid morality tales; one involving an infant being sliced up in retributionfor the sins of his parents. I saw from the visitor’s book that the isolated templeAyurvedic massage [involved] the masseur holdinga noose-like strap tied to the ceiling and massagingthe guest with his feet – a surprisingly pleasantsensation.receives only around three visitors a day, and after the mangy dogs and ravensstarted giving us stern ‘looks,’ I swiftly departed. A few days later, I was relieved tofind that our photos of the temple came out okay, as our driver had whispered to usthat pictures taken in the country’s largest Buddhist temple in Kandy were oftendeveloped as blanks.Appetites whetted for all things natural, I took my leave of Galle and begun thelurching journey to Kithulgala, around 80 kilometres due east of Colombo, andarrived at Rafter’s Retreat just in time for lunch. The Retreat incorporates teneco-cabanas nestled in lush foliage overlooking the spectacular Kelani River,the setting for the film Bridge on the River Kwai (Thailand’s bamboo forestsTalangama Villa, inside andouthad already been cleared by themid-1950’s, making filming thereimpractical). The cabanas were builtby Rafter’s larger-than-life owner andManaging Director, former MerchantNavy seaman Channa Perera, whosegrandfather was the governor ofthis region. Channa is now the proudowner of his grandfather’s expansive130-year old mansion in the grounds.Rafter’s Retreat is an ideal base foradventure and nature ecotourists; Ibecame the former, and gaily rafteddown the foamy, grade 2-3 whitewaterrapids of the Kingfisher- andCormorant-infested Kelani River. Attimes gentle; perfect for slipping offthe raft and floating for a time downthe river on your lifejacket, followedby the gaze of local villagers engagedin their twice-daily sarong-clad washin the river; and at times mildlyferocious; the combination of franticrowing, exhilarating speed, andadrenaline-rush manoeuvres makingfor the perfect day out on the river.From Rafter’s Retreat we drove toseemingly-isolated Talangama Villa,which I was amazed to discoverwas only a 45-minute drive fromColombo. A retreat of a differentkind, the Villa offers a pleasingblend of Sri Lankan hospitality andpost-colonial aestheticism. On thebanks of the Talangama marshes – awallowing water buffalo’s wet dream60 61