BENTOTA --- COLOMBO --- NEGOMBO

Picked up at 9.00am in Bentota to go back to Negombo where we started our trip in Sri Lanka. Driver took us for a drive through Colombo capital of Sri Lanka. We were amazed how clean and tidy the city was  huge wide tree lined streets. Always nice to see lots of trees in a city. Some were very big old trees hanging over the streets to form an arch. Very attractive. We drove round a huge Central Park/play area for kids. Nice space in such a big city. We didn't really stop to take photos but most were taken from the car so not so good. Another beautiful hot day. Arrived at our hotel at about 11.30pm to use only until our pick up at 9.30pm to be taken to the airport. Very nice hotel only nine months old. Wish we had longer here. It is on the Lagoon side whereas when we arrived we stayed on the ocean beach side. Really puts our last hotel to shame. The last hotel we had shouldn't have been  4 Star.

Leaving Bentota took this photo of an old sailing canoe which they had at the entrance of the hotel.

We are now driving through Colombo city, the  International Conference Hall. A beautiful building.

They had some very big roundabouts with these wide roads.

Quick photo out of the window, can't even explain how big this Park is. Big part of it is children's playgrounds. It's always nice to see such a big green area in the centre of a city.

This is the town hall.

A man made Lake in the middle of the city. Look at this amazing building.

Looking down the other end of the lake. So much construction going on.

Their New Lotus sky tower.

More construction sites.

Now down on the waterfront. This is an old hotel called Gold Face Hotel. The oldest hotel in Colombo.It is next to a swimming bay right in the city.

Hard to get photos from the car on the go. The round circular building is the trade centre. And the buff coloured building ahead is their old Parliament House and is very similar to our Parliament building in Wellington.

The Dutch Clock Tower.

This is just to show how good their roads are. We are now on a paid highway.

We have been so impressed with their roads which have been excellent throughout the country. The surface is so smooth. They sure know how to build roads in this country. NZ could get some good tips from them. Much better than ours.

Now arrived at our hotel called Arie Lagoon back in Negombo. We were due to stay here when we arrived in Srilanka but we decided we would love more to be on the coast. This place is amazing. We are sorry we only have ten hours here before we are picked up again to go to the airport. We arrived at 11.30am  and pick up is 9.30pm take off is 12.45pm.

A great room it's more like a cottage. Standing at the end of the bed looking back to the door and around to the right is a little sitting area which goes into a bathroom.

Now standing in the sitting area, bed off to the left, entrance on the right.

Another open air bathroom, as you can see the beams above the shower are all open to the outside. Not sure what you do if it is raining/thunder/lightening could be a worry. You would certainly get wet hair whether you liked it or not.

It's a very big complex we are in this building of I think eight rooms. We are downstairs on the left. And as you saw above a very big area. A waste for such a short stay.

Close up of our quarters.



Just across from us there is an open air area undercover for relaxing and looking out over the Lagoon which is very large.

Out on the front lawn looking along the waters edge

Standing  on the front lawn looking back up over the pool to the restaurant. Lagoon in front of lawn out to the right.

Sitting at our table waiting for lunch.

Zooming in over the pool and Lagoon and you can see the other side approximately 8 kms away. Airport is over there somewhere.

We are close to the lagoon end, at the other end of this drive is the entrance to the hotel. Shows how big the complex is and a lot wider than shows.

From our room looking over to the swimming/restaurant area. Very big grounds. Beautifully kept.



These frangipani trees all round the gardens. They always look nice in the tropical countries.

To say goodbye to Sri Lanka

Everywhere you go everyone is playing cricket on the roads in the parks on the beach. They are passiate about their cricket.

I found  this photo of the stick fishermen. When we came along the southern coast several days ago one of the things on our itinerary was to stop and watch the stick fisherman. With being so popular with the tourists they now charge you to stop and take a photo so we opted out and told the driver we weren't going to pay, they wanted $25 if you stopped so we said forget it and stayed on the highway. Disappointing as it would have been interesting to see.

Well we have nearly come to the end of our amazing holiday of India and Sri Lanka. We have thoroughly enjoyed it. So much variety of the two countries. Sri Lanka being very lush  tropical green  growth. Very good roads, lots of variety beaches coastlines, getting up into the high hills which I loved, so much architecture of beautiful monuments. India however was very dry dusty in places and unfortunately the small towns had so much rubbish in the streets. But in saying that they too had some amazing Forts, Temples with the very fine detail and art work. Quite different countries which made the trip so very interesting. In India we had a driver but he didn't really speak much English but we always had separate guides in all the towns who looked after us. Our driver was excellent very careful and considerate the way he drove. He always had our best interest at heart.

In Sri Lanka we had a driver who was also our guide which was good as we got to know him and spent all our  time just with him. He was excellent also and considerate and we always felt safe and he took very good care of us. We missed him when he left us for our four days at Bentota. Another driver picked us up today. It's all been a great experience and we have both thoroughly enjoyed it. We certainly saw some amazing places and scenery. Any doubts I had before we left I needn't have worried as we would really recommend it to have a great adventure. So it's goodbye from India and Sri Lanka and our last blog.

😎

BENTOTA

Photos taken over our four leisure days in Bentota. Perfect weather with the usual rain and thunderstorms coming in in the late afternoons which helps cool everything down just a little. The hotel wasn't up to the standard we have been staying in. Had a few noise problems here but the staff are lovely and the food good. We get included in our package breakfast and dinner both buffets so eating way too much. We will be like two of the Sri Lankan elephants arriving home. We are both looking forward to getting home now. We leave this hotel tomorrow pick up at 9.00am for a quick drive through Colombo to have a look then back to Negombo where we started in Sri Lanka. We have a hotel for the afternoon/evening before our 1.00am flight back to Singapore. Ten hours in all at Singapore airport. We have six hours booked in the transit hotel which has a pool. PT keen to go out to Changi but will just see how we feel at the time.

Have had a couple of walks into Bentota town about 1km from the hotel. Hard work in this heat with all the heat from the roads,cars etc no wind in there at all. This is the bridge we walk over the river into town.

We stopped to wait for the train that was coming.  Barriers down all the scooters/motorbikes waiting.

Here she comes through the streets of Bentota, goes over the river and runs right behind our hotel. Sounded very loud the first day we were here but hardly hnotice it now.

Walking down the main road.

Now for the photos around the hotel.  Looking out over our balcony. 

From balcony zoomed in to the beach.

Looking down over the pool below us. 



Looking up to our room upstairs fourth from the far end. Notice the downstairs rooms  just step out from their patios straight into the pool.

This is what spoilt it for us as we had eight men probably locals who booked four rooms below us. They used the pool all morning and seemed to take over the whole pool chucking a ball around. But not only that they started drinking about 9.30am through the morning while they were using the pool. You can imagine how loud they got and spoilt it for all the guests. They went home yesterday so we are having our last day here enjoying the quietness of the place. But that's not all, another lot arrived about two hours ago and started off quietly having a few drinks under the trees. We have been lying under the umbrellas but now back up in our room. The boys are getting louder and louder. They don't seem to know when they have had enough. Oh well we won't be here tomorrow.

This is the other pool of the hotel down the other end of the huge grounds. The pool near us is right down the other end behind the trees.

The have built these chairs into the sand made of concrete but look like sand.



Looking along the front lawn of the hotel running down to the beach. The hotel used to be painted white which looked good. Fresh looking with the green grass. They have now painted it this awful  army green colour. I can't believe someone would change it to green from white. It's horrible you feel like you are checking into an army barracks.. 

Looking north along the beach in front of the hotel. Goes for miles. It is strange that the sand is never boiling hot no matter what time of the day. Whereas in NZ you can hardly walk on the sand in the summer time due to the heat.

Looking south our hotel on left. It would look so much nicer if it was still white. I notice it is still white on the websites.



This shows the whole width of the building. As you can see lots of clear space in front of it except in our quarters behind the trees at the left.

We walked south to the end of the beach and walked through this jungle like area.

And came across this little bay. Very quiet peaceful area.

All the tropical growth behind the bay. PT liked the contrasting colours in this photo. Blue, white green.

We had just spoken to these young lovebirds who were under the trees. As we returned they were standing out on the rocks. Lovely kids. The Sri Lankans have such beautiful smiles and lovely white teeth.

Then further around some more rocks and another beach. This beach was very long.



Back through the under growth to our beach, walking back to the hotel.

Hotel in background.



Did our last wash in Sri Lanka. Hooked the clothes over the guttering above our balcony. Great for drying. That awful green. Would be much nicer White as I said. Time and time again......

PT eaten too much. ('Tiz not). That chap was massive!!!

Well that's nearly it for our India and Sri Lankan holiday. One more day tomorrow then onto the start of our flight home. Might get one last blog away tomorrow night, all depends on time.