Culture
Nuwara Eliya
The Perfect Hamlet with a Cool Climate
Nuwara Eliya is a small town, perched on top of a hill with a temperate climate. The town was developed by the British to escape the heat of the plains. The town has a prominent Tamil population as the Britishers hired them to work in the tea plantations.
The SUV climbed the green hills of Nuwara Eliya slowly, all my eyes could see was the carpet of tea plantations rolling into mounds and depressions with tall trees jutting out in the bright afternoon Sun. There was a chill in the air when I hopped out to visit the Mackwoods museum.
Mackwoods Museum
The smell of the soft lawns mixed with that of the musty tea leaves was surprisingly inviting. The place was cosy, designed like a cafe with outdoor serving area. Wild flower danced in the mild wind in all shades of red and blue. Sparrows and squirrels dabbled about in the lawns, babysitting my toddler for me. The tea was served in expensive-looking Victorian tea sets.
When I think back of my fifth anniversary, it is this experience that I cherish the most. The tea in a perfect setting, mood and climate with the man I love! What more can I ask?
The Mackwoods Museum was really informative and the staff was very friendly. They arranged for a Tamil guide after hearing us speaking in Tamil. The young, Tamil lady spoke the quintessential Ceylon Tamil which had a beautiful ring to it. When she was speaking, we listened dumbstruck, not interrupting...waiting for her to go on and on. She explained the entire tea-making process from plucking to packaging.
And don't forget to get Tea from the souvenir shop.
Governor's Chalets
We stopped for lunch at a place called Governor's Chalets. The resort sits on the edge of a river with a boathouse. The waiters were busy and rude, but the view of the silvery water and the distant blue hills compensated for the service. The vast and lush lawn made the junior happy, so we chose to keep calm and sink in the view.
Sita Amman Temple
The temple is believed to be built in the Ashoka forest where Ravana kept Sita captive. This small, colourful temple stood at the side of a road with a small stream nearby. I expected it to be something big...like those hyped ones in India. There was not a soul anywhere nearby, again I was expecting a big crowd.
The stream gushed silently, the chill of cement floor tickled our feet; we spent some quiet time there. I was not the religious type, so I chose this place purely for its historical importance. It seems that the temple was built only a few years ago and there is much debate about Sita's aboard here. We did see a thick forest of trees and two marks like a giant foot, believed to be Hanuman's.
The poojari ardently recited the importance of Sita's story. And we even got an invitation for the annadhanam planned for the next day.
We called it a day after visiting Hakgala Botanical Garden. The place for the night was Avian Breeze, a charming guesthouse. There was a small garden in the front and the staffs were super-friendly...the kid had a blast.
The small resort did justice to its name with: the misty evening, the dew drops on the grass, the breeze in the air, the warm moonlight, the silence, and the cicada sounds. My little one played ball in the lawn with the staff pitching in; the husband lounged in the comfy garden; I was nostalgic of my childhood in my grandparents' house in Coonoor.
The staffs had also arranged for bed decoration and a cake. The food was just okay, the staffs were untrained---for the small gestures, it was a close-to-heart stay at the Avian Breeze.
Nuwara Eliya is a small town, perched on top of a hill with a temperate climate. The town was developed by the British to escape the heat of the plains. The town has a prominent Tamil population as the Britishers hired them to work in the tea plantations.
The SUV climbed the green hills of Nuwara Eliya slowly, all my eyes could see was the carpet of tea plantations rolling into mounds and depressions with tall trees jutting out in the bright afternoon Sun. There was a chill in the air when I hopped out to visit the Mackwoods museum.
Mackwoods Museum
The smell of the soft lawns mixed with that of the musty tea leaves was surprisingly inviting. The place was cosy, designed like a cafe with outdoor serving area. Wild flower danced in the mild wind in all shades of red and blue. Sparrows and squirrels dabbled about in the lawns, babysitting my toddler for me. The tea was served in expensive-looking Victorian tea sets.
When I think back of my fifth anniversary, it is this experience that I cherish the most. The tea in a perfect setting, mood and climate with the man I love! What more can I ask?
The Mackwoods Museum was really informative and the staff was very friendly. They arranged for a Tamil guide after hearing us speaking in Tamil. The young, Tamil lady spoke the quintessential Ceylon Tamil which had a beautiful ring to it. When she was speaking, we listened dumbstruck, not interrupting...waiting for her to go on and on. She explained the entire tea-making process from plucking to packaging.
And don't forget to get Tea from the souvenir shop.
Governor's Chalets
We stopped for lunch at a place called Governor's Chalets. The resort sits on the edge of a river with a boathouse. The waiters were busy and rude, but the view of the silvery water and the distant blue hills compensated for the service. The vast and lush lawn made the junior happy, so we chose to keep calm and sink in the view.
Sita Amman Temple
The temple is believed to be built in the Ashoka forest where Ravana kept Sita captive. This small, colourful temple stood at the side of a road with a small stream nearby. I expected it to be something big...like those hyped ones in India. There was not a soul anywhere nearby, again I was expecting a big crowd.
The stream gushed silently, the chill of cement floor tickled our feet; we spent some quiet time there. I was not the religious type, so I chose this place purely for its historical importance. It seems that the temple was built only a few years ago and there is much debate about Sita's aboard here. We did see a thick forest of trees and two marks like a giant foot, believed to be Hanuman's.
The poojari ardently recited the importance of Sita's story. And we even got an invitation for the annadhanam planned for the next day.
We called it a day after visiting Hakgala Botanical Garden. The place for the night was Avian Breeze, a charming guesthouse. There was a small garden in the front and the staffs were super-friendly...the kid had a blast.
The small resort did justice to its name with: the misty evening, the dew drops on the grass, the breeze in the air, the warm moonlight, the silence, and the cicada sounds. My little one played ball in the lawn with the staff pitching in; the husband lounged in the comfy garden; I was nostalgic of my childhood in my grandparents' house in Coonoor.
The staffs had also arranged for bed decoration and a cake. The food was just okay, the staffs were untrained---for the small gestures, it was a close-to-heart stay at the Avian Breeze.
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