It was a shock to arrive at the breakfast area at 08:30 and find it crammed with hundreds of guests. Apparently there is a conference being held at this hotel over the weekend and there are about 140 delegates in addition to the usual guests.
View from our room at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
At 09:30 we went in our bus back to Galle, about 15 km further down the coast. The roadway was busy practically the whole way with extensive shops and open market areas next to the road. For most of the way the ocean was visible but nowhere did it seem calm enough for bathing let alone clear enough for diving.
Our visit to Galle was to visit the Galle Fort which forms the centrepiece of this sprawling town. The extensive colonial-era fortifications within the fort’s walls are now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our first sight of the fort was the imposing fortress’ stone wall. Being over a metre thick, the wall protected the inner ‘Dutch quarter’ from the disastrous 2004 twenty metre high tsunami whereas much of the surrounding Galle city was badly damaged.
The history of this area is most interesting as Ceylon was a key stop-over point on the route from South Africa and the Middle East to the Dutch East Indies and the Orient, particularly in times when spices, tea, opium and silk were desired European commodities.
Galle’s harbour had been attracting traders, sailors and explorers to the island for centuries before the Portuguese built the original fort on the promontory here in 1589. The Dutch seized the port in 1640 and extended the fortifications that exist to this day. In 1796 Galle was handed over to the British who further modified the fort.
Colombo eventually became a more accessible and important port so the influence of the Galle fort waned.
Our first stop was at the Dutch Reformed Church which was originally constructed in 1775 by Commander Casparus de Jong. Apparently this site was once a former Portuguese convent. The cruciform architecture and vaulted ceiling make for an imposing internal view but the more striking features of the church are the ornate tombstones laid into the floor and adorning the walls. Some of the tombstones have inscribed a skull and crossbones near the person’s name together with an image of a sand (egg) timer. These symbols infer that the interred individual died prematurely with malaria often being the cause.
Dutch Reform Church, Galle
Organ, Dutch Reform Church, Galle
Dutch Reform Church, Galle
Symbol of shortened life, Dutch Reform Church, Galle
We then walked along the ramparts past the Point Utrecht Bastion where the main feature is a lighthouse dating from 1938.
Lighthouse, Galle Fort
Mosque, Galle Fort, Galle
The majority of the population now living within the fort are Muslim and the Meeran Jumma Mosque we walked past is a large white building closely resembling a Christian church. Closer inspection enabled us to see the crescent and Arabic script that confirmed the true function.
Galle Fort
When a brief sun-shower occurred we were at Flag Rock, the southernmost end of the fort. The high walls are constructed from rocks bearing fossilised shells and coral. From these walls, apparently daring free-style divers perform frighteningly high dives into the sea below.
Rock wall, Galle Fort
Galle Fort
Ocean from Galle Fort
Monks taking selfies at Galle Fort
We then moved onto the northern most section of the ramparts where there is a prominent landmark, namely a clock tower. This tower was constructed in 1882 on a site where a Dutch belfry once stood.
Clock Tower, Galle Fort
Corinne & Jak at Clock Tower, Galle Fort
View across harbour from Galle Fort
On the grass area nearby were sports grounds with people playing tennis and cricket. We watched a group of young boys of age approximately twelve having a practice batting, bowling and catching session under the careful tutelage of their coach. These kids were all very capable young cricketers and may well be future test cricketers. The Sri Lankans are enthralled with cricket and when they find we’re from Australia there are excited comments of ‘Ricky Ponting, Allan Border, Glenn Mc Grath, etc…’.
Test Cricket ground viewed from Galle Fort, Galle
Cricket coaching, Galle Fort
Mask shop, Galle
After returning to our hotel we spent the afternoon relaxing, reading and wandering around the gardens and beachfront of the hotel.
Hibiscus at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
Frangipani at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
Beach at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
Beach at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
PADI Dive Center at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
Hikka Tranz Hotel (our room on top right hand end), Hikkaduwa
Of particular interest was a small building near the beach labelled “Five star PADI dive Centre”. On closer inspection we found a sign on the door indicating “Dive shop closed until October”. We were hardly surprised by this extended closure as apparently the sea conditions are only suitable for diving on the upper and mid-east coast at this time of the year.
Hikka Tranz Hotel (our room on top right hand end), Hikkaduwa
Sunset at Hikka Tranz Hotel, Hikkaduwa
Tomorrow we head north past Colombo to Negombo for our final two days of this Sri Lankan adventure.