Negambo Beach – Family Spent

We haven’t had been out from home for a long time. We kept running hither and thither in same schedule throughout last couple of months.  It was Saturday the 22^nd of March 2014, decided to have a home away. This was not pre-planned. We had a look on travel related webs to find a location on West coast, but couldn’t….so then got packed to the car and headed towards Negambo…the popular Sandy beach on the west coast…which is around 30 Km’s away from Ganemulla.

We got into the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway from Ja-Ela and drove to Katunayakaye and then to Negambo on A3. The left-hand side of the Expressway opens to Muthurajawela Marshes and Negambo lagoon. The glimpse of the beauty of the nature is amazing and wonderful. If you are on Katunayake expressway keep your heads on left (from Colombo side) between Katunayake and Ja-Ela, It will be eye-catching scenery.

   

It was around 6 in the evening, we were in Negambo, headed to Poruthota Road; towards hotels area in Kudapaduwa and Eththukala. There was a 3 storied building, looked like a budget hotel. We stayed on B&B basis and rate was also reasonable. It’s “Dream Sea Garden Hotel”. Since it was out of the season, hotel was not occupied much. 

We all were in hurry to get into the beach even-though it was dark. Our elder doni was excited, because of the darkness in the beach. We all ran to the beach, nobody was nearby but there was a musical show on the sands few meters away. Netha wanted to build a castle in sands, doni and myself build something similar, which needed a name tack. It was really enjoyable. Then what to do was the question on all our minds, one came up to go for the musical show….all walking in the sinking sands pushed hard….saw few small gangs enjoy with drinks on the beach. We had “Vade” and enjoyed few dancing tracks and came back to the hotel.     

Dinner was out of the hotel, came out to find a restaurant, what a party mode on the road; there are all and most were restaurants and pubs…music was all over…tourists were enjoying the night. Our place was “Honkey Tonkey Two Restaurant”. We had a great dine. Menu was delicious; fried rice, hamburger, grilled mallet and grilled tuna together with vegetable soup and beer. This restaurant provides personal service by the owner itself; it’s friendly and a welcome place.  

Next day, early in the morning we were again in the beach. Sand castle was again built somewhat bigger but not in the ordinary shape, I walked in the beach to the north and took photographs, listen wave crash on to shore and enjoyed the hard hits of heavy waves. We all enjoyed, specially our 2 donis were trilled. We didn’t get into the sea and not dive. But there were lot had baths, swims, fishing and sailing with fishermen and more people (tourists) on the beach getting sun.

 Negombo offers some of the better beaches on the west coast. Since it draws tourists who stop over for a day on their way to or from the airport, city and the beach side is full of hotels and restaurants. The stretch of the beach; where we were, is maintained by hotels. There are fishermen and fishing boats on the shore in other parts. Beach park is one of the interesting places among visitors (where had the musical show).

The Dream Sea Garden hotel, we stayed is a budget hotel. Rooms are clean and staff is friendly. It is on the beach and can enjoy the scenery of the ocean and the beach from the room. As I said rates are reasonable.  Honkey Tonkey Two Restaurant is also provides delicious foods at a reasonable rate and you can have a personalize menu. They are family based and friendly too, but you don’t find liquor at the restaurant and beer is brought from the outside on request. But it’s a very good place to enjoy the meal.

 

We had the breakfast from the hotel, it was very basic, fresh juices, toasted bread with butter and egg together tea or coffee. This may be due the fewer crowds at the hotel in the off season. We checked-out from the hotel around 11.30 in the morning and on the way back visited Negambo Dutch Fort. It was in a narrow strip between sea and the lagoon. It is ruined and only clock tower and entrance is left.

 

This was very enjoyed outing…relaxed, tasted, viewed, felt and learned lot in the stay at Negambo and the way in and out from the beach city.    

BiKe RiDe to Bopitiya/Uswetakeiyawa - Roadway

Sunday, the 14^th July 2013 was a wormy and bright day with good humidity. This made my ride less tired. The Roadway, I took to Bopitiya was not usual, which carried me through interior roads all the way. 

 I started bike ride at around 9. 30 a.m. in the morning, came to Ganemulla Railway Station and turned to the left. The road goes parallel to railway is quite calm, surrounding is also greenery with grown bushes and grasses. I passed Hemamali school and turned to a shortcut to 266 bus route.  

After few kilometers, I was on 266 bus route and then came up-to St. Mary’s Church-Niwandama. I turned to the right from Niwandama Intersection. This road goes to a large paddy area.

It’s exceptional and amazing, all what you can see is greenery. There is a water stream and small scale irrigation as well. This scenery relaxed me and I saw there are some like me feel the breath of freshness. I captured two people feed fish and enjoying their view.   

Then I got on to a very narrow foot path (Niyara) from the tar road, which carried me to a gravel road goes to Ekala Temple Road. This road is on the other side of the paddy field (Ekala Side). There you can see large trees besides the road, where I felt that I’m in some remote area. 

From there it was to left side on the Temple road to CTB Handiya. This area is very crowded due to quite number of factories. The CTB Handiya is on A33 road and from there turned to the left and headed to Ja-Ela town. By just passing Ja-Ela Fish Market right crossed the A3, Colombo-Negambo highway. Then it was again to an interior road which goes along with Ja-Ela canal.

This canal road ends by the Pamunuwa Bridge, from the bridge I turned to the left and headed towards Bopitiya town, where I passed Muthurajawela Marshes (this is one edge of the Muthurajawela Sanctuary). Once I reached to the Bopitiya town, it was to the left again to Bopitiya Parana Ambalama/Uswetakeiyawa area. By just passing Hamilton Canal I came to the old Colombo road, which goes along with the coastal line.

 

 

 

 I reached to the place with my buddy, it was a pretty good place with little huts on the beach, which is called “Sea beach”. That day see was rough and waives were strong. There were watakeiya bushes along the beach in this area. I got snapshots of sunlight trough long, narrow and razer shape leaves and unripe wetakeiya fruit, kakkuttas and wizard on the beach.

 

On this ride, I captured some of the eye-catching sceneries/places and uploaded here as well. Apart from the snaps enjoyed a delicious mix omlet at the “Sea Beach”.