Where is Rune?

On Wednesday I catched a bus on the street just outside my guesthouse in Narigama/Hikkaduwa, to Galle, and the trip took only half an hour. I paid Rs 20.

Galle Fort (the fort walls and bastions and the old town inside) is a UNESCO world heritage site, and it is easy to see why. It is like wandering in a living museum, and it’s a very pleasant place to be. The old colonial buildings lining the narrow streets are still in normal use, and the traffic is very light. I am staying in Weltevreden hotel, which is a 250-year-old house converted to a small hotel, or more correctly, homestay, since the owners live here too. It’s a cozy and economical place (Rs 1000 per night).

There seems to be a sizeable muslim population here. For example, there is a big mosque, and there is an Arabic college (est. 1892), etc. I also met a friendly, apparently knowledgeable old muezzin (he said he was 82 years old), who bought me a tea while telling his stories, including a pilgrimage to Mecca. Among other things, he claimed to be able to recite all verses of the Koran, and to speak X number of languages. Afterwards he went home on his three-wheeled bicycle.

On the practical side, I noticed the other day that the locals in Galle drink the water straight from the tap, without boiling it first. This led me to do the same, of course. The tap water tastes surprisingly OK too.

After posting this, I will catch a Bajaj to Unawatuna beach, just east of here.

Below a selection of pictures (click to enlarge).

The old town inside Galle Fort.

School girls.

A mosque, a lighthouse, and the fort walls.

The old town inside Galle Fort.

Weltevreden hotel, where I stay.

The new town outside the fort.

Fishing boats.

Sunset with the walls in the foreground.